"All Natural"?

I was standing in my kitchen, drinking a glass of Arizona Tea's Green Iced Tea and reading the label--shocker, I know.  I read the big print first, "green tea, vitamin C, antioxidant, ginseng and honey".  Then I read the back, "No preservatives, no artificial color, no artificial flavors, 100% natural".  And last, the ingredient list, "premium brewed green tea using filtered water, High Fructose Corn Syrup (Glucose-fructose syrup) honey, citric acid, natural flavors, ginseng extract, ascorbic acid (vitamin c)."  Being like I am, I got all indignent about the use of the term 100% natural in a product that contains HCFS and 3 other additives that can't be found in my kitchen.  How can they make the claim that it's All Natural when it clearly isn't--according to MY definition of what natural should be.  Tea and honey, add some ginseng if you like.  All the other stuff, that isn't all natural to me, but it is to the FDA.  According to FDA regulations a product may be labeled "Natural" if  'Nothing artificial or synthetic has been included in, or has been added to, a food that would not normally be expected in the food.'  The Huffington Post Article I got this info from  also states "Douglas Karas, a spokesman for the Food and Drug Administration, said in an e-mail it's difficult to define the term "natural" because the food has likely been processed. Although it has not developed a definition for natural, the FDA has not objected to its use if a product does not contain added color, artificial flavor or other synthetic substances, he said."

Once Upon A Child

I finally got all my clothes sorted and took the load to Goodwill and drove over to Once Upon A Child.  I was surprised at the HUGE inventory of clothes they had!  They aren't seasonal, which is good for resale, and I thought they had a fair selection of clothes in the sizes I looked at.  I read a review that said their prices were high and the staff was unfriendly, but I didn't find either of these to be true.  I thought the pricing was kind of funny.  The Faded Glory (Wal-Mart) dress I bought my daughter was only two dollars less than the Gymboree dress I got her.  I actually bought her the exact same dress from Gymboree that I was I brought in to sell, just two sizes bigger!  I got 3 dresses, a shorts set, two pairs of flip flops, crocs, a toddler suit and 3 pairs of boy's athletic shorts for about $50.  I took in a heaping laundry basket of clothes and got about $45 for it.  So overall, I really only spent $5, which isn't bad at all!  My biggest issues was that it was hard to size because some of the size 5 dresses weren't really size 5 anymore, after being washed and dried.  I was running to the issues I have with a lot of the dresses I was selling--too short.  But I was spending less than $5 or $6 on average for a dress, which I didn't think was too bad.  It made me feel good to know that I was being green, my kids got some new clothes that they needed, and I got some cash for clothes that I would normally have just tossed to Goodwill (which I guess is also good.).  All in all it was a good experience.  I was surprised how many baby clothes and items they have!  Once I know if I need to buy blue or pink I'll need to go back and check it out!

The Soap Works

I was planning my day in the shower this morning.  As I mentally made my to-do list I was brainstorming for a blog topic.  Then I looked down at my hands and realized I was holding a great topic...soap.  I've tried TONS of different soaps over the years, looking for one that's reasonably priced (I love Dr Bronner's, but $4 a bar gets to be a lot with 5 people), a bar soap (my oldest used 1/4 a bottle of shampoo the other day, just because it came out fast and he wasn't paying attention) and green (no parabens, phosphates or lauryl sulphates).  I also have to deal with my son's eczema.  Enter The Soap Works.  I found these soaps by accident at the Raisin Rack one day.  I was looking at something else, and my daughter found the display.  They are all unpackaged, which is also a plus for team green, and the smell and color display was too tempting for her to leave alone.  So we started looking at all the kinds of soaps they have and how their various properties work to improve the soap.  I bought the Goat Milk Soap for my big guy's eczema and we've also tried various different types.  I was using the Pumice in the shower this morning to clean all the dirt off my feet that I get from walking around barefoot in the yard.  I love that each soap has a brief explanation about what it does and that they only cost $1.99-$2.99 a bar.  The down side is that they're from Canada, which means they have to travel kind of far to get here...but I guess since it's Toronto, it's actually closer than a product from California (346 mi VS 2,369 mi).  Once I started checking out distances, I realized it's actually pretty close.  NYC is 445 mi away from me.  I redact my previous statement, they're not that far away so it's not really that big of a carbon footprint.  ANYWAY, check out the soaps!  There's one for every skin type.  I've been happy with every kind I've tried!

Keeping Promises

My kids grew.  I'm not sure when it happened, but their shorts and dresses are making it clear that all of a sudden, they're taller.  I've been thinking about when and where to get new clothes for them.  It's SO close to summer and I don't want to spend a lot of money buying them nice things that I know they're just going to outside in.  Also being close to summer, the realness of baby is coming closer and closer, and with that, the realness that we need to make room.  Enter the HUGE pile of clothes in the corner of my bedroom that my kids have outgrown, that need to be sorted into the "save for baby" and "go to Goodwill" pile.  Then I remembered a blog post from awhile back and my two projects merged.  I was talking about how I needed to think greener in more ways and "reduce, reuse, recycle" and I said that I should shop at consignment stores for kids clothes.  Here, hopefully is my answer to my growing children.  I'm going to add a third pile to my previous two, "to Once Upon A Child" and take in some clothes when I go to shop for some new ones.  The downfall I see is that this store also sells toys, which I'll have to address before we go, but I'm excited at the prospect of finding some "new" things so my kids aren't showing so much leg.  I'm also excited because I feel good about doing something ELSE green that I haven't done in the past.  I feel like I get stuck in a rut for awhile and keep doing the same things, which is good, but I also need to keep adding more ways to be greener in order to grow.  The bad news...I still have that HUGE pile of clothes to go through in my room.

Shopping Locally

I went to the Raisin Rack today.  I bought some blueberries (which were REALLY good for this early in the season!!) and they didn't scan.  They had to call to do a price check (which took just a second since the store is so much smaller than a chain grocery store) and they charged me $4.99.  As I was leaving, the produce manager stopped me on my way out to tell me that since it was the start of a new week, the blueberries were actually $3.99 this week and the next time I come into the store, I should tell the person at the register that I get a dollar off.  He said I could ask for him to verify, but he thought they'd believe me.  How great is that?!?!  It's just a dollar, but I felt like they cared about me as a customer.  I don't think a chain grocery store would have done that.  And I'm SURE they wouldn't have just told me to mention it the next time I came in.  They're just too big for that.  So my experience got me thinking about shopping locally.  I already posted that stat about buying local produce and I know from other things I've read how important it is to shop locally.  So I Googled "Benefits of shopping locally" and checked out a few sites.  I think this one was the most concise and easy to read.  It's from Monroe County, WI, but I think it applies everywhere.  Here's their top 12 list:

Top 12 Benefits to Buying Local

1. Money Spent Here Stays Here
   If residents of Monroe County would transition just 10% of their out-of-county retail spending to in-county spending, Monroe County businesses would gain an additional $4.1 million in sales.
2. Jobs and Wages
   Supporting local businesses provides support to the jobs they offer. Monroe County businesses employ over 20,000 people. An increase of 10% in local spending could add 100 new jobs to the county.
3. Stronger Tax Base
   A 10% increase in local spending will generate an over $700,000 increase in municipal tax revenues.
4. Local Business Owners Invest in our Community
   Local businesses are owned or managed by people who live and work in our communities, raising their families and investing in our communities' futures. They support our churches, our schools, our organizations, our quality of life.
5. Better Variety
   Local businesses provide a wide variety of products and services, right here in our community. Many of these are "one-of-a-kind" businesses that provide our community with its own distinct character. The more people shop here, the more products and services will be available.
6. Convenience Equals Savings
   Shopping locally saves you time and money. A shopping trip outside of our county costs you for every mile you drive, each way, and valuable time away from your home. Pocket the savings and treat your family to a night on the town!
7. Green-Friendly
   Shopping locally reduces your gas consumption and pollution. Also, local stores help to sustain vibrant, walkable communities, reducing sprawl and the need for automobiles.
8. Keeping Local Dollars in the Economy
   A 10% increase in spending in Monroe County would induce a total of $5.5 million in industry sales, 100 jobs and $3.5 million in new personal income.
9. Local Character and Prosperity
   In an increasingly homogenized world, communities that preserve their one-of-a-kind businesses and distinctive character have an advantage in offering quality of life and unique experiences.
10. Friends and Neighbors
    Local businesses are staffed by local residents, your friends and neighbors. You get better service from people you know and who know you. And, you can catch up on "what's new" with other customers as you shop.
11. Non-profits receive greater support
    Monroe County non-profits, on average, receive 20% of their revenue from contributions and gifts. Your support of local businesses helps to ensure that they are able to continue their corporate giving to our local non-profits. Your own charitable gifts are a means of spending locally when you keep those donations in Monroe County.
12. Community Well-Being
    Vote with your pocketbook! Monroe County matters to you, so let our businesses know that you want them to stay in our communities.

And for those of you who are more visual learners...
I 

Time Magazine Cover

I feel like I need to blog about this.  My husband sent me a link to it, jokingly asking if I was jealous.  Of course I am.  Who doesn't want to look THAT good in skinny jeans?!?!  Then I realized he was probably talking about the kid on her boob.  I was really excited to read the article and see what Time had to say about nursing past a year.  I was surprised to find that it's not really about nursing, it's more about Dr. Bill Sears.  If you're not familiar with Dr. Sears (all 4 of them!) you can check out his/their website.  The link between the three year old on the cover (is there any way this pic is NOT going to make his wedding slide show?!?) and Dr. Sears is a philosophy of parenting called Attachment Parenting.  It's not a philosophy that Dr. Sears "invented" (baby brain is making it hard to come up with appropriate terms these days) but it's a philosophy that he embraces.  The misleading cover actually has nothing to do with the article, which is more an interview with the Dr. Bill Sears and his wife, Martha.  It talks a little about his pediatric practice, his books (The Baby Book, specifically) and how he subscribes to attachment parenting.  It's a really good article, if you're interested in the Sears', which I am.  I LOVE Dr. Sears' books, all 5 that I've read.  I love that they're written in such a way that you don't feel like he believes his way is the best and all others be damned, like I felt Gary Ezzo's book, BabyWise did.  I nursed all 3 of my kids until they were ready to stop (the last one was a little longer than I was planning to nurse, but I'm ok with that) I enjoy babywearing and I feel like it's the easiest option for my and my kids, not that I'm doing harm when I'm NOT wearing my baby.  The article talked a lot about the "cry it out" method and how that compares to AP's philosophy that you should never let your baby cry.  I think there's a balance that the article neglected to mention on both ends.  I personally think it's OK to let kids cry a little, having 3 it's hard NOT to have one crying while another one needs attention for a minute, but I also think that Dr Sears has a point that letting a kid cry for hours can be damaging.  Those were the big 3 that Time article addressed.
I don't follow attachment parenting strictly, I don't believe that any one parenting model works for all parents and all kids, but I do pull the parts of it what work for me and my family.  I thought the cover of Time was a great attention-grabber, and I hope it made more parents read the article, just to learn about different parenting styles.  My first year teaching first grade the teacher down the hall used to talk about a teacher's "bag of tricks".  In this imaginary bag were all the classroom management skills that teacher's use.  When one's not working, try another, then another.  The more "tricks" in the bag, the better able to deal with more situations a teacher will be.  I feel this is the same for parenting.  If all you know is one method, and it's not working for you or your child, then your stuck.  But if you know a bunch of different methods and one's not working for your child or your family, then you have a lot of resources to pull from.  Hopefully, the cover caused some parents to read the article and maybe they learned a thing or two to add to their "bag".  I could have done without the mom looking so great in those skinny jeans though.

Natural Weed killer

I've been gardening.  As I've been out digging in the dirt, I realized, I've read too many children's stories.  When I see a hole in the ground, indicating that some small creature has a burrow below, I try not to get any dirt in the hole, picturing a small mammal, dusting off his coffee table as he sits and reads a book in his armchair, wondering who is creating such a mess in his home.  I KNOW that they're not in there with a book, but I still worry about the life in the garden.  On the other hand, I have a weed problem.  I'm starting to think that my weed problem stems (no pun intended) from my lack of time spent weeding, but I also think that there are some products that I could use to kill those #@$%&* dandelions and thistle once and for all!  So I have a dilemma.  How do I kill the weeds and protect the literate mole living under my flower bed? (Maybe I should write a little note and stuff it down the hole asking for his opinion!)  I know that boiling water and vinegar works on my patio to kill the weeds that grow between the bricks.  I just don't think that's going to be strong enough for my beds.  I googled "safe weed killer for gardens"  and found this variation of my water and vinegar recipe:  
1 litre of white vinegar.

• 60 grammes of table salt. (about 4 TBSP)

• 1 squirt of washing up liquid. 
(It's an Irish site.)  Mix everything together making sure the salt is completely dissolved. You can then pour this into a spray bottle or one of those weed sprayers you can get at any garden center.

You spray this solution directly on the weeds you want to get rid of preferably on a hot day in full sun for best results. One thing to remember with this solution is to not get it on anything you don’t want to kill.It is non-selective in what it kills meaning it will kill any plant life it comes in contact with and it will sterilize the soil for up to two years depending on how much you get on the soil.
Please pay particular attention to this, the salt in the solution is what makes the soil uninhabitable for weed seedlings which are still to come. If you wish to effectively poison your soil to new sowings and plantings for approx two years, then add the the salt element, if not omit it. So with salt is best for patios, gravel drive etc, basically all areas designed to be free of growth, whereas without salt is better for beds, borders, lawns and veg areas, where you intend to plant again.
Also be aware that this solution cannot be sprayed wholesale over lawns to kill just weeds, as it is indiscriminate in its damage to both weed and grass. On a lawn it is better suited to spot treatment

If you are concerned about getting the vinegar solution on your desirable plants you can use a cloth to wipe the solution on the leafy parts of the weeds.
This will keep any of the solution from coming in contact with the plants you want to keep. If you use this method it is advisable to wear rubber gloves to protect your hands from the acidic affects of the vinegar. 

I think I'm going to try this out.  I'll use it without the salt in the beds and try the salt in the driveway and the patio.  Much cheaper than Round-Up and I won't be supporting Monsanto!

It's In!

I'm blogging about my garden again, but this time I'm not going to whine about how I really need to get out there and do some work...this time I'm all excited because everything has been planted!  My WONDERFUL in-laws came over for brunch on Mother's Day and what was supposed to be a quiet meal turned into a LOT of work!  My step-father-in-law brought over his tiller and we all worked together to weed, till, pull out the garden fence, tear out some additional plants (one required the use of a strap and the lawn mower!) weed, sweep, child watch and weed.  When everyone left we had a garden that is double the size of what we had last year, a weed-free patio and backyard beds that look WAY better than they did on Saturday!  And the best part was, it was fun!  I looked at all the work we did and realized it would have taken me WEEKS to do it all, but with everyone's help it only took a few hours. 
Yesterday the little two and I went to Lowe's and bought a new fence to keep the garden safe from the dog and (hopefully) the kids.  We picked out some peppers, peas, watermelon, cantaloupe, butternut squash, and marigolds (to deter pests) to plant and then I sowed some beans, carrots and lettuce seeds.  I also got some herbs and a flat of flowers for the front flower beds.  I have such a hard time going to Lowe's because I always see so much I want to get!  The more flowers I saw the more ideas I got for where I could put them in my flower beds (which are actually shrub beds.  They NEED some flowers to qualify as flower beds!). 
I'm pretty happy with the plants I got at Lowe's, but I think next year I might want to do the Sprout Robot garden.  I think in the long run it will be cheaper.  I was also frustrated to see in my inbox this morning that the Simon Certified Organic Farm that I used to get my CSA from, is having a plant sale...I could have gotten ORGANIC heirloom plants!  I'm sure they would have been more expensive, but it would have been nice to check out what they had! 
As it is, I'm feeling good about my garden.  I'm glad it's in and the kids are really excited.  My toddler helped me plant the bean seeds and he kept asking if we could eat them.  He's a little excited.  I bought some snap dragon seeds without reading the packet to learn that they needed to be started indoors a month or so ago.  My daughter was so excited to help plant that she dug in the dirt and planted the snapdragons (which I was SURE to tell her won't grow!) and was surprised to see how small the seeds were.  It was a great experience for both of the little ones.  I'm glad I was able to provide that for them.  I think it's important for them to see how plants grow and how food is grown.  My big guy was at school so he didn't get to be part of the planting, but I guarantee, he'll be part of the watering, weeding and of course the harvesting!  (He also loved the tilling...lots of bugs and worms and even a toad!)

All About Rice

I just got a new rice steamer from the Pampered Chef party I went to.  It's for the microwave, so I'm really excited to use it because I know it will be MUCH faster than the way I make rice now...in the oven.  I read the directions for the steamer and they basically said, put the rice and water in the steamer and cook according to package directions.  Well, I buy my rice in bulk-no package and no directions.  So I thought I'd check out a bag of rice the next time I go to the grocery and see what it says.  Then I remembered that I don't always buy the same kind of rice.  It's always brown, but sometimes I buy long grain, sometimes short grain and sometimes medium.  I don't know why.  I don't know the difference and I feel like whichever one I'm standing in front of at the time is what I get.  So I've decided to do a little research and actually find out the difference between the grains of rice.  I *think* it might make a difference in the cooking times or rice:water ratio. Here's what I found:
"Rice can be divided into two basic types: short-grain and long-grain. Examples of short-grain rice include Japanese sushi rice and Arborio, while common long-grain types include Carolina rice, as well as the more exotic Basmati and Jasmine varieties. Short-grain rice has a plump shape. The outer layer of short-grain rice (also sometimes referred to as medium-grain rice) absorbs water very easily and as a result, the cooked product ends up soft and a little sticky. Slight stickiness isn't a bad quality – it makes it a heck of a lot easier to eat with chopsticks, for instance – and in fact, the characteristic can even be taken advantage of by cooking gently over a long period of time and with continuous stirring (to slowly release the starches and yield a creamy texture), as in risotto. Long-grain rice is more slender in shape, and tends to cook up firmer, with each of the grains well-separated. (The exception is jasmine rice, which is actually fairly sticky compared to other long-grain varieties)." The Clueless Chef.com


"Rice is classified mostly by the size of the grain. Long-grain rice is long and slender. The grains stay separate and fluffy after cooking, so this is the best choice if you want to serve rice as a side dish, or as a bed for sauces. Medium-grain rice is shorter and plumper, and works well in paella and risotto.   Short-grain rice is almost round, with moist grains that stick together when cooked. It's the best choice for rice pudding and molded salads.  Other specialty varieties include Spanish rice for paella, glutinous rice for sushi and rice balls, and risotto rice for risotto. Most varieties are sold as either brown or white rice, depending upon how they are milled.   Brown rice retains the bran that surrounds the kernel, making it chewier, nuttier, and richer in nutrients.   White rice lacks the bran and germ, but is more tender and delicate. It's less nutritious than brown rice, but you can partially compensate for that by getting enriched white rice. Brown rice takes about twice as long to cook as white rice. Converted rice is beige. It tastes a lot like white rice, but it has more nutrients. Instant rice is white rice that's been precooked and dehydrated. It's convenient, but expensive and bland." from Cook's Thesaurus.
So it doesn't look like there's a difference in cooking time between the grains or a nutritional difference.  I guess I'm ok just randomly grabbing one, but long-grain is probably what I want more often since I'm usually using it as a side.  Thanks Google!  Yet another mystery solved!

Belief-O-Matic

I don't know that this is really very "green" but I think it's a fun website and quiz.  I found it when I was in graduate school and I was surprised by the results I got.  It's from Beliefnet.com and it's a quiz that asks you 18 questions about your beliefs and then matches you with religions based on your answers.  The quiz is the belief-o-matic.  I liked the questions in the quiz too, they were kind of thought-provoking.  I was given my top 27 religions ranging from a 100% match to 26% match.  When I clicked on my 100% match, (which was NOT what I was expecting it to be!), I was surprised to find that according the the summary of  beliefs of the faith, it DID fit with what I think!  I got some of my classmates to take this quiz when I was in school and it was a great lunchtime conversation topic.  A few of them had very strong beliefs toward one religion or another and it was interesting to see what other matches the quiz gave them.  It doesn't take long, and it also links you to a little bit about what some of the religions you may have a match with believe (just in case you don't know the difference between Mahayana Buddhist and Theravada Buddhism). 
The site itself is a great resource as well.  I know the neighbors down the street are Jehovah's Witnesses, but I wasn't really sure what they believed, so I checked it out on Beliefnet.  When my kids were asking my why their friends down the street weren't celebrating Christmas, it gave me a little more direction in helping them understand others' views.  I also used it to learn a little more about Scientology...because who DOESN'T want to learn more about THAT?!?! 
I think part of parenting is raising moral kids. I think helping them understand different faiths and different views is part of shaping their moral character and makes them a more understanding and considerate adult. 
**There's also a Politic-O-Matic that will match you with a political party.  I'm off to check that out right now!

Countryside Conservancy

I found this site, the Countryside Conservancy as I was reading what was available from Breezy Hill this week.  I actually intended for it to just kind of be a lazy blog post, but when I went to check out the site--it's really great!  The give you more resources for finding locally grown food (they even sell t-shirts that say, "Don't Buy Food From Strangers"!)  and they talk about the importance of buying locally.  I found a farmer's market up in Akron at Highland Square, RIGHT down the street from where my brother-in-law lives...I'm really excited to check it out and drag him along too!  They have farm visits you can sign up for, lists of CSAs in the area (it's a NE OH program) and resources for farmers.  I found this fact really interesting and it makes me feel better about buying locally!
"91 cents of each dollar spent in conventional food markets goes to suppliers, processors, middlemen and marketers, while only 9 cents goes to the farmer.  Farmers who sell direct a local farmers' markets or through CSAs keep 80-90 cents of each dollar.  Selling locally, farmers can reduce distribution, packaging and advertising costs and offer us fresher, more affordable food."

Milk

I'm back on dairy.  I gave up a lot of dairy a few weeks ago because three of my friends had said that they were concerned about the negative health effects of dairy.  So I stopped buying yogurt, cottage cheese, milk and decreased the amount of cheese we eat.  I've been drinking rice milk and the kids really liked it too.  I noticed that the side of the carton said that it was not meant to be an infant formula--duh!--but it also said to consult a dr before giving it to children under 5.  I have one of those.  Although I've read about the negative aspects of dairy and dairy products (I've even blogged about some of them I think!) I wasn't 100% comfortable with my decision to cut back so drastically on the dairy without REALLY researching it myself.  I felt like doing it while pregnant was taking a risk with my child's development and I felt the same thing about my toddler and my preschooler and my Big Guy.  Every diet-related change I have made for my family, from vegetarian, to organic, to soy intake has been VERY well planned and researched.  The truth is, I'm really tired.  I still have a long way to go (3 months) but I'm already feeling pregnant-pregnant, not the cute-pregnant or the just-pregnant.  I tried to take a short cut with my diet choices and I don't feel like it was the best choice.  This is not to say that in a few more weeks, I won't be back to blogging about how dairy is horrible for you and we're not touching the stuff, I'm just saying that I need to do a little more research and make an informed decision for ME.  So for now, I'm back to my greek yogurt for it's protein content and Hartzler's Milk and cottage cheese...but not in mass quantities.  I'm still working for my balanced diet.  After all, the MyPlate only has dairy as a small little circle up in the corner!

Stay At Home Moms

This week I've had a hard time finding time to blog.  I sat down to write this blog, heard a crash, and ran upstairs to find the container of crackers, that I bought last night, all over the floor and my toddler crying.  I cleaned it up and realized that my "to do" list hadn't gotten any smaller in the last 10 minutes and I was running out of time before I have to leave to take the little guy to swimming.  It made me think of this story I found on a Mothering Facebook page.  If you're a stay at home mom, enjoy!


One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog.
Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall .. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.
In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.
He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened.
He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.
As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went. He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"
She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world did I do today?"
"Yes" was his incredulous reply.
She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

Lettuce

Yesterday my mom went to a nursery to pick up some plants for my aunt, who is on vacation.  While she was there, she found a super cool gift for me...mixed lettuces in a pot!  The salesperson told her it would last about 3 cuttings.  They look GREAT!  I'm excited to try them.  I've read about container gardening, and I'm wondering if that's what route I'm going to have to take this year.  I can't seem to get my act together to get out there and get my garden ready.  I bought some seeds, I've THOUGHT about doing it, but right now it's just a giant dandelion patch.  I need to till it and get those seeds in the ground!!!!!  Last year I waited until almost the end of May to plant, and I really wish that I hadn't because my crops weren't ready to harvest until almost the end of the summer.  I'm thinking I may need to forgo the seeds this year and just buy some vegetable plants for as many things as I can.  (The kids want to do carrots, and I don't really think I can get carrot plants!)  So I'm hoping that blogging about it will actually make me get going and DO it!  My excuse is that I need to borrow the tiller from  my in-laws, but I know I COULD do it by hand.  Once I'm out there working, I don't think it will take me that long.  So here's to motivation...and a weekend without rain (at least Sunday's looking good at this point!)