No, it's not money if that's what you're thinking or a person by that name. The green that seduced me is our environment. Over the last 5 years I've become more enviro-conscious. What really did it for me was the birth of my son 2 years ago Sun.
After he was born, I joined a gym to get back my size 2 (yeah, I wish) figure. Ok, I really just wanted to lose the baby weight and be able to wear my regular clothes. (By the way, I did that). Anyway, I'm at the gym one day climbing stairs like I'm trying to chase down my favorite celeb and all the while reading an article about a few other celebs who've gone green in one way or another and a lightbulb goes on. All that energy used on the machine and I still had enough to turn on a lightbulb :) I realized, even though we have all the child-proof locks on the cabinets with cleaning supplies, it didn't matter. There was residue left behind everytime I used those HORRIBLE chemicals and everytime anything touched one of those surfaces and then my son, he was being exposed. THAT WAS NOT ACCEPTABLE!!! (That was on a Thurs.) But, after chasing down celebs on the stairmaster, I was too tired to do anything that night.
I got home Fri and that was a completely different story. I got online and looked up all kinds of enviro-friendly cleaners and I packed up all those cancer causing, horrible smelling, filthy chemicals and first thing Sat morning, hauled them off to the local Household Hazardous Waste drop off site. Then I headed out to get the ingredients for my new friendly cleaners. I wasn't sure how they would work, but I was willing to scrub twice as hard to keep the bad stuff away from my baby.
Guess what, those friendly cleaners did a much better job. The oven cleaner FAR surpassed any of those horrible smelling ones from the store. The wood cleaner (2 parts oil to 1 part lemon juice) even has multiple uses. It cleans wood great, but is also fantastic on leather furniture. Who'd a thunk it???
Then, according to my hubby, I got a little fanatical. I recycled everything and wouldn't buy it if it had any bad "stuff" in it. I basically told him to get over it. What was more important, our health AND that of our son or being a fanatic? He finally got on the wagon train and is now just as much of a fanatic as I am. Then again, now, he says I'm NOT a fanatic, I'm just being a great mom.
If you've read my other posts, you know we bought our first house in Dec. That's not exactly a good time to start a compost, so we waited. About 2 months ago we got an amazing compost contraption. I don't know what else to call it. It looks like a huge green sphere and doesn't require worms. You just load your "stuff" into, put it in an area that gets lots of sun and wait. We had soil after just 6 weeks. Then again, I also had 4 HUGE bags of leaves I had raked that were just waiting to be composted. Speaking as the enviro-fanatic, guess whose idea it was to buy this contraption instead of using something else...Yep, you're right, my hubby.
I have to say something else about him. He's the most wonderful husband and father I can imagine. He has endless patience and would love nothing more than to spend his days rolling around on the floor or in the yard with our son playing whatever game our little guy wanted. Who could ask for more than that?
It's almost time to pick up my little piece of heaven from daycare, so I'll see you all around later....
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Contortionist Monkey
Did that title get your attention??? That is my son's new name. If you're a parent, you probably know what I mean. You're at the doctor's or heaven forbid in church and they have had it with sitting still. They want up and they want up NOW. When my son reaches this point, he can contort his body in ways I didn't know possible to try and get down. Then again, maybe I used to be able to do that and just don't want to admit it now.
The monkey part comes from him climbing anything and everythin he can get a toehold on including us, his parents. He climbs the dresser, the couch, the entertainment center, the kitchen table the foyer staircase, and especially the baby gate (needless to say, we gave up on that) you name and he will climb it. Luckily, so far, we have always managed to catch him after just a couple of steps. But, I know the day is coming when neither my husband nor I will be fast enough and he'll get to the top of something and then jump. Hello hospital and probably social services the ways things are today.
You know when I was growing up, kids got hurt all the time and no one jumped to conclusions. In the summer, we could leave home first thing in the morning, ride our bikes to a friends and stay all day. The only rule was to be home by sundown. Unfortunately, times have changed. I can't imagine the day I'll have to turn him loose and out of my site (daycare doesn't count). I'm getting nervous just thinking about it.
Lunch is about over...so have a great day and I'll see you here later...
The monkey part comes from him climbing anything and everythin he can get a toehold on including us, his parents. He climbs the dresser, the couch, the entertainment center, the kitchen table the foyer staircase, and especially the baby gate (needless to say, we gave up on that) you name and he will climb it. Luckily, so far, we have always managed to catch him after just a couple of steps. But, I know the day is coming when neither my husband nor I will be fast enough and he'll get to the top of something and then jump. Hello hospital and probably social services the ways things are today.
You know when I was growing up, kids got hurt all the time and no one jumped to conclusions. In the summer, we could leave home first thing in the morning, ride our bikes to a friends and stay all day. The only rule was to be home by sundown. Unfortunately, times have changed. I can't imagine the day I'll have to turn him loose and out of my site (daycare doesn't count). I'm getting nervous just thinking about it.
Lunch is about over...so have a great day and I'll see you here later...
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Joys of Wawe
One last post for the day...in case you're wondering what wawe is, it's what my 2 yr old calls water...
House hunting & buying
My husband and I bought our first house in Dec...(got in just before the first-time home buyer minimum downpayment went up!!!) We had been looking for about 8 months and finally found one we both liked. Let me tell you, that was not easy. My husband grew up in this area and his parents live in one of the historic areas and he LOVES architecture especially from the turn of the century (20th not 21st). He really wanted one of those houses...luckily, the few up for sale were all WAY outside our budget.
The outsides may be great, but they have either teeny tiny closets or not at all. (What, did those people not have any clothes???) I need at least 2 walk-in closets just for my stuff!!!
Anyway, so we got a great deal (one of the few situations where the current economy helped us) and from the day we first say it to the day we closed was only 23 days...I'm sure that has to be some kind of record.
So before we moved in, I had to at least paint a few things...I love the accent walls you see on HGTV so I have 2 of them and if I do say so, I think they look great. We also had all the carpets cleaned. The previous owners had at least 1 pet who apparently had accidents reguarly in the living room. So everything is moving along and I have my notebook of EVERYTHING I would eventually like to do to the house.
So the other day I get home and apparently one of our cats decided the litter box wasn't clean enough and used the living room floor - the same place the previous pet had used. As for housekeeping, I love to clean and the only thing I ask of my husband - keep the litter box clean. So I check and it's horrible. I sure wouldn't have used it :) Needless to say, my dear hubby got an earfull when he got home. Of course, 30 minutes later, I felt horrible...he works full-time and goes to school full-time so I apologized.
Anyway, we start really examining the carpet and OMG, it smelled aweful. I don't know how we had never noticed it before, or maybe we did and just ignored it or maybe all the paint fumes hid the smell. So, now we have to pull up the carpet and I'm certainly not going to put down new and start the cycle over. We agreed on hardwood floors. The main house, entry way and hallway all have pale hardwood floors. I tell my dear hubby, we need to match it and put that down in the living room.
That did it...the architect in him kicked in (he never finished his architecture degree - he's an engineer) but he starts in on how each space has it's own purpose and should be separate from other spaces. OK,I agree with that...but watch any HGTV show and they say everything should flow... The only thing separating the living room floor from the entry way (with pale hardwood) is one of those little kickplate thingies...so now I may have to live with stink until we can agree...HELP!!! The only thing I know to do is possible get my mother-in-law to help. If we ask her opinion ( hope she agrees with me) that would settle it...then it's just a matter of getting it done. I just wish my MIL would get back from the trip so we can get started...Oh no, what if she doesn't agree??? Then I guess it's dark hardwood and may I can put down a BIG area run and cover it.
The outsides may be great, but they have either teeny tiny closets or not at all. (What, did those people not have any clothes???) I need at least 2 walk-in closets just for my stuff!!!
Anyway, so we got a great deal (one of the few situations where the current economy helped us) and from the day we first say it to the day we closed was only 23 days...I'm sure that has to be some kind of record.
So before we moved in, I had to at least paint a few things...I love the accent walls you see on HGTV so I have 2 of them and if I do say so, I think they look great. We also had all the carpets cleaned. The previous owners had at least 1 pet who apparently had accidents reguarly in the living room. So everything is moving along and I have my notebook of EVERYTHING I would eventually like to do to the house.
So the other day I get home and apparently one of our cats decided the litter box wasn't clean enough and used the living room floor - the same place the previous pet had used. As for housekeeping, I love to clean and the only thing I ask of my husband - keep the litter box clean. So I check and it's horrible. I sure wouldn't have used it :) Needless to say, my dear hubby got an earfull when he got home. Of course, 30 minutes later, I felt horrible...he works full-time and goes to school full-time so I apologized.
Anyway, we start really examining the carpet and OMG, it smelled aweful. I don't know how we had never noticed it before, or maybe we did and just ignored it or maybe all the paint fumes hid the smell. So, now we have to pull up the carpet and I'm certainly not going to put down new and start the cycle over. We agreed on hardwood floors. The main house, entry way and hallway all have pale hardwood floors. I tell my dear hubby, we need to match it and put that down in the living room.
That did it...the architect in him kicked in (he never finished his architecture degree - he's an engineer) but he starts in on how each space has it's own purpose and should be separate from other spaces. OK,I agree with that...but watch any HGTV show and they say everything should flow... The only thing separating the living room floor from the entry way (with pale hardwood) is one of those little kickplate thingies...so now I may have to live with stink until we can agree...HELP!!! The only thing I know to do is possible get my mother-in-law to help. If we ask her opinion ( hope she agrees with me) that would settle it...then it's just a matter of getting it done. I just wish my MIL would get back from the trip so we can get started...Oh no, what if she doesn't agree??? Then I guess it's dark hardwood and may I can put down a BIG area run and cover it.
Cheaper than a Shrink
Ok, so I'm new to blogging, but I figure it's cheaper than a shrink and I can get things off my chest...I don't want any of you to think I have a horrible life...I don't. I have a wonderful husband, amazing 2 year old, a good job and a roof over my head which is a lot more than some people can say these days.
On the other hand, I have issues to deal with and hate to always turn to my hubby (especially when he's sometimes the problem) and I tried the shrink thing years ago and wasted money because I don't like talking to them and usually don't tell them the whole truth anyway. So why did I go in the first place you ask...
That was years ago and it was not my choice at that point, my parents decided if I wouldn't talk to them then it was off to the shrink. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a bad kid, just very quite and introverted and didn't make friends easily. They were concerned because I preferred to be by myself rather than out with friends. I don't know if I just outgrew it or am great at faking it, but I'm certainly no longer an introvert and while I do need "me" time, I do enjoy being around people now.
Thinking back on it, a lot of it probably had to do with the fact that I was always a bit on the heavy side and as kids do, I was teased horribly. I think things started to change when I finally outgrew the weight issue and made the cheerleading squad. I still wan't the most popular, but definitely started being more outgoing.
So I'm almost 38 and you wonder why I'm having flashbacks to junior high and highschool. It's because my 20 reunion is coming up in a few months. Of course more of us are on facebook, but I've only kept in touchwith a few of them.
I remember when my mom had her 20 year reunion, I gave her such a hard time... "It's been 20 years???...OMG you're so old." Needless to say, she got a kick out of it when I told her I got the invite for mine.
On the other hand, I have issues to deal with and hate to always turn to my hubby (especially when he's sometimes the problem) and I tried the shrink thing years ago and wasted money because I don't like talking to them and usually don't tell them the whole truth anyway. So why did I go in the first place you ask...
That was years ago and it was not my choice at that point, my parents decided if I wouldn't talk to them then it was off to the shrink. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't a bad kid, just very quite and introverted and didn't make friends easily. They were concerned because I preferred to be by myself rather than out with friends. I don't know if I just outgrew it or am great at faking it, but I'm certainly no longer an introvert and while I do need "me" time, I do enjoy being around people now.
Thinking back on it, a lot of it probably had to do with the fact that I was always a bit on the heavy side and as kids do, I was teased horribly. I think things started to change when I finally outgrew the weight issue and made the cheerleading squad. I still wan't the most popular, but definitely started being more outgoing.
So I'm almost 38 and you wonder why I'm having flashbacks to junior high and highschool. It's because my 20 reunion is coming up in a few months. Of course more of us are on facebook, but I've only kept in touchwith a few of them.
I remember when my mom had her 20 year reunion, I gave her such a hard time... "It's been 20 years???...OMG you're so old." Needless to say, she got a kick out of it when I told her I got the invite for mine.
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