This morning I got a great reminder from a green blogger I admire, and that I got to meet in person a couple months ago. The lovely Shane at Environmental Booty is asking others to share what they do to to find fulfillment and make the most of each day. It is so important to be able to find your happiness and joy in little things, each and every day and yet it is so hard to do for many of us. This is an important topic for me because I tend to be one of those “someday” people. I have big dreams. I have concrete ideas of what I want my life to be and what I want to do with it. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big of course but folks like me forget to live in the moment and seek out happiness right this very second. If I am not careful I find myself drifting aimlessly and starting to get depressed that someday is still so far off.

Last year though I made a resolution to spend greater time on self care and finding happiness NOW. It worked so well that my resolution this year was to have more fun. I would like to think I am getting pretty good at making the most of every day now. It is not uncommon to find myself thinking that if this, right now, was all my life would ever come to be, then I am pretty darn lucky. When you seek joy every day, you don’t have to worry so much about someday anymore.

So what do I do to find my happiness? These days I make time for myself and I seek happiness by going to the gym several times a week. It gets the day started right and I feel good when I do. I make time to visit the library usually once a week and just meander up and down the isles looking at books. Books=happiness. I take a class or go to a workshop on the weekend, for fun and to better myself. I visit thrift stores to find good deals. I go the movies by myself. I saw John Carter yesterday and fell in love.

Sometimes I tell my husband that we simply MUST go out for ice cream (while the kids are in school) and we go to Jeni’s ice Cream together. We did this just last week in fact. It is artisan ice cream with unique and amazing flavors. They also use local grass fed cream! Does this not scream happiness?!?!

Magnolia Mochi, Mango Kiwi, Icelandic Happy Marriage Cake, and Tres Leches w/Here and There Cherries

Mmmm, I think we need to go again this week. ;)

TODAY I have found my happiness in…

Getting up early so I could throw dinner in the slow cooker AND watch a few episodes of Friday Night Lights in peace and quiet.
Cooking yummy Garlic Ginger Chicken for me and two of my men folk, for lunch.
Buying myself some flowers and putting them on my desk to enjoy all day long.

The flowers teased me at the grocery all week long and I resisted their urges until today when I read Shane’s post. Then when I went out to get butter for the aforementioned chicken, I HAD to get them. I am so happy that I did. Someone at the store sprinkled them with glitter and it just gives them a magical feel. Every time I look at them I have to smile in contentment. Finding your happiness doesn’t only have to be about the big moments in life, it can be about all the small ones too.

What do you do to make every moment count and find happiness in the small stuff? Link up below:

Hiking is an easy and fun way to get in shape and work on your fitness goals. It is also a great way to reconnect with nature, get much need outdoors time in the fresh air and sunlight, and get away from the stresses of fast paced city living. Hiking has been one of my all time favorite ways to exercise for many years now. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

But like many sports and fitness activities it seems that synthetic clothing and gear is predominantly what you find in sporting goods stores. I happen to find much of it uncomfortable and prone to getting smelly if you wear it long enough. This clothing is often made of some sort of poly blend which is actually plastic. Unless it is recycled plastic, then it may not be the greenest gear for you to wear. Since hiking is supposed to help us connect with mother nature and identify with the need to protect our outdoor spaces, wearing clothing that harms the planet is a form of hypocrisy. Fortunately outdoor retailers are catching on to this and slowly we are seeing more green options for the hiking enthusiast.

After checking local thrift stores and consignment shops you may end up with a few good hiking pieces but then again you may not. Serious hikers can go through gear pretty fast. You may find some hiking poles, an external frame pack, or wool socks though… it always worth a look right?

If you can’t second hand source this stuff I have put together a quick list of some of my fave eco hiking recommendations below, to give you some ideas of what is out there. Enjoy!

1. You may hate slathering yourself with toxic sunscreen but your head and face can get burned pretty quickly if you don’t cover up. This Earth Divas  Hemp Floppy Hat is just what you need. If will help keep those harmful rays off your skin and it is made with natural, breathable hemp.

Wool is a great choice for hiking gear since it is a natural fiber with lots of great qualities. It is breathable, eco friendly, and it helps regulate body temperature, which makes it a good choice no matter what the weather looks like. Wool is also known for its ability to repel moisture and wick it away from the skin. Perfect! The next 3 items are made from wool…

2. Icebreaker Women’s Henley Lite Shirt - made with silky smooth and lightweight merino wool which gives great protection against the sun and wicking properties to keep you looking great and feeling cool.

3. SmartWool Foothills Full-Zip Sweater - Gorgeous! The color and style of this sweater is amazing. For chilly morning or evening hikes it will help you warm and toasty without making you overheat. Made with 100% Merino wool for excellent insulating power and breathability. Make sure to take this sweater on ski trips too! And if you need a jacket, SmartWool makes them too.

4. Socks are an important part of hiking, just like some good boots. No one likes cold and/or wet toes… that will ruin a hike right quick! Darn Tough Merino Wool Socks are made of itch free antimicrobial merino wool.

5. Finding eco friendly shoes is tough already, finding hiking boots is even more so. These are not the perfect choice but they are definitely a step in the right direction. The idea is to absorb moisture and keep it away from your feet and these boots – the Kayland Zephyr W – use a new technology that utilizes activated carbon derived from coconut shells.. which is a recycled, sustainable material.

6. MountainSmith backpacks are often made of recycled materials which makes them a green option. Hemp and canvas are also wonderful options but may be harder to find in something larger than a daypack.

7. This bottle is really unique and I intend to write a more elaborate post on it soon but it is bamboo on the outside and glass on the inside. It can also be attached to a backpack with ease. It is sleek, fun, and eco friendly.

Get outside and go for a hike this weekend okay? If you need some inspiration check out an amazing book I just read about a woman who has hiked the Appalachian trail 3 times… Becoming Odyssa: Epic Adventures on the Appalachian Trail.

Summertime may be winding down but most of us have a few weeks to go. Now is the time that parents run rampant trying to think of things to do as a family while you still have sunshine and an open schedule. There are many great things to do with the kids; they just take consideration, cooperation and planning and all the summer activity thus far might have left you with a little brain fry. One great thing to do with the kids that also involves getting away and into nature… is camping. This can be a wonderful outdoor adventure; keeping in mind your children’s ages, with a little planning that can be hugely successful. We are hoping to take a little camping adventure in the next several weeks… but we actually want to wait for the cooler weather of Fall.

Naturally a large part of the camping experience happens before you leave. Make sure you have all the appropriate clothing, especially for the cooler nights, swimming, and sleeping. Then you are on your way. Let the children help. Its camping, so things do not need to be perfect by any means. Let them help with the tent, food, getting wood all of it. By helping they will keep busy and feel included. You can also spend your pre-trip days getting gear from thrift stores, yard sales, friends, or Freecycle. My son bought a 6 person tent last week at a yard sale for $2.00. This is actually the second nice yard sale tent he has bought.

Planning activities while at the camp site is important too. One of the neat things to do is a nature walk. We all know kids love that stuff. Make it a long one its great exercise and it will help with sleeping later in the night. Let them touch and explore, they can gather stuff to make craft projects as well. Bring a shovel with you and let them dig. Bring a pail as well and you will have hours of contentment. Ask then to build something by the campsite and they will be occupied for a long time.

It’s a great idea to bring some outdoor toys as well. Balls, Frisbee etc are great ideas. Chances are kids won’t get bored of all the nature stuff, but if they do you are prepared. Make sure you also pack a rainy day bag. Paper, crayons and such if the weather turns bad. A couple good children’s books are also nice. Hopefully you won’t have to use it but if you do it will be much appreciated. Another tip is to keep the food simple. You can still have nutritious food just simplify it. Lots of finger foods are best and again something the kids can help with is better.

Certainly one huge thing as well is to check the campsite out before you go. You need to do this to make sure it has everything that you will need. Everyone’s idea of camping is different. Some may want to completely rough it and others will not do without certain things. So take the time to check a few places out. You will find some have activities as well for the children or hay rides at night, that would be a great extra.

The most important thing is to remember to have fun. If it’s your first time with the kids there might be a bit of stress. Just relax and remember it’s camping and just about anything goes. Let the kids have fun and explore and be creative. For the most part let the rules relax and the kids will look after themselves. Try to find the fine line between being organized to provide structure, yet not be too regimented. All in all it will be a wonderful experience and one I am sure you will do again.

If you take a look at most any interior decorating book, magazine, or website you usually come away rather discouraged at the amount of money that it takes to achieve the look you want your home to have. It seems that anything resembling that glossy magazine photo is going to cost some serious green. But quite frankly there is a simple and effective method for attaining the look that you want without spending a fortune; all it takes is a solid knowledge of the style you have in mind, an empty car trunk, and a free Saturday morning for yard sales, thrifting, and time to pick up some Craigslist booty.

I do not happen to have the desire to turn my house into a magazine photo. There is nothing wrong with that but it just isn’t my thing. I like simple decor that screams “a family lives here” not “I have an interior decorator”. Plus my tastes are eclectic… I like farmhouse decor, modern, retro, bohemian, and new age and I am not afraid to mix, LOL. Either way you decide to go though… second hand shopping can get the job done. Garage and yard sales particularly are a great source for second hand items, but don’t overlook second hand shops and thrift stores as well as moving or estate sales or auctions that you can find advertised in your local newspaper. In fact, you never know where you are going to find awesome second hand objects and sometimes friends, neighbors and family will be more than willing to give you items they are looking to get rid of or that have been taking up much-needed storage space for years.

Avoidance Issues - There are plenty of people who shy away from decorating their homes with second hand furnishings or decorations because they somehow feel that purchasing something second hand will somehow give them a negative reputation; that somehow people looking at an object will know that it was purchased second hand. Success means having the money to buy the best and buy it brand new right? Whatever…

There are still others who won’t consider second hand decorating for reasons that range from quality to safety, but for those who can get past their aversion to having something in their home that once belonged to (or was used by) someone else, the benefits of decorating your home with second hand items is fairly self-explanatory.

The Benefits of Second Hand Decorating

The primary reason to purchase second hand furnishings and decorations is fairly obvious; price. Buying second hand items almost always costs less than it would to purchase the item new (unless you’re dealing with an antique – in which case all bets are off). Not only can you save yourself a great deal of money, you can also find high quality, even unique, one-of-a-kind items at a fraction of the cost they would cost you in a regular store. Items that would normally cost you hundreds of dollars can be had for a bargain; especially if the individual selling them is anxious to be rid of them. When we moved into our current house almost a year ago we had no kitchen table. Our previous one (which we had since we got married) bit the dust in the move. Anyway I knew I wanted either a farmhouse table or a vintage table from the 50s/60s. The farmhouse tables were over $800 used and the vintage ones were hard to find. I saw new vintage-style tables like I wanted for around $500 but I had serious doubts if the quality would be the same. So I waited almost a year but eventually I got what I wanted at an estate auction and the cost could not be beat… ready for it… $1.00. Yes, I said one dollar! It is a retro/vintage kitchen table set from the 60s I would say. I LOVE it!!!

This baby is metal and sturdy as heck. The color combo is brown/beige/mustard which also pleases me. But the table will match many different cushion colors so someday I might redo the cushions to mint and butter yellow. Some of the chair fabric is ripped or otherwise I wouldn’t even bother. It also fits the space better. Who was I trying to fool thinking a  farmhouse table would even fit there or look good? I am not Martha Stewart and I don’t have a farmhouse near a vineyard. I live in a rented duplex that kisses the outskirts of a large city. This table is me… simple, practical, no frills.

A few weeks back we got a white leather recliner from a sale for $5. We got it home and quickly realized why it had been sold so cheap. The cushion from inside was disintegrating and throwing up everywhere. Every morning it looked like someone had thrown popcorn all over the place. So, we freecycled that one and found another the same day via Craigslist for $15. It is even better suited to us and our brown couch… olive green, cushy, and cloth covered. The lady who sold it to us also gave us a nice metal filing cabinet and sold us two large dressers for $5. An older find is this old time school desk that was only $3 and serves as a homeschool nook for us:

I LOVE second hand stuff!

One of the least recognized benefits of purchasing items second hand is in knowing that what you are purchasing has already ‘proved’ itself. If the item is still usable and looks good after having been used for a length of time, chances are that it will serve you will and not wear out or fall apart as so many ‘new’ things tend to do fairly quickly after being purchased.

For art work we have purchased second hand of course but since I take pictures I like to hang my own art. To make that cheaper I use Group deal sites like Groupon and MamaSource and get them half price. When you refer friends you get credit too and all three of the canvas photos on my family room wall were FREE. I like that price!

It really isn’t hard to decorate your home, even if you are on a shoestring budget, it just takes a little creativity and a willingness to consider purchasing items from places you normally might not consider buying them, but by thinking outside of the box you can make your home into a truly original work of art.

Getting ready to go back to school can bring a lot of mixed emotions; grief over the loss of summer, relief for the parents, dread for the kids, and it can have some green-minded parents shaking their head over the sheer amount of items (clothes, shoes, school supplies) that their kids seem to need to buy – and re-buy, each and every year.  Even when you homeschool you typically still buy some new stuff around this time because this is when it is readily available and on sale. Is there a way to green the return to the school scene? You betcha!

Luckily for us treehugger parents, there are several ways that you can turn a green eye on your back-to-school shopping and actually feel good about your reduced carbon footprint, and several have been included here.

The Green Scene for Back to School Clothes

Kids seem to grow a mile a minute, and sometimes it seems nearly impossible to keep them clothed without spending a fortune; add to that their insistence on being ‘hip’ or fashionable, and it can seem that trying to hopeless project go any shade of green.

For the seriously green-minded parent, there are a growing number of green-minded children’s clothing stores that are cropping up all across the US. From stores that use all organic cotton or hemp to stores that remake vintage clothing for today’s kids, there are plenty of choices available. I watched group deal places like Zulily and MamaSource all summer for deals on organic clothing. Those items work well for the limited amount of “new” stuff I buy each year and it is not so much a need for new as it is a need to help support companies making greener options so they stick around.

If you want to get your kids really “into” the greening of their closets, try taking them to a thrift store; some of the upscale thrift stores have styles and brands that even picky teenagers can’t complain about, and you’ll be able to breathe a sigh of relief that you are helping planet earth as much as possible. We went on our annual back to school thrift store trip this past week. I got so many adorable clothing items that my 7 year old daughter is happy to spend hours in her room trying them all on and figuring out all of the combinations she can make. The most we spent on anything was $5.99 and that was for a brand new with tags 3 piece outfit (shirt, skirt, and alternating pants). Most of the clothing we bought was $1.99 a piece and we only bought nice stuff. Then we came home and freecycled their clothing that doesn’t fit anymore so that we can help other families keep it green too.

For shoes I recommend Simple Shoes. They have some very nice, eco friendly choices for kids.

There are also other components of fashion beyond clothing, especially for girls. My daughter usually starts out the year with some new piggy paints, non toxic nail polish and some natural lip gloss or balm (no lipstick yet!). She gets jewelry such as beaded necklaces at yard sales and garage sales and pretty soon earrings too since she will start this year with pierced ears.

For backpacks we use the same one from year to year. My youngest son will be going on year two for his Crocodile Creek Pack for his speech therapy sessions. My daughter decided to freecycle her backpack of 2 years for a new one this year. I didn’t complain because it was an iCarly backpack (which I objected to with no success) and this year she wanted an unbranded horse/pony backback. I still consider it a success.

Green Lunches for Green Kids

Lunches are a big part of your child’s school day, so why not focus on creating lunches for them that are based on organic and local grown foods? Local bakeries for the breads, farmers markets for the fruits and vegetables, or at the very least organic products from your local grocery store. I like to stock up on Apple Butter during the Fall days of our Farmer’s Market and it makes an appearance in lunches quite often. Local apples are another favorite as well as pumpkin soup (served cold) made from local pumpkins.

As you pack lunches use recyclable lunch bags or lunch boxes instead of paper bags. Even the pickiest kid can’t complain about the new metal water bottles with the awesome designs that can be used to send their drinks to school. You can even send green smoothies in them for a powerhouse of nutrition. For the best lunchboxes I recommend LunchBots, Tiffins, or The Laptop Lunchbox. I love that the laptop lunchbox has lids that can be used on some compartments so you can send pumpkin soup or chia seed pudding and not have it make a mess.

If you have teens that don’t want a lunch box you can give them a stylish reusable bag and some Planet Wise sandwich wraps. They can be used for more than just sandwiches and they are an eco friendly way to wrap foods. Plus the wrap can be unfolded and used as a placemat. Cool! Teens also like Built NY bags. They are funky and stylish while still be functional.

For more eco lunch ideas check out Bento Lunchbox.

An Eye on Green School Supplies

School supplies are perhaps the hardest thing to consider going green with when it comes to back-to-school shopping, but making wise choices can actually make a difference in the long run. When shopping for filler paper, notebooks and pencils, don’t settle for the cheapest products available, but choose instead items made from recycled paper and wood. An alternative paper notebook I like is the Writersblok Bamboo Notebook made from bamboo pulp. Also conventional stores usually have a greener notebook available it just costs more than the virgin paper notebooks for some reason.

You can buy eco pencils or dispense with standard wood pencils altogether and opt for a mechanical pencil where the only thing you have to worry about are the graphite refills. The same holds true with pens. While the solid case pens may be the cheapest, try choosing some refillable retractable pens instead. We have some Smens Scented pens made from newspaper and recycled plastic that my kids will be using this year. EcoPencils makes colored pencils too. This Terracycle pencil bag made from recycled juice bags would be an awesome way to carry them. ;)

And whatever you do, try to keep track of your mainstays from year to year. Re-using things like rulers, calculators, protractors the like may seem time consuming, it can make a decided difference, not just in the cost of your back-to-school supply shopping, but in how much it saves the planet to not have to deal with one more plastic calculator or ruler or protractor in the landfills. Throughout the year you can find these items at yard sales too.

For more info check out my main green school supplies page and this letter to the teacher.

Part of the Green back to School Carnival.