barefoot

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Why I like the planet

I've tried to be kind to the earth for awhile now. I've always like recycling and I joined an environmental group when I was in high school. I grew up reusing things and being practical with possessions for the most part. I've been somewhat of a pack rat though (nice word for hoarder) but every year it's getting easier to get rid of things.
I have a hard time understanding why others don't constantly think of the environment like I do. Of course, I'm not perfect and I still buy and throw away a lot of waste, but I'd like to think it's pretty minimal compared to others. I became a lot more conscious about all this after I had my son. Sure, the earth is massive and there's a vast amount of space that probably won't be used up in his lifetime. But what about future generations of my family? Should I never think about them and what they will have left in a hundred years?
I've got a long way to go before I become a crazy tree hugger - but my husband might tell you differently. It's a hobby of mine I guess. I have to keep coming up with creative ways to reuse things, or new recipes to use instead of buying processed foods, I have to spend more time searching for used things and resist the temptation to buy new things in the mean time. It gets hard, I admit.
But, because it's a challenge, it can be rewarding as well. Not only do I save money by buying used things, avoiding chemical cleaners and some processed foods, it's a lot healthier for me and my family. I do have the advantage of being a stay at home mom now and thus a little more time to spend on this endeavor and for that I do feel blessed. But, I have to say, it's become a lifestyle for me and I don't even think twice about some things anymore. It took a little while, but now I always remember my reusable bags when I go shopping and I always throw the food straps in the bin under the sink. Now if I could just cut down on my computer use!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Rough few weeks

My son has been sick for two weeks now with a bad cold. He's been sick before, but this time is worse. I'm glad we got through a year without any serious illnesses though! It's definitely no picnic with a sick child in your care 24/7 as I've just learned! But otherwise he's doing great. He's learning a new sign every couple of days and starting to imitate the words we say, too. He loves to dance and pull our dogs tail - luckily Lenny lets him do it!

It's March now and that means winter is almost over! I've already started a bit of spring cleaning. I'm trying to get some of it out of the way so when spring is actually here, we can be outside instead! I'm sure C will want to be outside and he'll probably be able to run by then. I'm kind of anxious to start the garden and work on the yard.

What I'm into right now: being environmentally friendly, repurposing objects, decorating (or just fantasizing about decorating...), couponing and saving money. I'm trying to go with a theme for this blog, and I haven't made a definite decision yet, but it will probably be one of those things. Sorry my posts will be a little scattered until then.