I just signed up my kids to run in a free local race. I'll be there cheering them on. Exercise such as running will become a lifelong habit when started at an early age. I hope they keep a healthy outlook in life with lots of exercise.
I haven't started training for my race yet. I plan to select a race before the end of the week. Hoping that an actual deadline will work better than arbitrary training. I notice that ever since I've been exercising more regularly, my appetite has gone through the roof. I really need to pace myself and make sure I don't binge on food after working out.
There is something primitive and yet amazingly refreshing when you make your own pottery. It can be something as simple as making your own plate, cup or vase. I bought a kids' pottery wheel for my kids and we really enjoy making our own pottery. Here is an example of a "bat cave."
We hope to make more crafts in the future.
It's a new year. I am trying to make this year more eco-friendly for my family. I want to spend more time with family and friends this year. One of my new year's goals is to stop buying unnecessary stuff just because it's cheap and/or on sale. One example is crayons, I've hoarded crayons from restaurants and also loaded up on new boxes of them when there was a pre-Labor Day sale last year. I think I have enough crayon boxes for my kids til they go to college. So I have simply vowed not to buy any more crayons.
I really didn't want to use wrapping paper this year but I stocked up on discount wrapping paper last year and thought I couldn't let it go to waste. So I wrapped up gifts. With the leftover wrapping paper, I repurposed the larger sheets into book covers and the smaller pieces, I cut them into strips to make them into bookmarks. My kids love using the holiday bookmarks!
Happy holidays!
Parenthood is the most challenging stage of my life. I cannot imagine anything more difficult. Constantly making sure the kids are fed, bathed, cared for and always trying to set a good example and be on my own "best behavior." Today I had a rewarding moment. My boy gave me an early Christmas present. A two dollar ring he bought at a school fair. This is significant because he bought it with his own savings. I was very touched and happy. Small moments like these are so fleeting, yet makes the challenge of parenthood almost all worth it. That's when I say to myself that two dollars is worth more than $2,000... Here's hoping that the feeling lasts for a while.
Now that Thanksgiving is over, we need to remove our Thanksgiving decorations. We created our own eco-friendly craft using paper and crayons. The kids really enjoyed decorating the wall so much that I have now designated a wall in my living room for them to tape up their decorations.
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.
Borrow a book from the library about origami (the Japanese art of paper folding). Reuse old construction or plain white paper and teach your kids how to fold different designs. This is a fun activity to do during rainy days or lazy summer afternoons.
Set up a large cardboard box and have your kids pretend that they are camping out. Make them popcorn and lemonade and they can last for a few hours there.
RSS Feed