The Eco-Cheap Mom

Happy 34th birthday, John Mayer!

2011-10-16T16:10:00.003-04:00

Today is John Mayer's 34th birthday! As a very special birthday gift for him, one of his fans, Donna Firsty, came up with the idea of putting together a montage of virtual birthday cards for Mr. Mayer. What started out as a little project turned out to be a labor of love filled with well wishes from twenty countries! I am so proud to have been a part of this beautiful, and truly heartwarming birthday gift for my favorite musician, John Mayer.
Watch the video below.

My daughter is the first one you see in the video! She's a John Mayer fan, too!

Happy birthday, John!

The Golden Rule

2011-09-29T20:20:00.001-04:00

I am doing my best to raise kind and compassionate children. So far, at ages three and five, I think I've done a pretty good job. My oldest, Cakes, is a very cheery, outgoing, sweet girl who cares deeply about others. She speaks nicely to people, and although she can be a bit bossy, she generally is very kind. She may tell someone what to do, but in the nicest of ways. My son, Bubby, is really about as sweet as they get. Really. Though I am quite biased, everyone who spends and amount of time with him will agree, and often comments on how sweet he is. He will share anything as long as you ask him nicely. He is a great sharer and has always been. And I've got stories to back up these claims. Please be patient with me, because there really is a point I'm trying to get to and I need your help .

One of our very good friends has a son, H, with a severe peanut allergy. We are very careful about what food/snacks we share with him and always check labels before taking anything to their house or out on the lake, etcetera. So one day while we were at their house, Cakes shares with another guest that at her next birthday party she is going to make sure and not have anything with peanuts so that H could enjoy the same stuff as everyone else and not be left out.

One day at school, my daughter had a substitute teacher. One of the students in class is autistic and tends to make a lot of noise and the sub asked the class who was making all the noise. Cakes responded by saying, " It's okay. That's Ethan. He's still learning how to act in class." This same boy, she goes out of her way every morning to say hi to as we walk into school. He never responds or even acknowledges her, but she says hi to him with a big smile every time she sees him.

And then there's the friend that we check on every morning. She's had a hard time adjusting to kindergarten so every morning she's crying when we see her. We always try to cheer her up and offer a friendly hello. Cakes will excitedly say hi and try to give her a hug, but she plain ignores her. Well, this morning, for the first time she wasn't crying. When Cakes went to say hi, the friend didn't even look at her and said "Don't talk to me" in the meanest tone. My heart broke watching Cakes turned around and walk toward me with such a defeated look. After school today I asked Cakes if she had seen her friend at school. She said she did, but the friend didn't acknowledge her again.

This a friend that we have play dates with on a regular basis. Cakes goes home with her once a week and we get together another day during the week. They play well together, and they have a great time.

There's another friend that's mean to her as well. Same sort of stuff. She's generally nice, but when in a bad mood, is very mean to her.

That's what it is, isn't it? Moodiness. Grumpiness.

That kind of behavior is unacceptable in our house. If you are tired/crabby/grumpy/mad or whatever, that's fine, but it does not give you the right to take it out on others. End of story. Move on.

We try to live our lives by the Golden Rule:

"Do unto others as you'd have done to you"

But how do I protect my kiddos from the hurt caused by others' meanness? What tools can I give them to cope with it?

A friend of mine said very wisely,

"It can be a teaching/talking time to talk about what real friendship is, the Golden Rule, and how we will allow/not allow ourselves to be treated."

"...how we will allow/will not allow ourselves to be treated."

This resonated with me. I am a people pleaser, as is my daughter(little clone). I've allowed others to treat me in ways I shouldn't have. I've been the doormat, and I don't want that for my daughter. But how do I teach her that which I don't know how to do myself???

My name is...

2011-08-31T19:43:00.000-04:00

Hello! My name is Chanda. C-H-A-N-D-A Not Chandra, or Shandra, or even Shanda. It's CHANDA. Chan (as in Jackie Chan) - da (as in duh) This is something I have dealt with my entire life. Why is is people want to add an 'R' and/or change the 'C' to an 'S'? And I'm not only referring to how people pronounce it. People will see it written and automatically add a letter. It will be right before their eyes and they will spell it wrong. Is it really that tricky? At ~~thirty-nine~~ thirty something years old, I've given up on trying to correct people on the pronunciation. But it irks me to no end when it is misspelled when the correct spelling is right there in front of them (like on Facebook). Sorry for the rant! Do you have a name that people constantly mispronounce or misspell? How do (would) you handle it, correct them or let it go?

Don't Come Knocking!

2011-08-12T15:36:00.002-04:00

I went to get my hair cut this afternoon and left the kiddos with G.G. When I came home, about an hour later, I walked in to find some man inside the house with them. There was no vehicle outside so I was alarmed. G.G. informs me that he was there trying to sell her a vacuum. I was shocked that she would let someone in the house, especially with the kids there, so I asked her why. Why would you let some man inside the house? Seems pretty dangerous to me.

So she explains, in her sweet, kind of helpless way, that a woman came to the door and asked to do a free demonstration. G.G. expressed to her that it was not a good time but the woman wouldn't take no for an answer. She said that it was the only day they were doing them and she wouldn't get paid if she didn't do it, and that G.G. wouldn't have to pay anything. Of course G.G. gave in and agreed to the demonstration. And here's where the switch-a-roo happens. A man came in with the vacuum (it was actually a foam carpet cleaner) to clean some of the carpet. And then, the woman left!

I don't know how long he was in the house before I got there. Long enough to do a demonstration I guess, because he was packing his stuff up. All I know is I was completely taken aback when I walked in, expecting to see my kids and their G.G. watching t.v. or playing, and basically running into some strange man. My first instinct was to grab the kids and run. My next was to scold G.G. for letting him in.

First of all, don't you think that in this day and age, door-to-door marketing is a bad practice? Do people really let complete strangers into their homes? I know that I wouldn't, especially if I were home alone with the kids.

Secondly, I can't believe that these people pretty much forced themselves in. No means no! I feel as though they preyed on our sweet G.G. Granted, nothing bad happened, but the whole situation just seemed sketchy to me. To make it even sketchier, after he left, he stood at the end of the driveway for about 15 minutes waiting to be picked up by a van without any sort of business name or logo anywhere on it.

And lastly, when it was all said and done, G.G. had no idea what they were selling. She thought they were selling vacuums when they were actually selling a carpet cleaning service. I feel like reporting them to the Better Business Bureau.

What do you think, am I overreacting?

Would you let door-to-door salespeople into your home?

Wordless Wednesday - Ski Kids

2011-08-03T16:49:00.004-04:00

The Boy
Skiing for the first time!

The Girl
Second time skiing!

Be sure to stop by Wordless Wednesday and 5 Minutes for Mom for more great photos!

Pee-pee Outside?

2011-07-31T18:23:00.001-04:00

When I started the potty training process with my son and posted something about it on my Facebook page, I got many responses about what worked for their son. The most popular suggestion was to let them pee outside. The novelty and independence of going outside and doing their business on a tree, a rock, or whatever, seemed to make potty training a fun task. We gave it a try and have had much success with it. Maybe too much.

I pee on tree!

Why is it that boys like to urinate on stuff? Is it because they can, so easily? Is it something embedded in their DNA? Some kind of primal instinct to mark territory?

All I know is, that boy of mine digs going pee-pee outside! So much so, we have to keep a close eye on him so he doesn't drop trou in public. Well, not really in public, but he did almost urinate off the fourth floor balcony while we were on vacation. And he definitely doesn't hold back when at home. We are currently living in an RV in my grandmother-in-law's yard so there's plenty of outside time. On his walk from GG's (great-grandmother's) to the RV, this is what occurred:

My mother has been on my case about it. She thinks we're going to get in trouble for it...like the law is going to come for him. I honestly don't have an issue with him peeing outside. As long as he's doing it at home or at my parents home, I don't think it's a problem. It is greener than using the toilet! :)

What do you think? Pee-pee outside or no? Do you let your boys do it?

Plank A Day!

2011-07-22T16:17:00.002-04:00

As a work from home mother of two little ones, this mama barely has time to breathe nonetheless exercise, so I'm always looking for a quick and easy way to stay fit. I did Jillian Michael's 30-Day Shred a while ago and though I did it everyday for 30 days, I didn't get the results I was hoping for. I actually gained weight, but I did lose an inch or so in my waist and legs. Nothing turns me off of exercising more than weight gain. What's the point, right? I was into running for a few months, but my body does not hold up to the pavement pounding. I wish it could because I had great success with weight loss and general fitness when I was running. I did a few Zumba classes and loved it, but the classes are always at very inconvenient times. I've even tried the Banana Diet with no results. And now, I've been so busy lately that I had given up on any sort of exercise.

So, I just started watching what I was eating and drinking lots of water. I have actually lost several pounds and am fairly happy the way I look now, other than being a little softer than I'd like. Anyway, the other day I was reading through my twitter feed and saw a tweet with #plankaday. I was intrigued and clicked on it to discover a very fast, and it appears effective, way to tone up my flABs. This is the one part of my body that is nowhere close to resembling my pre-baby shape. I'm resigned to the fact that they will most likely never look that way again, but there's hope for them to look a little less flABby!

Plankin' on the beach (Sullivan's Island, SC)

The basic idea is to do at least one, one minute plank each day. Sounds easy peasy, right. Give it a try. One minute is harder than you think. It really does work your core if you do it COREectly. The more you can fit in the better. The best part is you can do it anywhere. Check out the details of The Plank A Day Revolution and join in. Let them know I sent ya!

Everyone can benefit from a strong core!

What quick and easy exercise regiments have you tried?
What kind of results did you get?
How do you fit in exercise (other than getting up at the crack of dawn)???

Looking Back

2011-07-10T10:00:00.001-04:00

As much as we wanted to sell our house and get started building our new home, there is some sadness in leaving it. Though it wasn't the hubs and my first house, this was my children's first. Both came home from the hospital to it.

Two plus years after we bought our home, we welcomed our first child into it. I'll never forget bringing Cakes home. All the spring bulbs that we had planted in our yard were abloom. The sweet smell of hyacinths was thick in the air. Everything was fresh. New. The beginning of our life.

Cakes and I spent many hours feeding/watcing the fish in our backyard pond

Two and a half years later we brought our Bubby home. Though the details are a blur, I can tell you that any worry in my mind about Cakes being jealous of him was completely put to rest. She welcomed him with open arms, just as we all did. His sweet, laid back attitude brought such a lovely balance in our life. We were complete. We had our girl and our boy.

Big Sister and Little Brother

In the almost seven years that we lived in the house, we evolved from being a childless, carefree, married couple to a very happy family of four. We've also watched our one road neighborhood grow from a few houses to twenty-five or so. We welcomed and bid farewell to many neighbors. And we made several lasting (I hope) friendships. Those friendships were hard to leave. Good neighbors are a blessing and we were lucky enough to be blessed with several.

The hubs and I pre-kids

Family Picture 2010

We were particularly close with our next door neighbor, the A family. They are a family of four with two boys, W and E. W is going into second grade and E is entering first grade. E and Cakes are best buds! They spent a lot of time together, often several hours at a time, at least a couple times a week. Either he'd come over to play (and sometimes stayed for dinner), or Cakes and Bubby would go to their house. We would frequently go on walks and play out in the street as well. E even got to come with us for a special birthday play date to Chuck E. Cheese's. Moving away was hard and the kids have missed each other. But, since we are just around the corner, we are trying hard to get them together as often as possible.

Cakes, E-Dog, and Bubby

And then there's our across the street neighbors, Jonathan and Shelane. Actually, his name is Joseph, but I called him by the wrong name for about a year! Really. He never corrected me even though I gave him many opportunities to do it. I flat out asked him if his name was actually Joseph and he still denied it. I didn't confirm my suspicion that his name wasn't really Jonathan until we checked mail for him when he was of town once. He was embarrassed to correct me since I had been calling by the wrong name for so long. Boy, did I feel like an idiot! Funny part about it, the hubby sometimes still refers to him as Jonathan. Anyway, we became friends and spent a lot of time chatting outside. Lucky guy found a great girl in Shelane, and we quickly took to her. She is probably the sweetest gal I know. The kids often recruited him and Shelane to go on walks with us...with their dogs. They have five dogs! And you though we were crazy with four! They were such good neighbors that they would let us borrow their lawn mower, a jar a mayo, and even let us use their truck to move. I told you. They are good people! We're keeping in touch. In fact, they kept our dogs when we went on vacation after we moved. And we'll be taking care of their dogs in a couple weeks.

Bubby with the Rat Pack

We have several other good neighbors that we will miss as well. Chris, his son, C, and their dog, Maggie. We always enjoyed chatting with them. And Maggie's kisses were the best. What a dog! Tony, our two houses down neighbor, and his two dogs. I've actually know him since I was in high school. We won't discuss how long ago that was. Tony was always great to chat with. He was always telling me how beautiful the kids and I are. Talk about an ego booster! Love him! Luckily, I'll still see him when I go grocery shopping. He's a manager where I shop. Oh, and Connie and her brother, Will and Alecia, Russ and Lorainne. All super nice people. We're going to miss them all!

One thing we are not going to miss is our yard. Don't get me wrong, we loved our yard. It was large, and pretty, and great for the kids, but we had too many flower beds to take care of. But I will miss the memories. Like the several trees that we planted that had special significance. One was a gift given to me when Cakes was born. Another was for Mother's Day, and yet another for one of my birthdays. The kids had a lot of fun in that yard. Luckily I have plenty pictures to look back on and remember fondly.

Bubby enjoying the back yard.

But we will create more memories in the new house, the new yard, and with new neighbors. The next chapter in our life will begin soon. In the meantime, we're working on some pretty special memories in the 'ol house on wheels.

Home, Sweet Home On Wheels!

2011-07-08T16:15:00.000-04:00

After a month of waiting to close on our house, and two delays, we have finally closed! We closed on the 29th and then left for a week long beach vacay on the 30th. We had scheduled our vacation before we sold the house. Talk about perfect timing! The beach was a very welcome (and much needed) retreat!

Did I happen to mention where we would be living while our new house was being built? Nope. I think I left that out. Since we couldn't find a short term lease, nor one that allowed four dogs, we had to get a bit creative.

This is our new home:

My parents have very generously allowed us to use their 33' RV. It is fairly roomy for an RV, but with two very active kiddos and four little dogs, in the vacant lot next to hubby's grandmother's house, the next 4.5 to 5.5 months might be quite entertaining. We're building memories, right? An adventure that we'll remember forever. What is it that they say, what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger? Yeah, that's it!

Look how cute the kids are in their current sleeping arrangement.

We'll see how cute I think they look in a few months.

Me in my new office.

Brings a whole new meaning to "mobile" office!

Our dining room...

I have always wanted and outdoor kitchen/dining area!

All joking aside, we are very blessed that everything has fallen into place the way it has. The most important fact is that we are not homeless. Finding a lease, nonetheless a short term lease, was going to be quite difficult. Worst case scenario, we would have moved in with the hubby's grandmother (G.G) or with my folks. Not that we don't love our families, but you know. Do I need to say anymore?

With us living in the RV, we are saving a ton of money; money that we can use for various (and there are plenty) upgrades on the new home. Parked next to G.G.'s, we can shower, cook, and use the restroom, NOT in the RV. Pee-Yew. Oops, I meant phew!

The best part of living in G.G.'s yard is that the kids get to spend lots of time with their G.G. (great grandmother). Now that's a blessing!

Bubby helps G.G. in the garden.

Cakes LOVES the cherry tomatoes!

Bubby poses in front of the beans in G.G.'s garden.

It's going to be quite an adventure! I hope you will follow along!

Fandango.com Deal at Livingsocial - 2 Tickets for $9

2011-06-10T23:43:00.001-04:00

Now that's a great deal! Makes for a pretty cheap date....as long as you fill up before you go or bring your own snacks in. Not that I'd ever do that. No way. Never. In fact, we went the other day and paid $4.75 for a 20-ounce bottled water. Lesson learned.

Do you sneak in goodies when you go to the movies? Hypothetically speaking, of course. :)

Head on over to Livingsocial to snag this deal!

Our house finally sold! What do I need to do before final walk through?

2011-06-08T20:33:00.000-04:00

After nine months on the market, several open houses, and lots of showings we finally got a buyer! We accepted their offer, the house has passed the inspection and appraisal, and now we are just waiting for closing. The date is set. June 27th. Less than three weeks to go. Packing is in full swing and we hope to be out by the 25th.

Other than packing our stuff up and moving it all out, what else needs to be done?

Of course, a good cleaning is in order. Everything will be cleaned, including the carpets. And the lawn will be freshly mowed and flower beds weeded. I also want to leave some sort of gift basket to welcome them into their new home.

But, what do we do about the small holes in the wall where pictures and shelves were hung? Should we patch the holes and do some touch up painting? Or is it just expected that there will be existing holes in the wall?

I want to make sure that everything goes smoothly with the final walk through and that I do the right things for the new owners.

I need your input! What's the standard home transfer etiquette?

Thanks in advance for your help! :)

Can I tell you something?

2011-06-07T14:10:00.001-04:00

My five year old daughter prefaces most statements with "Can I tell you something?"

Of course you can. Yes, sweetie. Yes. Uh huh. Sure. WHAT???

I hate to say it, but after the nth time she asks, it's pretty annoying! This is said in the most loving, I spend just about every minute of my day with my kids, kind of way. Those five extra words before the infinite amount of words she speaks every single day just seem so unnecessary. What's up with that? It's not like she ever lacks for things to say.

But it's hard to be annoyed for very long though! Especially when she smiles at you like that and she says something hilarious, which is all the time!
Do any of your children do this?

Like Mother, Like Daughter?

2011-05-22T18:36:00.001-04:00

My brother was looking through photos from childhood and came across this one that floored me.

That was me at age five or six. Those are some big barrettes! But they aren't what had me captivated by this photo. It was like I was looking at a picture of my daughter playing dress-up circa 1977. The resemblance is striking. I know that she looks like me, but holy cow, she really is my clone!

What do you think?

Kind of freaky, huh?!

THE Creepy Crawler

2011-05-10T14:13:00.001-04:00

So, here it is...

I got several comments from my friends on Facebook that had me wondering if the bug that fell from the ceiling, onto my neck *SHUDDER* was in fact a poison injecting, biting centipede. I had the hubby dig it out of the garbage bin so I could get a better look at it. Looks dead doesn't it. Well, it wasn't! Every time I touched it (with a knife, NOT my finger) it's legs moved. My skin is crawling just thinking about it! That thing fell from the ceiling and landed ON MY NECK while I was asleep! Do you see the pincher things?!

So what do you think? Is it a harmful or harmless centipede?

Bugging Out

2011-05-09T17:02:00.000-04:00

This morning the boy and I were lying on the couch in the front room after he got up a little earlier than I wanted. He was reclined next to me watching some PBS as I was "resting" my eyes comfortably snuggled in a blanket. In my semi-unconscious state, I felt something hit my neck. It felt like the boy had flung a rubber band at me. As I reached across my body to retrieve the rubber band from my neck it occurred to me that maybe it wasn't a rubber band.

It was not a rubber band. It was not a toy spider. It was not a spit ball. It was not a myriad of things I could only wish it was.

And no, it was not a spider.

It was a freaking centipede! Oh my goodness gracious. A real, live, creepy, crawly, super scary, fantastically terrible centipede ON MY NECK!

In that instant of realization that whatever had "hit" my neck was not an inanimate object, I grabbed it and threw it across the room while simultaneously screeching to my husband at the top of my lungs. Fortunately, he came running and saved the day by quickly discarding of the evil, forcipule bearing creature.

I think it looked like this:

Photo from www.termiteterry.com

Although it was black...I think. I'm too scared to look in the garbage bin to find out. I'm scared that sucker (or biter) will be mysteriously missing and has somehow come back to life and on the hunt for me. Likely, I know.

Please don't confused this for the common House Centipede.

Photo from www.connect.in.com

He's looking at you! Don't worry. Yeah, right! He's actually harmless, and quite helpful. He eats other bugs, like spiders. I'm afraid of him too.

But that other beast....maybe not so benign or friendly. Yup. From my extensive web research I have discovered that it was possibly venomous and could have bitten me. Probably not likely or lethal, but possible and not beneficial. And you know as well as I do, the web has all the answers!

Dramatic much? Perhaps, but that sucker dropped from the ceiling, onto my neck, while I was half asleep. How dramatic would you be if it happened to you? Actually, I think it dropped from the air vent that I was lying directly under. What are the chances of that happening??? YIKES! I think I won't be lying, or sitting, under that vent for a long, long time.

Would you?

He is risen!

2011-04-24T13:27:00.000-04:00

He is risen, indeed!

Happy Easter! I hope you have a joyous and blessed day!

Photo courtesy of Microsoft ClipArt Gallery

Earth Day Freebies

2011-04-22T10:52:00.000-04:00

Check out some of the great Earth Day Freebies going on today and into the weekend! I was going to compile a list for you, but why recreate the wheel?!

The following articles have a comprehensive list of deals available. Please add any others you find in the comments!

13 Earth Day Freebies and Deals
Earth Day Freebies from DailyDanny.com
Earth Day Deals 2011 from Yahoo! Green

Celebrate today, but remember....

Every day is Earth Day!

"Tie" Dye Easter Eggs

2011-04-20T22:26:00.001-04:00

Are you looking for a very cool and non-toxic way to dye Easter eggs this year? Or are you just wanting to do something different? Well, this is it!

"Tie" Dye Easter Eggs are created using silk to dye the eggs. It's easy, fun, inexpensive, and very green! The epitome of Eco-Cheap!

What you need:
Eggs
Silk Ties (or scarves, blouses, anything 100% silk)
White Fabric Scraps (old t-shirt, pillow case, etc)
Vinegar
Water
Oil

Here's what I started with:

A few ties that I bought at Goodwill for fifty cents each, and an old white t-shirt that I never wore any more.

Step 1: Deconstruct the ties and cut in pieces big enough to wrap around an egg. Save the inside of the ties. You will use these to tie the silk on the egg.

Step 2: Wrap silk around egg, right side in, and tie with a strip from the inside of tie. The silk must be right side in or else it won't work! Also make sure it is as tight to the egg as possible. Note: I saw another person mention using dental floss to wrap the silk around the egg. It ensures the fabric is in fact very tight to the egg. Seems like a very good idea! I will be doing that next year.

Step 3: Cut t-shirt into pieces and strips and wrap eggs and tie with the strips. You can also use all those unmatched single socks in your laundry basket!

Step 4: Put eggs in large pot and cover with water. Add 3 tablespoons of vinegar. Put on stove on high and bring to boil. Once it boils turn temperature down and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Step 5: Remove from pot and allow to cool.

Step 6: Remove fabric and rub eggs with a little oil to make them shine.

Aren't they beautiful!

And guess what? The silk can be reused! So, be sure to save all your materials and reuse them next year! Talk about reduce, reuse, and recycle!

How are you dyeing your Easter eggs this year? Are you choosing non-toxic dyes or sticking with traditional dyes?

So glad I learned how to do this last year via Martha Stewart Crafts!

$18 for a $40 voucher to ecomom.com!

2011-03-25T15:45:00.001-04:00

Mamapedia has a super sweet deal going on until Monday. Buy a $40 voucher to ecomom.com for $20! Use coupon code SPRING10 and get it for $18. Want to save even more? Go through Ebates and get and additional 4% cash back! Now that's a great deal!

Ecomom.com has a great selection of safe, healthy products for you and your family. There are so many great brands and products to choose from! Two brands that they carry that I have tried and liked are Earth Mama Angel Baby, and Episencial. I think I'll spend my voucher on some good lip stuff, some bar soaps, sunscreen, reusable snack bags, and who knows what else!

What are you going to buy with your voucher?

Eco-Cheap Tip: Check Your Home Air Filter

2011-03-21T16:16:00.000-04:00

We just changed ours so I thought I would remind you of this important household maintenance duty.

A clean air filter is not only important for indoor air quality, but it also increases the efficiency and prolongs the life of your heat and air system. An efficient system saves energy and money!

Checking it once a month is a good rule of thumb, but it really depends on what type air filter you use. Generally, the less efficient filters require more frequent changes. Check out this guide for the recommendations for specific types of filters.

When was the last time you checked/changed your air filter?

Japan Earthquake Hits Home

2011-03-14T15:35:00.001-04:00

Feeling such sadness over the extraordinary destruction from the Japan earthquake and tsunami. The main area affected by the earthquake and tsunami is Miyagi Prefecture, located in the northern part of the island of Honshu. I cannot imagine the confusion, pain, and terror of the people directly impacted by this disaster. Looking at pictures and videos of the devastation bring such a heaviness to my heart. Those poor, poor people. Their lives just washed away.

Photo courtesy of mapsoftheworld.com

This hits home for me and my family, as we have relatives in Japan. My mother is Japanese and her sisters and their families live in Kyoto, which is located in the central part of the island of Honshu. We have been in contact with them and they are safe. We also have friends there, who also have been in contact, and are safe. Fortunately, we don't personally know anyone in or around the area of destruction.

My mom has been glued to her t.v. since Friday, watching Japanese television on satellite, saddened by what she has seen, but also feeling a great sense of pride at how the Japanese people have reacted. In face of such tragedy, they have remained calm and collected, orderly and respectful. Peaceful.

There is no looting going on, people are waiting patiently in line for food, water, and gas, and there is no riotous behavior whatsoever. Why? Because the Japanese people place their community needs above their own. Things like looting don't happen there.

It's this sense of community that assures me that they will recover, they will rebuild, and they will flourish again. It also makes me extraordinarily proud to be half Japanese!

Please, if you can, make a donation to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. Every little bit helps! See widget on the upper right side --->

Building Our Eco-Cheap Home: Spray Foam Insulation

2011-03-09T17:34:00.000-05:00

Last weekend, the hubs and I went to a home show at a local convention center. As we are currently in the planning (and waiting for our house to sell) stage of building a new home, we were interested to learn about some of the newest and coolest products on the market. We got tons of great ideas and are are extremely excited about a few "green" options we discovered.

One "green" option we are interested in is Spray Foam Insulation. When we came across the vendor booth for Profoam of Tennessee I was intrigued to say the least. The hubs and I talked quite extensively to TJ, one of the company's representatives. He answered all of our questions and convinced us (not that it took much convincing) that spray foam was the way to go.

My main interest in spray foam insulation results first, from my desire to not use fiberglass insulation because of the health risks associated with exposure to it. My family's health and safety is of the utmost importance to me and I don't want any of us exposed to formaldehyde out gassing. In addition, spray foam insulation minimizes pollutants and allergens from entering the home.

The economic benefit of better insulation is of secondary importance. Spray foam insulates as much as 50% better than traditional insulation, which means as much as 50% in heating/cooling savings! Add to that, the possible tax credits, and economically, it's pretty compelling.

And the "green" benefits are just the icing on the cake! Less heating/cooling means reduced harmful emissions.

Of course, initial expense is a determining factor. We want to build as "green" a house as we can afford, but long term economic impact is a definite consideration as well. It's difficult to do an initial cost comparison without an actual estimate, but from what I can tell from talking to the Profoam representative and my own research online, it cost anywhere from 2-5 times more than fiberglass insulation. Remember, that is initial cost. The real savings is long term, in reduced heating/cooling.

Want to hear something that is super, duper awesome?!

When we were at the home show we entered all kinds of giveaways and we actually won one! We won a free upgrade to spray foam from Profoam of Tennessee!!! We get our new house sprayed with Profoam for the cost of traditional insulation!! Woo hoo!

Note: I was not compensated in any way, shape, or form, by Profoam of Tennessee for this post. In fact, they have no idea that I wrote this. But, I will be sending them a link. :)

Please Share Henry's Story

2011-03-06T22:06:00.000-05:00

Last week, Katie Granju began breaking her silence regarding the bungled investigation (or lack thereof) into the death of her 18 year old son, Henry. In her latest installment, Katie heartbreakingly reveals her belief that Henry was a victim in a prostitution-for-drugs ring. After ten months of being ignored and insulted by the local authorities, Katie is taking things into her own hands and she needs our help.

How can you help? First off, go read about Henry at Katie's blog. The story begins here. Then share his story with everyone you can. Blog about it, post it on Facebook, Tweet about it using the hashtag #justiceforhenry, email a link to your friends and family, bombard any media outlet you can think of, or send a message to Nancy Grace, 20/20, or anyone you think will take an interest in this case.

There's something fishy going on in Knoxville, Tennessee. Let's help Katie get Henry's story heard and get to the bottom of this.

BOGO Sale at Ecostore USA!

2011-03-01T12:41:00.000-05:00

I was so excited when I saw this today and I had to share. Ecostore USA is having a BOGO March Spring Cleaning Sale March 1st & 2nd! Free shipping over $25! Woo hoo!

I love their "No Nasty Chemicals" products and am heading over there to do some stocking up. You should check it out and stock up, too!

Seeking Justice for Henry

2011-02-27T17:51:00.000-05:00

On May 31st of last year, a much loved 18 year old boy named Henry Louis Granju lost his fight against drug addiction. His death has been treated as an "accidental" overdose by the local authorities, but his mama, well known blogger Katie Granju, has evidence to believe that it was no accident. Today she announced that she will no longer be silenced and will be disclosing what she knows, and what the local authorities have ignored, over the last nine months since Henry's death.

Katie needs our support. Let's help her get justice for Henry. Tell everyone you know. Post it on Facebook, tweet about it, blog about it, email the link, just get it out there for everyone to see. Hopefully the authorities will finally listen to Henry's mama.