Being Green, Saving Green

Green Goals!

2010-01-02T13:35:00.004-06:00

I received the monthly newsletter from JC at Just Act Natural and he wanted customers to send in their Green Goals for 2010. Of course, I sent one in, but thought that I should have at least a few more. And what a great place to display them for all to see and hold me accountable: my blog!

So here it goes:

Get a freezer to utilize my garden better in 2010. I will freeze more than a few things this year and save some money too. I plan on expanding my garden and going to the farmer's market to buy local fruit and veggie items that I won't be growing in my garden (seriously, this is the last year I try for strawberries... If I don't get more than 10, they are DONE!!) and freeze those as well. Thus, reducing my carbon foot print in the winter and saving me some cha-ching!!! How's that for being green and saving green?
I have started to read labels more. And not just the ingredients. I have been looking at where the item is being shipped from. I noticed at Woodmans, they sell cheese from Weyauwega and it's cheaper! WHOT! I want to do this more this year. The closer the food, the better for the earth.
Dave bought me the DVD, Food, Inc. for Christmas and we watched it over break. All I have to say is WOW! Many of the things that they talk about, I have been aware of, but it was nice to have an alarming reminder of why I like to buy food from farmers who do not use pesticides and hormones and treat their animals ethically!!!
And of course, update my blog more often to inspire greenness all around!

PS: I want to welcome Emma as one of my followers... She had been visiting over Christmas and left her Google Reader logged in on my computer... and you know what happened next, don't you? Love ya, Emma! ;)

PPS: Don't forget, GREEN is the new black!!

It's been a while!

2009-12-18T20:30:00.003-06:00

Whew! I know that I am way too busy when I haven't updated the blog in a while... I gave a friend of mine, my blog address and thought that I should update it for her 8*)!!

I have been working on buying most of my Christmas gifts locally and have done a pretty good job! I went to one of my favorite shops, Just Act Natural, downtown Appleton and got a few things for my brother and his wife. You know that feeling that you get when you know that you are doing something good... well as I was checking out, I had that feeling! And I was spending money (I never feel that way when I spend money). I totally felt like I was helping someone out!

The kids and I had a good time looking around the shop and Tobin fell in love with this cute stuffed penguin. Like a good mommy I explained that we were buying gifts for other people and we would not be buying stuff for ourselves (plus, we have TONS of stuffed animals at home!). She cried and cried and cried... But I stuck to my ground and left the store without the penguin. She even cried about it before she went to bed. I decided that since she had gotten some money for her birthday she could spend her own money on the penguin. She was satisfied with that and made me promise that I would take her to get the stuffed animal the next day... Low and behold, the first thing she said that morning was, "Mommy, can we go get the penguin today." I was really hoping that she wouldn't remember. Ah well, so we spent even more money locally.

PLASMA?

2009-12-03T14:38:00.003-06:00

I had given plasma while I was in college as a nice source of "extra" cash... I made so much money that year that I had to claim it on my taxes! I do have a sweet scar in my arm from it!

I have been throwing around the idea of doing it again since Biolife opened a new site not too far from my house. Dave was strictly opposed with it, stating that it felt like it was a last resort and we weren't that poor. I on the other hand see it as part of the D-Ram plan... a little extra money that can be applied to paying off some debt. Plus, I would love to make some money, doing something easy, and having some "me" time. I remember when I gave in college... I would sit and do my homework while the plasma machine was pumping. It only took an hour, but gave me just enough time!

I could really use some of that time now! Away from the kids... reading a book, catching up on grading, or even surfing the net on my phone (they HAVE to have Wi-fi). Plus, I am giving something that will be recycled (do you see the greenness in this?) to save a life! WHOOT! What more could a burnt out working mommy want?

I am gonna go for it, now that I have Dave convinced that it is a good idea! Little does he know, it is all about me!

NUGGET...

2009-11-28T11:47:00.002-06:00

I was ignoring my children and checking up on my RSS feeds and ran across the most BRILLIANT blog, dooce.com. First I found Heather's book, "It Sucked and Then I Cried" through one of my couponing/cooking blogs and went... Shit (if you read her blog, you would know why I must swear) this woman is awesome! I must have the book (and so does my neighbor... you know who you are). Went directly to the blog and thought, damn, I must subscribe!

Heather Armstrong is about as real as a blogger can get! I absolutely love her this is me, take it or leave it attitude... kinda reminds me of... ME! I am so glad to see other's out there like me (and I thought I was the only one)!

BLACK FRIDAY...

2009-11-28T10:36:00.003-06:00

Actually was a success! I got up later than I usually do for shopping on the infamous Black Friday, but still found some great deals. Mostly on toys for the kids' birthdays and Christmas and a few gifts for whenever (it's always good to have a few toys to "grab" for a birthday party that I didn't have time to shop for). It was a good day! Now back to my plan to shop local!

How did you do on Black Friday?

D-Ram SALE!!

2009-11-25T13:30:00.002-06:00

As Dave and I affectionately call him is having a sale. Who is D-Ram, you may ask? He is a very popular financial advisor, named Dave Ramsey, who "invented" the total money makeover and believes in being 100% debt free.

Dave and I have been working on the D-Ram plan off and on for at least a year and a half... I can proudly say that we have not spent a dime on our credit cards for at least that long! Our goal is to be debt free (except for our Mortgage) in two years!

Dave Ramsey is having a HUGE sale at his website! His book "The Total Money Makeover" is only $10.00 down from $24.95 an awesome savings!! There are numerous other books on sale as well. Check it out here!

MORE SHOPPING...

2009-11-24T16:06:00.002-06:00

Christmas that is! I just did a little shopping at My neighbor, Jennifer's house. She has a small business called Blessed Beads. You can just imagine what I purchased... I won't say who I bought for since I don't want to give it away.

So far, I have bought all of my Christmas gifts (including two for me) from local vendors! Not sure if I will be at this point the day after Thanksgiving... I really love to do the day after shopping and Target has some GREAT deals!

Happy Shopping!

I'm Still Here...

2009-11-21T08:05:00.002-06:00

We have been uber busy planning and going on a trip to Mexico... Not a resort, but Central Mexico! My younger brother got married to Claudia who is from Cortazar, Mexico. It was an awesome experience! I just wish everyone would experience being a minority (we were the only white people in the town!). Everyone in Cortazar were so nice to us!

REALLY?

2009-10-24T14:06:00.003-05:00

Apparently Disney is refunding the current price ($15.99) for up to 4 Baby Einstein videos to parents who bought them after 2004... Check here for details.

Now... from what I am reading, the reason is that the video's didn't make babies geniuses like they promised... That's where the title of this post comes in! REALLY? I have at least 5 of these videos and my kids LOVED them. Yeah, I used them as a bonified babysitter BUT I knew that my kid wasn't going to be a genius (although, Tobin sure is close!!). I can't imagine demanding that I get a refund because if that!

The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood has been digging at the issue for years and sees this as a victory. While I get the idea behind the whole thing (kids shouldn't be watching all of the time), let's be honest, spending millions of dollars to go after the larger companies that provide us parents with the videos? How about educating parents on why showing cute Baby Einstein movies to our kids is bad...

Honestly, the money for the DVD's sounds appealing. I really could use a quick $60 bucks... But I am not sure I would feel good about taking it. Hmmm... Any thoughts?

How to ECO-wash your hands during the flu season...

2009-10-21T12:37:00.002-05:00

As I was washing my hands at work, singing the birthday song, I was thinking that I was wasting a lot of water... BOOOO on me! So I decided to come up with a way to wash hands the Eco-friendly way. Here we go:

1. Get soap on one hand while lightly (so as not to use too much water) turning the faucet on with the other.
2. Get enough water on hands to rub then together for the entire birthday song and promptly turn off the faucet with your elbow (this will allow you to avoid germs).
3. Sing (loud and proud) the birthday song while vigorously rubbing lathered hands together... you can wash up to your elbows if you would like (learned this in the NICU with Eden).
4. Turn water back on with your elbow (again avoiding germs) lightly, rinse hands and promptly turn water off with elbow. This part seems a bit difficult, but is worth a try.

Thus saving at least 2-3 gallons of water per hand washing... I can't wait to try it! If you get to try it first, let me know how it goes!

Happy flu-stopping day!

3/50 PROJECT

2009-10-20T12:35:00.004-05:00

As I was laying on the couch, not feeling up to par, today, I was on the website for one of my favorite local "green" store, Just Act Natural and found some links. One thing that intrigued me was the 3/50 Project. And, of course, I had to check it out. Basically, the idea is to spend locally! And you know that I LOVE to spend locally! I frequent the farmer's market on Saturdays and try my darnedest to shop locally. So check it out: here!

My goal for this Christmas is to buy gifts from mostly local retailers and local designers/crafters. So far, I have gotten something for my sister-in-law and my niece from a local craft fair. I know they will love the item's purchased! And I have a few more ideas to purchase from some of the local demonstrators (Stampin' Up, Upper Case Living, and Pampered Chef). Anyone want to join me in shopping local?

Happy fall!

CRAFT FAIR, oh my!

2009-10-18T20:23:00.002-05:00

Ack!!! I can't believe it has been this long since I have updated my blog! I had a wonderful day today and was able to check some of my favorite blogs and update my own baby blog!

Yesterday, I was a craft fair and there was a booth called gajettes. They sell some beautiful clothing made out of vintage and reused fabric. I bought my niece a purse made out of an amazing vintage tie. Love the greeness here!

You never know where you will find some GREEN...

2009-10-10T11:17:00.002-05:00

I was taking a shower in my parents bathroom and looked at the bottle of Skintimate shave gel. On the back it said that the can was recycleable and that it didn't contain CFC's. I was surprised as I would not have thought to recycle such a thing. But hey! Sounds good to me!

Happy recycling!

Many hours later...

2009-10-03T19:39:00.002-05:00

We have finished out work. And without printing a thing! YEAH for saving a tree (all be it small). Now we are heading out for a bite to eat and perhaps some wine tasting at Door Peninsula Winery. I am already starving, so wine tasting comes AFTER dinner! Happy weekend!

GREEN or NOT so GREEN?

2009-09-25T19:05:00.002-05:00

I was reading an article in my Baby Talk magazine regarding whether eating organic food was really better than eating non-organic food... I did some digging and found an article from the end of July on MSNBC here. Basically, it states that eating organic food does not have a health or nutrition benefit over eating non-organic (or conventional) food.

I get the whole idea behind this statement... But (did you really have to guess that there would be one?) I don't think that people/Dr.'s get what organic food is really about. You can argue so much either way... Studies can be for or against something... almost coming out how you want it to! How many times could we use and then not use and then use something because of certain studies... So which way are you going to go? Either you believe that what you put into your body and in/on the earth will have a negative effect on you and the future, or you don't and then you live your life accordingly.

Here is what I think (really, I know you want to know). I want to keep my children as healthy and safe as I can. So, I weigh the facts that I have and look to my own feelings on what to feed them. Do I think that the pesticides, antibiotics, and chemicals put on and in food is unhealthy, YOU BET!!! If I wouldn't eat it right out of the bottle, why would I spray it on something and then eat it later? Am I going to buy ALL organic food? This really is not an option for me... I am trying to live frugally and don't have the means right now to do so. Even if I did, I don't think I would eat ALL organic food. My main focus right now is on the dirty dozen. I try hard to buy these produce items organic. I also will not buy meat and milk that are from animals that have been given antibiotics or growth hormones.

What about the earth? I look at it this way.... do I want my kids to live on a world that has been used and abused? Trash everywhere, concrete as far as the eye can see? NOT ME! I want my great-great-great-great grand kids to see the earth for who she really is! A beautiful green and blue ball (not grey!!). So I try hard to do my part in keeping her nice and clean. Am I always "green"? I try, but I am NOT perfect! Can you imagine the impact if we all tried hard to be green? That's all... just tried.... Hmmmmm

Be the change...

2009-09-24T19:10:00.003-05:00

you want to see in the world. ~M Gahndi

I had the opportunity to participate in Challenge Day at the school that I teach at. What an amazing day! I can't even explain what an impact this had on me... If only EVERYONE could experience the same thing! I really honestly think there would be more LOVE in the world.

The day started with a meeting with the adult facilitators... the leaders (Jon and Jen) gave us a heads up on what to expect! Then 100 students came in and we started our day! Now.... This wasn't a cryfest. There was a TON of energy, dancing, and games. We also did some serious stuff. We had a small group discussion that was called "If you knew me, you would know...." It was really awesome to hear some of the students' (and adults') stories. They were not all wonderful, kids have to go through some tough things. But I am truly amazed at their resilience.

The best part of the day was the line game (I can't remember what the name is...). Basically everyone stands on a line and if what the leader reads off applies to you, you cross the line. They touch on some serious issues such as oppression, gang violence, drugs, and abuse. If you have ever wondered what it was like to walk in someone else's shoes, Challenge Day was really close.

So like the quote says: Be the change you want to see in the world... it starts with you!!

I need to ADMIT something...

2009-09-22T15:39:00.002-05:00

I LOVE scrapbooking! I know, I know... The paper, the trees!!! But I can't help it! It is MY hobby. There is digital scrapbooking, but it's not the same! I love how the paper and=embellishments feel! I love chipboard, ribbon, and all things paper. I know that it's not the most eco-friendly (paper, packaging, and all things adhesive), but I can't help it. At least the paper doesn't go into the garbage and will be saved for hundreds of years?!?!

MATTER...

2009-09-19T11:14:00.003-05:00

Dave has been working on a commercial project for a friend that he came across in Iowa (it is amazing were we can find inspiration) while shooting a wedding. Jordan sent us some lights made from recycled canning jars. I absolutely loved them and made sure we could keep them after the shoot. Now what to do with them....

Anywho, here is what Dave came up with: MATTER

FaMiLY PHoToS

2009-09-19T10:34:00.002-05:00

On Sunday we will be getting our family photos (finally) taken... By a different photographer ~GASP~ Of course, how could we get Dave in the photo? Ken has been a good friend to Dave and is an awesome photographer!! You can view his stuff here. He doesn't do families often, so we are lucky to have him... that and we bribed him with Vinny's pizza! Can't wait to show them off.

Free Kashi Cereal Sample!

2009-09-18T19:54:00.004-05:00

You should know by now that I LOVE Kashi! They are offering a free sample of one of their cereals (you get to choose between 3 of them) here. I choose the Honey Sunshine since my kids like that flavor... I love to use the samples in my diaper bag or purse so I have some back up snacks on hand!

Carpooling = Happy EARTH

2009-09-18T14:09:00.004-05:00

We have been carpooling with the neighbors since the beginning of the school year and there are two other children in the neighborhood who have open-enrolled to the same school. So, let's figure out how much money in gas (not to mention, helping mama earth) we will save... I used Mapquest to find the distance from out house to the school (about 3.79 miles). There is this cool fuel cost calculator on the site (is this new, or have I totally been out of the loop?) and it calculated the fuel cost to be $.52. Times that by two (for the there and back) and that is about $1.04 per trip. We are in charge of picking up 3X per week so we are saving seven trips/week which is $7.28... If we look at how many weeks we are in school for the year, we are saving about $275 in gas/year! All I can say about that is... NICE!

High Maltose Corn Syrup?

2009-09-18T09:50:00.002-05:00

I looked at the ingredients of a Healthy Choice Fresh Mixer and found that it did NOT have any high fructose corn syrup OR hydrogenated oils! YEAH! But I did find high maltose corn syrup... which sounded suspiciously close to high fructose corn syrup. I decided to do a little digging on the ol' Internet and found this. So it is not as bad as HFCS, but still is processed. And we all know that processed = not as good for you. The Healthy Choice Fresh Mixer are actually really good and make a good lunch for my little ones, so I am not going to turn my back on this one just yet!

While I was on my search... I found the website: Wellsphere. While I have not had the chance to really delve into it, it looks like a great resource!

Happy Friday, Internet!

Read a book...

2009-09-16T18:12:00.002-05:00

on your computer! What a wonderful way to save a tree, than to read an ebook. I have just started to explore the world of ebooks and an not so sure that I can totally give up the paper edition of some books. But I can definitely get into some books! I happened across this book when visiting Money Saving Mom's blog, and it was a great read! Especially if you own a business.

Happy reading!

Yoga...

2009-09-15T16:54:00.002-05:00

5:30 a.m. Monday and Wednesdays!! I know it is really early, but after getting a rather slow start to my home practice this summer, I realized that I don't have the will-power to do it on my own! So bright and shiny, here I come. I went this past Monday and I really like it. Different than what I have done (and slower) in the past, but I really like it!

Going GREEN with a calendar!

2009-09-14T18:24:00.005-05:00

My hubby and I use Google Calender and we love it! We each have out own calendar and I have categories such as work, my fun time, and one category for each of our children. They are of course color coded. The best part is that I can view my hubby's calendar on my own (this is only be being allowed to see it, kinda like facebook... he has to OK it) so when I am planning something, I know if he has anything going on that day.

I love the "greenness" of the whole thing. I can access it from any computer and on my phone. No need to use paper for a calendar!!

Anyone have a good digital calendar that they use?

Planning a Party....

2009-09-12T08:04:00.002-05:00

We are having a party on Sunday at a local park. we have rented the shelter and will be having lunch for our guests... So I have a few good links on planning a party!

Since my party is tomorrow... and I haven't started planning, my first suggestion would be to start planning early. That way you can get the deals when they come around... I will have to buy with the deals and that makes it a bit more difficult. Luckily, I have my garden to go to for some side dish ideas!

I just had a thought for decoration... I am going for the earthy look (the park shelter is in the woods) and I would love to get some flowers for the decoration... I could go to the farmer's market (Ugh!) and grab some bouquets for cheep... Hmmmm.... I really didn't want to go. Maybe some mums on the table? That would be cheep and then I could get them later.

Boooo....

2009-09-12T08:00:00.003-05:00

No farmer's market for me today... Dave has an early wedding (at least this way he will be home early 8*)) and I don't really want to take all three kids with me! So to my backyard garden I go! Not as much good stuff, but it will at least make me feel a little better.

Save even more...

2009-09-10T19:33:00.002-05:00

With coupons for consignment/resale shops and organic food stores! I also found some coupons for tune-ups, etc for appliances. These can help with the energy bill this winter! I was looking through my Money Saver mailer and the Community Color mailer and found some coupons worth noting:

In the Money Saver, I found:

$5/$25 purchase and $10/$50 purchase for Plato's Closet (this is more of a "teen" fashion resale shop)
Tune-Up Specials, $10 off any repair, and $25 off Duct Cleaning for the Good Guys
FREE Pellets for a pellet stove (apparently these save a bundle on heating bills during the winter) from Natural Encounters.
FREE Radon Test and 10% off Radon Mitigation System from Radon Specialist of Wisconsin

In the Community Color Mailer, I found:

Up to $3500 off Windows and Doors at Creative Openings
$5/$25 purchase, $10/$50 purchase, and $15/$75 purchase at Empty Your Closet (ladies conseignment shop)
$1/$10, $2/$20, or $5/$50 purchase at the Bulk-Priced Food Shoppe (I am definatly going to check this one out!)
$10 off any delivery and 10% off any furniture purchase (must be made with cash or check) at Furniture Phases (furniture conseignment)
Tune-Up Specials, $10 off any repair, and $25 off Duct Cleaning for the Good Guys
$5/$25 and $10/$40 purchase at Chic Repeats (children's clothing)
$5/$25, $10/$50, and $15/$75 purchase at Revamped Resale (baby, children, women, and maturnity resale)
BOGO FREE loaf of bread, 1/2 off sandwich, and $1/$10 purchase at Great Harvest (LOVE their bread)
50% off one item (maximum discount of $5) at Habitat for Humanity ReStore (I think I am the most excited about this one... They sell new, gently used, and excess home improvement materials)
$2/$15 and $5/$30 purchase at Echoes Gifts and Thrifts
$300 off new pellet stove at Pellets R Heat (apparently these save a bundle on heating bills during the winter)

Holy Cow! The Color Mailer wins! There are some great deals out there... stack them with coupons and make them even better!

Bath anyone?

2009-09-08T18:36:00.004-05:00

OR everyone! I have been known to stick all three girls in the bath tub! What better way for them to play, splash (only a little), and have fun? I know this won't last forever, but it does save water! A few other ways to save on water costs in the bathroom:

Cut down the time that you take a shower in (take a POWER SHOWER)... my hubby can do it in 2 minutes flat.
Take a shower every other day... I know, GROSS! But really, if you are just sitting around one day and not really doing anything to make your body stink, then why not?
Wash your hair every other day?!? If you must spritz off in the shower, skip the hair wash... its better for your hair anyways! Have you looked at the ingredients in shampoo and conditioner? Go ahead, I dare ya!
Use hand sanitizer instead of washing your hands every time you need to... Really, you CAN wash your hands after you pee... but do you really need to wash after everything?
Lastly, put a brick in the tank of your toilet... less water, less used! Voila!

Happy savings!

Save a tree @ the library?

2009-09-06T20:53:00.002-05:00

So my good friend, Christina, sent me a FB message letting me know that you can donate magazines that are less than 6 mo. old to the Menasha library and then they resell them for $.25. Amazing idea!!! I think I might make a trip down that way!

Thanks Christina!

Technical Issues...

2009-09-06T12:26:00.002-05:00

The hubby is working on updating the "look" of my blog... AND we will be doing a photo shoot this afternoon for a head shot for the picture on the blog. So bare with me on some of the technical issues. Anyone know how to get the background behind the text to be solid?

To the market, I went...

2009-09-05T20:11:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, I went to the Farmer's Market like I do almost every Saturday. I decided that I absolutely LOVE one of the vendors. Michelle makes these awesome wrap skirts that fit you when you need to lose 10 lbs. and after you loose the 10 lbs. She also makes hair accessories, bags, and I think I even saw some baby items there.

She has a shop down in Oshkosh called Dainty Daisies and usually is at the market in Appleton on Saturday's. And let me tell you this girl can pull off vintage style well! She is so cute... Think wrap skirt, and fuzzy suede boots. And it looks great!

Thanks Michelle for some awesome skirts!!!

Telephone Books

2009-09-05T19:56:00.003-05:00

Now on to a random thought... Telephone books. Really? Do we still need these. I was thinking that I used my book around 2-3 times in the last year. I have used the Internet or my phone to find all other phone numbers, etc. that I would need.

Can you imagine the amount of trees that would be saved if the Yellowbook and Yellow Pages just decided to quit making phone books? Now, I really can't knock them... They have worked hard to make their books eco-friendly using recycled paper, better ink, and eco-friendly paper mills. But... CAN YOU IMAGINE a life without an actual phone book? I can! Remember every piece of information (good or bad) is at our finger tips!

PICKLES...

2009-09-05T19:48:00.004-05:00

Galore! I actually pulled it off! I made 5 of these and it wasn't too difficult. See, I can ignore my kids' screams, messes, and cries! I am not sure how they will taste, but hey, you've got to start somewhere! I used a recipe from the website www.cooks.com (I actually just googled refrigerator pickles and this was the first to come up). It looked the easiest and used ingredients that I had on hand. They will be ready in 2-4 days... I will let you know!

Pickles...

2009-09-05T13:51:00.003-05:00

I have loved pickles since I can remember... For the first time, I actually made some! My neighbor, Jamie, gave me a recipe for some sunshine pickles and I really liked them. I have a ton of cucumbers from my garden and and going to try my hand at refrigerator pickling. I have my recipe in hand and away I go.

I don't expect it to go well... Dave is gone on some photo shoots today and the three girls are all up and ready for chaos. Playing in the dirty clothes hamper as we speak. On top of that, I have a day's worth of laundry to do. I will let you know how it goes at the end of the day... along with some random thoughts I have about phone books?!?! Does anyone really still use one of those?

Good GREEN post...

2009-09-04T17:57:00.003-05:00

Crystal over at Money Saving Mom has a great post on waste... Things like composting, hitting rummage sale for clothes, and what you use to clean with really add up. A few ways I noticed that we reduce our waste:

Serving dinner in the same pots and pans we used to cook it in.
Using dish cloths and towels to clean up... almost eliminating the use of paper towels in our house.
Using bath towels at least one more time before we wash them.
Using a rain barrel to collect water for gardens and landscape.

There are so many more... but that will be another post!

Happy Labor day and stay GREEN!

It's a NEW month...

2009-09-04T16:27:00.002-05:00

and you know what that means... New coupons are up on coupons.com...

Here are a list of organic or natural coupons that are available:

Huggies Pure and Natural $3 off

Cascadian Farm products $1 off

Muri Glen products $1 off when you buy 2

Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bars $1 off 2 (these are on sale at Woodman's for $2.50 this week)

Remember... you can print two of each!

Our Tiny Apartment...

2009-09-04T16:05:00.005-05:00

My friends Trevor and Amy have started a blog! It is about the happenings in their tiny apartment... They have a great DIY project making a coffee table. Of course they used all recycled materials! Good job! Keep on bein' GREEN (and using those coupons)!!

Whew!

2009-09-03T15:35:00.002-05:00

Well... One more day and then a three day weekend! I have been really busy with the start of the school year! I haven't had time to peruse my usual blogs. I am hoping that I will slow down in the next week or two for some good posting!

In green news, I have been working hard on a website for my classes to distribute paper and information... Trying to save a tree!

Happy weekend!

BACK TO SCHOOL FOR TOBIN...

2009-09-02T12:04:00.001-05:00

My hubby was able to chronicle Tobin's first day of school... ~sniff

Check it out here!

BACK TO REALITY

2009-08-30T12:48:00.002-05:00

I had a great time camping... despite the full day of rain on Saturday! But I missed my family and was SO excited to see them today (and find out if they were still alive, hehe).

I also was excited to be able to check some of my favorite blogs! Angie has some great deals on diapers over at Baby Cheapskate on her Top Diaper and Formula Deals of the Week... the one that I am planning on taking advantage of is the Target deal:

Huggies jumbos are $8.99 at Target this week. You can combine your manufacture coupon with a target coupon (either from mailer or print at Baby Cheapskate) and you will get a great deal!

I know, I know! If I want to be green, I should be using cloth diapers... but this is one area that I just need to use the disposables. Really, I am just being lazy! My life motto is BALANCE and going cloth after 2 kids in disposables would not have been worth the stress for me.

BTW

2009-08-27T14:37:00.005-05:00

I am going to be out-of-town this weekend in the great wilderness... On a much needed girls weekend! I can't stress enough how important having friends is! At least to me, it is! These ladies are my tree (Dave is my rock)... The steady me when I need it and they will always be there for me! Love you guys!

My point is... I will not be updating (the hubby has not updated my phone to post on my blog) this weekend. So happy weekend to ya!

GREEN, GreEn, gREen!

2009-08-27T14:30:00.002-05:00

I am putting together some great articles about some of the new green initiatives going on right now! Can I say e-book (inspired by Diane a colleague of mine), bamboo, and digital! I am really excited to put these together! The more I do for this blog, the more I learn... and I have a lot to learn!

In other green news, I am hoping to start making a weekly list of places that have some of the eco-friendly cleaners, etc. and healthier foods of sale with coupon match-ups! If you know of any good, green deals, let me know!

Happy grEEnNEsS!

Packing a lunch?

2009-08-25T19:58:00.002-05:00

Erin of $5 dinners has a great post, here about using reusable food containers rather than prepackaged foods! Kudos to Erin! Saving the earth AND money!!

Nutrition

2009-08-25T15:23:00.003-05:00

Well... it's back-to-school time for me! We had our teacher inservice today and I am definitely not used to working a full day.

I did attend a breakout session about students and nutrition. It was taught by the manager of The Red Radish in Neenah, WI. The most important things that I got out of it (some of which I already knew) were:

The less processed, the better the food is for you
The less ingredients, the better it is. Always read the label
Get as much natural omega-3s and vitamin Bs as you can
One good thing to cut out from your diet is high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils

Happy eating!

GREEN TIP of the day!

2009-08-24T19:16:00.003-05:00

A dear neighbor of mine, Jamie (who also gave me some delicious homemade jam, tonight) sent me a link to the website www.dailyecotips.com.

There are some great tips on going green, getting green, and everything in between!

Thanks Jamie!

SIMPLE+DIRTY

2009-08-24T08:52:00.004-05:00

My hubby, Dave is a photographer and loves to shoot abandoned buildings... What better way to recycle than to see the beauty in something rundown, crumbling and falling apart. He went to Milwaukee with a friend on Saturday (he finally had a weekend without a wedding) and shot a few abandoned places... he has them up on his blog here and here.

If you would like to look at more of his stuff, his website is www.simpledirty.com. You can also order prints through instaproofs, here. Dave has a book on sale through Blurb. Take a look at it here.

Can you tell that I love Dave's work? I am planning on redecorating my great room around a few of his prints!

Eeeek!

2009-08-23T10:48:00.002-05:00

We knew after we bought our house (please note: after) as a spec home, that it was not the built by the most knowledgeable and caring company... it was more of a quantity/money maker rather than a quality thing. But being naive new homeowners, we loved the house and had to have it. And we still do (love it), but it needs some work (as we are finding out)!

Our dishwasher has been an angst for us for the last 6 yrs. (the amount of time we have actually lived in the house), smelly, cheap, and it doesn't get the dishes clean... you know the most inexpensive dishwasher the builder could put in! I have read that this could be an instillation problem and I am not surprised. Now it is making noises and the water isn't coming out of the sprayer (the essentials to keeping dishes clean, you know) and it smells like smoke when it runs.

Since it is a piece of junk, we have decided to invest in a new one... And of course, we will be going green. So, during my research here is a few things that I found:

You don't have to spend a fortune on a dishwasher to get a good one or a green one... I am thinking that we will spend between $500 and $750 on this dishwasher... a little more than I was planning, but I want to get a good one! The most expensive ones run upwards of $1500ish... so that makes me feel a little better.
I know that stainless looks best, but you pay more for it... and being frugal, I won't be going stainless. Really, besides the "look" of stainless, what benefit does it have?
You know that yellow Energy Star label on all appliances? I really didn't know how to read them. But they were made to help us! Here, here and here are sites that help to explain the label.
I found a website that is like consumer report, but is free called consumer search. They have some good information on dishwashers and what to look for.
I found a great article on going green with dishwashers here.

As I am writing this, my dishwasher mysteriously started to work... I think I will still be in the market for a new one, though! It really is a crappy dishwasher.... Let me know if you see any good sales!

FREE AVEDA PRODUCTS!

2009-08-22T18:46:00.004-05:00

I was perusing my favorite blogs and thanks to for the Mommas, I found a coupon for a free AVEDA smooth infusion hair care sample pack. Just print this coupon and take it to your nearest AVEDA salon. As always, call first to make sure they are participating. We wouldn't want to waste the gas ;.)

GIVEAWAY

2009-08-22T15:56:00.002-05:00

Erin over at $5 Dinners is giving away a $250 gift card to a grocery store of your choice, donated by the Canned Food Alliance. One thing that Erin stressed was that she wasn't a big fan of canned goods due to the high sodium and the sugar added to them, but changed her mind when she found that there are alternatives such as low sodium canned goods (I get the Progresso soups in low sodium for my hubby) and fruit packed in fruit juice rather than syrup.

The Canned Food Alliance created a website, www.mealtime.org for people to get tips on organizing your kitchen and better ways to store your food.

You can check Erin's post here on what she did to her kitchen and storage area and enter the giveaway. For the entry, you need to list 5 ways that you would organize your pantry... here were the 5 things that I would do:

Get better canned good shelves in my pantry
Get more organic canned veggies, tomatoes and soups, ect for cooking
Replace the floor of one of my cupboards that caved in due to heavy pots and water
Organize my new pots and pans cupboard
Organize under my island

GReeN TiP of the day!

2009-08-22T11:27:00.005-05:00

I absolutely love the farmer's market. I try to go every Saturday if we are home and if we are not home, I like to find one near (or a farmer's stand) where we are visiting. Here are some reasons that buying at the farmer's market is GREEN!

The products are grown/made local.
You are saving the earth the energy and resources from transportation, processing and packaging items.
You are supporting your local economy.
You are experiencing an atmosphere full of great people!

I found some good articles about the farmer's market: SPARK people is a website that I like for losing weight. They have an awesome article here. And I found some interesting information on the United States Department of Agriculture website here.

PEACHES

2009-08-22T11:20:00.002-05:00

I LOVE peaches.... And my wonderful neighbor's Ron and Jen were awesome enough to bring me some from their very own peach tree!! We will eat some of them, but I don't see us eating all of them. Mmmmm!

Now, what can I make with peaches? I was thinking peach cobbler?!?! But really, I need something easy to make since I don't bake!

Old Navy...

2009-08-21T12:33:00.003-05:00

Well, I wasn't as profitable this time around and realized that last week was not Internet talent, but pure luck! I spent hours waiting for the site to update (and got a headache in the meantime) and I did get a 25% off coupon, but I really wanted a $50 or $75 off. Oh well!

AVEDA

2009-08-21T12:06:00.003-05:00

I just went to get my hair colored and cut at the Kapreli Salon by my favorite hair stylist, Robin. Kapreli is an AVEDA salon and I can't tell you how impressed I have been with AVEDA and their dedication to not only the body, but the earth. Here are just a few things that AVEDA does for the betterment of the earth:

uses 100% wind power
one of the largest purchasers of organic ingredients
raised millions of dollars for environmental causes

Can I just say WOW! Good job, AVEDA!!

Old Navy Weekly AGAIN...

2009-08-20T15:39:00.001-05:00

It just happens to be Thursday again... And I am gonna go for it! Try for the $75/$100. Wish me luck!

Breyer's Ice Cream Give Away!

2009-08-19T19:40:00.002-05:00

Erin at $5 Dinners is giving away some coupons for Breyer's ice cream! Yum!

Love it when this happens!

2009-08-19T19:15:00.003-05:00

I had been thinking about what I would do for dinner tonight... My in-laws were here and I had not been grocery shopping since before we went camping. I was checking one of my favorite blogs, $5 dinners and found this recipe: Angle Hair Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes.

And like one of those light bulb moments, I realized that I had all of the ingredients on hand... most of which were from my garden. So we didn't have to eat out (or even try to convince the in-laws to pay 8*)), order in, or even run to the store. AND it was very healthy. I changed the recipe a bit and didn't make the chicken or broccoli (I did have the broccoli on hand though). My mother-in-law made a cucumber salad with the over abundance of cucs that were in my garden and I use the 9 grain bread that my neighbor made me to make garlic bread (which I promptly burned, but the in-laws were nice enough to eat).

Lastly, the picture is not of my delicious meal, but from the blog! But I must say, my pasta looked the same!

BACK TO THE GRIND!

2009-08-19T15:47:00.002-05:00

Camping was awesome! For some reason, despite being at a "resort" campground, I felt closer to nature the past few days. There is nothing like the smell of a camp fire!

One gripe about the campground: they didn't recycle! Seriously, WHAT? Luckily, I just brought the recyclables home with me, but can you imagine all that should be in the recycle bin, that was in the garbage bin? UGH!

GREEN tip of the day!

2009-08-16T08:36:00.002-05:00

Be good to the earth!!

Going Green?

2009-08-16T08:29:00.002-05:00

What is more green that camping? We are taking the girls out on one last camping trip before the school year starts! I love camping, but we have yet to stray from the "resort" campgrounds. I would love to go to a state park and "rough" it, but we will see. With three little ones, sometimes you just need to play it safe.

Gonna try to update from my iphone while we are camping (I know... so wrong!), but I'm not quite sure how to do it... If you don't here from me for a couple of days... I couldn't figure it out 8*)

COUPONING

2009-08-15T13:43:00.002-05:00

Most of you may know that I love to use coupons... I save an average of $15/week using coupons... and probably more if you count, sales, coupons, and rebates. Thousands of dollars per year can be saved by just putting in a little time to cut coupons and research prices. There are also some great bloggers out there that do the research for you! Marcy over at Stretching a Buck is publishing her series on couponing! Don't miss it! I am really excited to look it over to get some new tips! You can check out her post about it here.

Green tip of the day!

2009-08-15T12:13:00.002-05:00

I really enjoy the "reuse" portion of the saying, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle." To my own surprise, I reuse/recycle quite a bit. The best kind of reusing that I do is with the kids toys. Most of the toys that we have right now are toys that have been purchased used or hand-me-downs from friends and family. I am really proud of that! First, it saves money! And second it saves the land fill from yet another plastic toy that will take a LONG time to biodegrade.

Some great places to check for use stuff are rummage sales, craig's list, freecycle, and freepeats. I have used craig's list, but mainly use the classifieds from work. I have sold and purchased TONS of stuff!

What ways do you reuse/recycle kids stuff?

GREEN tip of the day!

2009-08-14T17:50:00.001-05:00

Be good to the earth and your body!!

Juice Plus

2009-08-14T17:30:00.003-05:00

A while back, my sister-in-law became a Juice Plus+ distributor. If you don't know about Juice Plus, in a nut shell, they are capsules/chews/gummies with dehydrated fruits and vegetables in them. Why dehydrated? So that the maximum amount of nutrition is preserved! Taking these are like getting the full daily dose of fruits and veggies we need per day.

Dave and I have decided that we NEED to focus more of our energy and funds on health and nutrition and after talking with Lindsey (here is her personal website), we decided to go with Juice Plus! We just got our first shipment today! Tobin tasted the gummies and she loved them (SCORE!!!!).

Old Navy...

2009-08-13T20:45:00.003-05:00

Here we come! They updated their website at 7:30ish with the new hauling of coupons and I was totally on it! I am really proud of myself on this one! I got a $50 off $100!! YEAH! By the time I had secured that one, the $75 was gone! Oh well, that was actually *kinda* fun!!! Maybe I will get a $75 next week.

GREEN tip of the day!

2009-08-13T13:17:00.002-05:00

Use your used printer/copier paper from work, business or even home to write notes on the back. As a teacher, I make extra copies assuming that kids will lose things. At the end of the year, I bring a box of paper home for my kids to draw on... they even like to draw on the printed side!

It's THURSDAY...

2009-08-13T08:49:00.003-05:00

And do you know what that means? Today is the day that Old Navy resets their coupon site! The star coupon is $75 off a $100 purchase... nice, huh? Perfect for back to school shopping. I am hoping to get one, but I don't know if I have the patience to sit around and check the site every 5 minutes (they don't have a specific time that they reset).... I have slacking on the rummage saleing (love to reuse!!) this summer and I am paying dearly. My 5 yr. old needs jeans and pants, bad!

Let me know if you find anything, today.... and where it is!

When it's too good to be true....

2009-08-12T18:24:00.002-05:00

it usually is!

You can read an article here about a 52" TV that was offered online for $9.99. And those who actually bought it now want it for $9.99 rather than the actual price that they changed it to ($1799.99 and that was on sale?!?!). What do you all think?

DOUBLE DAY at Copp's and Pick-n-Save

2009-08-12T12:31:00.005-05:00

If you don't already know about the great offer that Copp's and Pick-n-Save have on Wednesdays, here is the skinny:

1. These stores will double up to 5 coupons in one transaction

2. You must buy $25 worth of groceries after using the key card

3. You can do more than one transaction to get the best deal (I don't know about this first hand, but I have heard of others doing this)

4. I think your best bet is to keep your purchase to $25 and make sure that your first 5 coupons are the largest ones you have (I try to always double $1 coupons)

You can get the skinny on the deals and coupon match-ups at one of my FAVORITE blogs: Common Sense with Money

I don't always do the deal each week, but a couple of weeks ago, I paid about $10 for $30+ of groceries! Included in my purchase was Green Works laundry detergent and toilet bowl cleaner. I have yet to use these as I try to shop more through companies who have been eco-friendly before the "green" revolution started. But it was such a great deal, I though I would give it a shot! I love it when I save big.

GREEN tip of the day!

2009-08-12T12:20:00.002-05:00

My good friend (and neighbor) Jody gave me this tip: Use old newspaper rather than paper towels when cleaning windows (she just happened to be working on this very thing today). Your windows will look better with less streaks.

Speaking of paper towel... I have decided that we will be using less paper towel as well! I have been using rags to clean faces, tables and spills, almost eliminating the need for paper towels.

Now go out there and have a paper toweless day!

random thought....

2009-08-11T15:44:00.003-05:00

As I recently sat on the potty in the bathroom at the gas station... with my 1 year old on my lap (mommies, you know what I am talking about...), I was wishing that they had one of these seats in the bathroom. I have seen them a few places, but I really think they need them in every public bathroom.

I was reminded today of the seat when I saw one in the Justice Department's bathroom while getting my passport. I was thinking that it was a nice touch, but in the Justice Department (court, jail, clerk of courts, ect)? And I didn't even have a kid to go in it! Bah!

GREEN tip of the day

2009-08-11T10:37:00.009-05:00

Reduce, reuse, and recycle! Use reusable bags when shopping... or just reuse those paper bags! I try hard to bring those reusable bags with to the grocery store... but I must admit, I forget sometimes!!

I also have a Chico Bag (you can find them here) that I keep in my purse. It works well when I am at stores like Walgreens or CVS... Two jumbo packs of diapers fit in the bag really well.

Any tips on how I can remember to bring them? For some reason, I don't forget my coupon book! ;.)

FREE YO-PLUS!!

2009-08-11T08:47:00.005-05:00

I am so excited! I found this in a magazine and investigated right away! If you buy Activia yogurt between August 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, you can send the Activia proof of purchase, cash receipt, and this form to Yo-Plus and they will send you a coupon for FREE yogurt!

I am so on this! There have been coupons for $1/1 Activia yogurt in numerous Sunday papers! The only problem... I think I just use my last one before Aug. 1... BOOO!

Now... Off to figure out how to post pictures! That would make this blog much more interesting.

WOW!

2009-08-10T21:18:00.009-05:00

Just had to share... As I was posting the previous entry, a link for coupons for Seventh Generation products came up! Of course I had to click over and I found a few coupons that I could use.

Seventh Generation is a company that has been around for about twenty years. They have been on the forefront of creating eco-friendly products from cleaning supplies to baby items. Go here to sign up for their website, see what they have to offer, and print some coupons! Remember, to save on paper, only print the ones that you are planning on using... You can always go back and print again if you decide later to use the product.

Check it!

2009-08-10T20:40:00.004-05:00

So I have been thinking about doing some sort of blog for a long time... I follow many couponing and eco-friendly blogs and enjoy reading them! What could I offer you, one would ask? A mix of the two! I will take you along on my adventures of being green, while trying to save a little green. And I might add, it is a rocky balance to do both! I am NOT perfect at it, by far... but I figure you and I can learn together!

I will have a plethora of information on saving and being green along with tons of information on doing both all at once!