Feeling so jazzed today. I grew up in the Southwest and was a real water baby for pretty much my whole life. Growing up we always had an in ground pool and for 9 months out of the year I would spend most of my free time in the water…. that or roller blading. My husband and I dated for years with water as our go to place… pool parties, public pools, waterparks, weekends at the lake, etc. I guess I married another water baby.

Then life got in the way after marriage and a desk job at a marketing firm meant the only water I got to see was at the gym. A move to Ohio kinda put a kibosh on any water all together. We get season passes to a waterpark in the summer but that is more for kiddie enjoyment and due to my guilt over not having had the means to teach my kids to swim. My brother and I knew how to swim before we could walk… having older kids who cannot swim is unfathomable to me.

Anyway, this week I got a lead on a gym very close to me that has a pool. I took a tour and within 2.5 seconds signed a 2 year contract… the water called to me I tell ya. That and I found out they were affiliated with my fave gym back in Phoenix. I knew I had a winner on my hands. This morning I went to my first water aerobics class and couldn’t get the goofy grin off my face. Now I keep going in the bathroom were my swimsuit is drying out just to smell that “pool smell”. I’m home! Or at least it feels that way.

It is ironic that I can feel so at home in what is sure to be a chemical soup. Not sure there is much I can do about that though. I do need to get a cap so I can avoid damaging my hair and I have my eye on a pair of water dumbbells to.

Anyone else love water and have to make due with a pool? Any tips on minimizing chemical exposure?

My ten year old loves to listen to music while he roller blades… which is usually a couple hours each day. He all but commandeered my older iPod shuffle so this week I decided to just gift it to him. Perhaps I was just sick of hearing my son’s music.. “We Will Rock You” in particular. Either way I got a new one for me and the husband. I use it at the gym and for meditation, he uses it while at work.

A new shuffle meant new headphones so I opted to get some of the new wooden earbuds I have been hearing about. The housing around the tip is Mohagony wood, the tips are plastic free silicone, and the cord is braided rope with wires on the inside. Supposedly the sound is supposed to be richer and warmer than regular earbuds but I couldn’t really tell much difference. Though I can’t have the volume very loud because my ears will start to hurt… a side effect of my cancer treatment was ear issues. The colon (what’s left of it) is okay but the ears are wacked, funny how that works. These earbuds do appear to be just a bit greener than other types and these particular ones have a lifetime guarantee, so hurray for that.

If you are in the market for any or your kids need some for school try some wooden ones. They work just as well and I think they are slightly cooler looking myself. You can buy some for anywhere from $20 to $50. Enjoy!

Thanks to my lovely, local library I have turned into a reading fool since we relocated to the East side of Columbus. My husband or I make 2-3 trips a week usually. This bookoholic has saved so much money on books!

This week I read Pedometer Walking. I saw it on the shelf and decided to dust off my pedometer and see what this book had in store for me. It is really a very interesting book about how much we should be walking daily… or rather how many steps we should be taking. According to studies too many Americans walk about 5000 steps daily… this is sedentary. To be considered active we need to be taking 10,000 or more steps per day. By using a pedometer I was able to see that I am REALLY lacking in my steps most days. Today for instance, as I write this post… I have walked only 6,787 steps and it is 5:00 PM when I typically start to relax and vegetate. In my defense I did not take a walk today and I like to walk 1-3 miles several times a week but still… I need to walk more.

Wearing the pedometer all day REALLY helps kick your butt in this regard. After I finish this post I will likely do some laundry (up and down steps) and cleaning just because I cannot stand to have such low step numbers. It gives you a goal to work towards every day. Also helpful is a little chart in the book that converts other activities, like swimming and cycling, to steps. When I go to my water aerobics class on Friday and complete the full 60 minutes I can convert this to 6,600 steps, provided I keep my legs moving. My husband has a pedometer too and it helped him to see that he takes over 16,000 steps just at work. Yowsa!

Anyway it is a fun book for helping you to start a walking program. It outlines the numerous reasons you may want to and helps create a plan for any goal you have whether it be weight loss or training for a race/walk. My motivation is mainly to get of my duff more often since I work a very sedentary job (on a computer for hours each day). I also want to participate in some organized walks in my community that are coming up, and not be winded.

What I like most about this book and the idea of pedometer walking is that is involves one small habit… wearing a pedometer each day and being mindful of how much you walk… easy peasy! I do suggest getting a quality pedometer though. The ones you can buy for $5 at Wal-Mart are crap. Mine broke after 2 days. Now I have a nifty one that closes to prevent accidental resetting when you rub up against something.

Are you walking 10,000 or more steps per day?

One of the easiest ways to “go green” with your beauty supplies is to adopt a minimalist approach. Less is more. Going minimal in the make-up and beauty products department is a good way to de-clutter your bathroom and daily routines. Saving money is another side effect worth considering too. The best benefits though would be to your body and our planet. Here are some things to consider when perusing the beauty department at the the local store.

Make-up Is Toxic - Make-up and beauty products are loaded with chemical nasties that are bad for your body and bad for our planet. Reading a book like Toxic Beauty or Dying to Look Good can help you sort through the numerous reasons why it may be time to change the way you think about beauty and make-up. Are YOU dying to look good?

Our skin is our largest organ and when we slather it with carcinogens and other harmful chemicals, those compounds are being absorbed into our bloodstream. With that in mind should we really be putting things on our skin that we couldn’t also eat? Probably not. So instead of reaching for that conventional make-up or that tube of designer lipstick try safer products like those from Miessence. They are very natural and safe and are probably the only make-up I would use… if I wore any.

Loving Yourself Is Beautiful - Loving and caring for your body means not polluting it. Instead of spending $50 a month on make-up, start going without and use that money on nice haircuts, massages, or a gym membership. There are others ways to improve yourself without donning a toxic mask. One of the best beauty tricks I have found for the skin is to drink Green Smoothies. It plumps up your skin and makes it look younger and hydrated. It’s better than Botox!

Natural Works Just As Well – Why buy moisturizer when you can use coconut oil? Why buy shampoo when you can use baking soda and apple cider vinegar? Natural products are safe, cheap, and they work. They may not make you smell like a sugar cookie or a tea rose but this is a small price to pay.

Make-up is Clutter – Many women have a tendency to over do it on make-up and beauty products and then not even use them. If you have lotion or lipstick from 10 years ago in your make-up drawer you are probably one of these women. Decide that you will only own the basics (if you must)… good make-up brushes, mascara, blush, powder, lipstick. Select a set number and buy a small make-up bag. You can’t have more than what you can put in your bag. Eventually you will see that you never needed all that extra stuff anyway and your bathroom will be clean! I remember the days when I wore make-up and there was always loose powder or mascara smears on the bathroom counter. I cannot tell you how much I don’t miss the clutter and mess.

Be a Good Example For Your Children – By being that person who cannot leave the house without 20 minutes of beautification and a mask of make-up we are perpetuating the stereotype that beauty comes in a bottle. Our kids will get enough warped messages from ads and media that they are not good enough the way they are. The last thing they need is to receive that message at home too. Set a good example for them.

What is your secret minimalist beauty trick?