Saturday, June 30, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 30

Today's Challenge: Post a picture of an outfit that is your style or you wish was your style. 


My style is usually capris or jeans with a button-down over a tank top or a cute t-shirt. Imagine that with a pair of coordinating sandals or slip-on sneakers. In fact, as I write this I am wearing dark denim capris with a white tank and a white cotton button-down top and zebra print flip-flops. Occasionally I will slip on a losse and comfy skirt or sundress instead. Here are some pics of outfits I would wear on a typical day (outside of work).

This looks so comfy for lunch with friends.

Minus the heels, I love this. I'd wear flip flops.


A tee or a tank with a cardigan is so me.




Thursday, June 28, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 28

Today's Challenge: What laundry tips can you share?


Going Green with the Grizls


I only have one laundry tip to share: use soap nuts. I gave up on laundry detergents when I discovered soap nuts. They last a long time, are inexpensive (per load price compared to detergent), and can be re-used to make  an all-purpose household cleaner after they have been used in the laundry.

For more info on soap nuts, check out my previous blog post: Soap Nuts Review and Giveaway

The giveaway is over, but the review is helpful if you need more info on soapnuts. It also suggests where to buy them.


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 27

Today's Challenge: What is the best gift you have ever received?


Going Green with the Grizls

Well, I can state the obvious first, and tell you that the best gift was my children. They are truly a wonderful gift. 

But even as I say that, you are rolling your eyes and thinking, yes, but what present did a person give you that was wonderful?

I know that's what you want, but I can't think of one. 

I never have been a very good gift receiver. I am a great and thoughtful gift giver, but I don't graciously receive. It's something I know I need to work on. I'm not exactly a "material girl" so I guess that's part of it...I just don't have a long wish list. Also, when people buy me gifts I feel guilty! When I say "you shouldn't have" I really mean it! It's terrible, but true! On the other hand, I could rattle off a list of my favorite gifts given!



Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 26

Today's Challenge: What is something your spouse does that makes your heart melt?


Going Green with the Grizls

I LOVE IT WHEN MY HUBBIE COMES UP BEHIND ME WHEN I LEAST EXPECT IT AND WRAPS HIS ARMS AROUND ME, LAYING HIS CHIN ON MY SHOULDER. I GET BUTTERFLIES EVERY TIME! NEVER STOP DOING THAT HONEY!


Corn-Fed America

Look for these names on the ingredient list and corn is what you have!

modified or unmodified starch
glucose syrup
maltodextrin
crystalline fructose
ascorbic acid
lecithin
dextrose
lactic acid
lysine
maltose
HFCS
MSG
polyols
caramel color
xantham gum

According to Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma, corn is in coffee creamer, Cheez Whiz, frozen yogurt, most TV dinners, canned fruit, ketchup, candies, cake mix, frosting, gravy, frozen waffles, mayo, mustard, most hot dogs, bologna, margarine, salad dressings, and even vitamins. Of course this doesn't mean every variety available, but most if not all. 

Scary, how big corn is, huh? 

Break the cycle! Buy pastured meat and whole foods whenever possible!!

Learn more by joining us in the Omnivore's Dilemma event, going on now. It's not too late to join! Just click this button to read more about the event and sign up...

Mama Making Changes



Monday, June 25, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 25

Today's Challenge: Tell what would make your ideal day of "me time". 


Oh my,
I know this one...


photo from freedigitalphotos.net
I would head for the beach with a cooler and good book (or two), no time to be anywhere, just a blanket on the sand and me. Quiet, no interruptions, no watch, no need to leave for any reason, the cool water beckoning when I get too hot and the warm blanket in the sun calling me back after a quick dip  in the ocean.

At some point, I would take a break to walk along the beach, at low tide of course, trying to find treasures washed ashore.

Only dusk would call me home, time to go, back to the real world.













And you? What would you do?



Going Green with the Grizls

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Mama Needs a Recipe Catalogue

I have always loved old, handed-down-through-the-generations, recipes. I have a small collection of old recipe books and my favorite recipes in them are smudged and floured from use. I collect recipes from family  members, too, but I always end up losing them and having to ask again.

Lately, with my family's push to eat healthier, cook more, and know from whence our food comes, I naturally find myself cooking more. Finding good recipes (or figuring out where I put them) is becoming more important. I've been thinking that I need to get organized and put all of my recipes in one spot, but I definitely do not need another thing on the kitchen counter. It's a cluttered wreck already! 


Suddenly, today, I had one of those "duh" moments where the lightbulb comes on over your head and you kick yourself for not thinking of this sooner. I will collect these recipes in a file on my computer!


I went into Microsoft Word and started transferring recipes that I had handy from paper to computer. Each one is saved as a separate document, but all of them are saved under names that start with "recipe-" followed by the name of the actual recipe. Next time I want to find a recipe, I can go to My Documents, type in the word recipe and get a list of them! If I need to, I can print it or email it to my phone so that I can have easy access to it in the kitchen. 


How great is that? 


I believe that every Mama should have a catalogue of recipes stashed somewhere, so that we can hand them down to our children. When my Granny passed away, we didn't have any of her recipes in writing. Nobody knew exactly how to cook the family favorites. Luckily, after many failed attempts, a few recipes were worked out. But only a few! I still wish I knew how to make her fried bread with homemade chocolate syrup. My step-mom worked out how to make the syrup, knowing what ingredients Granny used and having seen her make it, but the bread we never got down pat. It was one of my favorite foods as a child and I wish I could make it for my kids now. We often underestimate how much food traditions matter to future generations. After all, who wants to remember how to cook like me? But our children will want these recipes one day, and you never do know how long you have to get them written and collected in one place. Why not start now?


Do you have your recipes catalogued in one place? Do you have favorite hand-me-down recipes? Is there a "lost" recipe in your family that you miss? 

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 24

Today's Challenge: What is your favorite eco-friendly thing to do?

Going Green with the Grizls

This one is easy! Yay! As soon as I read the question, I knew the answer....

My garden!!!!

I love finding what new things it has for us each day and I love seeing my kids get excited, too. The kids are just devouring those cherry tomatoes and the watermelons are so fun to watch as they keep getting bigger and Bigger and BIGGER!

And it's so satisfying to know exactly where our food is coming from and that it was organically grown.

Do you have a garden this year? Is it your fave ec-friendly activity or is there something you love more?


Saturday, June 23, 2012

Will the FDA Stand Up to Monsanto?

More than 40 countries, including all of the EU, have laws that require mandatory labeling of all genetically  modified organisms, or GMOs. The United States still does not. Why?

For starters, Monsanto has friends in high places and money in the right pockets. Secondly, in states that have considered mandatory labeling, Monsanto has threatened to sue the state ( and they have the gumption and the money to do just that, as well as the track record to prove they could win). Third, the FDA is relying on outdated mandates to decide whether GMO food is inherently different from non-GMO food.

The only thing that will prevent Monsanto from continuing on the path they are on is the federal government. The FDA must require labeling in order for us to get it. 

Tell the director of the FDA that you want updated regulations and full disclosure of GMOs on all product labels across the United States. Visit www.justlabelit.org to sign the petition that will be sent to him. Nearly 2 million Americans have signed already. You're next!


Summer Blog Challenge: Day 23

Today's Challenge: What is your favorite blog post that you posted before this challenge?


Going Green with the Grizls


I think it would have to be the article I wrote on alternative housing options. I really enjoyed the research and browsing through so many interesting pictures before I settled on the ones I wanted to feature. I am still in love with several of the homes pictured and I have been "pining" for a tree house (pun intended!) since.

Check it out here! Alternative Housing Ideas Gain Popularity

If you have a favorite Mama Making Changes post, tell me what it is! I would love to know!

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 22

Today's Challenge: When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?


I don't remember having a career ambition as a child. Heck, I didn't have a career ambition even as a college student. I do remember wanting to do and be lots of things, though....


When I was a kid I remember wanting to marry my daddy when I grew up. I told everyone and I was devastated when my parents finally smiled and laughed at the dinner table as they told me girls can't marry their daddies. I still remember that traumatic moment!

When I was a kid I wanted to be a boy. I was very adamant on this. It just wasn't fair. I refused to wear pink, begrudgingly wore dresses only on very special occasions, and had to wear Sears ToughSkins jeans because all other brands quickly got holes in the knees and because these had a money-back guarantee if I did manage to destroy them anyway. 

When I was a kid I wanted to know everything about everything. I read book after book, many of them in my favorite reading spot up in a backyard tree that was easy to climb and big enough to sit comfortably in. 

When I was a kid I did NOT want to be a teacher. Because other kids got on my nerves!













What did you want to be when you grew up?


Friday, June 22, 2012

Grocers Take Note: How Green Parents Shop

More and more people are becoming aware of the need to be more eco-friendly and are willing to make changes to help the cause. Some are willing to make only small changes for now, while others (like me) are jumping head first into green living and making some major changes. Green moms and dads want to teach and share a healthier, greener way of living with their children, too, with the expectation that their generation will continue in the same tradition. We want our families to realize the impact their choices have on themselves and the world around them.


A big part of green living is what we eat and what we feed our families. But do grocers take us seriously? Do they think about what we are and are not willing to buy? A report from EcoFocus Worldwide shows that they certainly should. According to their research, 50% of moms will change brands when given a more eco-friendly option and 2 out of 5 are willing to pay more for a more eco-friendly choice. 


Of course, sometimes it can be difficult to know what the true eco-friendly choices are when shopping. Not all brands are what they seem. "Natural" doesn't always mean what you would think it does and some "organic" brands are actually using GMO ingredients. The term "greenwashing" refers to these brands that would have you believe you are making a better choice when really you are not. For example, Burt's Bees is owned by Clorox and Naked Juice is owned by Pepsi-Cola. Neither is a green company. 


My best advice is to grow it and/or make it yourself whenever possible. When you can't? 
  • Look for certifications on products,like the Energy Star logo, Green Seal, USDA Organic, Fair Trade Certified or the Forest Stewardship Council logo, to help you choose products that are truly eco-friendly. To learn more about certifications on labels and what they mean, check out Consumer Reports eco-labels.
  • When a product has a claim to be natural or green, look beyond the labeling for an explanation. If they don't list the how and why, they may be greenwashing. 
  • Buy groceries at the local farmer's market before heading to the supermarket and you may be surprised at how little you from the grocery store. More than vegetables and fruits are available. We buy meat, milk, eggs, bread, butter, cookies, soap, and more at our market! Just be sure to know who you are buying from and what their growing practices are. It's okay to ask! "Are these vegetables organically grown?" "Were these grown locally or did you ship them in?" "Where is your farm?" And beware pretty produce...organically grown foods are typically not as picture perfect. 
  • When you find brands you trust, buy them often and recommend them to friends and family. What we buy directly impacts what grocers carry. How we spend our money tells them what we want on the shelf. 
  • Do your research! Food is a lot of what green blogs talk about and you can blog hop your way to a ton of knowledge, learning from the experiences of others. 
Next time you shop for groceries, pause for a moment and ask yourself, "What is my shopping cart saying?"


Thursday, June 21, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 21

Today's Challenge: What words of wisdom did you hear recently that really stuck with you?



I can't think of anything recent that really was a wow-lightbulb-came-on- over-my-head-moment.

However...

Going Green with the GrizlsI used to work for a guy that I rarely got along with who seemed like or was one of those fake smile hypocritical deacon in the church kind of people that would stab you in the back as soon as he was sure nobody would see.  He had this great way, though, of having a saying available for every situation. He really used the same sayings over and over again for the most part, but that didn't make the sayings themselves less appropriate in the moment. 

My favorite of these sayings stuck with me and I use it often....

Put God first, family second, work third, and everything else will fall into place.







Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 20

Today's Challenge: Post a photo of yourself as a child.
This is the Christmas that I got my dog, Nickie, in my stocking. We were best friends until the day he died. His name was short for Saint Nicholas. Please excuse the tousled hair....hey, it was Christmas morning, okay? Like my little kitchen set in the background?




Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 19

Today's Challenge: Tell something you did in the last few days that you are proud of.
Going Green with the Grizls

I am proud of myself for finally getting up and working out to the exercise video that I bought a month ago. My daughter has been using it, but not me. It's a DVD with a up routine and 5 different 10 minute workouts that all use an included resistance cord. I thought it would be great when time was short, but I never tried it. Till now! The workout was very challenging on Level 2 and I really enjoyed it! I feel really motivated now that I've tried it and I plan to start using it regularly. Hopefully, I can squeeze in at least one of the 10 minute routines every day. That should get those pounds shed a little faster!


Monday, June 18, 2012

Summer Celebration Sponsor Spotlight: All of the Above

Summer Celebration
I was browsing on Etsy one evening, searching through the hundreds of Etsy shops that are based out of my hometown, when I came across a really eclectic assortment of items from All of the Above. All of the Above is owned by Carolyn Hill, who also owns a brick and mortar store, Savannah's Garden Treasures on Irby Street in Florence, SC. She has graciously and excitedly agreed to sponsor a prize package for the Summer Celebration Giveaway Hop!

I am a huge fan of supporting local businesses, but let me explain why Carolyn's shop stands out to me. All of the Above is a shop that offers vintage and antique items that still have life in them. After all, why pay for a newly manufactured kitchen utensil when you can put to good use a utensil that was made 60 years ago and has so much more flair? At the core of being green, is the "reduce, recycle, reuse" mantra. Carolyn's shop offers so many choices for items that can be reused, whether for their original purpose or ,for the more creative, some new purpose.

Vintage Hatpins from All of the Above
All of the Above's inventory is divided into categories that sport enticing titles such as "shabby, rusty, crusty" and "vintage and quirky" and even "gardeny stuff". You will find more than just old kitchen items. Vintage Coke items to rusty pieces of old farm equipment, and skeleton keys to tin bathroom trash cans How are just some of the interesting items you may find. You may find an old plastic flower to go in your craft drawer or invest in a reasonably priced set of Fireking for your baking.



Ring of Skeleton Keys from All of the Above
All of the Above is offering a prize package for the Summer Celebration Giveaway Hop, so check out the Etsy shop now by clicking here You'll love it!

Between June 21 and June 29, 2012, you can enter to win this prize package pictured below! Just click here or the link at the bottom of this post to be taken to the Rafflecopter entry form. Best of luck!


All of the Above: Vintage, Eclectic, Handmade, Shabby, Rusty, Recycled is offering the following items, pictured below, as a prize package for the Summer Celebration Giveaway Hop, approximate retail value being $75 for the package:  

  • Dec. 8, 1968 TV Guide, featuring Elvis Christmas Special
  • Mod Daisy Broach
  • Brass Duck
  • Vintage Ecko Hand Mixer
  • Vintage Serving Spoon with Mushrooms and Onions on Handle
  • 1960s Postcard from Smoky Mountains
  • Coke Tack
  • Hobnail Milk Glass Vase



Click here to go to the entry form!

Waste Not, Want Not?

Waste not,want not....Is that saying really true anymore? I see so much waste everywhere I turn and as we learn more about the effects of our wastefulness on the environment, companies are marketing more and more products that are wasteful of resources. And people are buying them without any thought for the consequences! It seems more like want more, waste more!

Let's go through a few examples.

K-Cups require a special coffee maker that costs lots of money and requires a separate little plastic "k-cup" for each cup of coffee you brew. Talk about wasteful packaging! A number of these little plastic cups are packaged together in a cardboard box. This, when you could buy one package of instant or brew coffee and make pot after pot after pot.

Why is it so hard to use an old fashioned toilet brush? Now Scrubbing Bubbles is selling disposable toilet brushes! Clorox makes one, too! Really? And don't tell me about the germs on the toilet brush that sits in your bathroom because those germ-y brushes have been sitting in bathrooms for decades and not bothering anyone. As long as you don't play with it or put it in your mouth, just leave it sitting in its little holder, it isn't going to hurt anything.

Disposable Clorox wipes and Lysol wipes are wasteful and unnecessary, too! Scrubbing Bubbles has their own line of bathroom wipes. Why not just use a washcloth? Worried about it getting ruined? I was raised by a frugal and green mama who taught me to tear old t-shirts into rags that can be used for any job without worrying about the condition of the rag. Old socks are good for this, too. And if you really need something disposable sometimes, use a paper towel, but you don't need something disposable for every time you wipe off the kitchen or bathroom counter!

I would like to see some of these corporations taking responsibility for the environment, not just in the way they are manufacturing products, but also in what products they manufacture. Considering how much we know about good environmental practices and global warming, I would like to see government regulations on packaging, as well as disposable items.

What items make you angry when you walk the aisles of the supermarket?








Sunday, June 17, 2012

Super Yummy Sunday Recipe/SBC Day 18




Going Green with the Grizls
The challenge for Monday, June 18, is to post a recipe you love! Well, you know that I try my best to give you a wholesome recipe every week on Super Yummy Sunday, so I thought why not combine the two posts!

Deep Dish Fruit Pie: I love this recipe for so many reasons. For starters, it comes from my grandmother, whom we fondly call Grandma P., and my mom made it often in the summertime when fresh berries were available. Secondly, being an old recipe, it takes only the most basic ingredients and forms them into an amazing creation. Part of being a green mom is being able to make desserts like this one instead of going to the supermarket to buy processed, packaged, deserts that were filled with preservatives before being shipped across the country on big trucks that burn lots of gas and emit lots of fumes.

My mom used to send us out to pick blackberries off of the vines around the edges of the property and she would use some to make us a deep dish pie and put the others in the freezer for later. Blackberries picked right out of the yard are still my favorite fruit to use for this pie.

I made this for my husband today for Father's Day, so you get lots of great pics to go with the recipe, too.  I hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 stick butter
1 cup plain flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
approximately 1/2 cup fruit and juice

Directions:


Melt butter in the bottom of loaf pan. Stir in flour and mix thoroughly. Add water and mix again. Next, sprinkle sugar on top of this mixture but do not mix in. 








If using fresh fruit, you will need to cook first to form fruit and juice. Pour fruit and juice over the top of everything and do not mix.



Bake on 323 degrees for 45 minutes. Best served warm, especially with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream!





Summer Blog Challenge: Day 17

Today's Challenge: Tell 3 thing that you love about your personality.


Going Green with the Grizls

  1. I am very outgoing. You know that saying "never met a stranger"? That's me. I love talking to people and meeting people and socializing. 
  2. I am very loyal. I am loyal to a fault sometimes, actually. I am fiercely loyal to my husband and kids, but I am also loyal to my job and to anyone I call a friend. No backstabbing here.
  3. I can be oh-so-tenderhearted, but when the going gets tough, I stand up and fight. I will do what I have to do when it comes down to it. When things don't go well, I consider it a challenge to which I must rise. 
Tell me something you love about your own personality! I wanna know! 


Saturday, June 16, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 16

Today's Challenge: Fitness Guru or Couch Potato?


Going Green with the Grizls
I'm neither. I guess I fit somewhere in the middle. I do so much running around all day, that I tend to drop in the evenings, falling into the couch and not wanting to get back up. I do like to get some extra exercise at least twice per week, though. Sometimes my daughter and I slip on our running shoes and walk or jog for a mile or two, and sometimes I head over to the gym at the YMCA while the kids go to the pool. It's funny how I always feel more energized after I work out, but it's so hard to actually get up and get started!

Friday, June 15, 2012

Made In the USA Giveaway Hop July 4-11



Keep checking back for more details!

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 15

Today's Challenge: Post a photo you've taken that you are proud of. 


Photography is another hobby of mine. I spend less time with my camera since I've started blogging, but I still love to pull out to play every now and then. When I first upgraded from film to digital, I started taking pictures of everything in sight, searching for amazing shots as I learned how to use my new camera. I went wild because I couldn't run out of film and I didn't have to pay to develop it. I took thousands of pictures in the first few weeks alone! This is one of the shots I captured during that time. I actually shot an entire series of azaleas because I do love that brief period each year when they are in full bloom, but I will just show you one of them. I went out with my camera after a rain shower that day and I loved how the droplets were sitting on the petals. I was thrilled to be in the right place at the right time and be able to capture the beauty of it.


Thursday, June 14, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 14

Today's Challenge: What 15 tips would you give to help a person get through life?

Going Green with the Grizls
Okay, this one is hard. I have to think a lot to answer this. I mean giving advice is serious business. You don't want to screw that up.

Hmmm....

Well, I guess I will just take this one at a time. Hopefully, I can come up with 15 good pieces of advice and none of you will ever need to hunt me down and ask me why-oh-why I said what I did! You should know that I thought about this so much that it took me 24 hours to write.

Words to Live By:
  1. Mother really does know best. There are, unfortunately, a few moms out there that couldn't care less about their children. But if yours loves you, listen to her. She wants you to learn from her mistakes so you don't have to go through anything unnecessarily.
  2. Money isn't as important as you think it is. But once you have it, it becomes more difficult to live without it. Live frugally from the start and you will be able to do so much more with so much less. And you will be able to place your focus on more important things.
  3. Being eco-friendly isn't a fad. It's an or-else. If you want this planet to sustain human life for much longer, being eco-friendly is a necessity. And it's urgent. Of course, if enough people ignore this advice, the planet will cleanse itself. You don't want that. Trust me.
  4. Make family time a priority. Whether that means going by mom's or just cutting off the television to play a game with your kids, it's important to put family time at the top of your to-do list each day. You will never be able to get that time back if you put it off. Which leads right into #5....
  5. Never put off till tomorrow, what you can do today. I am still trying to get better at this. It's a great rule to live by. Your to-do list will never overwhelm you if you stay on top of it. 
  6. Quality not quantity in all things. This is true of who your friends are, how you spend your time, your job vs. your paycheck,  the food you eat, and more. Think about it. Do you want more mail or one piece of good mail?
  7. Put God first, family second, work third. A former employer told me this and ,even though we never got along very well, this piece of advice stuck with me. Because it's good advice.
  8. Remember that attitudes are contagious. Just like it's hard for you to keep smiling when you are working or living with someone who's being negative, if you respond likewise nothing will change. Instead of catching that negative attitude, try giving them a better one to catch from you. 
  9. Choose your battles wisely. Not everything is worth the fight. Sometimes it's better to just let it go. But when it is really important, stand up boldly.
  10. Keep looking forward, not backward. We can't change what's already happened, so why make yourself miserable? Let it go, lesson learned, and move on.
  11. Choose your mate carefully. Take your time. Dating is a time to check out a person and see if he/she is worthy of a lifetime comittment. If not, move on. And when you do find the one, hold on.
  12. Always be willing to compromise. Even when you're sure you are right, the other person is sure of the same. You won't always win and it's better to give a little than to get nothing. 
  13. Never hold a grudge. But never forget either. It just isn't healthy to hold onto bitterness. We need to forgive. But you must always remember so that you will be more careful with the people who have wronged you in the past. They may never wrong you again. Or they may never change. 
  14. Have pets and love them like children. Research has proven that people with pets live longer, healthier, and happier lives. Why wouldn't you want that? And they will love you unconditionally and keep you company when nobody else will.
  15. Practice patience in all things. Note that I did not say be patient in all things because that would be humanly impossible. But practice, work at it, and keep practicing. Patience is probably the most difficult virtue to live by, but it is probably the most important to reach for, too.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

We Did It!


Thanks for all of the votes! The results are in and we made it! Mama Making Changes has been voted one of the Top 25 Eco-Friendly Mom Blogs of 2012! And I owe it all to you, my readers and blogger friends.

Thanks again,

One Happy Greener Mommy


Summer Blog Challenge: Day 13

Today's Challenge: How do you see yourself by the end of the year? 


I have two words to answer today's challenge question!

Hey, the first step is envisioning the goal right? 

Now for the hard part... making it happen!



Tuesday, June 12, 2012

"The Omnivore's Dilemma" Book Party!

The Omnivore's Dilemma Book Party : hosted by Mama Making Changes and The Vagabond Studio


Back before I even watched Food Inc., I had heard a lot of talk about a book called The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan. This book traces three meals backward from the table to their source. And I hear that after reading it, you will never look at the food on your plate in the same way again! Sounds interesting, right? The book also comes in a simpler, easier to read version for young people.

Well, I added it to do my list of things I'd like to do soon and moved on. I kept hearing about, thinking about it, seeing it on my list, and I even downloaded it on my Nook, but I never actually read it. Well, I can hear my own mama in the back of my mind..."Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today." And she would be so right, because my "to do" list keeps getting longer and my "done" list just isn't keeping pace!


But, tonight I opened the book, dog-gone-it! I had only finished the introduction when I had a brilliant idea and  came running to my computer to write this post. Here's my idea: why don't you read it with me? I got together with a fellow blogger, who is has designed the wonderful event button at the bottom of this post and is co-sponsoring the event. Please take a moment to visit her blog, The Vagabond Studio to tell her hello and thank you!

Here's how it will work:

  • Go get yourself a copy of The Omnivore's Dilemma as quickly as possible and start reading. The library, the used book store, the Nook or Kindle versions, the new book store if you must...just grab a copy and get started! 
  • The book is divided into three sections. Plan to read one section each week.
  • Follow @mamamakingchges on Twitter by clicking here. Also follow and use hashtag #omnivoreparty for party posts. 
  • Meet me for a Twitter Party each Tuesday at 9pm EST to discuss the section we just finished. Section I will be the topic on 6/26, Section II on 7/3, and finally Section III at the Grand Finale on 7/10. 
  • When you get to the party, shoot me a message to say hello using my twitter handle @mamamakingchges, so I will be sure to know who is present for the giveaways. 
  • I will line up some prizes to be given away at each of the Tuesday Twitter Parties. Prizes for the finale will be announced later. On June 26,  3 winners will each get a pouch made from recycled newspapers. On July 3, 2 winners will each receive a copy of Michael Pollan's Food Rules: An Eater's Manual. 

  • If you'd like to co-host and/or sponsor a prize in exchange for generous recognition added to this post, my blog, and during the parties, please contact me via comments below, or on twitter in a direct message. You may also contact me via the Mama Making Changes facebook page by clicking here.  Sponsors may have their logo or button added to this post and to my blog sidebar during the event in addition to any other recognition. 
  • RSVP your commitment to participate in this event by leaving a comment below. Your comment should include your twitter handle. Only participants who RSVP will be eligible for prizes. If you join late, you will still be eligible for any prizes given away after you RSVP. Prizes will be given away during the Twitter parties to eligible attendees, so you must attend the party to win prizes given away during that party. 
  • Finally, share with your friends via Facebook and/or Twitter. If you have a blog,grab the button below. I would love for you to post it on your blog to help promote this event and share it with your readers. 
Omnivore's Dilemma Party
<div align="center"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mamamakingchanges.com%2F2012%2F06%2Fomnivores-dilemma-book-party.html&h=cAQF7dw9T" title="Omnivore's Dilemma Party" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix1TbuWI0uvZypmzK44kZVob-vRaay2cL4o2Q7v2ofeA2AvbYXbRlayJzVszIBpbtH1yBc5RyedKDKtRzaUPvhORX6910mraaVADB-1UsRLp4T0Q6g2P-e8_I7hx1nNv4wMTkqhOOpq-_p/s1600/Omnivore.jpg" alt="Omnivore's Dilemma Party" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

That's it! Hope you will join us! I am running out to buy the young adult version tomorrow so that my kids can join in the fun. Feel free to make this a family affair at your house, too! Keep checking back to see updates to this post as I obtain sponsors/prizes and finalize any details that may have been left out. And don't forget your RSVP!


Summer Blog Challenge: Day 12

Whew! This challenge is really keeping me busy! It's fun, though. I hope everyone is enjoying reading them.

Today's Challenge: What was your worst injury? How did it happen? 

Going Green with the Grizls

Now this is an interesting one! I'm not sure how many of these I would want to read, though. It would be like reading a bunch of short horror stories! And I am not going to be putting pictures with this one, for your sake! Heehee.

The answer to this question is simple because I've had two major injuries in my lifetime, but only one was life-threatening. The non-life-threatening injury still plagues me and probably will forever, but the other nearly killed me so I guess it wins, huh?

When I was pregnant with my second child, I had one complication after another. I spent the last trimester at home on bed rest. My doctor decided he was going to induce 3 weeks early because of the size of the baby and my desire to avoid another c-section. However, in the 3 weeks leading up to the that date, I kept going to the hospital in a wierd sort of labor. Finally, when I was about to give birth to my baby girl, they realized she was face first and flipped backward, which explained the previous 3 weeks. Natural delivery would break her neck. After a quick administration of an epidural, I was rushed off for that c-section I had wanted to avoid. 

Things didn't get better there. After the initial joy of delivering my precious baby, she was rushed away. She had an Apgar score of only 4  (out of 10) and my hubby went with her so I sat in recovery worrying. Luckily, she improved enough to go home in just 3 days and off we went, thinking it was uphill from there. Boy were we wrong. 

The day after we got home, we were calling 911. Our baby girl wouldn't eat, didn't cry, and finally the call was made when she stopped breathing long enough to start turning blue in the face. She kept stopping then starting and was re-admitted to the hospital. 

You're probably wondering how this story is about me, huh? Well here's where it turns. 

The first night we are back at the hospital, my hubby wakes me to nurse the baby (because it's time, not because she's crying...she didn't do that which was worrisome). In the midst of feeding her, I start gushing blood, like someone poured a gallon of it in my chair and it was pouring onto the floor. I handed off the baby and rushed to the bathroom, but I had just enough time to press the call button before collapsing into the bathroom floor as my husband stood in the hall screaming for someone. 

Nobody was at the nurse's station, but amazingly a doctor was coming down the hall who happened to have a syringe of medication in his pocket that was exactly what I needed to keep from going into shock. He injected it into my neck and when more help arrived, I was sent to emergency surgery. 15 units of blood and a 2 surgeries later, I had gotten a hysterectomy but was alive and recovering. 

It turns out there was placenta left during the c-section. I bled into my uterus until it burst. The hospital moved my daughter and I into the same room until we were both well enough to go home a few days later. My grandmother came to stay with us for a month to take care of the two of us and by the time she left we were both doing well. A

And that's the story of my worst injury ever. Yuck but true. What's yours? Comment and share your worst injury, if you still have the stomach for it :)

If you like this post and others on Mama Making Changes, please clickhereto go to Circle of Moms and vote for me as one of the top eco-friendly mom blogs. Just click here, then click the thumb to vote. You can come back to vote every 24 hours. Thanks for the support!  



Monday, June 11, 2012

Summer Blog Challenge: Day 11

Today's Challenge: What was the best day of your life?


Can I 15 of them? Oh. Okay. Well, how about if I narrow it down to 2 best days? That be okay? Alright then!

I choose the days that my two children were born. Maybe you're thinking "duh", but I cannot think of any other moment more glorious than the one when you first gaze upon the sweet face of your brand new baby. So many feelings all at once! How beautiful, how worth it, nothing else in the world matters at that moment. And to this day, my children are the reasons that I do at least 90% of what I do each day. They are the reason I wanted to be a Greener Mommy, the reason I wanted to get away from overly processed foods... the reason I get up in the morning!

I have 3 kids, but only gave birth to 2. Here are some pics from throughout the years of the two I saw on their birth day.

1993
1994

1999, prego with #2
2001

2002
2002





Now

What's your best day ever?

If you like this post and others on Mama Making Changes, please clickhereto go to Circle of Moms and vote for me as one of the top eco-friendly mom blogs. Just click here, then click the thumb to vote. You can come back to vote every 24 hours. Thanks for the support!