Happy New Year!

Next year (aka week) we will get back to normal around here, but our last few weeks have been anything but...
A week before Christmas the flu hit, and made it's rounds...then it turned up again on Christmas Eve, then at the farm, in a hotel, on a long car ride, and again yesterday. The kids have been to urgent care and they keep telling me as long as they are not dehydrated they are fine. Sometimes I hate the runaround but I'm glad it is just an upset stomach that won't go away. I pray it goes out with 2008!
I think resolutions are a little silly, but I do have one small plan-to get our savings back up to where they were before we built our house! It should be possible.
So, for all of you out there, have a great New Years! Be safe, have fun, be green, and be fabulous!

The holiday is yours

Merry Christmas, happy holidays, whatever and however you celebrate-ENJOY.
I'll be checking in periodically but we have a busy and joyful week ahead of us-I'm sure you do too!

Eight things

Green and Clean Mom just wrote a great post Eight Wishes and more after she was "tagged".
I thought it was a perfect way to end the year, so here is my take on it. Like the Green and Clean Mom I won't tag anyone either, but if you post one of your own, I'd love to read so link to it in the comments!!


Eight Things That I’m Looking Forward To

1. Taking the kids camping this summer. Last summer my son got his first taste of it when Dad took him out in the backyard for a night, and now that my daughter is out of a crib, we are totally going to the Badlands this summer and maybe further.

2. Growing our own 100% completely organic vegetable garden. Yum, fresh green beans, corn, pumpkins, peas, squash...yum...

3. The New Year. This one for a lot of reasons. 1. My husband is out of paid time off, it starts over on the new year. This last Friday I got hit with the flu (yes again, my daughter had it earlier in the week, will it hit my son next?), oh how I wish he could have come home early and not have to lose pay!

4. Continuing to work at my new job. Yes, beside photography I took an evening job working at a restaurant, but not just any restaurant, one I actually love! We serve only local, organic, fresh made foods. We carry specialty beers and wines, the kids cups and plastics are made from corn. I love that I found this place- if I didn't work there I'd still be there every night eating there!

5. Traveling to New York again. And again, and again. I miss my friends out there...

6. Letting my blog grow and loving it! I seriously have met some of the greatest people through my web, someday we will meet in person!

7. Getting my daughter completely potty trained. We've had #1 down for a LONG time and occasionally we get #2, but not enough to call her done with diapers!

8. Taking the kids to watch our crazy Uncle race vintage snowmobiles. It is always way too cold, but we have such a fun time!


Eight Things On My Wish List

1. Taking a kid free vacation with just hubby! (Or with my sister, we had a pretty darn good time in Vegas)

2. Taking a vacation with the kids, not just a weekend camping trip, but the totally planned and stressed over full family vacation. Plane and all.

3. A massage, a facial, anything at an Aveda salon. (Seriously I've never been...)

4. A new car for hubby. His is almost in pieces but it just keeps running and we hate to get rid of it since it is still going with almost 300,000 miles on it!

5. Having my work shown MUCH more! (I suppose that means I need to be shooting MUCH more!)

6. That Obama can live up to change-not instantly, but soon.

7. That my husband and I can figure out a better way to store wood for the winter. We heat our house with a Greenwood boiler, so I can throw in huge green logs. I love it, but right now we have a cord in the garage and mountain of logs across the driveway, so everyday I am outside bringing more to the garage to get the snow off of it. We need to figure out a better system!

8. St. Francis school district please get your act together. The operating levy didn't pass which means NO ART, cuts to music, sports, teachers, councilors, everything...So disapointing.



Eight TV Shows I Watch
(When I have time. Usually I miss them and have NO idea what is going on when I start watching again!)

1. Lost

2. Grey's Anatomy

3. Chuck

4. So You Think You Can Dance (I'm a little embarrassed by this one!)

5. Conan or Jimmy (I flip)

6. BBC world News (so much better than our news)

7. Antiques Roadshow

8. The Sopranos (we just started the DVD's)


Eight Things I Did Yesterday
(I filled this out on Saturday, and am now posting it on Tuesday, but if I told you what I did on Friday you might be sick too, so I'll fill this out for what I did on Saturday!)

1. Slept on the couch (Still a little achy and fevery all morning)

2. Watch my kids go for a long snowmobile ride with Dad (with Trash chasing after them- seriously I think he can run over 30mph)

3. Read! and, More than just 3 pages out of Atlas Shrugged. It is so good, but I never have time! It was perfect, I got to read while watching the beautiful snow fall.

4. Read to the kids, we have a huge pile of new library books and they like to read them all, now.

5. Wrapped presents, and then realized who all I had forgotten to buy for...

6. Sent my kids over to Grandma's to help her make Christmas cookies. I needed a few hours to myself as I probably over did it in the morning.

7. Took a long bath to get that germy feeling all gone!

8. Cuddled with my dog. He's like a big bear, except when he likes to nibble on you...

And the winner is...

The winner of 3 Smart Strip Power Strips is:

Kathy who wondered if it would work with charging items like a Roomba...good question!
You've been emailed and I can't wait to hear back from you!

Gimme more Monday

Well are we ready for this week! Merry Christmas!!

We got our kids (I mean, Santa is giving our kids) a nice wood kitchen playset. (I seriously searched for MONTHS to find a good one!) Now I want to fill it with Plan Toys play food. I'm in luck The Jolly Mom is giving away over $100 worth of play food items! WOW!

Want to power your car with grease? Here is your chance to win two DVD's that tell you how to do it!

MudpiesAndMaryJane is giving away some adorable organic baby clothes! CUTE!

I just got some Refresh Dryer towels and I love them! CoolMom'sRule! has one you can win! You'll love it, trust me!

TheDirtyShirt is giving away an Eco-Tote reusable bag. I still need one more for really big grocery shopping!

Whip it up Wednesday: Lemons

Lemons are a known antibacterial, antioxident, and because it is 5% acid it makes an excellent cleaner. Here are some great uses for lemons:

All purpose cleaner
Add equal amount of lemon juice and water added to a spray bottle is an effective kitchen and bathroom cleaner and can also be used on walls.
A small amount of lemon juice can also be added to vinegar based cleaning solutions to help neutralize the smell of the vinegar.

Air freshener
An equal amount of lemon juice and water added to an atomizer will create a wonderful synthetic chemical-free green air freshener for your home.

Microwave
Heat a bowl of water and lemon slices in your microwave for 30 seconds to a minute; then wipe out the oven. Stains will be easier to remove and old food odors neutralized.

Fridge
Forget the baking soda...Half a lemon stored in your fridge will help control and eliminate unpleasant smells.

Toilet
Mix 1/2 cup borax and a cup of lemon juice for a powerful toilet cleaner that will leave it smelling extra clean!

Laundry
For bleaching purposes, add 1/2 cup of lemon juice to the rinse cycle and hang clothes outside to dry.
A teaspoon of lemon juice thrown into your wash can also help your clothes to smell fresher.

Dishes
A teaspoon of lemon juice added to your dishwashing detergent can help boost grease cutting power.

Drains
Hot lemon juice and baking soda is a good drain cleaner that is safe to use in septic systems.
If you have a garbage disposal unit, throw in some lemon peel from time to time while it's working in order to keep it smelling fresh.

Chopping boards
Rub lemon juice into your wooden chopping board, leave overnight and then rinse. The lemon will help kill off any remaining nasties and neutralize odors.

Glass and mirrors
4 tablespoons of lemon juice mixed with half a gallon of water makes an effective window cleaner

Degreaser
Straight lemon juice can be used as a general degreaser

Furniture
2 parts olive oil or cooking oil mixed with 1 part lemon juice makes for an excellent furniture polish!

Thanks GreenLivingTips!

It's OK to buy batteries

GreenLivingTips posted an interesting article the other day. They said it is OK to buy disposable batteries...but there is a catch: It must be from a liquidation store. Liquidation stores get their stock from bankrupt and out of business stores so the stock is already "in the waste pile". But, most importantly, when you buy at a liquidation store you AREN'T CREATING DEMAND. So this Christmas when you are buying all those batteries for all those toys, buy rechargeable (and charge the batteries at night in "off-peak" hours) or go to the liquidation stores and buy disposables there!

Gimme more Monday

Remember, I'm slacking this week...

Everyone needs a planner to keep organized! KatydidAndKid is giving away a BusyBodyBook. They look great!

DesignMom has giveaways for 12 days of Christmas. Well she is not always completely green she is always fabulous! You have till MIDNIGHT tonite!

Have you entered MINE yet? 3 Smart Strip Power strips! I keep finding things around the house I could be plugging into them! Lights, games, chargers, toys, etc...

GreenMomFinds has some beautiful reusable lunch bags up for grabs! I want!

Who knew Bob Villa was green?! Well he is and he is giving away 10 gift baskets full of fun eco-friendly items and gadgets! HERE.

Christmas and birthdays...

I know I'm not the only one out there who is not only planning Christmas, but also a birthday. My daughter will be 2 just a few days after Christmas. While we won't be doing quite the bash we did for her brother, we still are going to be having a small "beach" party. Our garage houses our wood furnance so it is alway 85'+ in there. Back out the cars, put in a few pools, and we'll have a comfortable party for the kids. But it is a lot more stressful trying to plan an eco-friendly party right after putting together an eco-friendly Christmas. (Not to mention trying to accomodate holiday schedules.) So, bare with me for the next few weeks! I'll be listing all the eco-friendly changes we made this Christmas and what we are doing for my daughter's birthday!

Smart Strip Giveaway!

We have all heard of "phantom power" by now. I am an unplugging monster around the house (just ask my husband every time he goes to play Wii) because of it! I really want this Recharge Station from Pottery Barn, (so sexy)
but trying to remember to unplug the power strip when something isn't being charged is tricky.
Trying to remember to unplug any phantom power object is tricker and trying to get my husband to do it is the trickiest.
Luckily I have the perfect problem solver so you WON'T be unplugging anything again! (I can't believe I just said that!)The Smart Strip! The Smart Strip monitors power consumption and can sense the difference between when computers and other devices are on or off. Upon figuring this out, it shuts off the power, eliminating the idle current (phantom power) drawn from them. So if you have a bunch of video game systems, plug them into a Smart Strip. A charging area for your cell phones, iPods, and more, plug them into the Smart Strip. When they aren't charging they won't be stealing power like they do if you forget to unplug them. Have a stereo system, plug it into the Smart Stripe! Get where I am going with this?
There are a few things that aren't recommended to be plugged into a Smart Strip-HDTV's that have a cooling fan, the fan won't run if power is cut and this could damage the TV. Anything that has a clock that runs on power-DVD players, VCR's and microwaves probably don't make much sense being plugged into on unless you don't mind NOT seeing the clock.
You can get a Smart Strip on Amazon for around $30.00 and they say that you can make your money back in as little as 6 weeks and save over $20.00 on your electric bill! Smart Home USA has a great FAQ on the Smart Strip here.
(So yes, I just bought a house worth of these, and yes, I bought the Charging Station too!)

Want to win 3 Smart Strip power cords?
Leave a comment HERE telling me What will you plug into your Smart Strip?
1 winner will be drawn using Random.org to win 3 Smart Strip power cords.

Want an extra entry, there are TWO WAYS.
-Subscribe to my blog or if you're already a subscriber, leave a new comment letting me know! You'll get a second entry.
-Blog about this giveaway on your blog with a link to the giveaway and leave me a comment with your blog link, bingo, another entry!

Comments are welcome till THURSDAY DECEMBER 18, 11:59 pm!

If you don't have a blogger account make sure to leave your email address at the bottom of your comment. Entries without an email will be deleted.

(This giveaway is open to all residents in the US and Canada. The winner will be selected using Random.org, and of course your email is kept private. I will not sell it, collect it, or use it in anyway, unless of course you win, then I will contact you with it!)

Whip it up Wednesday

Our big dog finally came home to us. Covered in mud and ice...I have no idea what happened but we are all glad he is ok. Since yesterday was spent searching for him I am now completely behind in everything! First on my list, finishing a Christmas tree skirt with old fabric remnants. Almost done! I have to finish it for a small get together we are having...TONIGHT! (This is why I should do my posts in advance!) So I will be franticly sewing this afternoon! I'll post pictures and patterns if any one is interested!

Lost

Our big giant mutt ran off this morning while the kids and I were playing in the snow. He usually goes off to "investigate", but will come when called. Today, nothing. So we are off to track his trail with the sleds. Wish us luck and hope he's safe.

Something to inspire your weekend

Go here, beautiful.

Thanks- NoImpactMan

A Christmas treat for you!

I love a treat, and I love a mystery! Burt's Bees is offering their Holiday Mystery Grab Bag again this year! 4 full sized products, 16 mini's, and 4 gifts! Who knows what you'll get, but I bet it will be good...And work as great stocking stuffers! Enjoy your weekend!

Green Irene

There are some days where I feel like turning my house and my family totally "green" and environmentally friendly is overwhelming. I am doing so much but all I can think about is the things I not doing, AND, the things I don't even know about yet. I read lots of other "green mom" blogs and I always catch myself thinking- will you just come live at my house for a week and HELP?
Well it's kind of possible!
Introducing Green Irene!
Green Irene is a truly revolutionary company.
For $99 you can have a Green Home Makeover! An independent, full trained, Green Irene consultant will come into your home and show you the steps you can take to reduce your carbon footsteps and SAVE MONEY! They cover everything from light bulbs to non toxic cleaners to water conservation to Tax Credits and more!
And it gets better- you know how it is, once the consultant has left you come up with a whole other list of questions. With the Green Home Makeover you are given a 6 month membership to ask those questions and more! I am so excited about a service like this. There is so much information out there, to sit down and talk to an expert and have them make changes with you is just amazing.
Green Irene also has a great store. They carry all the necessities for going green at a great price.
Can you tell I'm excited but all the !'s. Check out Green Irene, if not for you (you green savvy person you), maybe for your parent's who just can quiet grasp all the reasons why they should go green! PERFECT Christmas present!!

Gimme more Monday

How is the Holiday Season taking shape in your house? We have all the decorations out but still no tree. We live on a large amount of land, and we're waiting for enough snow so we can go out and find a tree we can use and bring it back on a snowmobile. I think if we drug it back on the grass right now we'd have NO needles by the time it got inside!
Alright, it is Monday- enter away!


GoodiesForMom is giving away a bunch of great "Green" holiday items. Check them out and enter here! You get to choose what you want!

GoodiesForMom also has a Green Gift Bag of Goodies up for grabs with light bulbs and stainless water bottles all in a great green bag. You have till Midnight, GO!

FitAndSage is giving away a beautiful eco-friendly diaper bag from Wee Generation! Forget diapers, I'm putting my goodies in here!

Whip it up Wednesday: Wrapping Paper

So most of the store bought wrapping paper is NOT recyclable. There are options out there for recyclable paper, and trust me, they will be labeled. But I doubt my Grandmother would notice and seperate it from the other pile of paper.

Here are some alternative ideas:


Have the kids draw on a large roll of paper. (You can find roll paper in almost any craft store). Double gift because Grandma and Grandpa love the drawing too, plus as long as it is not painted, it is recyclable.

Sunday comics for the kids. You know they love it.

Wrap it in a new pillow case, tie it with a new belt.

Wrap it in a reusable tote. Make sure to tell them about the $.05 they will save each time they use it at Target.

Have a treasure hunt with clues.

Wrap in old fabric remnants.

Instead of bows use hair ribbons for the girls.

Use a new table cloth to wrap a present.


Got any other ideas?

Still waiting...

I have heard back from 3 out of 4 winners, but am still waiting on one! Check your spam folders just in case it is you! You have till tonight at MIDNIGHT to email me back otherwise I'll be picking a new winner for the Sarah Pinto planner!

Wrapping paper, recycle it or not...?

It is Christmas morning, 7:31am, the kids are done opening their presents and there is a HUGE pile of wrapping paper in the middle of the room. Do you recycle it or not?

Unfortunately the answer is a lot of times NOT. Why?

* Wrapping paper is often dyed, laminated and/or contains non-paper additives such as gold and silver colored shapes, glitter, and plastics which cannot be recycled. URGH.
* A lot of paper is made of foil which isn't recyclable at all.
* Some wrapping paper is very thin and contains few good quality fibers for recycling.
* Many times the ink isn't on the surface but what is referred to as "beater dyed" with means the color is in the pulp and the color cannot be removed in the de-inking process. (THIS GOES FOR A LOT OF THOSE RED AND GREEN ENVELOPES YOU GET CHRISTMAS CARDS IN)
* A lot of wrapping paper has sticky tape attached to it which makes it very difficult to recycle.


It is kind of depressing but it is also a good reason to find alternative wrapping paper. Tomorrow we'll "whip-up" some great reusable and recyclable Christmas wrapping ideas.

Merry Christmas, the winners are!!...

The comments are in, the numbers are generated, and we have 4 winners! Thanks to everyone who entered! And the winners are...



The winner of the Kootsacs:
#89 Dee who said...

YAY for one year!!!! Congrats!
From koostac..i want the set of green bags! I've been wanting to try those!
From Sarah Pinto...I want the Tapestry planner!
Oh man..where do I start with Target? I would get an ipod for me! I've been wanting one!
Amazon...I'd get a new coffee maker!! Mine has about had it!
Thanks so much for the chance!!!!

Winner of the Sarah Pinto Planner
#60 mom2boys who said.

I love the zebra print planner and i love the green bags from Kootsacs. I would using the gift card to get christmas gift for our kids. Plus my oldest son will be five on Dec. 23rd, so I could use one for that too. Thanks for the awesome giveaway!!!



Winner of the Target Gift Card
# 111 Pat who said...

From Sarah, The Whales, they are great! I'm so not a PDA person!
I like the green market shopping totes.
From Target or Amazon I would buy a Dyson, though I like the vacuum you have listed too!

Winner of the Amazon Gift Card
#140 Brooke who said...

Love the lattice print, but the whale is a close second! I like the blue kootsacs, what a great idea.
From Target I want to get some LED lights for the tree.
From Amazon I would love to get the kids and I some new books.

Gimme more Monday

Well, how much did you eat? Here is a short "green" giveaway list, so we can have an extra 10 minutes to exercise! Yike, I know I need it! Way too much apple pie!


Need some super cute clothes for your kids this Christmas. A shirt they will actually LOVE! GoNaturalBaby is giving away 2 adorable shirts from Pooka Brand Organics.

GoNaturalBaby also has some great organic baby clothes valued at $147! Enter here!


Really, you don't have a re-usable tote yet? Well, here is a chance to win one from Connected2Christ!


AWorkingBloggingMommy just introduced me to a great new site with all organic products called Organically Hatched. Win an organic belt to try out here!

I'll be announcing my Christmas giveaway winners later this afternoon!