I can be the greatest stress ball, especially with the chaos from the holiday season.  I've turned to heavy retail (shopping) therapy in the past, but the happiness from the shopping spree lasts until I exit the store.  I've recently really gotten into taking warm salt baths using just generic epsom salt.  It forces me to be in the moment and to just unwind. Also, without the potential chemicals from bubble baths, I'm proud to recycle the salted water into the garden (Geesh, my garden is beginning to sound like a garbage dump for recycled water, but it's true... it's what I do...)  According to the Epsom salt packaging, the salt is good for body sprains, bruises and as a plant food supplement.  (Hooray, so I am not maliciously torturing my plants).

Like all things (good and bad), my kids have taken a strong passion towards baths as well.  However, the baths are just an occasional treat for them (because really our garden doesn't need that much salted water).

Do you have any eco-friendly tips for stress relief?  If so, please share with the rest of us!

It's so hard teaching my young children that they are not the center of the universe.  However, as they gradually learn this difficult lesson, I have also learned that I am no longer their center of the universe either.  I dropped off my son at a winter camp today and I assured him that I will pick him up early so that I can make sure he likes the camp.  He insisted that I pick him up on time like the rest of the older kids.  I was heartbroken yet proud at the same time.  


The American Association of Pediatrics and other authoritative entities mentioned that kids entering elementary school begin to expand and focus on their school/friendship circles.  Unfortunately, despite my volunteer efforts at the school, I am just a minor part of his school/friendship circles.  Knowing that he is confident makes me happy but also leaves a feeling of emptiness inside of me.  I guess that is why we have another child. Unfortunately for me, I feel that the affection/love of each child cannot be substituted or replaced.  I can only look at my younger one and say, don't grow so fast.  But you can't stop time.

I am not a pet lover.  Although I find dogs and cats very cuddly and cute, I don't even like the idea of cleaning poop up after my toddler.  Even cleaning cat litter boxes is not for me.  So, we have a really nice fish tank because fishes are low maintenance and beautiful to watch.  I notice that the water tends to evaporate and requires replenishment every week. So, I confess that whenever I have left over water from rinsing my fruits and vegetables, I am sometimes too lazy to dump the used water on my garden plants.  Instead, I walk to my nearby fish tank and dump the used water in.  At first, I felt really guilty about it but then I realized that fishes are resilient.  Besides, if you have ever been on one of the boat rides (the one through the greenhouse) in Disney's Epcot Center, you'll find that they have a fish tank below their gardening plants and the water goes from watering the plants down to the fish tank below.  I guess great minds think alike.  

As part of my 365 Days of Change, I've decided that I will not light up my Christmas tree or decorate my house with lights this year.  Of course, I was immediately known as the party pooper and my dear husband decided that my environmental friendly ways have gone too far.  So, we compromised.  Basically, the lights can stay on for 30 minutes max each night.  
On the subject of real vs. artificial Christmas tree, we've had our artificial Christmas tree for over seven years so we feel good that it's been with us.  I don't think we will change it anytime soon.  
Our goal post Christmas is not to splurge on post Christmas decoration sales this year (we went overboard last year, who really needs all those Christmas wreaths?)

Now that Thanksgiving and Black Friday are over, I can feel proud of myself for spending within my budget and not buying impulsive purchases.  I did buy a new crockpot on sale to replace my current one (it's nearly double the size at 6 quarts compared to my old one) justifying the purchase by vowing to cook more homemade meals.    From now until the end of the year, my goal is to cook all my meals at home and not eat out (except for 2 holiday parties we've been invited, too).  This amounts to alot of $ in savings.  

With the upcoming holiday season upon us, everyone is looking for an ideal gift for that special someone.  The following are some great eco-friendly holiday gift ideas for your spouse, co-worker, children or friend.

 Knit them a scarf
 Organic yarn is relatively inexpensive and eco-friendly.  So instead of buying clothes, start knitting a scarf.  Based on your skill level, this can be achieved within four to six weeks.
  
Buy them eco-friendly clothing
Visit local Goodwill and thrift stores to find nice vintage clothing that can be given as a gift.  This is especially for friends or family members who believe in wearing vintage clothing.  For those who may feel a bit hesitate wearing vintage clothing, you can find a number of eco-friendly websites that offer organic clothing.

Sponsor a trip
Everyone knows at least one or two family members or relatives that always plan to go away on a vacation but never do because of lack of funding or too much obligations.  So, for that spouse who always wanted to go on an all men’s biking tour, agree to watch the kids for the week and let him go.  This will be an unforgettable gift.

Choose a theme and give a collection of gifts
Everyone has a hobby or interest.  For example, if your spouse is interested in creative arts, you can put together a collection of gently used gifts purchased from garage sales or online.  You might include the following items: a used drawing and painting book, a set of eco-friendly paints and brushes and a paid series of lessons from a local community college.  Often these gifts are relatively inexpensive compared to buying designer or luxury brand items, but they are so much more memorable.

Host an eco-friendly kids party
Most parents have hosted a number of kids’ parties, splurging on party favors from local dollar stores knowing that these goody items will not last (and will just wind up in a landfill somewhere).  Kids remember spending and enjoying time with friends more often than they remember the goodies that they received from the party.  So, for your next party, plan to make it eco-friendly.  Instead of giving them plastic party favors, give each attendee a bag of seeds, some soil and a used plastic yogurt container.   Encourage the kids to plant the seeds and start their own garden.
 
Instead of worrying about spending a lot of money this holiday season, focus on giving eco-friendly gifts that will be memorable and appreciated years to come.

The holidays are the most joyous time of the year.  For parents, it also comes with some dreadful thoughts of how to keep the kids entertained and happy without breaking the bank.  The following are some great fun and free eco-friendly activities for kids this Christmas break.

Organize a park playdate
You might be tempted to avoid the outdoors due to the cold weather, but it’s actually fun for the kids and their friends to get some outdoor exercise.  So organize a park based playdate and break a big thermos of hot chocolate and cookies to share afterwards.

Organize a field trip
Call your local Parks and Recreation department to find out whether they offer free tours for local parks.  Often Parks and Recreation staff tends to have some downtime because it’s not the hot busy summer season and will be able to assist you.  If not, they can make great recommendations on what books are available in the library for you to be your own tour guide for the kids.
 
Go to the library
Visit the local library and find out if they offer any story time or activities for the Christmas Break.  If not, the library usually has a public bulletin board for you to post your idea of a get together.  Often the local library has a community room that you can use for free to organize fun and free activities for your kids. 

Host a teaching session
Get your neighborhood friends together and organize a teaching session on some fun topics for kids (each parent can take a topic to research and to teach the kids). 

Volunteer together
Get your kids to volunteer with you at the local zoo (if you are a volunteer, you don’t have to pay for admissions).  Often you have some downtime when you volunteer at the zoo, so you can use the downtime to enjoy the zoo with your kids.   

Choose an eco-friendly theme for the day or week
If your kids are really interested in a certain topic (e.g. water conservation), then, research and borrow a book in the library to find out more about it.  Then, contact your local water council/department to arrange for a free tour.  Often they will provide some free souvenirs as well.

With the upcoming holiday season upon us, everyone is looking for an ideal gift for that special someone.  The following are some great eco-friendly holiday gift ideas for your spouse, co-worker, children or friend.

Knit them a scarf
Organic yarn is relatively inexpensive and eco-friendly.  So instead of buying clothes, start knitting a scarf.  Based on your skill level, this can be achieved within four to six weeks.

Buy them eco-friendly clothing
Visit local Goodwill and thrift stores to find nice vintage clothing that can be given as a gift.  This is especially for friends or family members who believe in wearing vintage clothing.  For those who may feel a bit hesitate wearing vintage clothing, you can find a number of eco-friendly websites that offer organic clothing.

Sponsor a trip
Everyone knows at least one or two family members or relatives that always plan to go away on a vacation but never do because of lack of funding or too much obligations.  So, for that spouse who always wanted to go on an all men’s biking tour, agree to watch the kids for the week and let him go.  This will be an unforgettable gift.

Choose a theme and give a collection of gifts
Everyone has a hobby or interest.  For example, if your spouse is interested in creative arts, you can put together a collection of gently used gifts purchased from garage sales or online.  You might include the following items: a used drawing and painting book, a set of eco-friendly paints and brushes and a paid series of lessons from a local community college.  Often these gifts are relatively inexpensive compared to buying designer or luxury brand items, but they are so much more memorable.

Host an eco-friendly kids party
Most parents have hosted a number of kids’ parties, splurging on party favors from local dollar stores knowing that these goody items will not last (and will just wind up in a landfill somewhere).  Kids remember spending and enjoying time with friends more often than they remember the goodies that they received from the party.  So, for your next party, plan to make it eco-friendly.  Instead of giving them plastic party favors, give each attendee a bag of seeds, some soil and a used plastic yogurt container.   Encourage the kids to plant the seeds and start their own garden.

 Instead of worrying about spending a lot of money this holiday season, focus on giving eco-friendly gifts that will be memorable and appreciated years to come.

 Let me know if you come up with other gift ideas!