I usually like Boon products. We have a couple even but what made those Boon purchases worth it in my mind was that they replaced an unhealthy chemical laden product we might normally purchase with something, better… in terms of safety and design. Bath toys from Boon are an example of something I can find value in, since conventional bath toys may have PVC or BPA, but one of their latest products has me scratching my head.
The Boon Glass Drying Rack is super cute and very clever I admit… but absolutely a waste of resources to make in my opinion. Do we REALLY need a plastic drying tray that looks like grass? Is there something wrong with drying our baby spoons on a metal rack next to the adult spoons or drying that pacifier on a clean towel if you have no drying rack?
One of the peeves I have with the "healthier" plastic movement and of course the green products movement is that it isn't really green or healthy if we get sucked into buying more plastic stuff just because its cute. Yeah this rack is ADORABLE but you can't sell me on the idea that you NEED it… [...] Continue Reading…

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1. Up our winter activities with winter hikes, sledding, ice skating, snow tubing, and evening walks. 
2. Get more involved with our metro parks and our city parks and recreation offerings… nature hikes, educational classes, etc.
3. Plan a garden for the new house, utilizing the yard and patio.
4. Join some local photography classes and photo walks. Take more pictures, hone my craft.
5. Save for and buy an older RV or pop up tent trailer for camping and fix it up. Do any mechanical work myself or with my husband.
6. Help my parents fix up their home to sell by summer so we can move back to Arizona. I would rather stay here but I am overruled.
7. Learn to make more of my own herbal remedies and personal care products.
8. De-clutter and simplify! Seek outside (paid) help more often for deep cleaning.
9. Dedicate more time to crafty projects for me and the kids.
10. Regularly volunteer my time and energy to those less fortunate.
Oh and please, please let my youngest son's new year's resolution be that he start using the potty,  just sayin…
Also check out my Unplugged – Activity related New Year's Resolutions and Green Hour's "Out There" Resolutions.

Just before Christmas I got a gift certificate to Borders from my brother. Instead of waiting until after Christmas to use it I braved the crowds and bought a couple books to read over the holiday. One of those purchases was The Daily Coyote – A Story of Love, Survival, and Trust in the Wilds of Wyoming. The cover and title called to me from across the store.
This book is a fantastic true story that hooked me from page one. It makes you examine things that you long thought you had your mind made up about and it made me feel rather tiny in the presence of such bravery and bravado. Shreve Stockton is a woman after my own heart.. a kindred soul that I recognize on some deep level. She is a New Yorker turned cowgirl who literally runs with coyotes (or a coyote – singular I should say).
The story is told by Shreve about how she traveled from San Francisco back to her beloved New York City … alone… on a Vespa. Her journey took her through Wyoming where she felt her heart being called home. Thinking she would get over it as soon as she got [...] Continue Reading…

I have absolutely loved 2009… I will be hard pressed to top it, but I know we will. Still, there is so much to look back on and treasure. My babies (often referred to as Payton, Paige, and Parker) turned 3, 5, and 9. My darling daughter started Kindergarten and my youngest started going to a public immersion preschool for a speech and developmental delay. I cried this week when he looked at me and said for the first time… "Mom, your the best". My oldest joined the wrestling team and my daughter played t-ball.
We spent many days at the Zoo, a local waterpark, and COSI since we have season passes for each. We hiked in many state and city parks, walked on covered bridges, explored Amish country, found delight in urban decay, and found a gem of a waterfall only minutes from our house. We went to a pumpkin festival, a popcorn festival, and a bratwurst festival. We watched fireworks at the county fair for 4th of July. We moved from a small country town and a huge house we adored to the big city and a teeny 1000 square foot house, so we could simplify and spend [...] Continue Reading…

We had a very lovely Christmas, one to treasure forever. It was so low key and relaxing and I think that is what made all the difference. I did not allow myself to get stressed or pulled in too many directions and I did not allow myself to be guilted when I could not meet someone else's expectations.
I have been going back and forth between my home and my parents home with my hubby going back and forth between our home, my parents home, and his grandparents home pretty much all week. But despite all the activity we have managed to make it all work and get some much needed relaxation.
One way we avoided stress was to keep gift giving simple and put the emphasis on family time. For my extended family I bought Zazzle mugs with the kids pictures on them. For the kids we kept it pretty darn easy. My oldest son got a card game, the World of Zoo Wii game (for the console his grandparents gifted us), and a dreamcatcher I got at a thrift store. My daughter got an assortment of Haba play food, and the book Apple-Pip Princess, recommended by a reader. My youngest got [...] Continue Reading…