Happy Memorial Day!

My sweet friend Kellie wrote this article; it seems quite fitting that it was published on this Memorial Day weekend. Her thoughts have me thinking about how little we have historically appreciated our military personnel and all the hard tasks they face, both in the field and at home. So, as we enjoy our long weekend here state side, we need to take a few moments and reflect on the people who have given us this day free of work, this wonderful country and our freedom. True, our government is far from perfect, but it's better than it could be and the men and women who made that possible have little to do with our government and possibly get screwed out of much more than the civilian population.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY!

Simple Ways to Green Your Life

The state of the world around me causes me quite a deal of concern. The reckless abandon with which we toss aside anything and everything makes me fear that there won't be anything left by the time my daughter & her generation inherit this world from us. We consume en masse and discard just as freely. Water bottles and soda cans because we must have a brand new container for each serving of beverage. That makes no sense logically, but still we must have it. I mean, who needs a new container for every beverage when you can wash the container, realistically. Not that I would wash a soda can, but you wash and reuse a tea pitcher, you know. 

My point is that we wast a LOT. A lot, a lot. 

And we're busy, so we do this for convenience. And it's understandable; it's easier, it's faster, it's cleaner in the short term. And it's not just beverages, but everything. Toy packages and shipping packages (have you ever ordered from office depot, like some pens, and received them in a box large enough to hold five boxes of files? I have. I mean what the what?) and all the random stuff we toss out daily at our house. We buy a box of crackers or cookies that have ten individual little packets in them. We aren't eating everything, but we like it packaged. And we're not even going to talk about the waste that goes into making that food we eat and the packaging and on and on. We usually have at least a bag of garbage a day. You get the idea...we waste a lot. We as in my family; we as in society as a whole. 

I can't do everything I would like to to green up my life. I don't have time for cloth diapers. I don't always recycle everything I could. Newspapers and card board often get neglected. I'm pretty good about soda cans and plastic bottles, but really I hate the process. Cleaning, saving, taking. We recycle all of the laundry detergent containers and kitty litter containers. 

Here's my quick and easy list:

Recycle what you can. Set up a system and make it easy on yourself. Forgive yourself if you don't recycle every single recyclable. Some is better than none, and maybe you can move towards it at some point down the road. Start small.

Make a compost heap. Instead of trashing all those left over peels and veggie scraps, put them out in a pile. They'll make great garden soil some day. 

Don't eat a lot of fast food. This is good for your waist, too. But you'll have less disposable meal containers to throw away. It's sort of a win-win.

Use rags for cleaning instead of paper towels//and cloth napkins for eating. I find this to actually be easier than using paper towels. I just have dark colored rags that I use only for cleaning, and the lighter ones are wash clothes. They last longer, and clean more. And cloth napkins are just so pretty and fun. And easy...i can wash them with anything. 

Get a water filter and use a water bottle. Or get a water bottle with a filter like the Bobble. You get a lot more use out of a bottle designed to last, obviously, than one designed to be thrown out. I find that bottled water doesn't really taste any better or different than filtered water. 

Get reusable grocery bags. Are you seeing a theme here? {Reuse} I keep one in my purse. I use it at the fruit stand and the grocery store. And I keep a larger one in my car for the bigger trips. If you do get plastic bags, save them and use them as liners for the bathroom trash cans. 

Make your clothes last. There seems to be a trend of buying clothes meant to last for only one season. Trendy items that aren't meant to last more than five or six wash cycles. Avoid those clothes. It's better on your budget to make them last anyways. Repair small holes and don't throw out pants because they popped a button. If you're tired of it, donate it. But don't buy them for single use...buy them to last. I find this really helps my budget and my sanity. It's so much easier to not have to shop for new clothes on the weekly. It may be more expensive up front but it pays off in the end. Also, dry on low heat and air dry when possible. It saves energy and helps the clothes wear longer.

These are just a few simple things that you can do, easily, without a lot of hassle. You don't have to make huge changes in your life style and you can really see your wallet get thicker too. Less material waste equates to less monetary waste as well!

Love

This week my mind and body have been busy, but my heart keeps steadily beating to one word: love. 

I'm not a hundred percent sure why I'm feeling the need to LOVE so deeply right now, but I'm not one to question it. Every feeling of love I have makes my heart brim with happiness.

And love isn't just about loving those close to us: our mothers and fathers, husbands and wives, children and cousins, brothers and sisters. It's about more than our own nuclear families.

It's about accepting everyone for who they are. It's about loving people BECAUSE they are different. Embracing the colors and textures of the people and the lives being lived in proximity to ours. No matter what. Be that black or white, gay or straight, big or little, smart or dumb. It doesn't matter. Love them for who they are. They make up this world. And for every other person you show kindness to, you can hope that the pay out will be that they show kindness to someone else. 

Love breeds love, and hate breeds hate. Choose love. Make it grow. The small actions you take every day can make a big difference. 

I've been listening to this song, on repeat for the past few days. Even though at this point I've heard it at least 100 times, each time I still get chills. 

So move forth in your day with love in your heart. 

Hopes and Dreams for 2013

If I were a good blogger, I would have a list of resolutions to share here. Things that I have no intention of actually accomplishing, but that sounds really good on a list of things I wish I could do. I'm neither a good blogger nor am I into making lists of things I never intend to stick to. That isn't to say that I don't have dreams of what this year will bring. I do. I have big dreams and lots of hope. 

via

I'm dreaming of lots of dance parties in the middle of my den with my little person.

I'm dreaming of a Wonder Pets themed 2nd Birthday party.

I'm dreaming of less panic, less anxiety, less depression in this new year.

I'm dreaming of more health for me, less sickness, more exercise. 

I'm dreaming of my husband's family business turning a real profit again.

I'm dreaming of the beach.

I'm hopeful that I may find more patience through a devoted approach to yoga.

I'm hopeful that others will find more tolerance.

I'm hoping that people in general will be kinder, less quick to take action to harm others.

I'm dreaming of my house becoming neat and organized and hoping that I can make it happen.

I'm hoping and dreaming that I can make this little blog a successful venture, and that I can find a good direction for it. 

I'm dreaming of dates with my husband and hoping that we can find a little more time for each other this year.

I'm dreaming of tiny miniature gardens in my back yard, and creating more fantasy for my little goddess.

I'm hoping for more creativity to spring from my fingers, more love to pour forth from them and create wonders for little eyes

I'm dreaming of crafts with my little artist, and painting more with her.

I'm dreaming of re-doing our bed room; hanging stuff on the walls and new bedding and new bathroom rugs (can you believe my rugs are ten years old? what's up with that?)

As you can see, I resolve to do nothing. My resolve is poor and well, damn near non-existent. I have lots of hopes and dreams for this year, though. And I think I can make my dreams come true. I have a year to pull them off, after all!

Wounded

I had a really light hearted post planned for today. But then something terrible happened to little kids in a school and well, now my heart is heavy. 

So. Heavy.

Who does something so evil to even ONE little human being, much less so many?

My heart hurts, my soul aches and my cheeks glisten from the moisture of many tears.

Twenty children were dropped off at school this morning, by loving parents. Loving parents who anticipated holiday festivities this weekend, shopping and parties, sleeping in and pancake breakfasts, a life time of cartoons and kisses and Christmases.

And then all of that was shattered. No pieces left to pick up, just gone. Gone in a blink. Children murdered, their last moments spent in fear. Children looking forward to the holidays minutes before, focused on letters or numbers or play time. Little children, lost. Dreams and visions ruined. 

Parents gathered together to find out if their child was one of those lost. A child that they loved and cherished taken from them in someone else's anger. 

Rooms filled with fear. Children who know not the full extent of death, facing it. Parents who understand death, and would willingly face it in place of their children, facing those children's deaths. Death everywhere and fear.

I wish I could reach out my arms and wrap them around every singe one. The children and the parents. But alas, my arms don't reach that far. 

They do, however, reach far enough for me to hug my own precious little girl and my own husband. My voice reaching out with words of love to them, and words of love to my own parents. 

Love everyone in your life. Never take one single second for-granted because you're not promised the next. Give too many hugs, shower little faces with too many kisses, hold hands with your spouse for no reason, love openly and freely, and in so doing, honor the lives of those little tiny souls. This world needs more love, it can never have to much, and love and love alone will help heal this wounded world.