Are you green?

I'm glad that people are becoming more aware of the impact they leave -- I wish MORE people would become MORE aware. For them, out of sight, out of mind. Once I throw it in the trash, it's gone and I don't have to worry about it anymore. Boy, is that the furthest thing from the truth. Burying your problems (literally or figuratively) never works! Just because you bury that plastic bowl, do you REALLY think it's going to decompose in the next 500 years? Absolutely not! I just think of ALL the waste... all the excess wrapping and such and wonder... if we're going to run out of places to bury all this crap! ???

This was just because I was thinking how wasteful it is -- all the plastic baggies I DO get from the grocery store (I do put them in the recycle bag) but there HAS to be a way to be "greener" at the grocery store. Primarily because, I freakin hate having a zillion stupid bags in my drawer!

So, how does one "go green" in the grocery store?

I'm thinking the first option is a no-brainer -- bring your own bags!

Another option, of course, buy in bulk or larger sizes, rather than individual or, so called, single serving sizes. If you want smaller portions, buy bigger portions and then RE-portion them at home into Tupperware snack sized containers... but wait -- the production of Tupperware emits harmful chemicals in the air -- so what's better to do? Geeze, they're putting those of us who desire to pursue of the simple green life into quite a pickle! Hey, now THERE's something green for ya!

In a precursory search of the internet, it seems that there are good ideas out there... just I cant seem to find one for the produce purchases.

One resource is found HERE

This guys has a good blog entry about trying to be "green" at a local grocery store. Check it out HERE.

I'm curious... anyone have any resources for being green in the produce aisle without having to disguise yourself as an avocado?

The thing about eating lots more veggies

... is that your veggie drawer in the fridge is FULL of all those stupid plastic baggies. I hate having to get them but when you buy as many veggies as I do, it's a necessity to keep them in one location in your cart. I swear, when I open that drawer, it's like a drawer of baggies. LOL

Do It Door

I was so inspired by reading about another HSing mom's task with getting her children ON task with completing their chores. I don't feel that it is my job as a mother to nag them. It is my job to teach them to be self-sufficient human beings that love the Lord and live for His purpose. It's also my job to teach them how to ultimately take care of themselves... to do laundry, keep their messes controllable, pick up after themselves and not take others for granted.

Right now, we're in the mode of taking mommy for granted. I, too, am instituting the "Do It Door" at my house. (As soon as I find the post of hers, I promise I'll link back to it).

What this ultimately consists of is a door with a checklist of sorts of the children's expectations for the day. Since I have a non-reader, I also made sure there were colorful pictures to go with the Do-It Door commands.

Josh's Daily Routine and Chore Chart is colorful and has two columns... Morning and Evening. His morning consists of:

• coming downstairs (on his own) by 7:30 a.m.
• eat breakfast
• clear the breakfast dishes and wipe the table down
• get dressed to the shoes and put away pajamas
• make bed
• brush teeth
• bring dirty laundry down and take clean laundry up and put it away immediately
• do ASSIGNED chores (notice that the above is basically just a routine for him to get into) for 15 minutes
• be ready for school by 8:30 am (if he's ready earlier, he can start school earlier which lets him finish earlier and thus, he gets to do more fun stuff!)

His evening consists of:

• straighten the living room
• straighten the dining room (this is usually where a lot of school projects wind up)
• straighten your classroom (he has a habit of leaving his workboxes out)
• finish your assigned chores (many of the chores he is assigned can't be completed first thing in the morning, they are more afternoon chores so this is just a reminder in case he didnt' finish)
• change into pj's, put dirty clothes in the clothes basket, brush and floss teeth
• bedtime stories and prayers

Drew's is pretty much the same thing.

These will be laminated and taped to the pantry door at their level -- so they are out of sight but since we're ALWAYS in the pantry, they'll never be out of mind. :)

There is a space for a Velcro dot next to each picture of the chore. I will have hanging from a hook a little bag of round dots with checkmarks inside. Once they complete the chore, they put a checkmark on the Velcro dot. They can see at any time what all they have left to do so I don't have to nag about anything.

Now... they each have "assigned" chores to do on a daily basis. I haven't decided just how I'm going to use these. I'm thinking of attaching clips to the door and then just clip these inside the clip each day and let them use velcro dots on this OR potentially having these being utilized with a wet erase marker. Either would work... or, they could be hanging from a hook if I hole punched the top and placed them on a ring. I'm thinking the velcro would work best for this, too... just keep it all simple and avoid any wet erase marker on the door! :)

Chores on Monday

Josh: clean your room, empty the dishwasher, empty the trashcans in each room, take recycles to the garage

Drew: clean your room, feed/water the doogs, put the thigns in your basekt away (we keep a basket at the foot of the stairs that accumulates anything that has made its way downstairs from the playroom), set the table

Chores on Tuesday

Josh: bring trashcans to garage, feed/water the dogs, set the table, put the things in your basket away

Drew: empty the dishwasher, put the things in your basket away, take recycles to the garage

... you get the picture. The only thing I need to do is remind them that they need to check the door. The television will stay off in our home until everything that CAN be done IS done.

Ultimately, I'll work up to having one boy a night help me with dinner and soon, Josh will be responsible for doing his own laundry. :) I think it's important for them to know that it takes work to make a house run.

What do you do to train your children...?

Tablescapes

Several of the blogs that I love to follow are all part of a growing trend called "Tablescape Tuesday." It's a real thing, trust me. OK... I'll wait while you go Google it.

... ok? You back?

... Hellllllllooooo?? Yeah... you got sucked in looking at all the pretty pictures, too, huh?

(here's one in case you didn't Google it yourself... Click HERE

Yeah, well, that's my point. People set these (sometimes) beautiful table settings. But... I want to know, for what? If you participate every week... what do you do with all those freakin' dishes, cups, display pieces, serving pieces, decorations? Where are you storing all this stuff? Are you truly just setting a pretty table JUST TO SET A PRETTY TABLE?

Call me crazy, but, wow, I'd rather find another hobby. I appreciate it and all but... no thanks. I don't know if I ever even HAVE a gathering WORTHY of a "tablescape" because I like to keep things less formal and just fun. Maybe I'm just weird but it seems like there's lots more important things to do than search for stuff to put on a table just to take a picture?

Traffic

I'm not a big fan of traffic. That being said, I don't know who is. With some good music, I can tolerate it at best but I have huge pet peeves associated with it. . . For instance, when you see a sign that say "LEFT LANE ENDS 500 FEET" and the people just blow through like they're going to drive on forever in that lane, oblivious to the sign... only to then act completely beligerant when you -- who got over into the middle lane when you saw the sign -- don't want to let them over. They try to merge INTO you and act like it's YOUR fault? What's up with that?

Or, people that are busy on the phone texting or whatever and miss the "turn on green arrow only" at an EXTREMELY long light. You're 3rd in line... the car in front of you doesn't honk and by the tiem you realize it... it doesn't really matter b/c you're stuck there again. The car runs the "yellow" and turns left... now you're 2nd in line. And the freakin car in front of you DOES THE SAME STINKIN THING?! HELLO PEOPLE...

I also get bugged by the idiots that are in oncoming traffic. They are, for instance, headed south; you're headed north. You're turning right (east) and they're turning left (east). IF you turn when they turn, chances are, they'll honk at you like you've done something wrong? They don't realize that THEY ARE REQUIRED to take the FIRST AVAILABLE LANE...so if we are both turning onto a 3 lane road, they take the far left lane, I take the far right lane and the middle lane stays free. I guess being a mind-reader and assuming that I know that they want to be in the far RIGHT lane (MY LANE) makes me in the wrong? I just don't understand it... this happens at least once a week. LEt them hit me... it'd be an inconvenience but they'd realize soon enough they're WRONG!

I think people should have to retake a driving test every 10 years (not the driving portion, but the written one). And... older folks seriously... once you hit 60... every 10 years, retake the DRIVING portion of the test. Yikes... the older these little Texan grannies get, the worse their eyesight and the bigger their cars.

What I'm For...

Today I went to have lunch with my son while he was at College 4 Kids. I got him his favorite from Subway and just went to show him that he's worthy of my time and taht I wanted him to have an enjoyable lunch -- with me. :) It was a nice surprise for him (I mean, he KNEW I was coming but since I don't normally do that... it was nice for him.)

On the way home, I heard a new song by Pat Green called "What I'm For" and I wanted to share the lyrics with you... they just "spoke" to me (music usually does) and so I thought... hm... what am I for?

I'm for wildflowers in the window
Mechanics you can trust
I'm for crackers in my chili
And leavin' grudges in the dust

I'm for drive thru order takers
Who can muster up a smile
I'm for takin' in that stray dog
That's been hangin' 'round for awhile

I'm for turning off the TV
Gettin' off the internet
I'm for learning all the words
To the Gettysburg Address

I'm for dusty pawn shop guitars
And boxers passed their prime
I'm for soakin' up the wisdom
When an old man speaks his mind.

I'm for laid off factory workers
When the wolf is at the door
You don't have to guess what I'm against
If you know what I'm for

I'm for Texas Margaritas
Gettin' outta debt
I'm for havin' faith in something
That hasn't happened yet

For the shy kid in the corner
Afraid to ask the girl to dance
For the ex-con outta prison
Who just wants a second chance

For the inner city teacher
With her heart stuck in her throat
Can still see God in every child
And never gives up hope

I'm for dusty pawn shop guitars
And boxers passed their prime
I'm for soakin' up the wisdom
When and old man speaks his mind

I'm for Detroit factory workers
When the wolf is at the door
You don't have to guess what I'm against
If you know what I'm for

I'm counting all my blessings
When the wolf is at my door
You don't have to ask what I'm against
You don't have to guess what I'm against
You know what I'm for

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Isn't that such a poignant statement? You don't have to guess what I'm against because you now what I'm for. I wish most of our politicans were the same way. I don't seem to know what anyone stands for up there other than paving the way for their own agenda? How sad. We know what they're NOT for.... AMERICA. Why are so many people on the UNAMERICAN bandwagon like it's the "in" thing?

Me? What am I for?

• I'm for standing behind your word... Say what you mean. Mean what you say.
• I'm for helping the helpless (animals, children and elderly)
• I'm for smiling at those that serve you... because they could be having a bad day, too.
• I'm for leaving bigger tips because times are hard.
• I'm for homecooked meals... not something from a sack.
• I'm for Sunday school because it gives people (of all ages) something to hold onto.
• I'm for being a friend even when there is nothing for you to personally gain from the relationship.
• I'm for time spent in nature because I feel that people spend too much time in front of electronics (computers, televisions, game stations).
• I'm for buying American.
• I'm for individuals... not unions.
• I'm for biscuits and gravy... though I can't make them the way my grandma can.
• I'm for hunting... if you have a need for the meat.
• I'm for recycling because we are a throw-away nation that needs to realize that burying the trash doesn't make it go away!
• I'm for men of integrity like my father, because there aren't enough of them in the world.
• I'm for putting some decency back into the television programs that are on when the sun is up -- lose the bad words, sex scenes, and token homosexual roles.
• I'm for Christians taking a freakin' stand instead of being passive about things that don't go our way choosing only to pray about it. Pray but also get up and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. WE ARE THE MAJORITY... we shouldn't have to cater to the minority.
• I'm for standing up for what you believe in... whatever the cost.
• I'm for preserving the memories you have via whatever means you need to (photos, blogging, scrapbooking)
• I'm for vacationing with your children because if you choose to spend your memory making times away from them...what memories will they have of you? There's plenty of time to vacation away from them when they're grown and gone.
• I'm for Colorado! It's just my favorite place on the planet!
• I'm for dirty knees on my boy's pants because that means they've been running wild outside and enjoying their youth.
• I'm for just letting it go... things are bigger than you and you just have to move past it because otherwise it will eat you up inside.
• I'm for turning off the television because that's not quality time...
• I'm for loud music to sing along with in the car.
• I'm for finishing what you started.
• I'm for the loyal, faithful and trustworthy.
• I'm for those people willing to give others a second chance... because that's what Jesus would do.
• I'm for teachers!
• I'm for a simpler life, a simpler time.

So what are you for?

Babies and Santa

I knew this day would come... Josh asking about babies... and sex... and Santa. However, knowing it was coming still hasn't prepared me for it. Well, actually, Drew has asked about babies too. He knew he was in my tummy and wanted to know if I "pooped him out."

(bwa ha ha.. who can't laugh at the thought of your kids thinking you poop them out?) I want my children to know -- when it's time for them to know. I'd also prefer my children to know the FACTS rather than the assumptions their friends make and share with them.

The whole baby/sex thing gets brought up more frequently than not because of the over abundance of it's inclusion in every form of media there is. This is primarily why I a) don't like television and b) don't like non-family-friendly radio stations. We watched Marley and Me, for instance, a seemingly benign movie not too terribly long ago. Josh told me that his friend Shane learned where babies come from just from watching that movie. I was like... what? Oh it's about a DOG... ok... so the dog probably has puppies... nature in it's purest form. That can be an educational lesson then, okay. Little did I know it was about Jennifer Aniston and her husband trying to have a baby all the time. UGH... talk about awkward! So, Andy has been banned from movie selections at our home now. They all must be run through me. I did, however, have and he shouldhave checked this resource called Kids In Mind. It's a fantastic resource and leaves nothing to chance with it's screen by screen listing of important aspects of movies that parents want to know. Topics like sex/nudity, violence/gore, language, alcohol/drugs, etc. It's listed for the parents to decide if the content is acceptable. The sex/nudity for this show 5 and below are some of the situations seen in this feature:

SEX/NUDITY 5 - A husband and a wife kiss in bed and it is implied that they have sex (we hear squeaking springs). A husband and wife kiss, she sits on his lap, she stands up and takes off her dress in front of him (we see her bare shoulders and the side of her breast), she jumps into a swimming pool, her husband takes off his shirt (we see his bare chest) and jumps in too, and they kiss and hug.

► A dog tackles a woman and thrusts on her leg rapidly (the woman yells). A wife jumps into her husband's arms and kisses him. A husband and wife kiss in several scenes throughout the movie. A young man and a young woman kiss on a beach. A man flirts with women and uses a dog and a baby as lures to get into conversations with women.

► We see a nude baby boy and his genitals are visible. A dog jumps into a shower where a young woman is bathing and she pulls the curtain down to cover herself (we see her bare shoulders). A dog pulls a towel off a young woman just out of the shower (we see her bare legs). We see many women in bikinis and men in swim trunks in several beach scenes. A woman wears a low-cut wedding gown that reveals cleavage and the skirt is hiked up to her thighs.

And while some parents/people/liberals may feel that we, in America, take things to the extreme (i.e., there are some countries where soft-core porn is shown on daytime TELEVISION?) I certainly don't feel that protecting my children from the over-sensationalized sex industry is being over-protective. I want both boys to have a healthy respect for women, their bodies, their minds, and to know their role in relationships. I don't expect them to become monks and take a vow of celibacy but I do expect them live for the Lord and remember that everything they do has a consequence.

So, something the other day gets brought up and Josh says, yet again, that he wants to know where babies come from. I'm really struggling with feeding him too much information or approaching this from a scientific-based basis. Should I approach this from a biblical standpoint? Should I intertwine the two? What books should I use as a reference... should I let him read books and come to me with questions? I'm going to pray about this... (and seek the counsel of friends with older boys!) :)

The other topic that has come up is Santa... is he real? While I understand many weird-o's (just kidding -- geez, chill out!) out there think that you're lying to your children and are just showing them that you can't be trusted for giving them this fun and fantasy to believe in during the holiday season... I think it's just good, old-fashioned fun. I see no harm in letting children believe... this year, however, I will tell Joshua the truth SO LONG AS he swears an oath that he will not spoil it for his younger siblings (both here and in Iowa.) I intend to have him read a book with me called The Autobiography of Santa Claus by Jeff Guinn. We will then have a special lunch (in December) where we will discuss this whole issue... about how he was a real man but now his spirit is kept alive by all who believe in the very spirit of selflessly giving -- which ... isn't that a true example of showing Christ's love of others? Call me crazy, but I feel that it does! I'll also tell him that as long as he believes in the SPIRIT of Christmas, Santa will still visit him. :)

Just a couple of random topics that were on my brain today.