winter night

doing my part

my latest save the earth:

• bring home recyclable food containers i use at work - yogurt, soup cans, etc
• using my new unpaper towels
• planning on a green christmas - more to come
• green wrapping
• green gifting
• buying/finding used (freecycle, craigslist, ebay) instead of buying new
• semi green first birthday for little awa
• real silverware
• real napkins
• recycled favors (in baby food jars)

not doing vs doing

there are things on my to do list that have been there for months. a lot of these things are easy and could be done and crossed off. i've been trying to figure out why i do this and came up with this:

i need to stop thinking so much BEFORE i do something and count on my reflection AFTER i do it to make a change for the next time.

i tend to 'overthink' things i want to do and as a result they never get done. i need to remember that as long as i take the time to reflect, i will be okay.

another week down

and another week closer to the holidays, alex's first birthday, busy busy busy.

tonight, i am thankful for:

• unlimited filtered cold water out of the refrigerator
• warm fall weather for us to get lots of outside time
• feeling productive today by crossing off a few things on my to do list
• quality family weekend time
• my weekly smoothie from robeks (using my 20%off card)

swamped

my to do list just keeps getting longer and longer. i'm backed up. i wish i could press pause and catch up while the rest of the world waits. i did get a few things crossed off my list tonight. and a few more things 'half' crossed off my list.

winter project - mythic nest tree topper

i found this at anthropologie for almost $400! i'm thinking i can probably make a similar version for less. this is to remind me to do it.

heaven on earth - HoE

this book is just radiating with good energy and ideas. the author recommends a journal to put down the ideas etc as it's read. sounds good to me! i'd been wanting a new 'parent/family' journal. even the journal cover makes me happy. i started last night. the key points were:

:slow down:

:turn off the TV:

i'm hoping this book will be the guide for me to raise alex the way i really intend.

sunday - give thanks

round 2

• beautiful weather this weekend to enjoy (warm, dry, and leafy!)
• removing moldy drywall from the basement
• alex waking only once each night (this has become the new trend)
• white flowers in my kitchen
• my new book heaven on earth and a bright new journal for the goodness it inspires
• our annual ikea trip (this time for the wood kitchen)

101 ways to save the earth

there was a book when i was growing up, 101 ways kids can save the earth, or something like that. well, i had somewhat gotten away from that mindset these last 10 years or so. i'm very proud of the changes i am making in my everyday life to save the earth - the conscious effort to do small things. small things count, right?

the last few weeks, i

• rinsed all my recycles
• used cloth napkins instead of disposable
• saved glass jars to reuse for storage
• recycled magazines, newspapers, and junkmail

and plan to continue these while adding more along the way. maybe get to 101...i'm at 4.

sunday - give thanks

this will hopefully be my new practice.

here we go, round 1.

• pretty fall colors
• my new robeks discount card
• herbs growing in my yard
• my handy husband who hung nails for me to dry herbs (and replaced the hot water tank and went to the waldorf open house)
• a renewed inspiration to make my home and life how i want it
• a sleeping healthy baby

clean green

another one of my renewed interests has been to clean green. my lastest library book:

the naturally clean home has one after another recipes using herbs and essential oils with basic cleaners like vinegar, baking soda, and borax.

coincidentally, earlier this summer we found a lemon balm plant on clearance for our herb garden. not really having any idea what to do with this plant, this is one of the ingredients for cleaning recipes. so, i got my scissors out to snip the hardy herbs that lasted through the frost: sage, thyme, tarragon, lemon balm.

they are now tied off and hung over the sink to dry. can't wait for the smell to carry through the house!

off to waldorf

open house at the spring garden waldorf school! and our first family outing to check out our education options for the little awa.

we had an amazing time. totally inspiring! woodworking, arts/crafts, meadows and nature inspired play things. we left with some a great bag (spring garden waldorf school goes underground: eat your root vegetables), treats (a pull duck, egg, mushroom, and top all made of wood) and plans to return for the festival in two weeks!

finally

the time has come for me to put all my little specks into one place.