Got Milk?

This is my milk, as you can see. What looks different about my milk? Ah yes, it's in a glass bottle. Why is this you ask yourself? Let me tell you.

My Milk is in a glass container because this way I don't have to throw it away when I'm done. Why waste I ask? I can go to the store, turn my bottle in and get a new full gallon, no waste here :).

Another reason my milk is in this glass container is because it isn't "messed" with. By "messed" with I mean it's just good old milk it doesn't have tons a weird stuff mixed with it to make it last forever, which is better for my body and we all know Milk does a body good :).

I understand that its not even healthy to drink milk as an adult but I love it.

As the pic shows I'm not a health nut, but I am making slow changes. I say A slow change is better than a no change :), I made that up myself, I should rap.

I'm keeping it short and sweet today. Milk in glass bottles = good.

What do you do that = good?

Pretty Things

I made a stop in Goodwill a few days ago. I found the coolest stuff. I am a lover of old things. They just don't make things like they used to! How cute are these tea cups? I for one find them adorable! I have a little two seater table in my kitchen and these pretty things will be just perfect for it!

I also got a ice bucket. It's stainless steel so it will last me forever! I've wanted one for quite sometime but they run like $40.00 bucks for a steel one. I didn't need one that bad, they're nice when people are over. Truth is I don't need one at all, we have an ice maker in our fridge but the thing is I like them. Like the cups, do I need them? No, I don't but I like pretty things in my home. These pretty things are the best because although they look very expensive I only spent.... drum roll please.... da da da $1.45 total! How awesome is that?!

Besides that fact that I made a great purchase, at a wonderful price, to top it off I helped use some of what we already have on this earth. My sister and I our trying not to make "new" purchases. Although it has been a struggle for the most part I have really decreased the amount I consume. I will be honest I have slipped now and then but I am making an effort. If more people just thought about purchases instead of impulse spending it would help decrease consumption immensely!

The next area I would like to improve on is my clothing. I'm due to let go of some items I am not longer using, as well as purchase some for myself. Can I do this without hitting the mall? I guess we will find out!

Please if you have suggestions on where I can shop for clothing that is work appropriate but not department store bought let me know! Its time to go shopping! :)

Game Day

This past Sunday, father's day my husband's family had a reunion. I brought along cherry cobbler yummy, yummy!

In my dear husbands family there is a routine for these gatherings. This is how they have been doing picnics for many generations, it is not to be toyed with or questioned. You bring your cooler with whatever you want to drink, you bring a picnic basket filled with anything your little heart could ever desire while attending a picnic ( must be a picnic basket, not a box or extra cooler, you lose points for that.), you bring a table cover for the picnic table that you will eat at as well.

Come prepared, because this ladies is the challenge of the homemaker away from home. Trust me you do not want to go to another picnic table and ask to borrow a fork, for at that point the game is over and all is lost! All of these things are necessary for a stellar picnic party, so as you can imagine I wanted to be on top of my picnic game.

In all honesty I could hardly believe what was coming out of my mouth as we headed off for the reunion. "Scott, make sure that you use the things that I have packed, don't use your moms, Ive got EVERYTHING we need in my handy dandy picnic basket" see, if Scott would use his mother's items instead of mine that would be automatic disqualification for our team.

When you arrive at the picnic first thing is the marking of the territories, this is a ritual. Because this is a family reunion each branch of the family must identify itself by the table cover you brought, you earn extra points for each year you bring the same cover( a bright color is best), that rule holds true for the cooler and picnic basket as well.

I was nervous because last year we were not married so I was a red shirted. I am thankful that I had the chance to observe. You learn a lot from the bench, I mean picnic table. This year, well it was my first playing season so I wanted to perform well.

I had my picnic basket (I earned some extra points b/c I received it from my mom so it looked very old and like it might break at any moment, I think I surprised them, its not often that a new recruit brings that kind of game to the picnic table), I had my cooler ( again extra points I received this cooler from a picnic senior as a wedding gift, this is a strong show that I am a team player.) As for my dessert well it won the gold medal because I got the recipe from my team leader, my mother in law.

As you can see the first half went well. However in the second things got a bit shaky when I handed out the real silverware and napkins. I almost received a technical because they weren't disposable. Thankfully there was nothing they could find in the rule book that said you had to throw away what you brought. It was a new play and if you want the truth I think they might have even took some notes, I wouldn't be surprised if next year they use my strategy!

I don't want to be a trashy girl! :(

I'm in a bit of a pickle. I am asking you for your thoughts on what I should do with all my plastic ware, paper plates, napkins, and cups. Should I use up the stock that I have and save up for a reusable set? Should I hide them away forever so that I don't use them? Wouldn't that be wasteful?

Please a little insight would be appreciated!

I am making a vow not to purchase these items again but I could open up a store with the stock I'm holding! Again, gifts from the wedding included these items. I received a cooler full disposable picnic supplies that I have not yet put a dent in.

At dinner we use our fiesta ware plates even though we have to "gasp" wash them when were done! I'm trying hard to do little things that add up to a big difference but I just don't feel like I'm doing enough!

Another topic for the day plastic bags. Shame on me for not having reusable ones *YET*. I saw some on sale at T.J. Maxx but I thought wait a second here aren't there some bags somewhere that I could purchase that aren't creating another major store sale? I mean something a little more green. These things were wrapped up in tons of plastic and I just had a hard time believing their creator cared about waste. I would rather support someone who did!

The plastic bags I do have I always save. They don't hit the trash can. I do try to find a use for them!

If you have some ideas please HELP my green dream come true :)!

Wanted: Paper towel abusers

How many of you married folks out there received more dish towels for your wedding than you know what to do with? I know that we did. I think that every guest bought us a dish towel.

Some match the kitchen and many do not. I have used the ones that don't match the kitchen for dish washing and cleaning jobs but the nice ones, well I didn't want to ruin them so they have stayed neatly folded and put away for no one to ever see. Makes no sense does it?! I'm here today and very excited to tell everyone that I have found a use for my pretty dish towels!

Six, neatly rolled, red dish towels decorate my once plain dinner table. They look like pricey napkins but they are not and to top it off you can actually use them!

My husband struggles with paper towel abuse daily. Who uses four paper towels at dinner?! Yesterday I had to drag him away from the paper towel holder four times in less than a two hour period. It isn't going to be easy to break him of this habit.

My purse is still looking good and were saving trees and money by using dish towels for napkins. Life is great! If I can do it you can do it!

I wonder what he does to the toilet paper while I'm not around. Hmmm, but that's another post. :)

My purse is red, but is turning green!

I have many dreams. I am your classic case day dreamer. In my 23 years I have seen many of my dreams fade, not so much fade but change, as I am forever changing. I have a love for simplicity, clutter around me creates a mess of my mind. I always tell people when they ask me how I'm doing to look in my purse. My purse is reflective of my current state of mind. Today my purse holds the following:

* Digital Camera.
* Business cards.
* Two Check Books.
* 15-20 Notes to self.
* 15-20 Sales Receipts.
* 3 random keys ( I am keeping them in case I find the locks :) ).
* 5 lip gloss.
* 10 pens.
* 2 Bic razors.
* An empty pill case.
* My Wallet ( holding: change, a gift card, a unactivated debit card,insurance card, 5bucks, 10 more notes to self, 10 more receipts, 3 pictures, and a credit card.).
* Mineral Wear powder.
* A highlighter.
* A mess of Bobbie pens, hair ties, earrings, safety pins, and paper clips.
* Two old bank envelopes.
* A protein bar.
* and last but by no means least a unlimited supply of trash wrappers from my quick sugar fixes.

As you can see, if my purse is reflective of my state of mind this is not good news. Did I mention my purse is about 10" long 4" deep?I can barely zip the darn thing!

It is a fact I am not organized. My husband can truly follow a trail to see what I have done in a day. Thank goodness he can laugh at me and not become frustrated. I however can not stand myself some days! I drive me nuts!

I long for routine in my everyday. I am sure that in my quest to become more green I will certainly have to become more simple.

I find myself of course dreaming of a solution. The best way or possibly the only way I can overcome this battle is by taking up the motto "less is more". I value this earth and it is frightening to think of what the future holds for our loved ones if we keep consuming at the rate we are. I believe change starts with one person. If I can change then others will see that they can as well. Hopefully creating a snowball effect so that we can share this gift that is earth with our great great grandchildren!

So I ask for you to join me in my journey to live my "Green Dream"by cleaning out your purses. I will try to post as often as possible on the progress that I am making!

Today my first step is to clean out this purse aka the clutter of my mind!