Friday, November 19, 2010

An Overwhelming Sense of Community....

As many of my friends and family know, I've recently intensified my focus around living greener and creating a safer environment in our home. Sometimes this new commitment comes up naturally in conversations -- whether at the groceries store, in line at the local coffee house or out at lunch with friends -- the most common response has been, "that's great...that's something I've been meaning to learn more about."

Sharing this information has been something that I've done openly, the caveat being that I'm always learning, correcting many of my own misconceptions as findings change, evolve, and science makes greater strides. But I have felt like I'm somewhat removed and a little alone in this endeavor...like a bumble bee looking for a hive to join forces with and add a my passion to the greater effort. Don't get me wrong...my husband is incredibly supportive of my hording problem with plastics (just until I can get them down to the recycling center...I promise). And he hasn't yet once slapped my hand away when I reach over and calmly turn his water facet off when he's shaving or brushing his teeth. If fact, he's been changing his habit, and I now hear him in the bathroom shaving...turning on the water (swish, swish of the razor)...turning off the water ("shaving sounds")...turning on the water...turning off the water. I'm so proud of him! (*sniff sniff*)

I recently made a discovery of an amazing site called Healthy Child Healthy World and I felt like I had walked into a room of people that were long-lost members of my family. I found people who shared the same concerns over the safety of the place we all call home. People who were interested in reducing the amounts of chemicals in their homes, food, playgrounds and buildings. I was so moved by the "Wake Up" video, that I had to stop the video twice because my eyes were "sweating" and I was worried someone would walk into my office, desk with walls and a walk-thru hole, cubical, see me crying sitting there with sweaty eyes and think I had big problems really bad allergies. Besides, it doesn't matter what you're watching during lunch, you still have to explain the sweating eyeballs!

One book on my library list is Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home. Boy, I wish I had had this book 10 years ago. Imagine how far ahead of the learning curve I'd be! Imagine how many fewer chemicals my children (and my husband and I) would have NOT been exposed to in our home! But that's okay...I'm looking forward and making a difference now, because I believe the most valuable gift God gives us is the next 24 hours ahead of us.

So I share my latest find. I hope you enjoy and find something that will make your corner of the world a little cleaner, safer and feeling more like how a home was meant to feel. I plan to keep moving forward...each day a little step further down the path towards creating a safer place for my family...each day trying to teach by example and learn a little more. Because tomorrow is another 24 hours!

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Season of Giving Thanks Has Arrived!

Oh the joy...as we roll through the after-glow of Halloween...bellies (and thighs) sporting a little new found pudge from the overindulgence of our savory treats...costumes draped over chairs or rolled into balls on bedroom floors. Gone is the angel with the faux-fur wings...cast aside is the hotdog...and the stylist Eskimo girl has moved on. Now into my personal favorite season of the year -- Thanksgiving!

In our home, Thanksgiving is "officially" on it's way when Momma puts up the Harvest Tree. And nothing says beautiful and decorated unless it's been blessed by our feline diva *Snowflake* (aka "Sassy Pants"..."Fuzzy Merow Merow").

Harvest Tree is up!
"How do I look?"
But how can you blame her...everything around her seems be to perfectly accented to her color palette!

I love this picture because, thanks to the inherent nature of wood floors, you can't see the dust bunnies (or they're shunning the light till they get larger).

The days are getting shorter and colder. I've picked my remaining green tomatoes and they're ripening on the windowsill. All my green beans have gone to seed (at least I'm set for next season). I'm looking forward to sweater weather and the coming storms...it gives us the justification we need to hunker down and play board games or while away the afternoon reading books or watching old movies. As we move into the next season, I am once again reminded how blessed we are. We give thanks for everything we have. And yes, running water and bathroom tissue always make my short list (maybe I'm watching too many survival shows).