My throat hurts. It's snowing outside. Something warm and soothing to drink sounds good to me. I found this recipe in The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook by Cathe Olson. I realize that warm milk might sound pretty gross to some, but I love it. This recipe is kind of like a vanilla version of hot chocolate. It's quick to make and it's great for just a little something sweet after my kids go to bed. I wanted to give you a warming, holiday recipe before I sign off until after the new year and I think this one is what I was looking for. So have a Merry Christmas (even if you don't celebrate, you can still be merry on December 25th) and a Happy New Year. Enjoy time with your family. I will.
This blog is a journal of how I'm working to make my home greener and healthier for my family. From cloth diapering, to organic shopping to discussing vegetarianism with a 6-year-old, I'm hoping to continue to motivate myself to push ahead in my journey to be as green and healthy as the 6 of us can be.
Friday, December 21, 2012
Thursday, December 20, 2012
Visit To Santa
Evan and I aren't in the Christmas spirit. We're doing our best, watching Christmas movies (Evan considers Die Hard a Christmas movie. It's amazing that even after watching Bruce Willis walk on broken glass in his bare feet I don't feel in the Christmas mood!) we went to look at the Christmas Lights in Monument park, we've decorated the house, the tree, the lights are outside. Our shopping is done, gifts are wrapped, the advent calendars are nearing the end, but for some reason it just doesn't FEEL like Christmas. In the past we've done lots of Christmas activities, the Zoo's Breakfast with Santa, the McKinley Museum's Christmas event, Christmas at Hoover Farm--it seemed like every weekend we were doing something Christmasy. But this year we didn't do any of that. A big part of it is wrestling, which takes up every Monday, Wednesday and Friday night and all day Sunday. It's also because we're now 6, which makes something like going to the Akron Zoo's Breakfast with Santa unreasonably expensive, whereas before it was pricey, but manageable. In veering away from Holiday activities, we've also lost the opportunity to visit with Santa. So last night, for the first time, we took the kids to the mall to see Santa.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Reuseit.com
(Imagine me talking very fast.) I got a flyer in a box of Christmas gifts I ordered from diapers.com. It was for 20% off orders of $35 or more(RUCD13HS) from reuseit.com. The coupon had a picture of a reusable alternative to paper towels so I thought I'd check it out. Pretty cool site! It has TONS of different reusable options, like produce bags, stainless steel thermoses, shopping bags, WRAPPING PAPER!! (MAGEL!!) straws and lots of other cool stuff. Check it out! There! I said it! I have Caden home sick today and we're "sharing"the computer. While I type he's "watching" Olivia. This is a potentially dangerously long blog post! Of course the computer keeps freezing and the c key is sticking.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Green Christmas
I had a request to blog about having a greener Christmas. SO, if there is some confusion, and we end up with a green Christmas, as opposed to a white Christmas, blame the other the requester, not the blogger.. Got that weather? White Christmas. People. Green Christmas.
There are a few ways that I could address this question. First, is the way I've seen it presented. Second is the way that I actually see people doing it, realistically. The way I've seen greening Christmas suggested in other soures I've read, I always think, REALLY? Do you really think that people are going to do this? It's much greener than what I'll suggest, but I think it's too big of a jump for most people. I'm going to blog about greening Christmas in a way that I think YOU would do. (And by you I mean Magel. She's the one that asked for suggestions and I think she's a pretty good representation of a "normal" person.) I'm not going to tell you to make your gifts using items you have around the house. I'm not going to suggest that in lieu of a physical gift you donate to charity. I'm going to do the best I can to suggest ways that you can take what you're doing already and tweak it to make it a little greener.
There are a few ways that I could address this question. First, is the way I've seen it presented. Second is the way that I actually see people doing it, realistically. The way I've seen greening Christmas suggested in other soures I've read, I always think, REALLY? Do you really think that people are going to do this? It's much greener than what I'll suggest, but I think it's too big of a jump for most people. I'm going to blog about greening Christmas in a way that I think YOU would do. (And by you I mean Magel. She's the one that asked for suggestions and I think she's a pretty good representation of a "normal" person.) I'm not going to tell you to make your gifts using items you have around the house. I'm not going to suggest that in lieu of a physical gift you donate to charity. I'm going to do the best I can to suggest ways that you can take what you're doing already and tweak it to make it a little greener.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Perspective (#Todayistheday)
I was going to blog about a reusable product website I found. I thought about blogging about how my hair is falling out like it always does after I give birth. I thought about blogging about preparing for Christmas. But I'm not going to blog about any of that. Because it doesn't matter. All that matters is that my kids got off the bus on Friday. I didn't care if Caden got in trouble. I didn't care if Ellie came home with food from someone else's lunch and her's entirely uneaten. They came home. Alive. I'm lucky. 20 other parents weren't so lucky.
I felt helpless. I lied to Ellie, again. When she asked me if this could happen at her school I told her no, but it could. I'm using it as a learning experience for Caden, who seems to think guns are super cool right now and really wants Call of Duty for Christmas. (He's NOT getting it, by the way.) I'm trying to get across to him that guns aren't cool. Guns cause death. Period. There's no other reason to have a gun other than to shoot something, or someone.
President Obama said, "Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?" I said no. Other moms have too. If YOU feel helpless and if YOU fear for the safety of your child, my children and millions of other kids, sign the letter to the NRA and congress at www.momsrising.org.
"We are parents. Many NRA members are parents. And none of us want to live in a nation where children are gunned down. Today is the day for the NRA and for Congress to step up and start proposing laws that protect children and all people.
*Sign on to our open letter to the National Rifle Association (NRA) and to Congress urging them to make today the last day that they block common sense gun regulations that protect all of our families."
I don't want to lie to Ellie to tell her that this can't happen at her school. I don't want to be like any of those 20 parents. I want my kids to come home every day from school. Alive.
I felt helpless. I lied to Ellie, again. When she asked me if this could happen at her school I told her no, but it could. I'm using it as a learning experience for Caden, who seems to think guns are super cool right now and really wants Call of Duty for Christmas. (He's NOT getting it, by the way.) I'm trying to get across to him that guns aren't cool. Guns cause death. Period. There's no other reason to have a gun other than to shoot something, or someone.
President Obama said, "Are we prepared to say that such violence visited on our children year after year after year is somehow the price of our freedom?" I said no. Other moms have too. If YOU feel helpless and if YOU fear for the safety of your child, my children and millions of other kids, sign the letter to the NRA and congress at www.momsrising.org.
"We are parents. Many NRA members are parents. And none of us want to live in a nation where children are gunned down. Today is the day for the NRA and for Congress to step up and start proposing laws that protect children and all people.
*Sign on to our open letter to the National Rifle Association (NRA) and to Congress urging them to make today the last day that they block common sense gun regulations that protect all of our families."
I don't want to lie to Ellie to tell her that this can't happen at her school. I don't want to be like any of those 20 parents. I want my kids to come home every day from school. Alive.
Friday, December 14, 2012
Recipe Friday: Warm Millet Cereal
Maybe it's because I've been thinking about making baby food, or maybe it's the cold weather, but for some reason, this has been sounding really good to me. I've been too lazy (we'll call it busy) to make it. It's kind of like a cream of wheat, but made with millet. It's kind of a nutty flavor, and I like to add honey to my cereal to sweeten it. (Of course!) Here's a shocker, it's from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook by Cathe Olson!
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Doubting Ellie
Ellie: "Mom, do you lie?"
Me: "No" (lie) "Why?"
Ellie: "Because if I ask you if you move Christoper Pop-In Kins and you say no, and you don't lie, he must move by himself."
She's struggling. The other day she pointed out that the back of his ear was green, like his hat. He has a tag. He looks plastic. Thank God for Toy Story! I explained that Christopher is like Woody and Buzz. He's like a toy when you're not around, but when you leave, he comes to life. This seemed to appease her. It definitely worked for Vince, who touched him the other day, making him leave and go back to the North Pole. V was very upset and I don't think his little fingers will come within a foot of Christopher again.
Me: "No" (lie) "Why?"
Ellie: "Because if I ask you if you move Christoper Pop-In Kins and you say no, and you don't lie, he must move by himself."
She's struggling. The other day she pointed out that the back of his ear was green, like his hat. He has a tag. He looks plastic. Thank God for Toy Story! I explained that Christopher is like Woody and Buzz. He's like a toy when you're not around, but when you leave, he comes to life. This seemed to appease her. It definitely worked for Vince, who touched him the other day, making him leave and go back to the North Pole. V was very upset and I don't think his little fingers will come within a foot of Christopher again.
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