Green's Going Green....and Everything In Between

Planted

2012-02-21T08:46:00.000-08:00

The garden is in! We spent our weekend planting and it's looking to be a tasty summer. We planted tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, squash of all kinds, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, lettuce, beets, turnips, beans, peas, carrots, radishes, herbs....the list goes on and on. I'm hoping to be up to my ears in produce. I've already been internet shopping for more canning jars!

Pickled asparagus we put up last year

We aren't really trying any new varieties this year but we are experimenting with different types of gardening. In a few of our beds, we are trying the "square foot" method as opposed to row plantings. This makes my OCD senses tingle, having to spread seeds willy nilly but we want to maximize space and minimize weeds which this method promises to do. My husband still let me have a few row plantings to satisfy my need for symmetry...isn't he a gem?

Anything good to eat in here Mom?

We are also experimenting with terracing on the slope between our fruit trees. Our beloved tomato plants slow production during the summer once the temperatures are consistently over 105 degrees (so NOT looking forward to that!) In an effort to give them some relief from the sun, we planted a few between the fruit trees, hoping the shade will keep them comfortable. We lost so many tomatoes to blossom end rot last season we are willing to do just about anything for our romas, krims and beefsteaks. Tomatoes are a gardener's most prized crop!

Part of last year's crop

And flowers. I planted flowers. We haven't ever planted flowers. When we moved here almost four years ago, we thought it silly that many people had huge lawns that they spent hundreds of dollars on each month to water. We live in the desert. Grass does not grow here for a reason! My husband and I hopped on the artificial turf bandwagon and solemnly swore we wouldn't plant anything that wasn't useful or edible. Flowers don't really fit into either of those categories but it sure is nice to have some color in the yard. I don't see myself having an English garden anytime soon but I'm thinking flowers will be making their appearance in my yard on a regular basis.

What are you planting this year?

Tea Tin Candle

2012-02-14T07:48:00.000-08:00

You've heard me talk about the dangers of conventional candles a few times. Nasty chemicals lurking in wax and wicks, turning a perfectly lovely candle into an environmental disaster. Benzene? Zinc? Lead? No thank you! My kids and I made some rolled beeswax candles not too long ago and it left me wanting to learn more about candle making at home. I finally gathered my supplies and made my first eco-friendly container candle and I thought I'd share the process!

You will need:

A container (Thanks for the tea tins Momma!)

Beeswax or Soywax

100% cotton wicking

Essential Oils (optional)

Step One-Set The Wick. I used prepared cotton wicks meaning they were tabbed and waxed which helps them to stand upright. You can use regular old cotton wicking if that's what you have, but know that your process might be a bit different. To set a prepared wick, you can either dip the tab in a little wax and stick it to the bottom of your container or you can use hot glue. I used hot glue since my glue gun was still sitting on the counter from my adventures with Vinny the Valentine horse.

Step Two-Melt Your Wax. This being my first go round with container candles, I wasn't quite sure how to measure my wax beads to ensure I had enough. I filled each of my containers with beeswax pastilles and dumped them into my waxpot. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH WAX. I ended up only being able to make one votive. Next time, I plan to measure out twice as many pastilles as I will need to fill one container. That's a ratio of roughly 2 to 1.

Step Three-Scent and Pour. Scenting your candle is completely optional. Beeswax gives off it's own sweet smell but I like things fragrant so I added some bergamont essential oil to my melted wax. Carefully pour your wax into your container, taking care not to drown your wick. I poured with one hand and held my wick up with the other.

Step Four- Secure and Support. There are many methods for keeping your wick upright and centered while your wax hardens. Because I used a prepared wick, it was already quite stiff and only needed a little help to stay in place.I gently wedged my wick between two pencils placed horizontally on the container and that seemed to do the trick.

Step Five- Trim and Burn. Once your wax has hardened and your container has cooled, you may find that the top of your candle appears sunken. This is normal. Top off with another layer of wax and your candle will be smooth and even. Once your top layer is set, remove your wick support and trim your wick to about a 1/4 inch. Light and enjoy!

Vinny the Valentine Horse

2012-02-10T13:40:00.000-08:00

When my daughter's teacher sent out an email asking for empty Kleenex boxes to be used as a Valentine mailbox, I assumed that the creating/decorating of said mailbox would take place at school. I was wrong. Instead, my daughter arrived home with an empty Kleenex box and a cheerful note encouraging us work together at home to transform the box into a receptacle worthy of the finest love notes.

She was excited to get started so I pulled out the usual suspects: stickers, markers, and glitter. She rolled a marker thoughtfully between her palms, staring intently at her Kleenex box and announced, "I want it to look like horse." This is not at all surprising. My horse crazy girl lives and breathes all things equine. "That's great honey! Draw a horse on the box," I exclaimed. She continued to roll her marker, chewing on her lower lip. "No Momma. I don't want to draw a horse. I want the box to BE a horse."

I wasn't sure how I was going to make a Kleenex box into a horse but I knew that I certainly would not be spending any money to do so. A quick internet search gave use a few ideas about what a Valentine horse might look like, and we set to work using what we had around the house. Vinny the Valentine horse (as he is so affectionately called) is an upcycled masterpiece. Standing proud his on toilet paper roll legs, Vinny's body is an empty Kleenex box that K painted hot pink. His tail, also pink, was made from leftover yarn. I made Vinny's head out of construction paper and glued it to a file folder for support.

K is beyond excited to take Vinny to class on Tuesday.And to tell you the truth, I'm pretty excited too. Who'd have thought a bunch of "trash" could make something so cute?!

Cars

2012-02-01T16:57:00.000-08:00

The first Matchbox car was manufactured in 1949. The company started with just three die cast models; a steam roller, a dump truck and a cement mixer. Nowadays there are thousands of different makes and models, everything from Corvettes and Hummers, to army tanks and double decker buses. My son is an avid collector of these little vehicles, and his friends and family are doing a bang up job making sure he has a large and varied collection. When not clutched in his sticky little hand, I find cars everywhere....and I mean EVERYWHERE. I took a walk around the house this morning looking for cars and here is what I found.

Cars on the couch

Cars on the water cooler

Cars in the sink

Cars in the cat food

Cars in the yard

And though I grumble and groan about picking up and/or stepping on that tiny truck for the 327th time, I think I might be very sad when I stop finding miniature Mustangs on every surface and in every nook and cranny. Very sad indeed. Perhaps its time I embraced the Matchbox car...they'll be gone before I know it!

Don't Sweat It

2012-01-21T22:35:00.000-08:00

I sweat. A lot. I mean, a lot a lot. Like buckets. I'm terrified to to try homemade deodorants or anything without antiperspirant because I sweat so much. It's not so much an excessive sweating problem...I don't just sit around pouring buckets of sweat. But if I am doing anything remotely active, I start to perspire. First the upper lip, then between the boobs...you get the idea.

Me, with boob sweat. Yes, I'm on a pole. No, I'm not a stripper.

When I work out, I get really sweaty. I played basketball and volleyball in high school and remember my uniforms being soaked after every game. Even a brisk walk leaves me wet and miserable, sometimes even embarrassed by the boob and/or butt sweat that seeps through my clothing. Yeah. Ya heard me. Crack sweat. It's not glamorous but I know I'm not the only one! I have been able to somewhat counteract said issues with expensive, sweat wicking workout clothes. I invest mainly in workout bottoms, as I feel that crack sweat is more embarrassing than boob sweat. Anyhoo, paired with a couple sweat sucking sports bras and a tank top, I'm good to go. Well, except for one thing. My hair...

I will say this: I don't care what my hair looks like when I work out. I want it up and out of my face and I don't care how it's accomplished. Nothing is worse than a sopping mass of sweaty hair sticking to your neck or your forehead, slapping you in the eye as you jostle about. My hair is rather short right now so it's hard to get it all out of the way. I can tie/pin it back but wayward strands always escape and find their way into my nose/mouth/eyes. Headbands seem my best bet until my hair gets a bit longer. I came across this stylishly sporty headband in my most favorite sportswear catalog, Athleta:

It's hard to see in the picture but it's a stretchy, braided headband that promises to keep your hair out of your face without squishing your head. And it's cute. Score! But twelve dollars a headband? Really? For braided fabric? I came across a tutorial on how to make braided headbands with recycled t-shirts. I used a couple of sweat stained knit shirts (how ironic) and a pair of knit pajama pants for my headbands and after a few false starts with the five strand braiding, I whipped up three stretchy headbands to keep my hair out of my way. The headbands didn't cost me a dime since I used clothing I already had, and making my own was a fantastic green alternative to purchasing new. I can't find my camera to take pictures of my handiwork, so here's one from the tutorial I used to give you an idea of what the finished product looks like. Cute, right? Now off to the gym!

Down with Dairy

2012-01-17T16:18:00.000-08:00

I could never be vegan. I could live without steak. I could live without eggs. But to give up dairy....I just can't do it. A life without cheese and ice cream? That's just not the life for me. My kids share in my love of all things dairy and in moderation, I happily oblige them.

But lately, I've been more than a little concerned about my son and his passion for cheese. J has struggled with digestive upset since he was an infant. He was formula fed (that is not an invitation for nasty comments by the way) and was severely constipated pretty much from birth. Bowel movements were infrequent and excruciatingly painful for him. We called him the "Toot Monster" and I spent many a day rubbing and rolling his wee tummy, trying to expel the gas that made him miserable. By the time he was six months old, he was taking an almost adult dose of OTC laxatives on a daily basis. I questioned the doctor but she assured me that some babies just have digestive difficulties. It felt wrong to be dosing a baby with powerful laxatives but I continued to follow the doctor's orders.

J at four months

J started solid foods right around the six month mark. The less formula he had, the better his tummy troubles got. And when he stopped having formula, we were able to get rid of the laxatives for good. But still, we struggled with issues like gas, occasional constipation and diarrhea and tummy aches. At first, I wrote the symptoms off, chalking them up to overindulgence or a passing virus. But over time, I began to notice that these instances of digestive distress directly coincided with J's intake of dairy products.

J at fourteen months...can't eat cheese but mud's not a problem :)

Once I realized what was going on I felt relieved and guilty all at the same time. Relieved that I know how to fix his problem; guilty because it took me nearly three years to figure it out! I'm not planning to get him formally tested for lactose intolerance...there's a reason he cries if he drinks a glass of milk!We are still experimenting with just how much dairy he can have but thus far, we can generally avoid stomach upset if we keep him at one serving per day. We are lucky that J can tolerate dairy at all. Many cannot. If I had to cut it out completely my little man might have a massive meltdown. The boy LOVES his cheese!

Age three, at the beach last summer

I know many of you have children with food allergies and intolerances. What has been the most difficult obstacle for your family to overcome? What are some ways you "treat" your child without indulging them in forbidden foods?

This Little Light of Mine

2012-01-11T08:36:00.000-08:00

I love candles. If I'm home, you'll usually find one burning. The ambiance, the smell....for me, candles make a house a home.When I started to reassess the products my family uses, it never even crossed my mind that most candles are little environmental disasters waiting to release their toxins at first light. I might sound dramatic but listen to this. Let's talk about wax. Most commercially produced candles are made with paraffin wax. Paraffin is a waste product of petroleum refining. I've been trying to "just say no" to petroleum products so most candles don't fit in to my eco-friendly lifestyle. Plus, the chemicals used to process paraffin candles like benzene and esters, are released into the air, polluting both indoor and outdoor air with unhealthy fumes and soot.

And wicks. Don't even get me started about the wicks! Conventional candles often use a synthetic wick that have a metal or zinc core which, you guessed it, emits toxic stuff when lit. Lead wicks are banned in the U.S. thank goodness, but many countries continue to use them. Be wary of imported candles! Personally I can't believe any manufacturer would use such dangerous substances in their products. I guess that goes for many items in the world today but truly, I though candles would be one the last things I needed to worry about!

I have slowly been weaning off my beloved Yankee candles and switching to soy or beeswax candles which are petroleum and chemical free. I've been toying with the idea of making jar candles for a while....I have beeswax, I have essential oils....all I need is wicking and a container (hello Goodwill!) Eager to start the candle making process, the kids and I made rolled beeswax candles for the dinner table last night (you may remember that we light candles at the beginning of our evening meal.) The process couldn't be simpler: roll sheets of beeswax around cotton wicking and ta-da! A candle! The kids tore off bits off wax to decorate them and now each night, they get to light a candle that they made with their own two hands. So cool!

Today I Am...

2012-01-08T08:58:00.000-08:00

Today I am....

Getting my hair cut. The shaggy dog look is so last year.

Watching my husband and my daughter play Mario Kart. I'm not thrilled with all the time in front of the tube but it sure is cute to watch them together. The both stick their tongues out.

Hanging sheets on the line. The weather is freakishly nice and I'm taking advantage.

Taking the seedlings into the back yard to start hardening them off. Almost planting time!

Dicing tomatoes for bruchetta, my most favorite no-cook meal.

Cleaning my desk. I can't see it's surface and if I'm ever going to sew again, it need to happen soon.

Listening to Pandora Radio. Thanks to a new Christmas gadget, we can stream Pandora through our TV. We haven't had music in the house for ages and its so nice to have some playing in the background while I go about my day.

Planning meals for the week. I haven't been eating meat, dairy or sugar and if I don't plan it out, those items quickly find their way back in.

Selling Girl Scout cookies with my Daisy scout. She's been practicing her sales pitch....so adorable.

Looking for my glasses. Again.

What are you doing today?

It's a Jungle in There!

2011-12-28T07:01:00.000-08:00

Christmas is over and in a few short weeks it will be time to plant our winter/spring garden. We have a weird planting schedule here in the desert.The garden goes in at the beginning of February to make sure we get a good crop before the triple digit temperatures start to stunt our progress. Because we put things in the ground early and the temperatures are still a bit cool, we find that we have more success planting established plants rather than directly sowing our seeds in the soil. There are some exceptions of course, namely lettuce, spinach, carrots, radishes, onions and garlic. We can put those right in the dirt without issue. But for most of our plants, we like them to have a little head start to ensure a bountiful crop.

In years past, we have sewn a few seeds but depended heavily on our local nursery for starts. But this year, we chose to grow our own starts to a)save money b)add more variety to the garden and c)ensure the plants are grown without pesticides or chemical fertilizers. My husband bought a grow light for our little DIY nursery and together with our son, planted what will become this year's garden.We moved our little soon-to-be seedlings to the back bedroom and waited.

Planting seeds in the living room

That was four weeks ago. Our seeds sprouted quickly thanks to the unintentional micro- climate we created. Opening the door is like walking into a jungle...warm, humid and full of plants. The seedlings quickly outgrew their sprouting spaces and had to be moved to larger "pots" which we created with leftover party cups and a Dremel. A project that started out occupying half a wall has taken over the entire space!

I need a wide angle lens...this is only a quarter of it!

Soon it will be time to start hardening off our seedlings in preparation for planting. I'm pretty proud that we grew every single plant that will be in the garden. The only reason we'll need to hit up the nursery is for steer manure. I'm certainly ready to get my sewing room back too, and for the smell of organic compost to vacate the premises. Here's to a bountiful harvest!

Handmade Holiday Gift Recap

2011-12-26T10:39:00.000-08:00

Now that Christmas is over and the gifts have been opened, I can share a few of things I made for friends and family. I don't make all of my gifts but I find I am especially excited to see my handmade items get opened. Making and giving is a gift in itself! Here are a few of my favorites this year:

Memory Game- I made a fabric memory game for my nephew Big D. It was a snap to make and I had all the materials on hand. I cut six matching pairs from scrap fabric, pinned them to some leftover batting and some backing fabric, sewed around the squares and pinked the edges. I sewed up a little zippered bag to store them in and attatched a laminated zipper pull. I don't have a finished picture...I wrapped it before I remembered. But it turned out super cute! This tutorial will give you the basic instructions.

Backing, batting, and squares.

My First Color Book-I made a cloth book of colors for my other nephew, Baby T. Again, I have no pictures of the finished product, but I have one mid-process to give you an idea. For each page, I made a mini crazy quilt. I then embroidered the name of the color on each page, added batting for squishiness, slapped on a cover and marveled at my craftiness. I LOVE the way it turned out and I can just see Baby T slobbering all over it! If you'd like to make one of your own, try this tutorial.

Mason Jar Soap Dispensers- I made quite a few of these to add to some gift baskets that included dishtowels and dishsoap. All you need is a drill with a hole attatchment, a mason jar with a lid, soap pumps and some epoxy. For all the gory details, you can visit Heather and learn how to do it yourself!

Lavender Coconut Hand Salve-You may remember a few posts back I made a batch of hand salve. It was my first go round with salve making and luckily, I didn't burn the house down. I printed up a few fancy labels for the tins and added one to the aforementioned gift baskets to keep hands smooth after all that dishwashing.

How about you? Did you make any share-worthy gifts this holiday season? If you'd like, leave us link to your creations in the comments!

Making Merry

2011-12-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

Hello friends! Sorry to have been away. We have been busy preparing for Christmas and making merry. To fully embrace the season, I'll be taking the week off. I hope you and your families have a wonderful holiday full of love, cheer and peace. See you soon!

Clip and Save

2011-12-12T14:42:00.000-08:00

To coupon or not to coupon. That IS the question...

I spoke briefly about coupons the other day but I just wanted to touch on the subject once again. Though my family is trying our darndest to make good choices about the food we eat, we are far from perfect. My husband still insists we have Tostitos scoops for his bi-weekly chips and salsa binges. My kids will only eat Old El Paso Stand 'n Stuff Taco Shells because they don't fall over. I buy Ziploc bags because I haven't made enough fabric snack bags to accomodate our needs. I battle daily to make the choices that are best for our family, weighing both the price and the environmental costs of our purchases.

I find myself defending my coupon use on a regular basis. How can you spout off about real food and chemical additives if you are using coupons for fruit snacks and white bread? I will concede that about 60 percent of coupons are for processed, over-sugared, you really shouldn't eat it, food. But the other 30 percent of those coupons can help you stock a reasonably healthy kitchen for a fraction of the cost. By pairing store sales with coupons, I save a bundle each month.

Don't believe me? Here are a few things I picked up this week at our local grocery store. Keep in mind that my grocery store values all coupons at a dollar.

2 Dole Premium Salad Kits 2/$3

used $2/2 coupon

Total Price: .50 each

2 Birdseye Frozen Vegetables (I got peas) $1.79

used .50/2 coupon

Total Price: $1.29 ea

Yuban Coffee $8.99

used $1.50/1 coupon

Total Price: $7.89

2 Pacific Organic Vegetable Broth $2.00

used 2 $1/1 coupons

Total Price: $1.00 ea

Seeds of Change Organic Quinoa and Brown Rice $2.89

used $1/1 coupon

$1.89

Total without coupons (not including taxes) $22.46

Total with coupons (not including taxes) $15.36

Total savings of $7.10

Seven dollars saved. If I shop weekly, that turns into $28 a month. And that turns in to $336 a year! This trip was nothing, savings wise. My average savings hovers around 60 percent. I don't buy things I don't need, and I don't buy things just because there is a coupon for it. I have used coupons for eggs, produce, nuts, meat, cheese, butter, milk, bread, flour, honey, and beans, all of which are staples of a "real food" kitchen. Coupons may not be for everyone, but right now, they're right for us.

If you have any questions about getting started with coupons, please ask! How do you keep your grocery budget under control?

(This post is linked to the Green Resource.)

Ancient Beauty

2011-12-07T13:10:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder what women did before the invention of modern beauty treatments? Surely women had wrinkles, acne, unwanted hair and smelly armpits before the introduction of chemicalized products. So what did they do? Long before Lancome and Lauder, women were using natural ingredients to solve their beauty conundrums. Cleopatra bathed in milk, scrubbed her skin with sea salt and honey, and lined her eyes with kohl. Esther underwent twelve months of beauty preparations including daily massages with myrrh oil. Roman women waxed their legs with tree resins and made deoderant from alum, iris and rose petals.

Cleopatra

Though some ancient recipes aren't used anymore (hello lead based face powder) many still are and have proven just as effective as their manufactured counterparts. As I've switched my beauty products out for greener, more natural alternatives, I have found that in many cases that I can make it myself, just like the women before me. Making your own beauty products is fun, economical, and best of all, it produces a safe and effective remedy for whatever beauty issues you may be having!

Esther

I have only just begun dabbling with my own recipes. So far, I have made hand salve, body scrub, and eye make up remover but I'm really excited about my latest recipe. Homemade eye cream! Despite the religious use of sunscreen, I'm starting to see little lines pop up around my eyes. Nothing major, but something I'd definitely like to slow the progress of! There are a number of lovely organic eye creams, most of which do not fit in to my budget. I came across a basic DIY eye cream recipe that I loved and tweaked a few things to suit my needs and personal tastes. To the basic coconut oil and vitamin E base I added:

Evening Primrose-excellent in the treatment of eczema. Used to prevent premature aging of the skin.

Lavender- smells good and is believed to stimulate skin cells for faster regeneration.

Lemon-has a tonic action on the lymphatic system, helping deflate puffiness.

Carrot-also known as "nature's retinol." This rejuvenating oil is used to fight premature aging and dryness.

Here's the exact recipe I devised:

Soothing Coconut Eye Cream

2 Teaspoons Organic Coconut Oil
1 Capsule Evening Primrose Oil
1 Capsule Vitamin E Oil
2 drops of Lavender
1 drop of Lemon
3 drops of Carrot

Melt the coconut oil in the microwave. Poke holes in the vitmain E and evening primrose capsules and add to liquid coconut oil. Add your essential oils. Mix thoroughly and pour into an appropriate container. Once hardened it is ready to use. Apply sparingly each night.

For further reading on beauty treatments of the past, check out The Toilet of Flora. Published in 1784, this super fun read is "A collection of the most simple and approved methods of preparing baths, essences, pomatums, powders, perfumes, and sweet-scented waters..." The link provides a full text version of the book meaning you can read all 252 pages of colonial beauty remedies! Who knows what you might find!

Deck the Halls

2011-12-04T19:53:00.000-08:00

My husband is a grinch. Not that he's mean and nasty during the holiday season but all the decorating and baking and music and movies and shopping just aren't his cup of tea. I force him in to it and he obliges without too much complaint. We've worked out a system of sorts, a little give and take. For example, if he brings in all the Christmas boxes from the garage and puts them back, I don't make him help with decorating. If we listen to Christmas music in the house, we don't have to listen to it in the car. If he stays home with the kids, I'll do all the Christmas shopping. You get the idea.

This is our third Christmas in this house. We have been blessed with fantastic neighbors, all of whom love Christmas and decorate the outsides of their houses. Growing up, my own family always put up outdoor Christmas lights. Dad would work all afternoon and then, as the sun set, we'd all bundle up, walk a short distance away from the house and wait for Dad to flip the switch and dazzle us with his handy work.

Since my husband and I have been together (that's eight years now) we have NEVER put up outdoor lights.But with all our awesome neighbors lighting up the night year after year, I was beginning to feel a little left out. For the past two years we have been a dark spot, a blemish on the multi-colored, twinkling face of the cul de sac. Well not this year by golly! This is the year we sparkle with the rest of them!

After deciding on our color scheme, we ended up purchasing LED Christmas lights which are the "greenest" way deck the halls. If you're in the market for Christmas lights, consider LED's. There are many advantages to purchasing LED's over regular incandescent lights.

Durability- Since they aren't encapsulated in glass, LED lights are more durable than incandescent lights and can withstand all kinds of weather.
Longevity-While incandescent lights last about 2,000 hours, LED lights can last up to 50,000 hours.
Safety-LED lights produce little if any heat lowering the risk of fire.
Efficiency-LED's are very energy efficient. Depending on the size of your house, you can plan to tack on at least $70 to your electric bill to run your outdoor incandescent lights. But switch to LED's and you'll hardly even see a difference in the numbers.

Do you decorate the outside of your home during the holiday season? Let's have a look! Post a picture of your house in all its holiday splendor and leave a link in the comments for us follow. May your days be merry and bright!

Survivor

2011-12-02T10:46:00.000-08:00

Not so long ago, my husband purchased a juicer. As I mentioned, making fresh juice uses a LOT of produce, and as a result, the juicer spits out vast amounts of dry food pulp. Our last attempt at composting failed miserably but I couldn't in good conscience just throw all that nutritious pulp in the trash can. Instead, we started dumping it in our unused flower beds, stirring it around in the soil and giving it an occasional sprinkle of water to get it to decompose.

A few weeks ago, as a I stood over the sink washing another load of dishes, I noticed a sprout of green in our otherwise barren flower bed. I figured it was a weed and went about my business. However, that "weed" has grown into what I believe is robust little tomato plant. Can you believe it? A store bought, non-organic tomato seed was ground to smithereens in a juicer and tossed out to decompose and it sprouted. It reached out, took hold of the soil and pushed it's way up toward the sun. That is one scrappy tomato seed!

There's actually two separate plants!

We have a cold front moving in this weekend and we may actually get a freeze (which is a big deal here in the desert) but I'm not worried. If my little tomato plant can overcome a catastrophic dismembering in a Breville JE98XL juicer, I know a little cold weather is going to be no big deal.

Coupons and Bubbles

2011-11-30T12:45:00.000-08:00

I love a good deal. I started using coupons about a year ago and never looked back. I will admit that much of what can be bought with coupons isn't worth buying at all. But trust me, there are coupons for usable, healthful items if you know where to look. This month alone I used coupons for flour, olive oil, organic tomato paste, organic butter, canned beans, toothbrushes, natural cough drops and produce. That's not to say I haven't picked up a free can of Pringles here and there, but the point is that you can use coupons and still stock a reasonably healthy pantry.

In fact, I often use coupons to get things for free. I haven't paid for a toothbrush in who knows how long. Shampoo and conditioner, some of the last body care products I have yet to "green up" are often free as well. My local grocery store makes all coupons a dollar. When my Garnier Pure Clean Shampoo is on sale for a dollar, I take in my thirty cent coupon and BAM! Free shampoo.

Another common coupon freebie is hand soap. We go through a LOT of hand soap. There are always muddy hands to be scrubbed, toy cars and engines to be "washed down" by my son, and ponies to be bathed by my daughter...the kid's bathroom dispenser always seems to be empty. And as stoked as I am to get hand soap for free, I can't help but feel that familiar twinge of guilt when I pick pocket over health and planet. For example, the last time I stocked up on hand soap, I got Soft Soap's Lavender & Chamomile. It ranks a 5 on the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database meaning this particular product should be of moderate concern. But I was shocked to find out that it may have formaldehyde in it! The ingredient DMDM Hydantoin? Yeah. Usually contaminated with formaldehyde. Embalming fluid in my hand soap? I don't care if it was free! No thanks!

My son taking his cars to the "carwash"

So how do I buy a safe, natural product that won't break the bank? There are lots of lovely, chemical free hand soaps out there but at five dollars or more a bottle, they aren't exactly easy on the checking account. Luckily, there are lots of wonderful, like-minded bloggers out there, one of whom was experiencing exactly the same conundrum. Her solution is quite genius actually...make your own hand soap!

I don't need to rewrite her instructions here but I am so pleased with both the price and quality of my DIY hand soap. It was a little blobbier that I'm used to, even after I whipped it in my mixer, but it smells good and lathers well. One bar of natural soap (I used Shea Moisture's Organic Coconut and Hibiscus soap which was on sale and yes, I used a coupon!) made one gallon of hand soap. By combining a sale and a coupon, my $2.99 bar of organic soap will refill my soap dispensers many times over. Free? No. Cheap? Of course! Easier on my conscience? You betcha.

Thanks Robyn for your fantastic tutorial!

(This post is linked to the Green Resource. Visit every Thursday for great green tips!)

Right Now

2011-11-29T13:32:00.000-08:00

Right now, I am...

Smelling the potato soup on the stove and counting the hours until dinnertime.

Praying for my grandpa who has been in the hospital since Saturday.

Wishing all those people I requested updated addresses from would reply so I can get the Christmas cards in the mail.

Hoping the line at the post office isn't as bad as I think it will be. Note to self: bring bribes for J!

Debating on which cocktail to serve for Saturday's progressive dinner. Decisions, decisions!

Anticipating the first day of December so I can finally let the kids tear in to the advent calenders.

Worrying about my little kindergartener as she takes her first field trip without me.

Basking in the glow of the Christmas tree and the sparkle of the red wrapping paper my Mom used to wrap her gifts.

Trying to slow down and enjoy the magic of the season.

What are you up to these days?

Winner!

2011-11-28T07:43:00.000-08:00

The winner of Ani Daulter's Organic Family Cookbook is.....

Comment Number 10, Audrey!

Congratulations Audrey! I'll be contacting you soon with all the details. Happy Cooking!

Grow!

2011-11-21T08:37:00.000-08:00

My husband has been wanting a grow light for quite some time. In the few years that we have gardened, most of our plants came from starts we purchased at the nursery. This is fine and dandy but it can be expensive. Eventually, we would like to start our own seeds for transplants to cut down on costs and to have more variety in our garden. In order to do this we need:

a) an indoor space where a water or soil spill will not be catastrophic
b) ample sun light
c) a protected area where children/pets can not destroy/eat/poop in the seedlings.

Unfortunatley for us, our biggest windows are smack dab in the middle of our carpeted living room. The thought of muddy little seedlings getting knocked on to the carpet as a wild child whizzes past is enough to make me want to scrap the garden all together. So, the next logical, out of the way place for seedlings is the guest room closet. I don't care about the carpet, the kids don't go in there, and the little seedlings can grow undisturbed until they are ready to be transplanted.

So I googled grow light. Go ahead. Google "grow light." I'll wait. Go ahead. Open another window and do it. I don't know about you but "grow light for marajuana" was at the top of my search page. Great. So when I order a grow light I'm going to be on some list and the "the man" is going to think I'm growing Mary Jane in the sewing room when really I'm just trying to give my heirloom tomatoes a head start!

But I digress...

We did end up ordering a grow light. And after some closet reorganizing and a the removal of a useless organizational divider contraption, the closet in back bedroom will be glowing in no time. Let's just hope my kids don't slip up and let people know that Momma is growing stuff in the closet. Oy. The things I do for organic vegetables....

Don't forget to enter for a chance to win a copy of Ani Daulter's new cookbook The Organic Family Cookbook. There's only nine entries thus far....your chances are good!

Holiday Giveaway!

2011-11-16T18:17:00.000-08:00

It's five o'clock or as I like to call it, "What the heck am I going to make for dinner" hour. I try to meal plan and am usually successful but there are weeks when I just don't get to it. And even when I do, staring at a blank calender, trying to figure out how NOT to have tacos for the 13th time this month can be overwhelming. I need fresh ideas; food that is wholesome, nourishing and inexpensive. We love tacos but something's gotta give!

Anni Daulter to the rescue again. You may remember a while back, Anni so graciously sent a copy of her book Ice Pop Joy for review. I was deeply impressed with all the good for you ingredients she managed to pack in to a popsicle so you can imagine my excitement when she sent me a copy of her newest publication, The Organic Family Cookbook. Not only is the book packed with delicious,family friendly recipes, Anni provides green living tips in the sidebars of its pages to guide you and your family toward a healthier, more involved relationship with your food and your community.

With Anni's help, our meal plans are looking a LOT more interesting. A couple of family favorites thus far are her Simple Quinoa with Peas and Corn ,Comforting Banana Nut Cinnamon French Toast and the Roasted Tomato Garden Tacos (See? I told you we love tacos!) And guess what? One of you has a chance to win your very own copy! It would make a great gift for someone you love or keep it for yourself and whip up a batch of Anni's Cinnamon Rolls for your holiday company.

All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me your family's favorite weeknight meal. Between your comments and Anni's cookbook, I hope to have lots of new dinner ideas!

A couple of things:

To enter, you MUST BE A FOLLOWER of Green's Going Green.

For an extra entry, post this giveway either to Facebook or to your own blog.

Comments will close on November 27th. Winner will be announced Monday, November 28th.

Good luck and happy eating!

This post is linked to Your Green Resource. Check it out every Thursday for great green living tips!

Restore and Repair

2011-11-15T10:03:00.000-08:00

It is FINALLY cold enough here for quilts. Well....not really. But it's well under 100 degrees and I'll take what I can get. It is getting into the 40's at night though. The windows stay open all day to let that gloriously chilled air permeate through the house and I've been wearing cardigans while I go about my duties. But in the evenings when we settle in to read or watch yet another episode of Mad Men on Netflix (I'm in love with Joan Harris) the breeze proves to be a bit much for me and rather than close the windows, I snuggle under my most favorite quilt.

It is indeed a most special quilt. My great grandmother made it almost seventy years ago. It's not fancy; it was made to keep people warm, not to hang on a wall. It's a simple nine patch with crooked quilting and a hand sewn binding and I adore it. It's the perfect size and weight, and the seventy or so years of use have worn it buttery soft and snuggly. When the weather turns, it makes it's way from the linen closet to a more permanent spot on the back of the couch where it can pulled down for an impromptu reading session or a quick nap at a moments notice.

While my son and I were snuggling under said quilt the other day, I noticed his little toe thrust into a hole on the quilt top. I pulled it out, explaining that his toe would only make the hole bigger. He nodded and pulled the quilt over to expose another hole and wiggled his toe into it. "There Mama," he said. "I'll just use his hole instead."

Throughout its seventy year history, my well loved quilt is falling apart. The seams are separating, the thread is disintegrating, and snags are turning into holes. Though the "American" thing to do is to buy another, I feel there is simply no need. Yes, the quilt is sentimental to me but even if I would have bought it at a yard sale, it's still good and deserves to be saved. I cannot buy the softness and comfort this quilt possesses. And so, as unhappy as my son will be to lose his "toe warming holes" my poor quilt is in desperate need of repair if it to survive another season!

Most of the damage is on the seams of the nine patch. The thread has worn away to nothing and the cotton is thin and fraying. Eventually, I will have to patch it but for now I used no sew hem tape to close things up and keep wandering toes from making things worse. I also stitched a few of the smaller holes to keep them from tearing further. Half an hour of work will hopefully keep my most favorite quilt in service for a few more years. Here's to hundreds more hours of snuggle time!

But Daddy Said We Could!

2011-11-13T10:35:00.000-08:00

Mud+Daddy's Permission=Good, simple, fun.

Hope you're all having a great weekend!

Dish Pan Hands

2011-11-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

Like most of you, I wash an inordinate amount of dishes. My hands are in a sink full of soapy water at least three times a day, if not more. Combined with handwashing and the harsh desert air, my hands are looking mighty rough. My fingertips are sandpapery and my cuticles are embarassing. I keep a small bottle of lotion under the sink to slather on after each dunk in the drink, but it's just not doing it anymore. I have a full on case of (dun dun duuuuuun!) DISH PAN HANDS! EEEK!

While the ad above says I can solve my problems with Ivory Soap, I have a sneaking suspicion that probably won't work. So I broke out my fabulous new aqua pot and tried my hand at making my own moisturizing hand salve. It was easier than I imagined and everything in it is pure, natural and organic. Recipes like this are highly individualized. Use what you have or what you like. Here's how I made mine:

You will need...

-Four Tablespoons of beeswax grated (or pastilles)
-Two Tablespoons of organic raw shea butter
-Four Tablespoons of organic coconut oil
-Four Tablespoons of organic olive oil
-Organic Lavender Oil

Melt the wax and the butter on low heat. Just FYI...raw shea butter does NOT smell good. But don't worry! The yummy nutty coconut oil and lavender will cover it up!

Once melted, add the oil and stir until smooth. Remove from the heat and add 15 drops of lavender oil. Pour into tins to harden.

While the salve cools, label your lids. Because this is a natural product with zero preservatives it will not last as long as store bought lotions and creams. Typically, your salve will be good for six months. I wrote the date on the underside of the lid as reminder for myself and for those who receive these as gifts.

Once the salve is cooled and hardend it is ready to use. Mine is next to the sink, ready to combat my dish pan hands!

A couple of tips and tricks:

-This was my first go round with homemade salve. The smell of this particular recipe isn't what I hoped. It doesn't smell bad by any means, but the nuttiness of the coconut sort of overpowered the lavender. Next time I will add more lavender or use a different oil to get the scent I want.

-I really like the feel and consistency of this ratio. I scrape up a little of the hardened salve from the tin with my fingernail and rub it in. It's a little greasy at first but once it soaks in my hands are certainly happy. I think this would be great for dry, cracked feet as well. If you are looking for a softer salve, use less beeswax.

(This post is linked to the Green Resource. Check it out every Thursday for great green tips and ideas!)

Nifty and Thrifty

2011-11-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

I needed a pot. Not a fancy pot. Just a pot. Something with which I can melt non-food substances for all the crafty thing I want to do but will probably never get to: candle making, lotions and creams, medicinals...stuff like that. You know what this means....thrift store shopping! Yeah! Who says you have to drop a wad of cash for the things you need? Buying used goods is not only economical, but it's a great way to keep things out of the landfill and keep our planet pristine.

This particular trip was quite a success...

-I found the perfect pot. It's just the right size and it's aqua. AQUA! I love aqua. And, that ridiculously fabulous color will keep my husband from accidentally mixing it up with our other cookware so we don't end up with beeswax in our rice and beans.

-A picture frame. Each year, I get my children's pictures made and make a collage for them to display in their rooms. J's collage frame fell victim to the energy of a three year old boy and needed replacing. I picked up a solid oak frame for a dollar that hopefully will stand up to my rambunctious ruffian better than it's plastic counterpart.

-Books. This year, I am starting a new Christmas tradition. I will wrap 24 Christmas themed books and place them in a basket under the tree. Each night in December, the children get to pick one, unwrap it and read it, sort of like an advent calender. Instead of buying all 24 books, I've been combing thrift store shelves for Christmas themed books.

Not sure why everything looks blue....let's just pretend I was trying to be artsy!

Have you picked up anything nifty and thrifty lately??

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-30T16:20:00.000-07:00

Witches flying past on broomsticks,
Black cats leaping here and there,
White-robed spooks on every corner,
Mournful moaning in the air,

Goblins peering out of windows,
Spirit-things that rap and run,
But don't be scared-it's just October,
Having one last hour of fun!

-Mary Jane Carr

Alice and the White Rabbit wish you all a safe and happy

Halloween!

Look For It

2011-10-26T20:41:00.000-07:00

Today was not a good day. There was too much dissonance and not enough calm. I retired to my room as soon as the children were put down to sleep, utterly defeated and ready to read myself into a restless sleep. I picked up a magazine from my bedside table and opened it to find this poem staring up at me. What a beautiful and sobering reminder that no matter how hopeless it seems, there is peace to be found in the simple, everyday acts of living. Tomorrow, I promise to look for it...

I Have Found Such Joy

I have found such joy in simple things;
A plain, clean room, a nut-brown loaf of bread,
A cup of milk, a kettle as it sings,
The shelter of a roof above my head.
And in a leaf-laced square along the floor,
Where yellow sunlight glimmers through the door.
I have found such joy in things that fill
My quiet days: a curtain's blowing grace,
A potted plant upon my windowsill,
A rose, fresh-cut and placed within a vase; A table cleared, a lamp beside a chair,
And books I long have loved beside me there.
Oh, I have found such joys I wish I might
Tell every woman who goes seeking far
For some elusive, feverish delight,
That very close to home the great joys are:
The elemental things--old as the race,
Yet never, through the ages, commonplace.

--Grace Noll Crowell

Recycled Craft-Halloween Votives

2011-10-25T13:58:00.000-07:00

With his sister bringing home Halloween themed crafts by the backpack full, little J was starting to feel left out. While K was in school, I helped J make this simple (and sticky) craft I found over at Skip to my Lou. If you use what you've got, this cheap and easy craft can be an eco-friendly way to spook up your home this Halloween!

You will need:

-a mason or baby food jar (we used an old jam jar)

-Mod Podge (store bought or homemade)

-Tissue or crepe paper (white for ghosts, orange for pumpkins)

-Scrap paper

-A votive candle

Paint the surface of your jar with mod podge. Cover the entire thing with torn bits of tissue or crepe paper. It's a sticky job but most three year olds won't mind!

Cut a face for your pumpkin and/or ghost. We got out J's shape book and let him choose the shapes for his ghost's features. He wanted circle eyes and a semicircle mouth, upside down, so the ghost would look "madder than ever."

Cover the whole thing with another coat of mod podge. Dab it gently so you don't tear the paper. Painting your palms is optional.

Once it is thouroughly dry, place your candle inside, light it up, and watch your ghosts glow!

(This post is linked to the Green Resource. Visit every Thursday for great green ideas!)

The First Time

2011-10-21T16:03:00.000-07:00

I remember the first time my daughter laughed. She was about six months old. According to all the baby books, little K should have been cracking up on a regular basis and as a first time mother, I was more than a little worried that she hadn't so much as giggled. One evening, my husband and I sat on the couch with K trying everything we could think of to make her laugh. We tickled her. We talked in squeaky, high pitched voices and made faces. Nothing. Exasperated, I threw the burp cloth I was holding over my face and sighed heavily. I whisked it off in a dramatic fashion, expelling the air in my lungs and producing an exaggerated growly sound. Much to my surprise and delight, she laughed! Not just a little chuckle either. A deep down belly laugh. I repeated the same whisk the burp cloth move several times until all three of were laughing, tears streaming down all of our cheeks.

Hearing my daughter laugh for the first time was one of the sweetest and most precious moments of my life. First time moments are often amongst a parent's most cherished memories. Your child's first smile, first bath, first tooth, first step...these everyday, simple accomplishments not only mark the passage of time but for me, they provide and overwhelming sense of gratitude and awe. I am so blessed to witness the lives of these little people unfold. To see them beam with pride when they pedal their bikes by themselves or to hold them close when that first step turns in to a crash, I am the one who sees it. Who lives it. I get to share in their achievements and defeats. I get to be there the first time. Every time. How incredible to witness a lifetime of firsts!

My son went to his first soccer practice this week. He was timid. I spent most of the time on the field with him and when I wasn't there, he clung tightly to his sister. He stayed quiet and listened attentively to the coaches. He kicked his ball gently and barely cracked a smile when he scored his first goal. He is so careful, such a perfectionist. He has to get a feel for things and really get comfortable with the situation before the boisterous little boy I know is in there is allowed to creep out. It was a simple, beautiful moment. My youngest, my baby.... another first. My heart is still smiling.

Here are some pics of his soccer debut:

Hands crossed, close to his sister.

No hands!

First Goal!

So serious. This takes precision Momma!

Freezer Burn

2011-10-18T14:14:00.000-07:00

I have two dozen carrot zucchini muffins in the oven and two loaves on deck. It seems a bit excessive but we loooove zucchini bread and loaves can easily be frozen. But the main reason I am baking is because of what I found in my freezer last night. It all began with a forty pound box of chicken...

Through a local food co-op, I was able to purchase forty pounds of hormone and antibiotic free chicken for $1.49 a pound, which is a fantastic price for chicken breasts. We had to cut and trim them, then package and freeze them, but the hour or so of labor was well worth it. After the meat was put up and the kitchen counter and floor had been cleaned of chicken juice (ewwwww!), my hubby and I ventured out to the garage to reorganize the chest freezer.

I am appalled and embarrassed about what happened next. As we started to dig, we found food. Good food. Well....it would have been good if we had eaten it. Freezer burned roasts and rib steaks, buns and breads, lunch meat, vegetables, chili...we ended up throwing out an entire garbage bag full of ruined food. Americans waste forty percent of the food we produce for consumption while food prices continue to rise. That's nearly HALF! And here I am, hauling a bag of what used to be edible food out to the garbage bin. Wasted money, wasted resources....UGH.

The guilt has subsided a bit since last night and both my husband and I have sworn to shop the freezer before the store. Thus....the carrot zucchini bread. While we were cleaning last night I found a bag of shredded zucchini from last year's garden, four quart size bags of shelled pecans from our Aunt's trees, and a bag of whole wheat flour I don't remember buying. Combined with some rubbery, need-to-be-used carrots from my mother in law's garden and we've got snacks for the rest of the week.

I found this handy little freezer inventory list that I plan on laminating and attaching to the garage freezer so I know EXACTLY what's in there. What are some of the things you do to counteract food waste?

Check out the graphic below (from thesietch.org) for a visual take on just how much food we waste.

(this post is linked to the Green Resource. Check it out every Thursday for great green ideas!)

Fishing for the Wookie

2011-10-11T10:10:00.000-07:00

A few things I noted while taking a shower this morning:

a) My razor wouldn't cut butter. Why am wasting my time trying to shave when my legs feel almost as furry as they did before I shaved them?

b) I still do not understand why my huband refuses to use that last sliver of soap. We have a collection of slivers that I've mashed into a free form soap blob that he claims is "gross." I say it's frugal.

c) Standing ankle deep in your own dirty water means something is seriously wrong with my plumbing. Time to go fishing for the wookie.

The phrase "fishing for the wookie" was coined by my father in law. My husband comes from a large family with two brothers and a sister. Said sister had long, thick, gorgeous hair that frequently clogged the shower she shared with her brothers. When things weren't draining as they should, my father in law would roll up his sleeves, grab a coat hanger and a bottle of Draino and go "fishing for the wookie," the wookie being a blackened, soapy, greasy ball of his daughter's hair. I suppose whatever he managed to dig from the drain resembled Hans Solo's famed companion, Chewbacca, thus the strange yet appropriate moniker.

Giving a whimsical name to a disgusting chore doesn't make me want to do it. I've been trying to ignore the fact that our shower isn't draining but this morning's back up was a little ridiculous. And though I'm hoping to avoid the coat hanger, I sure as heck won't be using Draino if I can help it. It's toxic, it's dangerous and it's expensive. There are a variety of DIY green drain cleaner recipes but I decided on good 'ol baking soda and vinegar. Apparently the bubbly action will soften and dislodge whatever nastiness is lurking in your drain.

Pour, pour, bubble, bubble, test....nothing. Then I tried baking soda and boiling water. Pour, pour, burn myself, cuss, test...better, but still not draining. I am trying desperately not to resort to chemicals but my green cleaning efforts have failed. I don't want to go fishing for the wookie....help me help myself! Leave me a comment and tell me about the clog cleaning concoctions you have used.

(This post is linked to the Green Resource. Check it out every Thursday for great green solutions!)

The Paper Keeper

2011-09-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

There is a pile of paper taking up residence on the left side of my kitchen island. I keep it tidied to the best of my abilities but it is growing at a rapid pace. The homeless papers are a hodepodge of things we need to keep; letters from K's school, an X-Ray order for my husband's shoulder, the letter from our bank stating that our car loan is paid in full (yeah!); important documents with no important place to put them. Their place on the counter leaves them vulnerable to spills and smudges and their presence annoys me to no end. I need them up, off and away quickly, cheaply and permanently. Here's how to make your very own paper keeper out of recyled materials!

1.Select an empty cereal box. *Side Note* I am aware that Peanut Butter Captain Crunch stands for everything I am against when it comes to nutrition but it was on sale for $1.99 and I was having a moment of weakness. Forgive me.

2.Cut the top off and angle the front down and across. I can't really think of how to explain that....just look at the picture and use your brain. It's not too complicated! Reinforce all seams and edges with packing tape.

3.Make it pretty! Select a covering for your cereal box.You can use scrapbook paper, paint, book pages...whatever you have on hand. I used some leftover wrapping paper. It's not my favorite pattern and does nothing for the decor but remember, we're using what we have!

4.Wrap your box like you would a present. The wrapping actually turned out to be a bit tricky, but after some finagling I got it pretty well covered. I secured my paper with hot glue so there wouldn't be any visible tape but you use whatever adhesive makes you happy.

5.Secure to the fridge with magnetic clips and PRESTO! A place for the papers that have no place. And now no one will ever even know I bought Captain Crunch...

Green and Frugal Laundry Room Makeover!

2011-09-26T14:20:00.000-07:00

My laundry room is nothing spectacular but I spend an awful lot of time in that tiny box of a room. Not only do I wash, dry and fold clothes there, but we walk through it each and every time we go out to the garage. It's bare, white walls and lint covered baseboards left much to be desired.Why not make it a more inspiring space to work in and walk through? Here's what I did:

Clean: All walls and baseboards were scrubbed with hot water and vinegar. The vinegar loosened the linty grime and once dry, there was no pickle-y smell left over. Green and cheap!

Paint: I used Valspar's low VOC paint in Homestead Yellow. VOC's, or Volatile Organic Compounds include a variety of chemicals, some of which may have short and long term adverse health effects. VOC's are also a contributing factor to ozone, a common air pollutant. The lower the number of VOC's, the better the paint is for the environment.

Floors: The floors got a good scrubbing with the same concoction I used on the walls and baseboards. I added color and comfort with two recycled rubber rugs I got at Lowe's on clearance. They were four dollars each. Score!

Decor: God bless the internet. I found great laundry themed images here and here. I printed them out, slapped 'em in some dollar store frames and hung them up. I also added a series of hooks for drip drying my unmentionables and a contraption to hang the mop, broom and dustpan.

Viola! I love it! A little purging, a little rearranging and my laundry room is a bright and sassy space that makes folding laundry a little more palatable. My little makeover was easy on the planet and easy on my pocketbook. It doesn't get much better than that!

Candlelit Dinners

2011-09-22T13:21:00.000-07:00

My daughter has been in school nearly a month now and we have slowly fallen into our new routine. I thought that mornings would be an issue for us but I have been pleasantly suprised at just how smoothly things run. Wake up, make breakfast, pack lunches and snacks, dress, gym and finally school. I have a little more than an hour with my son before he goes down for his nap during which we play or read together. When he goes down, I have two glorious, uninterrupted hours to do whatever choose. Usually, I tidy up and make myself do one major chore that needs doing. The rest of the time is for me. I sew, blog, browse Facebook or Pinterest...it's lovely actually.

A little something I'm working on....more on that later!

The trouble starts when K gets home from school. She is dropped off a little after four by a friend with whom I've worked out a carpool (she brings our girls home, I drop them off). I help her change out of her uniform, go through her school folder for notes or homework, and pry out bits of information about her day. The three of read a few books together and then....it's nuts.

The kids start fighting. And if they aren't fighting, they are running around like chickens with their heads cut off. I start cooking dinner around 5:15 at which point I banish them to their rooms or the backyard, depending on the weather. Getting them to wash up and sit down to eat is a chore in itself. After dinner it should be straight to the tub but there's a great deal of commotion and craziness before that happens too. By the time they are fed and bathed, it's nearly too late for bedtime stories and instead of enjoying time with my husband, I am more in the mood for a glass of wine and a nap!

Rhythm, it seems, is my answer. I read a great many blogs who employ the methods of Waldorf education. Rhythm, whether it’s the natural rhythm of the seasons, or the daily rhythm of school and home life, is central to the Waldorf philosophy. Regular rituals nourish the child and give them a sense of security. My children's morning rhythm is solid; the evening rhythm could use some work. Though we do follow a pattern of sorts-dinner, bath, story, bed- I feel that my kids need transistional rituals to calm the craziness and make sure we are getting things done without too much stress.

I don't have any "cure all" ideas but there is one simple thing that has been making a huge difference in our evenings that I read about on a Waldorf education website. A candle. A simple, beautiful taper candle. When it's time to sit down and eat together, I light two candles, one for each child. When those candles are lit, my kids know it's time to eat; not time to play, not time to wash, not time to chase the cat; it's time to sit with your family and eat. I'm amazed at how the simple act of lighting candles has helped the children transistion from the craziness of free play to the semi-sanity of the dinner table.

What is your daily rhythm like? What simple tactics do you employ to make things run more smoothly?

Juicy

2011-09-19T13:44:00.000-07:00

My husband bought a juicer! Inspired by a few of his workmates, he decided that juicing would solve his "I gag on veggies" problem, all while boosting his health and immunity. Though excited to add an awesome juicer to my kitchen gadget repitore, I fear that his juicing gusto will wane and eventually,the juicer will become a counter space taker upper and yet another effort to eat the way we should will have failed. That being said, we used it for the first time yesterday and I think I'm in love....

We started out light on veggies in an effort to make a more pleasant tasting juice. For a man who smothers anything green in ranch dressing, we have to ease into things you know? Apples, oranges, raspberries, ginger, carrots, rubarb and spinach went in to the first batch and it was delicious. And within minutes, I felt as if I downed one of those sugary energy drinks. I felt fantastic and there was no crash afterwards. And though it is best to drink your juice immediatley, I sealed about eight ounces in the fridge and used it as the liquid in my green smoothie this morning. I worked out long and hard ( I even RAN which I rarely do) and I swear it's because of the juice!

After dropping my daughter at school, my son and I hit the grocery store for more produce. The only drawback I see to juicing is the cost. Making juice, especially from leafy greens, requires a TON of produce. Things are cooling off here so we will be able to plant greens again and that will help. But man oh man. No wonder you feel so wonderful after drinking good fresh juice. The amount of vitamins you are consuming is astronomical! If I actually sat down and tried to eat the produce I put in my juice, I'd be so full I'd burst!

For example, here's what's up to be juiced tomorrow morning:

1 head of romaine lettuce
1/2 bag baby spinach
1 or 2 kale leaves (they are very bitter so use them sparingly!)
handful of flat leaf parsley
3 carrots
small piece of ginger
3 ribs of celery
a pint of raspberries
1 apple
1orange
1 lemon

Even though this will be split between my husband and I,visualize yourself sitting down at breakfast and eating all that! Juicing gives you all the nutritional benefits without consuming the roughage that fills you up. That being said, unless you are on a juice fast, juice alone will not sustain you. Juice is a wonderful compliment to your routine but shouldn't be used as a meal replacement or as your only source of fruits and vegetables. If I'm not using the juice in a smoothie, I might pair it with a piece of whole grain toast and almond butter so that I have some fat and protein to fuel me until lunch.

Do you juice? What are your favorite recipes? How do you wean from mostly fruit to all veggie juice? We are very new to this so suggestions are welcome!

That's So Pinteresting!

2011-09-12T08:07:00.000-07:00

First things first. The winner of my Labor Day giveaway is:

Comment number seven, Rachel Clark. Congrats Rachel! I hope you enjoy your copy of

Ice Pop Joy!

_______________________________

I am addicted Pinterest. If you've been living under a rock and have yet to experience the glory that is Pinterest, I suggest you give me your email so that I can invite you to try it for yourself. Pinterest is essentially a virtual pinboard where you can keep track of all the wonderful things you encounter in cyberspace. And better yet, you can browse through everyone else's boards and find even more glorious stuff! Crafts, recipes, books, art, music,gifts....it's just the best. And though it can be the ULTIMATE time suck, having an account has opened my eyes to some wonderful, simple and GREEN ideas that I never would have thought of otherwise.

Here are a few of my newest discoveries:

Cream of Something Soup-This is amazing. If you are trying to cut out processed food but miss all those delicious recipes that call for a can of cream of something soup, this is your solution. It's gluten free too!

Homemade Yogurt Tubes-Brilliant. My daughter will only eat yogurt if it comes out of a tube and those organic go-gurts are killing my pocketbook. These would be a perfect way for those of you who make your own yogurt to portion it out for your kids. Perhaps I really do need a foodsaver after all!

Homemade Goldfish and Nutella-These are two mega favorites in our house. How cool is it to make our own versions, made with real ingredients and no preservatives or transfats? The goldfish tutorial even tells you how to make a goldfish shaped cracker cutter from a recycled aluminum can!

Newspaper Gift Bags-I'm pretty good at saving gift bags and tissue but should my stash ever run low, this is a great way to recycle your newspapers and make a really gorgeous bag for gift giving.

Gathered Tank Top Tote- I love tank tops. I love bags. This is a quick and easy way to take my older, stretched out tanks and turn them in to a super cute bag. Love!

I could go on. And on and on and on.....But really, if you haven't seen what all the fuss is about, I highly suggest you check it out! Find new ideas and share some of your own. If you'd like to see all of the cool stuff I've pinned, you can click on the link below to follow my boards. Happy pinning!

No, Not Shamu

2011-09-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

Some depressing statistics to brighten your day:

Forty to fifty percent of all food ready for harvest in the United States never gets eaten.

The United States spends about 1 billion dollars a year just to dispose of food waste.

Americans throw away 6,000 tons of food every single day.

This information simply blew me away. Just this morning I threw away half a box of moldy strawberries and a very wilted head of lettuce. That was time, money and precious nourishment straight in to the garbage. Not only does food waste squander the time, energy, and resources used to produce that food, but it overwhelms our landfills and contributes to global warming by releasing methane as it decomposes. Makes you think twice about tossing your leftovers, doesn't it?

Any action, no matter how small, is a step in the right direction. While I try to cut back on wasted food by cooking less and using leftovers more, I was thrilled to see that my city is also trying to do its part. The Phoenix Convention Center is one of the largest convention venues in the U.S. To lessen it's environmental impact and encourage sustainability, it is implementing the use of the ORCA (no, not Shamu,) also called the Organic Refuse Conversion Alternative (ORCA) machine. The ORCA is a food waste disposal system which biologically converts organic food waste into a nutrient rich liquid through an accelerated decomposition process.

Though picturing a giant whale noshing on Phoenix's food scraps is a bit more fun, the ORCA is actually just a large stainless steel box capable of handling up to 2000 pounds of scraps a day. A composter on steroids if you will. I applaud PCC's innovative solution for handling their food waste and hopefully, they will set the standard amongst other Phoenix businesses. Score one for the environmentalists!

And don't forget....my most fabulous giveaway ends this Sunday. Head on over and enter. Who doesn't like free stuff??

Summon

2011-09-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

I don't usually look or listen to the weather report around here. I mean really, how many times can you hear "recording breaking heat" and still be able to face the day with a smile? However, I did look at the forecast this morning and to my surprise and delight, this is what I saw:

While this may not look particularly exciting to the rest of you, the fact that the weather man is calling for DOUBLE DIGIT TEMPERATURES makes me swoon.The hottest, most miserable part of the year is almost over. There's a light at the end of the tunnel and I'm giddy. Just think! Using the clothesline again. Opening the windows. Playing outside. Bike rides. New spinach plantings. Pants. Oh, I really do miss long pants! So much to look forward to if we can just hang in for another month of so.

In anticipation of tolerable temps, I ventured in to the garage and dug out the seasonal decor box. I've got autumn leaves on my door, pumpkins on my sideboard and my apple spice candles burning. I summon thee 'o glorious autumn! Deliver me from the monstrous heat of summer fair!

So...what does this have to do with green and simple living? Well....nothing. I'm just so dang excited I had to tell somebody. It's been a looong summer. And just in case you are still dealing with sweltering heat, don't forget to enter my Labor Day Giveaway to receive a free copy of Anni Daulter's book Ice Pop Joy. Popsicles make everything better!

Labor Day Giveaway!

2011-09-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a three day weekend? Labor Day marks the end of summer and though the days are getting shorter and the leaves on my neighbor's trees are fading and falling, autumn seems to have gotten lost on it's way to Arizona. In fact, this year was the hottest August ever recorded. Thirty one consecutive days of temperatures over 115 degrees. My garden is dead, my chicken is mad and I am SO done with summer. And they say global warming is myth!

I keep telling myself that if I can just hang on until October, my children and I can crawl out of our caves, dust off the 'ol bicycles and head for the park. But for now, we swim, we revel in any place air conditioned and we eat popsicles...lots and lots of popsicles.

I bought popsicle molds soon after I decided that the homemade version of just about anything is better for you than store bought. I tended to keep things simple; frozen organic orange juice, grape juice, sometimes leftover smoothie. It wasn't until I was so generously offered a copy of Anni Daulter's book Ice Pop Joy that our popsicle making really got interesting.

Beautifully photographed and full of great ideas, Anni's unique approach to ice pops makes eating healthy fun. Using wholesome and sometimes unique ingredients, she teaches you how to make a sweet treat without refined sugars or artificial flavorings. The books is divided into chapters which feature a specific type of pop including pure fruit pops, veggie pops, yogurt pops, tofu pops, herbal tea pops, chocolate pops, and specialty pops. All are fun to make, all are delicious to eat, and all are nutritious options for your family.

Although we eat a LOT of popsicles, we tend to be creatures of habit. I wanted to try a pop out of each chapter before I reviewed the book but my kids took to the first pop we tried and were reluctant to try new ones. Anni's Peace Pop was an instant hit. Made with strawberries, mangoes and carrots, these pretty orange pops were eaten almost as fast I could freeze them. Full of fruits and vegetables and lacking in artificial ingredients, I was more than happy to hand them over. I really enjoyed the Cool-n-Fresh which is made with pineapple, cucumbers and zucchini. Yes, zucchini! Another great way to use up the fruits of everyone's favorite prolific plant.

And because Anni was so generous is giving me a copy to preview, I feel it's only fair that you get a chance to have one too!

Yep...it's true. It's a Labor Day Giveaway! To enter you must:

1) Be a follower of Green's Going Green. If you're not, don't worry. It's easy. Just wander on up to the top of the page and click "follow." See? That wasn't so hard!

2) Leave me a comment telling me your favorite kind of popsicle.

And that's it! I will select a comment at random and announce the winner on Monday, September 12th. Good luck friends!

Summer Sniffles

2011-08-30T14:42:00.000-07:00

My daughter has been in school all of five days and early Friday morning, I awoke to the grating melody of two young children, hacking in harmony. Not only did she pick up a case of the sniffles, she brought it home and shared it with her little brother. I was expecting her to catch more colds since she now spends a great deal of time in a classroom with other children, but I didn't think it would happen so quickly.

Luckily, I acted fast and took a proactive approach to help stop the sniffles in their tracks....or at the very least, shorten the bug's stay in my children's little bodies. I'm happy to report that their colds have not worsened and have, dare I say, improved. And better yet, there was no running to the pharmacy, no hours wasted in a waiting room. I had everything I needed right here at home. Save your time, your money, and your sanity. Natural medicines work, and I feel, are the best line of defense when it comes to children. They are so small and so delicate...no need to bombard them with chemical medicines unless something is really wrong! Here's my general "protocol" when it comes to colds in our house:

Elder Flower- Black elder flowers are wonderful for boosting the immune system. If taken at the first sign of the sniffles, it can significantly shorten the duration and severity of the cold. Really. My kids have been taking an elder berry syrup with echinacea and astragulus, twice a day, since symptoms started to appear. The cold seems to have stalled and they are on the up!

Peppermint-To soothe a cough, I make a little mug of peppermint tea with honey and offer it before bed. Peppermint tastes yummy and helps to clear up any congestion. The honey coats the throat and eases scratchiness. Mullein is also excellent for colds. If you have some, toss in a handful with your peppermint for an added boost.

Eucalyptus Oil-If the cold does manage to hit your child head on, eucalyptus oil does wonders for a stuffy head. Mix a drop or two of eucalyptus oil with any carrier (we use almond oil) and rub it on your child's chest. My kids love this treatment and ask for a "sick rub" even when they're well!

Garlic- Garlic is truly a wonder drug. It has been used medicinally for over 5,000 years! It's antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral and so much more. When I have a house full of sickies, I cook with lots of garlic. I usually do anyway but I really step it up if someone has a cold. You can smell us coming from a mile away!

Rest and Hydrate- This can be difficult with children, especially if they aren't really feeling all that bad. Most kids power through a cough and a runny nose but if you can get them to slow down, the problem will resolve itself much more quickly. I try to encourage "slow" activities like reading, coloring or painting to keep them from running, wrestling and engaging in other mayhem that will aggravate symptoms.

How do you take care of a case of the sniffles?

Three

2011-08-28T18:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday!

To my rough and tumble, loves to snuggle, always dirty, perfect, precious, boy.

I love you. Always, always.

It LIVES!

2011-08-23T13:52:00.000-07:00

I'll keep this short, sweet and to the point. I made dough rise. That's right. Me. Hold your applause...

If you've been reading for any length of time, you have most certainly read about the ongoing drama called, "Stephanie sucks at making bread." If you missed it, you can catch up here and here. But oh...happy day my friends. Happy day. After nearly a year of tough, flat, bricklike loaves, I have made dough rise. And not just rise. Oh no. It was nearly spilling out of its bowl. I literally danced in the kitchen.

I've acutally done it twice now. I didn't want to say anything the first time....I thought I might scare the yeast. And besides, one time could be a fluke, right? But two times? Two times means I might actually be able to make bread for family and cross one more thing off the grocery list every week! Perhaps my yeast killing days are over!

I'm not counting my chickens before they hatch though. The two things I got to actually rise were whole wheat pizza dough and wheat dinner rolls. I haven't actually tried to make a loaf of bread. But the pizza and the rolls were so incredibly yummy that I simply must try, try again. If I didn't kill pizza dough and dinner roll yeast, I should be able to keep loaf yeast alive and kickin'. Cloudy reasoning perhaps, but I'll take what I can get.

Onward! There is bread to made! Wish me luck!

Blog Love

2011-08-19T13:04:00.000-07:00

Woop woop! Blog love is going around. Taryn over at Mama Gone Green has so kindly bestowed a blog award upon me. Starting a blog was one of the best decisions I could have made. I have made so many meaningful connections and learned more than I ever imagined.

This award is given to bloggers with under 200 followers. In order to participate, you've gotta follow the rules. Here goes...

1. Thank the giver and link back to them.

Thank you Taryn! You made my day!

2. Reveal your 5 picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay. This was hard for me. The majority of the blogs I read have more than 200 readers. This means that a) I need to find some new blog friends and b) I'm going to have to cheat a little. Three of my choices have less than 200 readers. Two do not. But all five are fab. Here are my current must reads:

Green Bean Chronicles

Conscious Earth

Root and Twig

Passionate Homemaking

A Delightful Home

3. Copy and paste award to your blog.

Done!

4. Have faith that your followers will pass the love to other bloggers.

Pass it on, folks!

5. And most of all have Bloggity-blog fun.

Done and Done!

What blogs are YOU loving these days?

School Time Snacks

2011-08-17T14:54:00.000-07:00

K starts kindergarten in five days. Eek! Each day, she is responsible for bringing a water bottle and healthy snack to keep her little brain sharp and focused. Being the planner that I am, I thought we might take some time this week and prepare some healthy munchies in advance to take some of the stress out of our school week. If I have something ready to throw in her backpack, I am much less likely to reach for prepackaged options that a) cost more, b)are full of unidentifiable chemicals and preservatives, and c)won't give K the energy she needs to be the best kindergartner she can be!

Here's what we're making for K's snack time arsenal:

Trail Mix a la K-I let her go crazy at the bulk bins. Her special mix has almonds, cashews, sunflower seeds, dried cherries and mini whole wheat pretzels.
Fruit Leather-She wanted strawberries because she likes them. I wanted peaches because they were on sale. We made both!
Whole Wheat Banana Mini Muffins-Easy to freeze and always yummy!

I've also whipped out a reusable snack bag using the tutorial found here. This isn't the fanciest tutorial out there, and will only work for "dry snacks" since it's all cotton. But, it will certainly get the job done and save me about a million plastic sandwich bags. I'm hoping no one looks too closely at my first attempt. It was my first go round with velcro...we aren't on speaking terms right now. I added a ribbon on top for prettiness but the stitches went right through my velcro on the other side. Who really looks at the inside of a reusable snack bag anyway, right? My next one will be better and trust me, there will be more!

What are some easy, healthy, packable snacks that you and your family love? I need more ideas...hit me up in the comments!

Blood Suckers

2011-08-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

Though I strive to use products on my children that are free from unpronounceable chemicals, dangerous disruptors and other man made nasties, I try not to be too uptight about. If we run out of SLS free shampoo, we'll use what we have. If goat milk soap isn't in the budget, I take from my stash of grocery store soap I was able to acquire free with a coupon. But there are some things I simply cannot compromise on. I try to be prepared when we travel so that I've got a natural remedy for whatever comes up. But this weekend, I dropped the ball....and I'm still twitching.

The kids and I are home in NM this weekend for one last hurrah before K starts school. My home town has been blessed with several weeks of good, much needed rain. The country is green, the creeks are running and the wilflowers are in bloom. But all the rain has also given life to the biggest, meanest, blood sucking mosquitos I have ever seen. Ever. And since these rabid little pests aren't usually an issue when we visit, I had absolutely nothing to repel the little buggers and stop them from eating us alive.

Wildflowers for Momma :)

With nothing but OFF spray in my Mom's medicine cabinet to combat them, I decided I'd rather have my kids suffer a few itchy bites than be coated in toxic chemicals. But when K's bites started to really swell and redden, I realized she may be allergic to mosquitos. If she was going to enjoy the last bit of these perfect mountain summer days before returning to the heat of the desert, I was going to have to suck it up and spray her down. And I did. And I've been feeling horrible about it since I applied it this morning.

To appease the "natural" side in me, my Mom taped pennies to K's worst bites. The copper is supposed to help with the itching. I'd never heard of this remedy and K wasn't too keen on having pennies taped on her but it did keep her from scratching!

She's been outside all day and not one new bite to show. DEET is effective it nothing else. But once we return home, I think I'll be repacking my remedy kit to include something for repelling the creepie crawlies. Lemon eucalyptus oil has been proven more effective than DEET for up to 120 minutes. Lavender and citronella oils work too. I messed up this weekend but I promise I'll be better prepared next time. Hopefully my daughter won't grow a third eye...

A Case of the Crazies

2011-08-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

I really admire serious quilters. All that cutting, measuring....blech. I'm a lazy seamstress if ever there was one. That, coupled with my extreme perfectionism and my utter distaste for my rotary cutter make quilting a near impossible endeavor for me. That doesn't mean I haven't tried. It just means I didn't get very far. The first wonky square, the first slip of the cutter and I'm done. My patience for tedious tasks (like cutting 200 tiny squares) is limited!

Despite my lack of patience and skill, I would love to make a quilt of my own, something for my children to have when they're older. But I think I may have found a solution to my quilting quandry. Crazy quilts. Why have I never heard of these before? Crazy quilts started as a fad for rich Victorian ladies who were eager to show off their stitching skills. Traditionally, they were made with silks and velvets but as the trend trickled down, women used whatever fabrics they had. I love scrap quilts and crazy quilts are the epitome of scrappy goodness. Of course it is perfectly okay to buy new fabric for a quilt but I just love the whole idea of using what you've got. Less waste, more sentiment.

Gorgeous crazy with ric-rac.
www.selvageblog.blogspot.com

In addition to their scraptacular beginnings, there are a couple other reasons crazy quilts are easy for me to love. There is hardley ANY measuring. Really! You just slap down any old wrinkled scrap and sew it down, continuing with the slap and sew method until the square is covered. Then you flip that bad boy over, square if off, and you have gorgeous, crazy quilt square! Usually, each seam on the square is then embroidered, but depending on what you're making, it may not always be necessary.

I'm working on a little somethin' somethin' that uses the crazy quilt method. I can't divulge all the details quite yet...it's a Christmas present in the making. But I am pleased as punch with the progress so far. I can't wait to gift it. There are pieces of J's old onesie, a curtain that used to hang in my living room, a scrap from the first dress I made for K....so many memories in just these few squares. I like them all but am partial to red one....what do you think?

143

2011-08-03T09:08:00.000-07:00

*Parts of this post have been recycled. Look at that....I'm green in every way! With 143 days until Christmas, I have been thinking about what needs making for this year's holiday season and last year's post on homemade gifts is just as true now as it was last year*

For all the times I rolled my eyes at your hand knit sweater, I am sorry. For hiding that atrociously fluffy hand crocheted shawl, I beg your forgiveness. For tossing unopened jars of chutneys, assorted pickled pleasantries and hard but homemade fruit cakes I am wrought with guilt. For burying the quilt of avocado green and pumpkin orange in the back of my linen closet, I am truly shamed.

Though it's only August, I've been thinking about Christmas. Yes, Christmas. Though I thoroughly enjoy the holiday and all that it entails, about this time of year I get a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. As much as I consider myself one to "fight the man" Christmas means presents, which means consumerism, which means money. Or lack thereof. I tend to be on the "lack thereof" side and it is around this time when I start to assess who gets what, how much it will cost and start squirreling money away to help soften the blow of the Christmas shopping frenzy I am forced to indulge in every year.

Last year, I did manage to make a few gifts from scratch and to my utter surprise and delight, they were a huge success. I'm looking to do more of the same. I've added some new tricks to my bag o' craft talents and while the bag is still somewhat empty, I'm confident I can whip up some pretty swoon worthy gifts. Homemade does not have to equal heinous.When I was younger, I received an assortment of homemade gifts that, well, quite honestly I thought were hideous and either hid them or promptly threw them out. A 16 year old does not wear crocheted shawls. And who pickles peaches? Yuck!

What my young and and inexperienced brain did not realize was that these gifts were worth more than any store bought item I received. Granted, 16 year olds do not wear shawls but the person who gave it to me thought I might need one. She thought the color of the yarn would look nice with my eyes and that I could wear it on the bus for my away basketball games to keep warm. She took the time to pick out a pattern, sit down and hook it. And I might not like pickled peaches but the person who gave them to me picked them from their own tree, sliced and pitted them and decorated the canning jar with fabric scraps and lace. They took time, a lot of time, from their day to produce something just for me. It's not so much the actual items that they gave to me. It was their time.

In an effort to live a more simple and fulfilling life, I have learned just how much time it takes to perform the necessary tasks to produce a homemade gift. By learning to sew and can and cook, I recognize the love that goes into something prepared by the giver's hands.I know how long it takes to can something. I know how long it takes to crochet an afghan or knit a sweater. I know how long it takes to make a quilt, even if that quilt is made with the most heinous shades of orange and green. Whether I like the item or not, I know that it was made with me and only me in mind. In the 12 or so years that have passed since I received that shawl, I've grown to understand just how treasured a homemade gift should be. As I begin my gift lists and determine who gets what, I just hope that the receiver knows that I was thinking of them while I made it. I picked out the colors/flavors/shapes just for them. I hope they know that I love them enough to give them some of my own precious time.

Go forth my friends. Create and give of your own precious time!

Citrus Wonder and a Glass Top Stove

2011-08-01T16:30:00.000-07:00

Whoa! I certainly wasn't planning to be away from this space for so long. We've been busy bees here at the homestead. We've been getting ready for school, hosting a house full of family, celebrating a very special birthday and an anniversary, and have just been plum over scheduled. I don't anticipate it slowing down in the next couple of weeks, but I will post as inspiration strikes. Once K is in school and we fall into a steady and hopefully slower rhythm, I can dazzle you with my wit on a more regular basis!

But before I go, I have to share this green cleaning tidbit I discovered whilst cleaning before the arrival of all the aforementioned company. I have an electric, glass top stove. Glass tops aren't the easiest thing to clean. It's not like you can lift off the stove top to soak when you've got burned on spaghetti sauce or grease splatters. Embarrassed for anyone to see the sad state of my stove top, I attacked the burned on nastiness with a razor blade and splash of vinegar. With about 20 minutes of elbow grease, things were looking good.

But my stove to still lacked that "fresh from the showroom" gleam. My homemade all purpose spray makes it look okay but I wanted it to sparkle. When we moved in to this house, the previous owner had left a tiny bottle of a concoction called CeramaBryte. It's a gooey cream that you rub on to the stove top and buff off like car wax. The stuff was amazing. But I'm a green clean kind of girl now....that and I have no idea where I stuck that teeny bottle of CeramaBryte. Instead, I sprinkled the glass top with baking soda and rubbed it around with half a lemon, cut side down. The baking soda made a delightful bubbling noise and lemons smelled yummy and fresh. I buffed off the resulting lemony paste and ta-da!!! Showroom shiny. WITHOUT having to dig for that little bottle.

Pardon the photo quality. It was snapped on my phone. I do not, in fact, have man arms.

Green cleaning wonder I tell you!!

Getting Stitchy With It

2011-07-25T13:46:00.000-07:00

I've been nesting. No. I'm not knocked up. I just kinda feel like it. I don't want to leave the house and have been perfectly happy holed up inside with the kids doing all the things I never seem to have the time to do. We have been quite content these past couple of weeks just following along in our daily rhythm. I think it may be that my eldest starts kindergarten in three short weeks and will be celebrating her fifth birthday next weekend. We're baking, sewing, coloring, playing and reading... squeezing in as much as I can before my daughter begins her formal schooling career and I am I left wondering how time has passed me by so quickly.

In an effort to preserve what remains of my daughter's babyhood, I have been holding on to an abnormally large amount of her artwork. Each child has an art line in their room, consisting of a ribbon and a few clothespins. This is the spot reserved for the most special and intricate pieces. The fridge is covered of course. I even have some of their work framed and incorporated into the decor. And, for each child, I have purchased an accordion type folder to file away the best of the best, categorized by age and already, the folders are bulging. I can't bear to put them in the recycling bin...and even if I could, some little hands would discover it there and pull it out claiming that is "NOT recycling Mommy!" Either I need to get off this sappy, sentimental streak or I need to come up with another way to preserve my children's creative endeavors.

Way back in May, K and I made some portrait bookmarks for her grandmother's Mother's Day gifts. They were a big hit. K drew a portrait of each grandmother, wrote their names, and I embroidered over her picture. J picked the floss color and the ribbons, and I sewed them together. Combined with a gift card to a local bookstore, I was pleased as punch with how they turned out. And this weekend, as I puzzled over how to make something useful and lasting out of the plethora of artwork being produced on a daily basis, I remembered how well loved K's portraits were. I glanced at my nightstand to see stack of books, places held with old lottery tickets, a gum wrapper and even a dried up wipe. Why not use some of her pictures to make bookmarks for our household?

K was more than happy to oblige. The basic pattern can found in Handmade Home by Amanda Blake Soule.We started with portraits again. One of me and one of her Daddy of course. I'm planning to let her draw other types of pictures too, like the rainbows and flowers she's so fond of. And our cat. I love the way she draws our cat.Another idea would be to embroider an entire drawing...maybe make a wall hanging or a pillow. Of course I'll hang on to as much paper as I can, but these little bits of artistic flair will remind me, a long time from now, just how innocent my children once were. Every time I mark my place in my book, my little ones will be smiling back up at me from it's pages.

How do you handle the daily onslaught of masterpieces? Have you found any new and creative ways to save or display them?

P.S. These picture are blurry. Ever since we came home from the beach our camera is having trouble focusing. It's a Canon Rebel. Any of you photogs have any advice?

OH! Now It All Makes Sense!

2011-07-21T09:50:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine sent this to me....damn that cryhole.

Dusty, Musty and a Little Funky

2011-07-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

If you live in the U.S. and have watched any amount of news in the past couple of weeks, there is a pretty good chance you may have seen photos or video of the enormous dust storms, or "haboobs" as they've been calling them, that have swallowed us up twice in the past two weeks. Haboobs are actually quite common in the desert but rarely do we see ones of such epic proportions. One of the storms produced a wall of dust nearly 60 miles wide and stretched 3,000 feet up into the sky. Wind gusts varied between 60 and 80 miles per hour within the cloud. Visibility dwindled to zero. The airport closed. The freeways slowed to a crawl. Thousands lost power. And every inch of my house was covered in fine layer of grit.

Phoenix metro getting gobbled by a sand monster.

Dust, heat, lack of precipitation....aren't desert summers fun?? It's for these very reasons we hole up in the house from June to September, only escaping when absolutely neccessary. We are serious about keeping the cool in, and the dusty heat out. Blinds and curtains stay shut, fans stay on, and we live in our summery semi-darkness I like to call "cave light." But just like a real cave, our house tends to get a bit musty in the summer time. Opening the windows to air things out is just not feasible this time of year. I have to come up with other options for freshen up and get rid of everyday odors.

Candles are good. I'm a candle girl. But because I'm a candle girl, I burn through them like crazy and can't always afford to replace them. Candles, especially the eco friendly ones, aren't cheap. I've also tried simmering yummy things in a pot to scent my home, but I forgot about it and scorched the pot so badly I had to throw it away. Chemical plug-ins and freshners work too. They aren't my favorite options (who knows what's really in them) and most require expensive refills. So how do you un-stinkify your pad without breaking the bank or depleting the ozone?

You make your own air freshener of course! Here's the recipe that works for me:

Cave Stink Eradicator

1 cup water

1 cup vodka

Essential oils – about 15-20 drops of lavender and 12-15 drops of lemon or whatever you fancy

One empty refillable spray bottle

Mix, swirl, and spray! It's that easy. Cave stink be gone!!

Go Green or Go Broke

2011-07-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

I should never be allowed to answer the phone. About a week ago I received a sales call. You know the ones. The kind where you answer one question and before you know it you've agreed to buy God knows what at some ridiculous price and you hang up wondering what the hell happened. Yeah. Like that. Only this time, I managed to agree to let a solar consultant come into my home and help us "Go Green Now!" with no money out of pocket. Riiiiiiiight.

So the consultant came. He explained the products. He showed us a badly edited video about the company. Hauled a fish tank stuffed with insulation into my kitchen to demonstrate what radiant heat can do. He went over all the state and federal incentives for making energy efficient upgrades to your home. What I thought would be a 45 minute product demo turned into a two and a half hour ordeal. Not only did it suck up an evening but the guy kept asking for water and used my bathroom....twice.

Needless to say, we did NOT buy any of their products. I really did want a solar water heater though, which was one of the three things he was trying to sell, but even with his "killer deals" the system was out of our price range. But all was not lost. He made some other suggestions on how to green up the homestead without making a big investment.

Insulate Our Freezers-We have two chest freezers in the garage. Yes, it would be more energy efficient not have them at all but we butcher most of our own meat and we need them. He showed us a thermal insulating material that can be bought at most home improvement stores. It looks kind of like those silver sun shades you put up in your cars. Anyhoo, you just wrap it around your freezer and secure it with duct tape.

Insulate the Garage Door- You can use the same material on the back of the garage door to keep out radiant heat. Simply cut it to fit the panels, screw into the metal and you can lower the temperature in the garage by nearly 10 degrees.

Heat Barrier in the Attic-This was actually one of the services the consultant was pedaling. Basically, they go up in the attic and staple gun a radiant heat barrier to the underside of the roof. It reflects the heatout of the house in the summer, and reflects is back down toward the home in the winter. The material looks a bit like a fancy aluminum foil with little holes for ventilation. They wanted $400 for the job. We can do it for $150. When summer is over and it's not 130 degrees (this is not an exaggeration....it really is upwards of 130 degrees in our attic) the hubby is crawling on up with a staple gun and going to town.

Not only are these solutions inexpensive, they are innovative as well. Never in a million years would have thought to wrap my freezers in metallic bubble wrap. The "green" industry is just like all the others....they gotta make money. Sure. It would be fantastic to have a complete photovoltaic system, a solar water heater, low E windows and so on a so forth. But it's nice to know you don't have to spend a fortune to lower your utilities and help the planet in the process.

Planning

2011-07-13T14:25:00.000-07:00

It's mid July and everything in the garden is officially dead. Well, okay, not everything. The tomato plants are still trying to pump out some fruit and for some reason or other, our eggplant is especially prolific. There are a few scraggly looking carrots and a head of red sail lettuce trying to eke out an existence in the shade of our pomegranate tree. We have peppers, most of which are too hot to eat but will be tasty after I pickle them. I suppose there is still life out there. But as I skim other blogs whose summer gardens are drowning in prosperity, I can't help but feel a tad envious. While the rest of the country is really just starting to enjoy the summer bounty, the desert sun has baked our garden into oblivion.

The last of the tomatoes

This is of course is normal for this time of year. We plant when everyone else is still frozen and snow covered but our summer season ends when everyone else's is just beginning. However, we do get to garden year round. Our harvest season may be a little wonky compared to everyone else's but at least we get to garden nine months out of the year!

As I mourn for my scorched squash plants, I am thinking ahead to the fall. We can plant our winter garden in mid September, sometimes earlier depending on the heat. Since we started this whole garden adventure, we have been planting a mix of seeds and established plants. This winter, we want to go hard core: start it all from seed. We want to start them inside, give them a chance to grow in the relative comfort of our garage, and then transplant them when the time comes. To ensure they are hardy enough for life in the great outdoors, we should have our seeds started by......yesterday. Oops!

Our "its easy, you can't fail!" starter system

Well, we've got all the stuff. The seeds. The planters. The water. The sun. The only thing left to do is plant the little suckers. We've had good intentions in the past but usually ended up at the local nursery buying up their starts. But not this year. Oh no. This year it's on....

Here, There, and Everywhere!

2011-07-11T15:12:00.000-07:00

Whoa! Sorry to have been away for so long my dear friends. We have been going non stop since the last week of June. We've been all over the place but finally,we have landed back at home. So as I dig out from the mountain of vacation laundry and slowly dive back into our daily rhythms, here are a few picture of what we've been up to.

See you soon!

Fly Away Home

2011-06-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

It is hot. Very hot. Why people chose to settle in this area is beyond me, but here we are. You can "it's a dry heat" me till the cows come home but whether or not humidity is present, 116 degrees is miserable. And for the past three days, that is exaclty how hot is has been getting. The kids and I have been surviving with copious amounts of swimming, homemade popcicles, frequent trips to the library, and late afternoon movies in the air conditioned cave I've created in our living room.

The weather outside is frightful, suitable for neither man nor beast. Unfortunatley, I do have a couple of "beasts" that reside out of doors...my hens, Daisy and Olivia. To help them deal with the scorching temps, I've been venturing out of my blissfully air conditioned abode to spray the coop and the surrounding area down with water a few times a day and to check their water supply. Despite my efforts, the heat was just too much for sweet Livy. When I sent the kids out with a bag full of watermelon rinds for the girls, my oldest came staggering back to the door, completely beside herself with the sad news: Olivia had died.

K and baby Livy

Of course I was saddened by the passing of our sweet hen. I will miss her gentle clucking and her pale blue eggs, and the fact that she was of a much sweeter disposition then her peck happy sister. But the most difficult thing was watching my daughter become completely enveloped in sadness. She is of the age where she has some grasp on the concept of death: that once something dies, it never comes back. I took her into my arms and assured her that she had been the best chicken mommy Olivia could have had; that she had given Livy a good chicken life and that our beloved hen would live happily in chicken heaven with her family.

Daisy and shy, sweet Livy in the background.

This seemed to comfort her some. But when she pointed out that Olivia was not in heaven, that she was, actually, lying dead out in the coop, I had to stifle a giggle. Youth is so literal. How does one explain the concept of a soul to a devastated four year old girl who is dressed to the nines in a tutu, plastic shoes and a tiara? I stumbled through an explanation which she seemed to accept, while she snuggled down against my breast and cried a little more. My heart ached...literally ached. To watch my precious child struggle with grief and anguish, to see her confused and vulnerable, was almost more than this Momma could take.

With a few more hugs and the promise of baby chicks in the fall, the tears dried and she felt safe enough to venture from my embrace. I, on the other hand, wasn't quite ready to let go. My daughter, my sweet K, is growing up before my very eyes. My heart flutters when I think of all she will face in the coming years and how I want nothing more than to shield her from all the unpleasantness in the world. But as every Momma knows, that just isn't possible.
As I watch my girl carry on, I realize that I must too. She is broken by the passing of a feathered friend and I am broken by the passing of my daughter's youth.

Rest in peace Ms. Olivia Chicken.

Cher-Hair

2011-06-29T08:26:00.000-07:00

I've always been kinda vain about my hair. I know, I know....vanity is evil...yada, yada, yada. I was blessed with an ultra thick, super straight mane. When people are teasing and spraying to make their hair bigger, I'm begging my stylist to thin it out. And then thin it out some more. However I cut it, it usually falls into place pretty easily with a round brush and a dryer. I spend ( or spent...things are different now that I have kids) lots of time blowing it, straightening it, trying all sorts of lotions and potions to make it look like Cher-Hair.

Cher-Hair you say? What exactly is Cher-Hair? I have always strived for Cher-Hair. As in late 60's early 70's Cher-Hair. No, I do not desire waist length hair and ultra thick bangs. It takes long enough to dry my chin length hair thank you very much! What I desire is the luster. Have you seen old episodes of Sonny and Cher? You can practically see yourself in her ponytail! That gloriously shiny, bouncy, mirror like mane exudes health and glamour and I want it for my very own.

I used to keep my hair Cher-shiny with various products containing silicones, parabens and other nasties that I now know aren't so good for me. As I've mentioned before, my hair care products are some of the last personal care items that I have yet to "convert" into greener alternatives. Since I haven't yet found a natural product to set my hair agleam, here are some of the more natural approaches I've tried to ensure I have Cher-hair each and every day.

Cher in 1967....Gorgeous!

Go Virgin-As in olive oil. Women have been slathering their heads in this kitchen staple for hundreds of years. I bet Cher did too.Warm 1/2 cup of olive oil in the microwave for 15 seconds until warm. Apply to damp hair. Wrap with plastic wrap or cover with a warm towel. Leave this on for 20 minutes to an hour, and then shampoo out as usual. Revel in the resulting softness and shine...
Flaunt What You Got-The original color of your hair is not as bad as you think it is. I was a serial highlighter up until recently. Coloring dries your hair making the cuticle rough, dry, and very un-Cher like. Plus, the chemicals found in most hair dyes are highly toxic. If you must, seek out alternative methods of hair coloring like henna or vegetable dyes which are better for your hair and the environment. Cheaper too!
Cool Down-Stop using hot water to wash your hair. This is easier said than done here in the desert where the water that comes out of the cold tap is about the same temperature as what comes out of the hot. But for the rest of you, cut it out! The heat strips the natural oils from your hair making you more prone to damage. Fuzzy, broken strands=no Cher-Hair.
Give It a Rest-There is NO need to wash your hair every day. None. I wash every other day, sometimes maybe even every two to three days, depending on my activities. Being overly cleanly strips those oils that you need to have Cher-Hair. And while your at it, give the heat styling tools a break too. Save some electricity and allow your hair breathe.

Who is your hair idol? How do you keep your hair looking naturally gorgeous?

Winner! And Some Real Food...

2011-06-27T08:20:00.000-07:00

The winner of the Hazelaid gift certificate is comment number 19...

Brenna @consciousearthveg.blogpot.com

"I almost forgot to enter! Jeepers! Well these necklaces intrigue me to no end! I am curious about the hazelwood as I have eczema, but my favourite one is the Milk and Honey Amber necklace. I also have neck pain, so I would be interested to see if that would help! Thanks for the opportunity!"

Congratulations Brenna! I'll be contacting you soon with all the details!

********

Whilst doing a bit of blog hopping, I came across a fantastic blog called 100 Days of Real Food in which a family of four spent 100 days eating real, unprocessed food. Daunting, but doable. AND, they did it on a budget. They allowed themselved $125 a week for groceries, which is the average dollar amount that a family of four would receive if they were on government support (food stamps.) Since my family is trying to cut out the crap and live on a budget as well, this blog is veratible treasure trove of tips and recipes for busy families (the whole wheat banana pancakes were fantatic by the way!)

High on inspiration, hubby and I went ' a harvesting in an effort to make some of our own unprocessed goodness. Well....let me rephrase that.....I had a massive headache so my hubby spent 45 minutes in the 110 degree heat picking tomatoes!Though we lost several pounds of tomatoes to blossom end rot, there were still enough good ones to make one pot of sauce. Everything that went in to the sauce, with the exception of the herbs, was grown in our backyard. How's that for real food!

Though not quite enough to break out the pressure canner, we did freeze three quarts of sauce and left two in the fridge for dinner in the coming week. I have three goregous eggplants out back, waiting to be picked and made into eggplant parmesan...a whole foods version of course. Cooking and eating real food is certainly a challenge but the health and environmental benefits are so worth it. Have you converted any of your recipes to a whole foods version? Any favorite tips or tricks?

Last Chance!

2011-06-25T08:59:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow is your LAST CHANCE to enter my most fabulous giveaway for a $25 gift certificate to hazelaid.com. Their gorgeous hazel and amber jewelry can cure what ails you. Hurry! Do it!

Winner will be announced first thing Monday. Good luck!

Home Security

2011-06-22T08:41:00.000-07:00

When thinking about home security, the last possible thing on your mind is how environmentally friendly your system is, right? We only recently installed our own security system due to a rash of break-ins in our neighborhood and "choosing green" wasn't remotely on the agenda. Choosing the right price was. Our house was pre-wired so basically all they had to do was install the keypad and start taking money out of my checking account each month. The system provided a (modest) sense of security for our family and we figured we were done "protecting" ourselves from outside intruders. Until Sunday....

I was standing over the sink washing up from our Father's Day dinner when out of the corner of my eye I noticed a tall young man in my backyard. He had appeared out of nowhere and my heart leapt in my throat. My husband tore out to the yard but the young man had already seen him, climbed up on a planter, and vaulted over the seven foot fence into our next door neighbor's yard. We went out front to warn our other neighbors of the man's presence and were confronted by a good number of police officers and canine units. It seems that young man was running from something and was bounding through all of our backyards as a means of escape.

Cartoon from pool.com

They never caught him. And we have no idea as to what crime it is that he committed. His uninvited presence in my backyard unnerved me to no end. What if my children had been a back there, playing as they usually are? What if he had come in my unlocked back door and used my family as means of leverage? My neighborhood is not typically one where I would fear for my safety but my puny little alarm system began looking like a big fat joke.

The hubby and I agreed that we needed to step it up, security wise. As with every project, I of course, wanted to upgrade in the greenest and cheapest ways possible. In addition to our alarm system, we have decided to make the following upgrades:

Bamboo Dowel Rods-When wedged between the sill and the sliding part of the window or door, a dowel rod makes it pretty difficult to open them without breaking a window. We chose bamboo because it's a sustainable wood and is stronger than most hardwoods.
Motion Lights-Motion lights illuminate the yard or front door when someone steps into it, eliminating creepy dark places where scary people can hide. We've been looking at these solar lights so we don't have to pay to power them!
Weather Stripping-You can see daylight around my front door. Not only does it let out my precious and paid for air conditioning, it provides a perfect little slot for a crowbar. They make ready to nail strips so the job is easy peasy. I realize that a crowbar could easily bend away any weather stripping we install but it makes me feel better and it needs to be done anyway!
Additional Locks- I want to install one of those slide chain locks on each door, like the kind you often find in hotels. This may also come in handy for keeping my sleepwalking kids in the house! They haven't escaped yet, but they wander regularly.

As silly as it may seem to even think green while you are beefing up security, remember that every purchase and every project is a chance to do better. Yes I could use regular craft dowels and hardwired lights but that little voice inside chides me to do better. I can protect my home and my planet, all in one fell swoop.

Don't forget!

My giveaway for a $25 gift certificate to hazelaid.com ends June 26th.

Head on over and enter!

Today I Am...

2011-06-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

In response to Katy over at the Non Consumer Advocate, today I am...

Organizing the pantry. I can't find anything and our supply of canned beans is frighteningly low. On that note, the amount of canned tuna we have is disturbing.
Adding tuna patties to the weekly menu.
Guessing as to the contents of some gifted, home canned items that were not labeled. It's either green salsa or kiwi jam but I better figure it our or my kids next PB&J will be mighty interesting.
Combing the yard for all my clothespins that have migrated away from the line. You should not have to buy a bag of clothespins every other month!
Taping off the little windows on the garage door so it can be painted before the HOA gets it's panties in a twist.
Ordering cultures for both sourdough and kombucha.
Making note cards to help me study my current chapter in my Natural Wellness class.
Feeling nerdy for being excited about said note cards.
Trying to convince my potty training son that you do not have to get completely naked to pee. Really. Especially in public bathrooms. It's just not necessary!
Visiting one of the sweetest and craftiest friends I have.
Looking for a natural cleaning recipe that will get the nasty grayness off my cheap-o fiberglass bathtubs. I confessed a few posts back that I still use chemicals and I have felt guilty since then.
Reading to my kids, and listening to them read to me. Then sneaking away to pour over our new issue of Mother Earth News.

What are you doing today?

How about entering my giveway??

Momma's Not Perfect

2011-06-15T08:51:00.000-07:00

Ah.....to be a blogger. It's brilliant really. Blogging allows you to share your life with a kind of anonymity that you can't achieve elsewhere. You can be whoever you want. A fashionista. A craft diva. Urban homesteader extraordinaire. You can sell a version of yourself that may not be entirely true or even attainable. I find this to be especially true with the so called "Mommy Bloggers." I read several blogs and though I return to them day after day, I wonder if any of them are really portraying the real lives of the women who write them. These "wonder women" craft, bake, sew, clean, worship, school, garden, farm, preserve, recycle and still have time to take beautifully composed photographs of their children frolicking in the woods in homemade clothing. In short, they are exactly the kind of women I want to be. They are living simply. Deliberately. Exactly the way I wish to live. But are they really that perfect? Is it all so effortless?

The beauty of blogging is that you are control of content. The not so nice stuff can be edited or even omitted completely. I will be the first to admit that the life I write about here and our usual day to day is quite different. Not that what I write about doesn't actually happen....we do craft, and sew, and bake and so on. I've had several people mention what a "wonder woman" I seem to be but let me tell you folks, there's a lot going on behind the scenes that you don't see. For example, despite kicking cable the curb many moons ago, my kids still watch TV on a daily basis. A lot less TV, but it still happens. We still eat fast food even though I know it's horrifically bad for us and for the environment. I don't hang every single load of laundry on the line. I still use a chemical cleaner in my bathroom because I can't for the LIFE of me concoct a natural one that will get that nasty gray ring out of my tub! I (gasp) yell at my kids. It's true. This green living, simple lovin' Momma ain't perfect....and neither are you.

I'm doing a lot of things right but there is still much room for improvement. I get complacent. Better choices aren't always easier choices. We are continually evolving, and every choice we make is a chance to do better. I can be greener. I can definitely simplify things. But I'm not going to obsess about being perfectly perfect. If I give up and order preservative laden pizza for dinner, so what. I'll do better next time. If I buy a shampoo with SLS because I could get it for next to nothing with a coupon, I'll keep an eye on store sales so I can buy the safer herbal one that I can use with a clear conscience. If I forget my reusable bags, I will recycle and reuse the plastic ones I had to bring home from the store. If I lose my temper with my kids I will hug them, apologize and tell them how much I love them.

The journey to a deliberate life is ongoing. I'm not everything I want to be yet and that's okay. I'm getting there.We'll make mistakes but as long as we live authentically and truthfully, we will never be far away from the life we wish to lead. I may not post often about life's little detours but I feel that by keeping things on the lighter side I may inspire others to green up, pare down, and simplify. But don't for one minute think I have it all together. I am forever learning and always behind. It is here, and only here, I can take a piece of what is good in my life and share it...with you, and with myself.

Please take a minute to enter my giveaway.

Gorgeous, FREE jewelry awaits you. Go! Hurry!

Read All About It!

2011-06-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

We are a family of readers. We tear through books like the Kardashians go through boys and money. My husband and I usually read one or two a week, and the kids go through dozens every day. We have books on every shelf, on the tables, between the couch cushions and on the floor. Everywhere you look there is something there for you to read. However, there are a couple of issues with having such a voracious appetite for the written word.

1. As much as I love reading Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (about a donkey who accidentally turns himself into a rock) and Gregory the Terrible Eater (about a goat who refuses to eat garbage) to my children, reading it two or three times a day, every day, tends to get on my nerves. And really, I don't have that many nerves to spare.

2. Having a Kindle is probably the greatest thing ever. Digital books cost less and are more "planet friendly" since they are not printed on paper, thus saving millions of trees. And that one click buy feature? Dangerous...yet brilliant. But there is something lovely about holding a book in your hands, turning the pages, and smelling the ink. It's almost...sensuous.

Buying more books would indeed solve the two aforementioned problems. I wouldn't have to read the same books over and over to my kids and I could get all hot and bothered with a paper printed book. But bringing more books in to my house would produce a clutter so deep I fear we would never be able to dig out. Ever. I have to do a book purge every other month as it is! And I certainly don't want to shell out the cash. So how do we feed the need to read without spending money, cutting down trees, or adding to our own personal collections? Why, we go to the library of course!

It's a fix all. The kids get new books to read every two weeks and I don't have to find shelf space for them. I get to check out real live novels that I can hold in my hands without spending a dime Plus, the library is a welcome (and air conditioned) respite from the desert heat. With the new library tote I just finished (made from the tutorial here) we are ready for a summer of reading and fun. And I might even remember my library card since my new bag has a dandy little pocket for just that purpose...

There's still time to enter my giveaway. Hazelaid.com is giving away $25 to spend on their gorgeous and good for you jewelry. You don't want to miss it. Scurry on over and have a look!

Respect ALL Creatures

2011-06-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

I turned my children out in the backyard and went back to washing dishes. This is often the way of it. You're driving me NUTS will you please go outside?? When I heard my son's hearty belly laugh through the sliding glass door, I was curious as to what was so funny. They were jumping. High. And landing. Hard. And then laughing their little hearts out. I picked up my dish towel and went to investigate. When I inquired as to what sort of intelligent game my two and four year old might have devised, I was horrified when the answer was simply: "We're squishing ants Mommy!"

Delicious little ant squishing toes!

Now hear me out. I know kids squish bugs. I squish bugs. But I squish bugs because I'm being threatened or irritated by said bug, not just for kicks and giggles. A cricket who's singing in my bathtub at two in the morning? Squished. The fruit fly who keeps finding it's way up my nostril? Squished. The cockroach under the chicken's water fount who hissed at me and made me scream like a girly girl? Squished and squished again.What bothered me was the utter enjoyment my children expressed at the destruction of teeny, tiny, harmless black ants. I know there was no vindictiveness in their actions....they are still very young and perhaps I should just be happy they entertained themselves long enough for me to get the dishes done.

But...I figured now was as good a time as any for a little lesson in empathy and the importance of respecting all of the Earth's creatures, no matter how tiny or useless they appear. I explained to them the delicate balance of all living things and how if just one single organism were absent, our world wouldn't work as it should, using the squishing of ants as an example. My daughter wrinkled her nose and replied, "So if we squish ants, all the trees will die?"

....Well, maybe they weren't ready for such an in depth conversation about the web of life. However, they could still learn something about the little guys they were so gleefully stomping. Perhaps with some new knowledge about ants, my kids would have more respect for their place and stop trampling helpless insects for fun. Time for an ant farm!

You will need:

A mason jar
Dirt
Ants
A scrap of cotton or muslim
A rubber band

Fill your jar about three quarters of the way with soil.
Dig up some ants and put them in the jar.
Cover the mouth of your jar with the cotton and use a rubber band to secure.
Place the jar in dark place or wrap dark construction paper around it. Ants won't dig if it's too light. We're trying to simulate an underground environment here.

And ta-da! Your very own ant farm! No need to run out and buy some cheap plastic thing to make your ants happy. Give them a cotton ball saturated with water to drink and either fruit or breadcrumbs to nosh. They should start digging straight away and in a couple days you can observe the intricate network of tunnels.

There's still time to enter my giveaway. One lucky reader will receive $25 worth of jewelry from hazelaid.com. Their stuff is is gorgeous and good for you too! Head on over and check it out!

Broody

2011-06-08T11:09:00.000-07:00

I knew something was up when I hadn't seen them scratching and pecking by mid-morning. Usually, upon waking, I stand at the living room window and stare blankly toward the chicken coop, watching Daisy and Olivia scrabble after crickets while I slowly come out of my post slumber haze. When they failed to appear, I threw on my flip flops and went out to investigate.

They were in there, both of them, snuggled together in one of the nest boxes,clucking softly. It was wicked hot (as it is most days) and I figured their inactivity was just a way to conserve energy and keep cool. I fed them, made sure the water was full, and left them alone. Later in the day, I saw Olivia hop down and scratch for a while but Daisy stayed put. After three days of this, I started to panic. Neither hen was laying, and it didn't appear that they were eating or drinking much, which could be lethal in the scorching temperatures. What the heck was WRONG with my chickens?

Olivia (left) and Daisy (right)

Despite the fact that they weren't moving around or feasting on the most awesome (and expensive) organic chicken feed I provide for them, they seemed okay. Their eyes were bright, their feathers fluffy. And then...it hit me like a ton of bricks. Broody. My hens had gone broody! I rushed outside. Olivia was on the ground, pecking happily but Daisy was still holed up in the nest box. I reached gently toward her and she puffed up to twice her size, let out freaky, growly chicken noise and proceeded to peck the ever loving snot out of me. In the process, three eggs rolled out from underneath her.

Daisy with her feathers in a ruffle....literally!

Daisy, it seems, is bound and determined to hatch some eggs, regardless of the fact she has no baby daddy (a rooster) and her eggs are far from fertile. I thought at first that both hens had gone broody but upon further inspection, it seems Olivia is acting as a midwife of sorts, protecting Livy and her eggs, growling, flapping, and pecking at me as if the the clutch beneath her feathered brethren is her own. According to the book Keeping Chickens by Jeremy Hobson, I was to lift the hen off the nest, remove the infertile eggs and put her in a "broody coop" which is basically a wire mesh box designed to make her uncomfortable enough to snap her out of her broodiness and to air her birdy netheregions. Apparently, broody birds have elevated body temperatures to incubate their eggs. Cooling their incubating parts up and around their feathery undercarriages also helps to discourage broodiness.

With gloves on and guard up, I removed a very unhappy hen from her nest with only minimal pecking injury to my upper extremities. I removed four eggs from her nest. I don't have a broody coop to put her in and I'm hoping the gentle desert breeze will be enough to cool her feathers. Perhaps I'm being naive...this is my first experience with chickens and I'm learning as I go. But as of this morning, she was down and out of the nest box, scratching with Olivia. Only time will tell if she's truly past her baby fever. I know how she feels...poor thing!

Don't forget to enter my rockin' giveaway!
One lucky winner will receive $25 in FREE jewelry from hazelaid.com. Free bling! Not just that...bling that makes your skin look better.
What are you waiting for??

200th and a Giveaway!

2011-06-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

This, my friends, is my 200th post. 200! Can you believe it? Two hundred times, I have come to this space and shared with you a piece of my life. We've come a long way baby! Here are a few of the changes my family has made in an effort to live a greener and more sustainable life. These little changes have added up in a big way and I can honestly say I've never been more sure of the path am I on. Here's some of things we've done since I started writing it all down....200 posts ago:

We set up recycling bins.
We started a garden.
I learned how to sew, crochet and embroider....kind of.
I started taking reusable bags to the store. When I remember, that is!
I made jam as good as my Momma's.
I replaced most of our OTC medicines with herbs and oils.
We got rid of cable.
We became a paper towel free family!
I started making my own cleaning products.
We got chickens so we could have free range, organic eggs.
I made my entire beauty routine (except hair products and deodorant) green and/or organic.
I started making my own laundry powder and hanging my clothes out to dry.
I started using whole wheat flour for some of my baking.
We only consume grass fed beef. Working on options for chicken and pork.

We have come so far, but there is still such a long way to go. Thank you dear readers, for sticking around! Can you do something for me? Yes? Do you know what I'd really like to go along with my 200 posts? I'd like to have 200 followers. Two hundred groupies who have read my 200 posts. If you lurk but don't follow, take a minute, wander on up to the top of the page and click follow, will you? It only takes a minute.

And guess what? Membership has it's benefits! About two posts back, I mentioned that I had purchased hazelwood jewelry for myself and my son to help with our acne and eczema, respectively. The good people at Hazelaid are offering one of you a $25 gift certificate good towards any piece of jewelry in the store!

To enter, you must:

Be a follower. Do it. Help me break 200! Then visit Severine and company at http://www.hazelaid.com/ and leave me a comment telling me which item you would like to have the most.
You can get get bonus entries by "liking" Hazelaid on Facebook or by following them on Twitter.
You can get one more additional entry if you post the link to this giveaway on your blog or your Facebook page.

Got it? You have FOUR CHANCES to enter. Become a follower and leave a comment with your favorite item, leave a comment if you liked Hazelaid on Facebook, leave a comment if you followed them on Twitter. and post this giveaway on you blog or Facebook page. Leave separate comments for each criteria you have filled.

Cool? And, Hazelaid is offering 10% off to all readers! Just enter simplicity10 at checkout!

Entries will close on June 26th, 2011 at midnight. The winner will be announced first thing on Monday, June 27th.

Happy 200th and good luck!!

Romas, Cherries, and Krim....OH MY!

2011-06-02T21:17:00.000-07:00

Some of you may recall me mentioning that my husband planted an overzealous amount of tomato plants. Sixteen surviving plants of various varieties stand three to four feet tall in our garden. They are beautiful plants, grown in organic soil and are full of fruit. However...

We have been struck with blossom end rot. It's a rather unglamourous problem in which the bottom end of the fruit, also called the blossom end, becomes blackish and leathery and all together unappealing. It is caused by a deficiency of calcium in the soil. Thus far, we've lost about 70% of our gorgeous tomatoes. We have yet to enjoy a full tomato harvest in the three seasons we've gardened. The first was lost to cricket infestation, the second to frost, and this one to blossom end rot. Disappointing? Sure. But we'll keep on a plantin'. Even a meager harvest provides a delicious and nutritious meal....and it's one less thing for me to buy at the grocery store!

Blossom End Rot....nasty, right?

There are some fruits that are unaffected by the rot, generally the ones on the lower vines of the plant. I picked and searched this afternoon and got a good sized bowl of fruit, mostly romas. It's hardly enough to make sauce but enough for a batch of bruchetta and a couple of trays in the dehydrator. All is not lost...onward desert gardener!!

The garden booty

Hazelwood Necklaces

2011-06-01T19:21:00.000-07:00

I have mentioned several times that my little boy's skin is in constant revolt. Not only is it horribly dry, but he has scaly patches of eczema on his belly and forearms and has been breaking out in horrendously bumpy rashes for no apparent reason. We've been through what feels like every natural lotion, potion and cream. He's been to the naturopath and has had more probiotics and stinging nettles than any other two year old I know. I strongly suspect at this point he has a food allergy; to what, I don't know but we will soon start the process of narrowing things down.

Learning the manly art of grooming.

In the mean time, I have been desperate to keep him comfortable in his own skin. I think I've finally found a routine that keeps things under control, at least in terms of the dryness and eczema, and all of it is natural and chemical free. We use a goat milk soap or fragrance free castile soap in the tub, followed by a good slathering in Natures Gate Collodial Oatmeal Lotion followed by this calendula salve on his scaly bits (i.e. belly, cheeks, knees and forearms). If one of those random rashes springs up, I have been treating it with homemade remedy consisting of almond oil, eucalyptus, chamomile and lavender.

Things are under control for now, but I continue to search for new ways to keep my son's skin happy. Whilst looking for natural remedies for his various epidermal issues, I came across a site that sold hazelwood jewelery. Apparently, hazelwood is the answer to skin issue suffering. According the the folks at http://www.hazelaid.com/, hazelnut trees have the unique property of absorbing excess acid produced in our bodies when they are in contact with our skin. This excess acid is thought to be the cause of various maladies including eczema, acid reflux, heartburn, headaches, acne, arthritis, ect.

Quite frankly, it sounded hokey. But a little more research turned up nothing but good reviews. Gleeful parents sent in the before and after pictures of their formerly afflicted children. Withing 48 hours of putting the necklace on, their symptoms were greatly reduced if not completely remedied. And at 20 bucks, I figured it was cheaper than all those naturopath appointments and jars and bottles of cream and salve. And if it didn't work, well, my son would have a cute man necklace to woo the ladies at the playground! I ordered myself an anklet too, in hopes that it would help with my acne issues.

The jewelery arrived promptly and is simple and beautiful. I fastened J's necklace over a week ago and we have yet to remove it. His skin looks....good. His scalies aren't scaly, and his skin doesn't look as ashy or dry. We have had two random rash flare ups though, but after a good rubbing with salve, they are gone by morning. I believe that once we figure out what he's allergic to, those bumpy rashes will disappear. And as for me....my face is clear. And it wasn't when I first put the anklet on. This could all be one giant coincidence but I'll take what I can get.

Here's to beautiful skin!

Beefy

2011-05-30T13:11:00.000-07:00

My freezer was looking sparse. Usually, it is full of last season's garden bounty, co-op fruit for jams, pies and smoothies, cheese (you can never have too much cheese!), turkey hot dogs for my son's hot dog addiction, and farm raised meats, mainly beef and pork. We used our last bit of beef a couple of months ago. I was able to "borrow" some extra ground beef from my mother in law's freezer but obviously, it was time to replenish our stores. We have been keeping a steer at home with my Dad's herd, and the time had come for us to butcher. Butchering is not a one man job, so we loaded up and drove the six hours back to the ranch to help get the job done.

Rarely do we buy beef from a grocery store. I grew up eating the meat that we raised and slaughtered ourselves. And after watching Food Inc. a few times, store bought hamburger kind of turns my stomach. Our cows are grass fed, free roaming animals. They are not confined. They are not diseased. They are cared for, respected, and humanely raised. I am lucky in that I don't have to pay outrageous prices for organic, grass fed beef. We kill and quarter the animal ourselves and then take the meat into town to be processed and wrapped by a local butcher. When all is said and done, we will have a freezer full of grass fed beef for less than two dollars a pound. The last time I bought grass fed beef at the grocery store, it cost significantly more than two dollars a pound. Knowing exactly how the cattle are raised, what they are fed, and how they are butchered gives me enormous peace of mind.

Happy Cows on Dobson Farm
http://www.dobsonfarm.com/

Coincidentally, this month's edition of Mother Earth News had an article about the advantages of grass fed beef. Here are five benefits of eating pasture raised cattle:
•Grass-fed beef is one-third to three times leaner than conventional grain-fed beef, and as a consequence has fewer calories, too. Yeah!
•Grass-fed beef has two to four times more essential omega-3 fatty acids than feedlot beef. It also contains more beta carotene, vitamin E and folic acid.
•Researchers have found grass-fed beef contains two newly discovered 'good' fats: conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and trans-vaccenic acid (TVA). CLA shows great promise in lab animal studies of helping fight cancers and cardiovascular disease.
•Grass-fed beef has no extra hormones or traces of antibiotics. The animals also live a low-stress life, grazing outside on pasture, in contrast to the stinking, dusty, shadeless conditions in most commercial feedlots.
•Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE, or more commonly, mad cow disease), has not been found in grass-finished animals. And grass-finished cattle are also less likely to be contaminated with acid-resistant forms of E. coli, a serious food-borne bacteria.

Environmentally, grass fed beef is also a much better choice than it's conventionally raised counterpart. The air and water pollution stemming from the mountains of feedlot manure, and the many fertilizers and pesticides used in grain production, exact a heavy toll on the environment and the health of farmers, farm workers, and nearby residents. Pasture raised cattle are simply a better choice all around.

Versatile

2011-05-26T15:44:00.000-07:00

ver·sa·tile

Capable of or adapted for turning easily from one to another of various tasks, fields of endeavor; having or capable of many uses.

I am absolutely honored to have received a versatile blogger award from Raising Green Richmond Kids. What started as a way to fill my need to write, this blog has turned into so much more. I've learned more than I ever dreamed, made friends I never I thought I would, and love posting here, conversing here, and sharing my life with all of you. To be recognized by my peers is very humbling. Thank you!

There are three requirements for accepting this award.

1.Thank the person who gave me the award. Done.

2.Share seven things about myself.
3.Give this award to 10 newly discovered bloggers

Well, we can cross #1 off the list. And number 2....

I prefer stale graham crackers to fresh.
I am currently working toward becoming a holistic wellness professional.
I detest parsnips.
I keep no less than three notebooks on my nightstand for list making and idea jotting.
I can't drive a car with manual transmission.
I like the smell of gasoline.
As a child, I used to pretend that my name was Sadie and that I lived next door to Laura Ingalls.

And ten bloggers who I feel deserve recognition (and who you should really check out!):

The Knitty Gritty Homestead
Keeper of the Home
Crunchy Betty
The Green Phone Booth
EcoMILF
Small Things
The Non-Consumer Advocate
Getting There
Small Measure
Rurally Screwed

Escape

2011-05-25T15:12:00.000-07:00

If my bobbin doesn't stop tangling and jamming up,there may be a sewing machine shaped hole in my window very soon.

My clothesline fell down. Again. With clothes on it. Again.

The chickens are making a loud cock-a-doodle-doo type noise which is problem because

a) someone might hear them and turn me in and b) they are hens. They aren't supposed to crow.

My tomatoes have blossom end rot. Look it up. It's gross.

My daughter has a weird, dry, rasping cough and sounds like a little gangster when she speaks.

It's hot.

I'm hot.

Thank heavens for good friends with pools....a little escape is just what I needed!

Things of a Practical Nature

2011-05-23T19:32:00.000-07:00

When I first started sewing, I was caught up in a flurry of making "pretties," i.e. things that are nice to look at but really don't serve a purpose. My daughter has plenty of clothing but I couldn't help but make one more skirt, or one more frilly little top. I caroused craft blogs and bookmarked at least a hundred projects, none of which were particularly useful. And though there is absolutely nothing wrong with sewing for pure pleasure, my sewing machine has been whipping out things of a more practical nature...for now anyways!

Pajamas, pajamas, and more pajamas. A new set at Target costs $10. I can make them for around $5, less if the fabric is thrifted. And at the rate my kids grow, they need new pajamas every couple of months.

A CD holder. My daughter has amassed a small collection of children's music CD's that she listens to on a daily basis. However, those jewel cases they come in are tricky for her little fingers and she ends up scratching them when she tries to put them back. This soft case is just the ticket.

Napkins. We are officially a paper towel free family (YEAH!) but this means my initial stash of cloth napkins is nowhere NEAR big enough to accommodate our everyday messes without me having to do a load of kitchen laundry every single day. Scrap fabric and a zigzag stitch. Problem solved.

Rice therapy bag. I talked about this in my last post but we've found this practical little project is good not just for women's troubles, but for that groin muscle I pulled whilst trying to keep up with Jillian Michaels. Ouch.

A new clothespin bag. This is hardly a "project." It's just an outgrown, button-down shirt with a single seam across the bottom. It took literally thirty seconds. But with my clothespins safely concealed in my new bag, I'm hoping my children are less likely to a) throw them from the top of the swing set b) throw them at me while I try to hang laundry and c) throw them at each other while they play "monster."

For The Ladies

2011-05-20T08:34:00.000-07:00

DISCLAIMER

This post discusses issues strictly relating to the female realm. Though not graphically detailed, the boys may not be super interested in continuing down the page. However, if you happen to be a husband or boyfriend, you will score BIG brownie points for having read this and applying the advice within.

Since I had had my son nearly three years ago, that special time of the month has gotten progressively worse. In the days leading up to the main event I am exhausted, nauseous, headache ridden and am generally not the nicest person to be around. And though this has always been the case since it all started 15 years ago, the birth of my son seemed to be a catalyst of some sort, upping the ante and sending me straight down the path to premenstrual hell.

Last month was the WORST visit from Aunt Flo I have yet to experience. The worst. At one point I actually thought I might have contracted the flu. The pain was unspeakable. I couldn't stand up straight and spent THREE DAYS hunched over, clutching at my aching insides, whimpering and yelling and then ultimately, breaking into tears. I'm not one to pop pills but I kept the ibuprofen coming in a steady stream. I broke out the well loved aromatherapy book and slathered myself in the recommended oils. I took warm baths and drank herbal teas but I could not get rid of the spasms that started in the front of my belly and spread like fire to my lower back. It was like being in early labor!

As I was writhing in pain one night, trying desperately to sleep, my husband suggested I try a heating pad. Genius! Unfortunately, we don't have one. I rifled through our medicine chest looking for something, anything, that might produce heat. I came across an old Thermacare Heat Wrap that my Mom had left on her last visit. I have no idea what makes them heat up or stay hot...probably some weird chemical reaction that does who knows what to us when we wear them. But at that point, I wasn't too concerned with absorption of chemicals or the environmental impact of such an intervention. I strapped that bad boy on backwards across my belly and as it began to radiate gentle heat, I was finally able to drift off, blissfully pain free.

Heat, it seems, is my answer. After last month's experience, I don't want to be caught without something to warm and soothe my angry uterus. I thought about buying a heating pad but I'm not too keen on the idea of having to plug it in. It's a waste of electricity and I don't want to fall asleep with "live wires" in my bed. I want something safe, that uses minimal wattage to power, and is as natural as possible. I googled those very terms and came up with a variety of solutions, most in the form of "rice bags." Basically, rice (or flax, or buckwheat or whatever) is sewn into a bag, put in the microwave and applied to the affected area. I couldn't believe what some of these people are charging for what is essentially rice in a bag. So I decided to make my own. Here's what I did:

First, I scented my rice. This isn't necessary but I figured if I'm in pain, I could use a little relaxing aromatherapy while I wait for the heat to work. According to my trusty aromatherapy book, geranium and lavender are perfect "women's oils". I used 10 drops of each on one huge bowl of basmati rice.

I measured from hip bone to hip bone to determine the finished length of the bag and from hip to belly button for the width. For example, my finished bag needed to be 12" x 6". This is by no means a particular measurement. I just wanted to make sure it covered my cramp prone area.

I cut two rectangles from my fabric, adding to my measurements for seam allowances. For my bag, I used a fabric remnant I got for a song. Some people like to make an outer case for their bag so that it can be washed but I wasn't feeling that fancy.

I sewed around my bag twice to make sure the seam was good and sturdy. I filled 'er up (not too full....you want to be able to mold it around you!) and sewed it closed. That's it! Period pain be gone! Put the bag in the microwave for about three minutes and revel in it's healing warmth.

I told her to give me her best tummy ache face and this is what I got. HILARIOUS!

The Graduate

2011-05-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to my little preschool graduate. I simply can't believe you start kindergarten in the fall. Where oh where did the time go? We are so very proud of you my love!

Apricots

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

Produce. I'm a big fan. A bigger fan of the fruits and veg than I have ever been in my life. It took me a while to figure it out but I have finally began to make the connection between food and well being. I eat well, I feel well. It's that simple. Our garden supplements our kitchen to an extent but we have yet to grow enough to be completely self sustaining. Our tomatoes are better than anything you can buy, I've got squash and greens coming out of my ears, and we grow any herb your heart could ever desire. But what we grow is simply not enough to keep us fed or culinarily interested (I made that term up....go with it.) The grocery store is necessary stop on our path to healthy eating.

A small sampling of tomatoes from our garden.

My local grocery store has a sizable produce department. It is well stocked, has great variety and has a large organic section. But as I'm filling my cart with wholesome food, I find myself pushing right on past the organic. Why? The price. I simply cannot pay five bucks for a teeny package of blueberries when the pint across the aisle rings in at two dollars cheaper. Are organic fruits and vegetables really that much better? Unfortunately for my wallet, the answer to that one is a resounding yes.

Conventionally grown produce is usually picked when unripe and then allowed to ripen en route to the store. This may take several days if not weeks depending upon where it was picked. Say buh-bye to over HALF of the item's nutritional content Half! And, each day the produce is away from the root-system it grew on, it loses precious enzymes, which are need for digestion. Conventionally grown foods are often irradiated to kill pathogens on them which also kills all living plant enzymes and are three times more likely to contain pesticide residues. Radiation and pesticides....it does a body good!

Once again, its pocketbook versus planet. Pro-organic peeps are sympathetic to the cost issue. The Dirty Dozen list specifies the most pesticide laden fruits and vegetables. This way, consumers can go organic for only the pesticide covered apples and peaches, but feel confident in buying conventionally grown eggplants. The list is worth memorizing. It will save you money, ease your mind, and ensure your family is getting the best produce you can afford.

And while I will do my very best to make my produce budget stretch as far as it will go, the best solution for me is to grow it myself. We don't use pesticides or chemical fertilizers. The food travels approximately 30 feet from ground to table, ensuring that all the vitamins, minerals and enzymes that are supposed to be there are still intact. We may not grow all we need yet but we're getting there. And because really, what's better than a tiny, fuzzy apricot fresh off the tree? Not a whole lot my friends. Not a whole lot.

Friday Nights

2011-05-15T20:36:00.000-07:00

Friday nights sure aren't what they used to be. And by used to be, I mean before my two children came in to the picture. Don't get me wrong; I adore my children and would not change a single thing about my life. Sometimes I'm just amazed at how different my life is now compared to what it was pre-child. A prime example of this is Friday nights.

Friday night used to be a party. My friends and I, and later, my husband and I, would race home from work, shower, primp, and head out for a night on the town. Sometimes that meant a movie or a club but more often than not, it meant dinners at restaraunts without kids menus and lots and lots of alcohol. We'd stay out until the wee hours and then, upon arriving home would pass out and sleep well in to the morning.

Oh how the tables have turned. Friday nights are still exciting, but in a much different way. And yes, every few months we shell out the cash for a sitter and try to recreate those wild and crazy evenings of times past. But sitters are expensive and we don't recover from overindulgence quite like we used to. Friday nights now involve grilling, cheap beer, a rented movie (usually animated) and hose fights in the back yard. We might even break out the board games and partake of a rousing game of Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders. Everyone is in bed by ten and up by six the next morning. It's not the glamorous life of yesterday, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Simple and sweet.

Occasionally though, we are able to get the best of both worlds. We've been lucky enough to find a family very much like our own. D has grown to be one of my very best friends. Our husbands like each other too and our kids, who happen to be the same age, consider each other siblings. It's a pretty good match if you ask me. And just like us, their Friday nights aren't quite what they used be. So instead of finding the cash we don't really have for a sitter, we descend upon each others houses and share food, fun, and yes...drinks.

All the kiddos and a post dinner popsicle.

A few months ago I taught D how to make jam. I spoiled her. Just like me, she simply can't go back to store bought. Who knows what's in that stuff?! She had a freezer full of strawberries and I had a hankering for a good time. The result? Turkey tacos, giant margaritas and Kiwi Strawberry Daquiri jam. A word to the wise: go easy on the tequila when working with hot jam. I burned myself way more than usual!

Kiwi Strawberry Daquiri Jam

1 cup kiwi, peeled and crushed

1 cup strawberries, crushed

2/3 cup unsweetened pineapple juice

1/3 cup lime juice (real limes, not the icky bottled stuff)

1 (1 3/4 ounce) package fruit pectin

3 cups sugar

1/4 cup rum (We used Parrot Bay Coconut Rum...yummy!)

1 PREPARE boiling water canner. Wash and heat jars and lids in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Set bands aside.

2 COMBINE kiwifruit, strawberries, pineapple juice and lime juice in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Add sugar and return to a full rolling boil that can not be stirred down, stirring constantly. Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Immediately stir in rum. Remove from heat. Skim off foam if necessary.

3 LADLE hot jam (this is where that not being tipsy thing come in to play) into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.

4 PROCESS in a boiling water canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

It's fruity, it's tropical, and it might be the best dang jam I've made yet. We doubled the batch and got ten half pint jars. Five jars each of beachy goodness that will be gone in record time.Yummy. Tastes like a beach vacation...

Stealing a sip over crushed strawberries and kiwis.

Work It!

2011-05-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

I’m not what you would call a girly girl. Well sure. I like dressing up, and wearing makeup and smelling like flowers. I’m pretty much a natural beauty product addict, and have quite the stash of potions and lotions to fix what ails me, cosmetically speaking. However, I’m not prissy or fussy. I’m not afraid of boogers or bugs. I have shoveled post holes, plunged toilets, castrated pigs ,had my arm shoulder deep in the business end of a heifer, and have been covered in mud, blood and poo more times than I care to remember.

See? I can be girly!

Because I grew up in semi-isolation, it was required that we learn as many “vocational” skills as possible. There were no vets on speed dial to take care of the animals, no lawn and maintenance company to come put in a fence. If it was broken, we fixed it. And if we couldn’t figure it out, we called our neighbors for advice and we learned how to fix it or build it. We worked.

I recently came across the senate testimony of one, Mike Rowe, who hosts a show on the Discovery Channel called Dirty Jobs (thanks Heather!) Back in good ‘ol days when we had cable, we had every episode of his show recorded on the DVR. He testified in front of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation about the growing gap in skilled labor. In an economy where unemployment is skyrocketing, American manufacturing is struggling to fill 200,000 vacant positions. There are 450,000 openings in trades, transportation and utilities. So why is there still a long line at the unemployment office?

Mike Row wrangling chickens....a dirty job!

Well, for one thing, an honest, working, dirty job is treated as more of a consolation prize for those who couldn’t “hack it” in a four year institution. Apparently, the choice to shun a degree and become an HVAC repair man or a mechanic automatically labels you as lazy, ill educated and unmotivated. Mr. Rowe stated that “we've elevated the importance of higher education to such a lofty perch that all other forms of knowledge are now labeled as alternative.” Amen to that. All these "shovel ready" jobs for a society that doesn't encourage people to pick up a shovel…

Once I moved away from the rural area in which I grew up, much of the dirty, shovel bearing work went right out the window. The most digging I do is in the garden, and the only livestock to contend with are the hens and my children, neither of which need castrating. But in the absence of those skill building opportunities, I created new ones. I learned how to sew and how to preserve food. I learned about natural medicine and went so far as to enroll myself in a class so that much of the everyday doctoring can be done at home. I am interested in making my family as self sufficient as we can possibly be. I don’t want to have to rely on, or, like much of today’s population, blame other people when things go wrong. My family’s willingness to work, no matter what kind of work that may be, may save us in the end.

I am completely baffled at our country’s aversion to work and at their defiance toward an invisible authoritative figure that they think owes them the world. Furthermore, I am appalled that our country thinks of tradesmen as “lower” on the societal totem pole. How dare you condemn them when they are the ones bailing you out, solving your daily crisis with a flick of a wrench or a slice of knife. When did we become so disconnected? People are not interested in the invisible souls who grow their food, or make their clothes, or fix the electricity when it’s knocked out by a storm. We have become “less interested in how things get made, and more interested in how things get bought.”As more and more tradesmen retire, the skilled labor gap will widen. What a rude awakening it will be to those who have demanded the world, but have done nothing in return. Do something. Learn something.

Work!!

Breathe In....But Not Too Deeply!

2011-05-09T08:44:00.000-07:00

A recent report released by the American Lung Association declared that air quality in the Phoenix metro area is the second worst in the nation. SECOND WORST. That means that we have so much nastiness floating around in the air that it is a health risk to do the most natural thing in the world: breathe.

Home smog home....a pic of the Phoenix Valley.

The report focused on two types of air pollution; ozone and particle. According to the ALA (that's American Lung Association...just making sure you're paying attention!) ozone air pollution, is made up of noxious things like tailpipe and smokestack emissions. Particle pollution, meanwhile, is caused by a mix of particles found in the air we breathe. These particles, produced by motor vehicles and burning fossil fuels in factories, can get trapped in the lungs or even pass into the bloodstream.

Neither type of pollution is good for you obviously.

Year-round exposure to high levels of particle pollution has been linked to death from lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Children have experienced slower lung function growth, and children living near roads with heavy traffic have been hospitalized for asthma attacks in increasing number. Breathing ozone pollution shortens lifespans. Studies have linked high ozone level exposure to death from cardiac arrhythmia, heart attacks, and respiratory diseases.

Fun, huh? And I live smack dab in the middle of one of the most polluted areas of the country with my two growing children, one of whom is right on the edge of needing an inhaler.

Mmmmmm......smog! Downtown Phoenix skyline.

What's a simple green girl to do?

Well...I could move. And someday we will. And we'll have solar panels, and a milk cow, and my bread will rise every single time, and my kids will go to sleep with lungs full of fresh air and bellies full of simple, sustainably grown food, and I'll hang out my clothes and gather my eggs without fear of HOA fines, and people won't look at me funny because I don't have cable and I like to sew, and I'm kind of waiting for our country to just sort of collapse under it's own stupidity........a girl can dream, right? But I digress...

I can't move right now. Not many of us can. But there are a few things we can do to make it easier to breathe.

Pay Attention! Sneaky politicians are always looking to do favors for those that paid, er, paved their way to office. The Clean Air Act is constantly under assault and amendments are often tacked on to other bills and slid right under our noses.

Check daily air quality levels and air pollution forecasts in your area and avoid exercise or play outdoors if air quality is lacking. This especially important if your kids already have respiratory problems like asthma.

Use less energy in your home. This is a big one. By reducing energy use, you can help improve air quality, curb greenhouse gas emissions, encourage energy independence and save money! Yeah! I like all of those things!

Don't be idle. As in, your car. I'm super guilty of this. If you are waiting to pick up your kids from school/stuck in traffic/waiting at a railroad crossing or anything else that has you sitting in your car longer than 30 seconds, turn it off. And if you live in the desert like me, roll down your windows and suck it up. At least in the morning. If it's 112 degrees, I'll forgive you for keeping the car on and the air conditioner up. Just don't be excessive about it, okay?

Don't smoke. It's gross. It's unhealthy. It's bad for you and everyone around you. Plus it gives you weird lip wrinkles that no amount of Botox will ever be able to fix. Put it out!!

Here's to deep breaths!!