Easy Ways to Be Earth Friendly

 
       When I was eight years old I attended a homeschool conference with my family. I don't remember everything about it, but my mom signed me up for different sessions and she didn't inquire about my preferences in the matter. One of the sessions she enrolled me in was "Recycling". Even at eight I had very definite opinions about...everything, and I remember asking my mom why she put me in such a weird class. How boring would a class about recycling be?! But, as usual, mom knows best, and it ended up being the most interesting class of the conference. I was fascinated by how useful, frugal and "green" recycling was. Even at eight, I realized that seeking to be kind to the world God made was a type of good stewardship.

      I don't remember everything I learned in that class, but I have always tried to remember that making the best use of the things we have is a way we can honor the Lord.

     " To the Lord your God belong the heavens, even the highest heavens,the earth and everything in it." Deuteronomy 10:14 NIV

    So, since Earth Day is coming up, I thought I would share some of the things that I do to be not just "earth friendly", but also frugal! It constantly amazes me how frequently those things go hand-in-hand!

1. My reusable water bottle. My mom (see above!) introduced me to these water bottles. I am ashamed to admit that for *years* I have been a dedicated bottled water drinker. Like as many as five bottles a day. While we do recycle,  and only pay about $0.10 each for the kind we drink, it was a habit that I kept trying to break. But plastic reusable bottles, even the expensive CamelBak type, just didn't cut it for me. I had no idea that it was because I wanted my water to stay cold! These "S'well" bottles  keep my water cold for hours, they are super cute, and while they may not seem frugal, I figured that at the cost of bottled water, it would only take a couple of months to make my investment worthwhile. I was fortunate though, that my sister gave me mine for a birthday present! I switched to using a Brita pitcher, and so I just fill my bottle with cold water throughout the day. I have never had much trouble drinking enough water, but now I can do it without feeling guilty!

2. Dryer Balls. So, these actually came about because my current washer does not have a fabric softener dispenser. I tried a Downy ball. It would dump after the spin cycle, forcing me to re-wash my entire load. I tried a type of spray-on fabric softener. It constantly clogged its own dispenser and was expensive to replace. I have never been a fan of softener sheets. So after using my oldest sister's dryer balls, I decided it was time to get my own! I use a combination of the wool ones I linked to, and a set of these that another sister gifted me. I have puffer fish, but those hedgehogs are too cute! Anyway, I line dry a lot of our clothes, using two indoor drying racks (we live in an apartment) but I often give them a quick fluff in the dryer to take the stiffness out. During the winter I have to dry more things in the dryer, too, as it takes longer for them to get dry. I have been using dryer balls exclusively for the last year and half, and I haven't looked back. I haven't bought fabric softener or had any more trouble with static than I had previously (pro tip: static is caused by clothes drying at different rates so try to wash like fabrics together to minimize that!). So, I am saving money, and not putting more chemicals in the water system, and not needing to recycle or trash bottles from product. Win!

3. Reusable bags. The little owl in the photo above is actually a reusable tote! I loved it so much I bought one for each of my sisters. I have had that one for over two years and it is definitely my favorite. Why? Because it folds up so small I keep it in my purse. I don't always carry a big purse, but there is always room for that bag. Because I always have it in my purse I have used it countless times when I would have otherwise had to put my purchases in a plastic bag. When I get home, I empty it and put it back in my purse. It is no more work that emptying and dealing with a plastic bag. That little guy was about $2 in store (World Market) and I have definitely gotten my money's worth. I keep other reuseable bags in my car for grocery trips and Target runs, but even when I am not in my own car having a folded bag in my purse means I can skip the plastic bags! Love.

4. Cloth napkins. This is one of those things that people roll their eyes over and swear they could never make it work. But honestly: have you tried it? It is one of the best "green" switches I have made. I hate paper napkins, and face it: they encourage wastefulness! Rarely can you use just one. I am a fairly messy eater (just being honest) but I can make a single cloth napkin last all day. I converted my husband to using them too, and now he won't use anything else. Plus, they are far more useful than a paper napkin. It only takes one to clean up small spills, and they are great for wrapping around cold drinks (like my morning smoothie) or to use as a make-shift potholder. I think it is well worth the tiny bit of extra laundry they make. I keep them folded in my silverware drawer for easy access, and I have about 14 for our family of four and I rarely run out unless I don't do laundry for days. My biggest tip here: dark colors! They hide stains better. I have this kind from Target and the original ones I purchased almost six years ago are still going strong!

5. Re-using zippered plastic bags. This one is one of those that people think is a little ridiculous. I myself find it to be really easy and kind of a no-brainer. Plastic bags are expensive. Often they are just holding frozen fruit or pieces of pizza in my refrigerator. Why would I *not* wash them out and re-use them? I simply put them in with my hand wash dishes and then stick them over a spoon handle or a glass in my dish drainer to dry them out. Once they are clean I put them in a gallon ziploc that I have on the side of my fridge (I keep it there with a magnet inside). I don't reuse any that have had raw meat in them, but when I divide up my ground beef from Costco to freeze it is great to know that I can grab a bag that has already served a useful purpose before it has one last job holding raw meat. Then I can toss it without feeling like I am throwing out money and making extra trash.

    I try to do other things to, but these are the ones that I found the easiest to integrate into my every day life. Some other things I do:

-reusable straws
-no paper plates (Except for company! Ha!)
-only fabric cleaning cloths
-no paper towels (Except for cooking microwaveable bacon!)
-not putting my produce in bags at the store (I have reusable ones I use sometimes, but often I just skip it altogether)
-limiting "single serve" items to reduce packaging
-using as much natural lighting as possible during the day
-using lamps instead of overhead lighting
-keeping the heat low and the a/c high
-only using "real" dishes and silverware when I pack my lunch
-trying to limit food waste (freezing things, making applesauce or banana bread, etc.)

   I figure that every little bit helps! I am always looking for ways to make small changes that hopefully add up. Do you have any tips for things you do to be "green" or earth friendly?
 

2017 Goals Update

My goals with my dinner, because they looked a little more interesting that way. ;)

       I don't think I ever shared my goals for 2017. Each year I try to choose a couple different areas to focus on, and I usually try to be fairly specific. I don't always complete everything, but it is motivating to have some things to focus on, and I always figure that progress is a reward in and of itself.

    I have done some big time "adulting" lately: I scheduled a dentist's appointment (We changed insurances, so it was a lot more complicated than just calling for a date.), we bought a new mattress (I bravely purchased one online. It is due to be delivered new week, we are very excited to see if our leap of faith is rewarded!), I have been doing some serious de-cluttering as part of my Lent discipline, and of course, all the usual every day things that accompany being a stay-at-home wife and homeschooling mom!

    But anyway, I decided that I was proud of myself for the progress that I am making, and my 2017 goal progress is part of it! So, here are my goals (Don't make fun of them!) and where I am at:

1. Decrease sugary drinks, and the amount of sugar in drinks. This one I wasn't hugely specific writing it down, but I had some certain things in mind. I love my afternoon coffee, and I had moved away from measuring the amount of sweetened creamer I used, and I had also been drinking soda almost every day. I have been recording the days that I have not had soda, and that is really helping. Actually, as of today, I haven't had any soda in a week! I have cut the amount of creamer I am using at home in half, too. Also, I have gone back to ordering a small size if I am drinking coffee out, which is definitely decreasing my sugared drink intake. This goal won't be accomplished if I don't maintain it, so that is really my focus now.

2. Learn to use eye shadow. Zero progress on this one. Just being honest. The only thing I have done is tell my youngest sister she has to help me. Hoping to mark this one off this summer, I should probably start by actually buying some eye shadow!

3. Finish T & T book. My kids are in Awana, and my husband and I volunteer. I, personally, though, have never done any of the books. They changed the 3rd-6th grade program this year and all the students are doing the same book. I decided that would be a good point for me to jump in, so I am working through the book with my kids.Memorizing Bible verses is an area I really needed to work on. I am a little behind right now, but I found a really cool app called "Verses" that I am using now, and it has made a huge difference! I should be done with this goal by May, if I manage to get back on track. It would be fantastic if I finished up at the same time as my kids! Carson has been a huge encouragement to me in this area, and I am so proud of myself. I have learned over twenty new verses since September!

4. Read twelve books I already own. I have finished three, and I am fairly sure that I should be able to accomplish this, as I tend to read more over the summer. I am working on a fourth, but I am tackling some of the classics, and they tend to be more "slog" than "skim"! I wanted to read books I owned versus borrowing them, as I kind of tend to buy a book then stick it on a shelf while I try to get through books I have borrowed from family or the library. (I may have cheated a tiny bit by buying "The Handmaid's Tale" but I figured once I purchased it, it qualified as a book I owned! And I'm making the rules, anyway. It was totally worth it, by the way, if you like dystopian novels!)

5. Finish three photo books. I made big time progress on that this weekend! I had a "free" book code, so I got to work. I was doing really well, then I got a second code! I had to hustle, but I finished with 30 minutes left before the code expired. Pretty proud that I knocked two out of three off! However, the last minute crunch was a good thing in that it motivated me to get the next few months of photos uploaded and organize a ton of others. I am hoping now to finish 2014 in the next few months. I usually put 2-3 months in each book, and yes, I am definitely behind, but I also started using Chatbooks, so I have printed photos starting in January 2015, so I will get caught up eventually! I've made so much headway in this area since I began, I am confident that some day I won't have years worth of un-printed photos looming over my head. Someday.

     I don't have a hard-and-fast rule about only making goals at the beginning of the year, although I do enjoy the freshness of January 1st. I made a goal in February to finish a specific workout program, and I will do that next week, Lord willing! So where are you with your goals?

National Park Baby Shower

      I haven't posted any baby showers in a while, but it isn't because I haven't done any. I actually did an outdoor "lumberjack" themed shower back in the fall, but I didn't post about it. That one came together fairly easily and actually turned out cuter than I had even hoped. This story is a little different...

    As a refresher if you are reading this and you don't know me "in real life", I am from a large family and have five sisters. My oldest sister has kids, I, of course, have kids, but none of the "little girls" (the collective nickname for the set of sisters that are separated from my oldest sister and me by at least ten years or more) hadn't reached that milestone. Until this year! The fourth sister is expecting, due in April, and everyone is deliriously happy for her, she is made to be a mom.

    So, that mandated a better than ordinary shower effort. I truly do put my heart into any party that I plan, but this one, well, I wanted it to be *special*. Which meant it caused me to completely freak out. I could NOT get my "vision" for the look to come together. I spent excessive amounts of time on Pinterest, and discussed it at length with the other sisters but I was still having a hard time getting it to come together.

    We went with a National Park theme because, if you have ever checked out any of my other shower themes, you know I love to use the nursery decor as the jumping-off point for ideas. I love that many of the shower items can be re-used in the nursery, and it also helps to narrow down the billions of themes the Internet is happy to barrage you with. So, since she was doing a NP theme for the nursery (with colors of turquoise and orange) that dictated the shower theme.

    Yeah. Not as easy as it sounds! I felt like we veered a tiny bit into "camping" but you can't hardly think of one without the other. That may be why it was so hard for me to channel inspiration, because I do *NOT* camp. But I do love a National Park, I can thank my Dad for that. He didn't come to the shower, but I know he really appreciated the theme and is proud that he instilled in all of us kids a deep appreciation for America's parks!

 

   I frequently have to remind myself that when I am struggling with a party, I just need to do something. Crafting helps me to sort out what direction I want to take. The first piece I made for this shower was my favorite: a mobile. I crafted every little mountain and cloud with my own two hands. I love that the sun is the focal point, and helps to tie in the orange. I hung it in the middle of the circle of chairs. If you don't recognize the drab walls and enormous room from previous parties, it's the fellowship hall at our church. It's a beast to decorate, and I would know because I've done it a number of times! However, it is a great blank slate, and the best place to hold the 30+ women who attended. 

   Seriously, I think people are under the mis-impression that I have it all together. Nope. Wrong. I was literally gluing moss to the "L" (that's the baby's first initial) at 9:00 am. The shower was at 10:00 am. Yup. That's how I roll. I used the "vase-within-a-vase" technique for the tulips. The little jars have tea lights in them and they are from Hobby Lobby. I just added the brown ribbon for hanging. The outer vase was lined with these cool wood slices from Hobby Lobby that my oldest sister supplied. She also sent the pieces to put together the favors in the center.

  The favors were easy-trail mix, of course! I created the labels with the Avery online label making software and printed them onto Avery label stickers. My oldest sister sent the bags (they are brown paper eco-friendly sandwich sacks, so cute!), we filled them with a serving of trail mix, closed them with washi and slapped the label on. My dear husband actually put them together after I made him a sample. The "yeti" pun was my own creation-I cannot resist the opportunity to be "pun-y"! Ha!

   You can see it best in this photo but the "table cloths" are actually pieces of brown kraft wrapping paper from the Dollar Tree. My mom and daughter stamped them with the arrows to up the cute factor.

    This printable is a riff that I did on one from Pinterest that I couldn't source. I loved the image of the lantern with the verse on it, so I found a similar graphic on PicMonkey.Find the printable at the bottom of the post.

   My husband is still recovering from knee surgery so he got big time sucked in to baby shower prep. He painted the little cone mountains and tree for me. Big heart eye emoji for a guy who pitches in and does not judge his wife (too harshly) for her tendencies to go overboard and be a giant walking stress ball leading up to these events. The owl vase is from my home and the beautiful orange Gerbera daisies are from Trader Joe's. The confetti is from Hobby Lobby, and the Yosemite canvas is TJ Maxx, I believe. (My mom bought it for my sister.)

   These images are from old calendars that my sister bought at a discount. I loved the visual impact that gave, and they filled up a pretty decent chunk of space for cheap. That is always a win in my book!

  Not the best photo of me. The guest of honor was as cute as a button, though! She hardly looks pregnant. However awful I may look, it still gives a better idea of the scale of the collage.

     I like pulling furniture into this large space because it makes it feel less sterile.  The stuffed animals are ones my sister has collected for the baby's room (She graciously lent me things she already had so that I wouldn't go over budget!) My oldest sister supplied the cute tree cut-outs, they are wood pieces with the bark left on. I made a garland with them and more of the log slices to form the baby's initials. The middle name is a secret, so I left that blank until after he is born. The arrows are from Hobby Lobby, I propped them up in a vase with rocks, the canvas from TJ Maxx. One of my sweet cousins made the origami forest and foxes (so cute!) and the lantern is an old VBS prop. The little trees I borrowed from my church. For a small church, we have a great selection of decor pieces.

    The really cool NP canvas is actually my Dad's. It has a space for each park and he has stickers on all the ones he has visited. Fun! My expecting sister wanted to make the mountain garland, so as weird as it is for the guest of honor to make decorations, I couldn't turn her down. The moose head is a stuffed animal, the garland of mounted heads are clearance Target ornaments.

   The tent is hilarious. I really wanted one, but couldn't find exactly what I was looking for. This is actually PVC pipes I found at the church rigged together and covered with orange plastic tablecloths. It is held together by hopes and prayers! Ha! It was a perfect place to put the gifts. The cool mountain backdrop was painted by another talented cousin. I have zero actual art ability. The trees were loaned from my aunt, and the bears are a fun story. My sister got one as child (maybe 3 years old?) and when she found out she was having a boy she found one on eBay and bought it so the baby would have a matching one. So sweet!

My mom handled all the food. (I cannot do both, no matter how hard I try.) and did a great job. She recreated these cute campfire cupcakes from Pinterest. My aunt made the cool food labels.

   I looooved how this turned out. It is well over one hundred triangle punches I hot-glued to ribbon and hung in an ombre pattern on a branch from my aunt's yard. It served as the backdrop to the food table.

My mom provided the cute metal crate, the stuffed animals and the "Adventure" sign. They are all from Hobby Lobby. 

   I hand-sewed the teepee pillow, and created the printable in PicMonkey, again based on a Pinterest image (although that one did not have Scripture). Find the printable at the end of this post. The metal bin is from Hobby Lobby. The National Parks lantern is my brother's.

   One of my sisters made the hedgehog cheese ball. So cute! The really fun part is that the baby's nickname is "Hedgehog" or "Hedgie" for short. So perfect, too.

 This is one thing that I wished had photographed better. I used twine and tiny clothespins (from the Dollar Tree) to hang my sister's collection of WPA National Parks postcards. It was fun to see the one that I had sent her years ago! I was honored that she kept it.

My youngest sister came up with this adorable game based on one we played online. We set up a table covered with more wrapping paper and simply printed the instruction on it with Sharpie. We made a numbered list and encouraged people to add a children's song, book or movie title to it, but to substitute at least one of the words in the title with "Hedgehog" or "Hedgie". You could do this with any baby nickname, or any shower associated word. We told the guests to continue to add their entries during the party, and to initial them. We also said we would end the game at a undisclosed time. We had over 60 entries by the time we ended, and gave prizes to the last two on the list. It was a great way to keep people talking!

   It was a really fun shower. We are just getting started in the "sister shower" department, though. Another wedding later this year, and I am guessing this is only the beginning of the babies...Not sad about that, for sure!

The printables! Please let me know if you have trouble printing them.

Right click on image to save. Print from saved location.

Right click on image to save. Print from saved location. 

Holding Out Hope

 

    I don't hate winter. I am actually a "four seasons" kind of girl. I like the changes each season brings. I love lots of things about winter: wearing sweaters (I own 33 cardigans for a reason! #notaminimalist) soups and stews, Christmas, hot coffee, snuggly blankets, and marveling over each unique snowflake. There are things I don't love, of course, like constantly clearing snow off my car, slipping on the ice, cold feet, and driving in bad weather.

   And every year, around this time, I get a little bit "done" with winter. It has been particularly bad this year, because since Joel has been out of commission (He had ACL and meniscus surgery and cannot even put his foot down for six weeks!) I've been doing double the amount of work I usually do. As I left this morning to take him to physical therapy, I slipped on the ice. I didn't go all the way down, but I have landed on my behind three times already this winter. Poor Joel had to navigate all that on crutches, which is why he has only left the house twice in the last two weeks. I am tired of doing all the driving, all the car scraping, all the grocery shopping, all the cooking, cleaning, and general household-running that he is usually so good to help with. I know I sound whiny, and that so many have it much worse, but as the kids said when they were little while waving their hands frantically, "all duh!".

   And after steering my car through a slide on the icy road all I could think is, "I wish it were summer. And the roads were dry and the weather was warm. And Joel was better."

    The fact of the matter is, I *know* summer will come. (Yes, I know spring is first!) Way back in the beginning the Lord promised us:

“As long as the earth endures,

seedtime and harvest,

cold and heat,

summer and winter,

day and night

will never cease.”

Genesis 8:22

  And I know that is true because I have seen it in my own life. Further back than I can remember the cycle of the seasons has been unbroken. And I realized, that is what hope really is. I don't know what exact day summer will come. Yes, it is marked on the calendar but we all know how *that* really goes. It is hard to think about summer right now with two feet of snow on the ground. We have had more snow this year than in many years. We had weeks of temperatures below twenty degrees. I haven't seen grass since November. I am thrilled that the sun has finally started setting after 4 pm (on the three days out of seven that I can even see it), however it is still.so.hard.  But I would bet my life on the fact that there will be summer in the year 2017. (Unless Jesus comes back, and I will take that any day!)

    And I just can't think of a better definition of hope. For a believer "hope" isn't wishing, like the rest of the world thinks it is.

"Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1

Confidence. Assurance. Not guessing, or wishing, or speculating, or gambling. It's a guarantee. And that is the hope we have in Christ.

"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.  And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Romans 5:1-5 

   I don't have to worry, because I have a guarantee. This frustrating, seemingly endless, plodding, not-so-great part will end, and it will result in God being glorified. Winter WILL lead to summer and my suffering will produce perseverance if I don't give up and lose heart. I have hope. Such great, marvelous, life-changing hope. And it is 100 % guaranteed, more certain even than the changing of the seasons. True hope isn't fragile, or perishable, or in need of coddling. True hope knows what the future holds, even if I don't have a date for my calendar. True hope will see me through.

   These seasons, both the physical and the figurative, aren't going to last forever. I know, because I have hope.

500

 

    Eight and half years. A deployment, two moves, eight job changes, three houses (not including the three months we lived with my mom). Lots of teaching: my kids, VBS, women's Bible study, co-op, adult Sunday School. Vacations, travels, trips to foreign countries near and far. The death of both of my grandmothers. A heart transplant for my niece. 500 posts.

    This blog. It is hard to believe that I have typed my way through all that living. I've been published by bigger blogs, better blogs. I have photographed, and made graphics, and put together Bible reading guides, an Advent devotional, new recipes, tons of thank-you gifts and many festivities. I have 30 days of party planning, and things I am thankful for. I've added a Facebook page and joined Instagram.

   And if I have thought about quitting once, I've thought about it a million times. I have to remind myself that this blog was never for fame or fortune, because if it was I have failed abysmally. It was just a chance to put myself out there, an opportunity to expose small bits of my heart and home with anyone willing to take a few minutes to read my little thoughts.

    And I have. This blog became something I would have never imagined. It has been my place on the web to share my thoughts and feelings, but most importantly, my faith. I know there are plenty of posts that no one on here but my family has read, and that is okay. Because sometimes, these words are simply a prayer, begging the Lord to use me in the smallest of ways, allowing me to say something that would point to His glory even if it is in broken and halting words.

  It is continually changing, but it has always been constant in this one thing: it is me. The trying, the failing, the fears, the triumphs. I write because some days I literally *have* to. I have always dreamed of becoming an author, and while I usually deny it, in all honesty this little piece of the internet has given me that chance. No one tells me what to say, no one tells me how to say it. It has brought me to tears more times than I care to recall.

   I went through several Scripture choices before I settled on the one that has been my tagline for several years now. It is a snippet of Ephesians 5:16 which says,in context with verses 15 and 17:

 "Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is."

     I love all of the Word but there are certain parts that I would have to confess are my favorites. These verses, this is the cry of my heart. I just want to be wise. I want to understand the Lord's will. I am so thankful that He allows me to share here. I am so thankful that He allows me to spread His Word in my own small way. I know that often, due to the pull of the sin nature and fear, I don't make the most of *every* opportunity, but this blog has helped me to make the most of far more than I would have. The Lord has used it to mold me, pull me out of my shell, teach me how to share, and to love better. And I am very thankful for that.

   And I am so thankful for you. If you are reading this, I am truly thankful that you give up a little of your time to share it with me. You may have never left a comment, pinned a post, followed me on Facebook or even stopped by here with any great regularity. But I see the little number go up when a post is viewed and even if I don't know you, I know you were there. You spent a few minutes getting to know me and I am grateful. I hope that if there is ever any way you think I could make more of my opportunities, I would love to hear it. If there is any way I can ever show Christ to you, please let me know. I hope to be here for a while, as long as the Lord allows, making the most of every opportunity...