New Trike

My baby is growing up. He's so excited over his new Radio Flyer trike that he can hardly stand it! Check out the cheesy smile. Now both boys have something to ride at their grandparents' house. Thanks, Nana and craigslist!!! SCORE!

Here is something I'm not sure I want to see again but am sure I will:

Is he not hanging on for dear life, or what? Don't you just love that little bottom sticking out? How cute is that. They are really start to be partners in crime. I think that's what I wanted when I said I wanted them to be close enough in age to play together.... what on earth was I thinking?!?!?!

Next on the list - HELMETS for Granddad & Nana's house.

I'm a bit overtaken with life right now but will back with my Green tips soon - PROMISE. And Easter pictures. And track photos. And football. And - and - and.... you get the idea. When I come up for air from taxes, insurance audits and my YMCA workouts, I'll be back.

Good Friday

Happy Spring! Happy Easter!

Shyanne intent on the exact color

Paco a tad annoyed at me and my camera:

The big sister a tad worried at Paco's coloring ability

Happy Melynda

Javi coloring for the first time.
Reminder to self - don't let him suck the color off the eggs.
Bad Mommy! Thankfully, they're non-toxic!!!

"Yes, Moma?"

Kids a colorin'

Paco eating one of his eggsEveryone gets hungry after awhile
One can color eggs only so long before....

Day 10: Hang your laundry. Your clothes dryer is one of the most energy-consuming appliances in your house. Try hanging your clothes on lines or racks outside (they'll smell great) or inside!

DH, this really is a desire of mine. How 'bout that clothes line? Mother's Day is coming up...

Days 8 & 9 to a Greener You!

Day 8: Eat without Meat. The raising, processing, shipping and storage of meat can negatively impact the environment. Aim for a few meatless meals each week, choosing beans, nuts and legumes for protein.

There's nothing I love better than a medium rare prime rib! That being said, I do cook several meatless meals a week - cost, convenience and environmentally are motivators for me. I love cooking with beans - I get different organic kinds from Azure Standard. I can't afford organic meat so I use more organic beans than I used to.

Day 9: Drive less. If you can walk or bike to your destination, then do it! You'll get fit, save money, and pollute less. Choosing public transportation (buses, subways & trains) carpooling, or trip combining also helps.

My goal is for all of us to ride our bikes to church (and home) one Sunday this summer. I'm in the process of getting in shape for this. ;) We don't have convenient public transportation but I do carpool and combine trips most of the time. I like planning my route & stops when it comes to my outtings.

Do you have any meatless meals? How about driving less? Any goals in these areas this year?

Kill Deer and Day 7 tip

We have a nest. With 4 eggs in it. At the edge of our driveway. Aren't they pretty little eggs nestled amongest the rocks?

We have a moma. A Killdeer Moma. She's acting hurt right now wishing I would get away from her babies. She freaks out everytime we come and go down our drive. She's a very good protector. Limping, crying, acting like her wing is broken. We love watching her. They nest in the area each spring and I look forward to them!!


Our tip for today... I don't do. I'm sorry. How many of you actually do this every single day? I'm not saying it's not a good one- it is! I just haven't gotten the energy to do it.

Unplug! It's not enough to simply turn off electronics when you're not using them. When they're plugged in, they are still sucking in and wasting electricity. Get in the habit of unplugging chargers, TVs, computers and more when you're not using them.

Little Brothers and Day 6 Tip

Paco, Javi and Zorro in my bed:

At my parents home:
At Indian Creek having lunch:

Playing in my kitchen:

At nursery looking for bargains:

At mealtime:

Fighting over vintage rocker that was my oldest brothers':

Long ago being brothers:

There are snapshots from my blackberry phone. :)

Day 6 - Save water. Turning it off while brushing your teeth is a given. Take it further by installing low-flow showerheads and the savings will add up! Also consider a rain collecting barrel for grass and plant watering.

I have already told DH that I want a water barrel! Let's see if I get one this spring since April showers bring May flowers!!! I also turn off the water when I shave my legs while my conditioner is uh.... conditioning. This saves water, obviously. I just rinse the razor in a cup!

Day 5 to a Greener You!

Visit the library. Instead of buying books, CDs, movies and magazines, borrow them. The library is free, local and eco-friendly. Imagine how many resources are saved when hundreds of people share one book from a central location!

They also have books on CD or tape, video rental for FREE!, Cookbooks, learning a second language and it's a great outting to take your kids on.

See if your library has a summer reading program for kids - my children love this! They read and get prizes from the library.

Also, my family is great about loaning and giving books to the others when we're done and passing them around. This is nice because you don't have to go to the library and the concept is the same. Many people reading the same book saves resources!

Day 4 Tip

Buy local. On average, food travels 1,500 miles from farm to table. Buying local supports small
farmers in your community. It also uses less fossil fuel in transport.

Are you planting your garden yet? Planning for it? I have all my seeds bought and the garden has been tilled and ready for planting! I just need a warmer day then we've had - I'm a wimp, I guess!

Day 3 to a Greener You

In December, I brought you this post and now here's a reminder on Day 3:

Bring your own bag. Bring reusable bags everywhere, from the grocery to the mall. If you can't afford to buy bags, then reuse the plastic ones you already have. If you don't need a bag for your items, politely decline.

I haven't made any bags yet but that something I have in mind for us. I'm such the expert seamstress it shouldn't be any big deal - ha ha. I won't tell you how long it took me to sew cloth napkins - and that was just hemming 'em! LOL.

I have my own bags everywhere and am really good about remembering them. It took me walking back to the car many times to get my bags, carrying things out in my arms because I forgot them to be at the place where I actually remember them 9/10 times now. My mother on the other hand.... well, let's just say, she's glad she has me along. ;) She tries. She has many bags in her car, it's just remembering to take them with her.

Also, keep in mind - some stores, Winco and Fred Myers are two I know of, offer penny discounts for each bag you bring in. Winco is 5 cents a bag and Freddies is 6 cents, I think!!! It does add up - I can save a .50 easy going to Winco with my bags. That's $$$$ in my pocket! No matter how small, it adds up.

You don't have to do everything to make a difference, start small if you haven't started and pick something that interests you. Build from there. If you already do Days 1 & 2 but not Day 3, perhaps you're ready to add BYOB to the mix! Stay tuned - 27 more tips are coming your way!

Days 1 & 2 to a Greener You!

With all the buzz surrounding eco-friendly living these days, you may wonder where to start. But reducing your impact on the planet can be simple, and every action does make a difference. Want even more incentive to change? Most green actions will save you money, limit waste, enhance your health and even increase your overall physical activity—all while benefiting the planet. Here are 30 daily tips to get you started.

For the month of April, I am going to bring you one green tip a day. I'm not doing well, since I'm already behind! I will let you know if I'm NOT doing something I list and why; otherwise, I am already doing it! These are on a calendar I have and I'm going to share them with you! Aren't you excited?!

Day 1:
Recycle. Most people can recycle more than they do. Paper, magazines, cardboard, cereal boxes, glass, aluminum foil, cans and even grocery bags should go in your bin, not the trash.

Day 2:
Use cloth napkins. All disposable items hurt the environment, and that includes paper products
like napkins. In the end, you'll save money by investing in cloth, which also looks more sophisticated.

On another note, it's rainy and cold here today. I wanted to plant some in my garden today but it's way to muddy for that. Another day, hopefully soon!!!

Javier on his 2nd Birthday!