Use half. September 28, 2008

Finally, I’m posting my green resolutions from the past two months!  I’m going to post-date them to make them less confusing.  Even though I haven’t posted these, I have been keeping them!

Whenever I use soap, it’s natural for me to use one pump for whatever I’m doing.  It occured to me this week that most of the time, I probably don’t need an entire pump of soap.  So, I’m commited to only using half a pump of soap when I wash my face, hands, or the dishes.  It doesn’t sound like much, but cutting my yearly soap useage in half will make a big difference!

BYO… M? September 22, 2008

It’s officially fall, and that means I’ll be visiting Starbucks a lot more than I do in the summer!  I’m not sure what it is about the slight fall chill that makes me crave coffee.  I drink it more from September to November than I do even during the coldest winter months!  With all of those to-go drinks can easily come a lot of paper and plastic waste.  So this week’s resolution is to bring my own mug whenever I visit a coffee house!  If I forget the mug, then I’ll just have to make do without coffee that day.

I actually went 3 times last week, and thankfully had planned ahead and brought my favorite travel mug each time.  I adore the logo and saying on it (Hanson: highly caffeinated since 1992), but perhaps even more I adore that it was free!  I won it during the spring leg of Hanson’s “The Walk Tour.”  At each show, fan club members were able to get their membership cards scanned and entered in a drawing for free merchandise.  After the opening act, the winner was announced.  In Falls Church, I was that lucky winner!  By that point I’d already purchased everything I really desired, except the mug.  It was $25, and in my opinion that’s way too much!  I’m thrilled to have it, and it reminds me of tour and especially that show every time I use it.

So this fall, not only will I be helping to save the planet, I’ll be reminiscing about a wonderful tour and advertising for my favorite band.  Does life get any sweeter?

Fun at the park. September 20, 2008

On Thursday and Friday of this week, I had the opportunity to take Jonathan and Benjamin to one of the parks near my house.  Both days were absolutely gorgeous and afforded many picture-taking opportunities!  On Thursday, the sun was much less glaring than it was on Friday, but unfortunately I had left my memory card in my computer so I didn’t get to snap many pictures!  We had a great time both days, though.

I love times when we can just play and not worry about completing work, being too loud, running too fast, or being too rough.  It’s great to let them have “boy time” and just observe how they interact with each other.  And it’s fun for me to chase them around, push them on the merry-go-round, and snap photos.  Of course I’m usually persuaded to take a video or two… these two are budding cinematographers!

I tried to get a nice, frameable picture, but of course the boys had other plans.  I don’t know how the real photographers handle sessions with children.  Though I can manage to capture a good photo with one boy, it seems to be 10 times the work to get both of them to smile, put their hands down, and not make a ridiculous face at the same time.  I took almost 90 pictures on Friday and out of the lot, one is decent enough to be called a portrait!  I keep promising myself that someday I’ll get a good picture of all three of them.  It has yet to happen!  In the meantime, I keep telling myself that the “bloopers” are precious, as well.  I have quite a few photos that capture each child’s spirit that I probably wouldn’t have if they sat still and cooperated every time I start snapping away.  In fact, some of my favorite pictures (especially of Ben) have been taken when he’s acting completely silly.  So, maybe I shouldn’t keep trying for that “perfect picture.”  Maybe I’ve already got it. ♥

(Click here or either picture for more park pictures!)

AWANA! September 19, 2008

AWANA started for the year on Tuesday the 16th!  I’m co-leading T&T this year with my dear friend Sarah and two other wonderful people (Ro & William).  I’m really excited about this year!  We had pretty good attendance the first week, but I’m hoping the class will grow throughout the year.  We had 10 girls and one poor lone boy!

I can tell that leading these kids is going to be a whole different ballgame from leading Sparks last year.  They are older and seem more prone to daydreaming.  And yet, they are more mature and are ready to ask really tough questions.  I know they will challenge me and help me to grow.  Hopefully along the way we will guide them to begin really thinking about their faith instead of accepting verbatim what others tell them.

I’m excited that we have a full year to hold Club instead of just a few months.  I feel like I’ll get to connect with my clubbers much more than I was able to last year.  Club has also been extended by 15 minutes each week.  This doesn’t sound like a lot of time, but I’m sure it will make a big difference in how much we are able to accomplish each week – particularly during Handbook Time!  I am longing to see growth in these kids as well as in myself.  Lord willing we will have a wonderful year of growth and FUN!

Street team! September 14, 2008

I’ve been on Hanson’s Street Team for more than a year, and this week, I finally did my first real work for it!  I don’t even know if I should call it work, because it was just downright fun!  When I lived in Maine, there was basically nothing the ST was asked to do, and it was highly disorganized.  Not long after I moved to Maryland, I met the MD ST Leader at a show and quickly made friends with her.  (Shout out to Erin!)  It had been way too long since I’d seen her, so on Thursday we arranged to do some promoting for the show in Falls Church, VA.

…

Erin picked me up on Thursday at 1:00 (not 2:00!!).  After some mild drama with how I was going to get to the gate to get her on base, we were on our way to VA to hang up fliers and walk around the awesome town of Falls Church.  We started off by going to the venue (Erin’s idea) to see if they had any fliers.  Oh boy, did they!  The venue (The State Theater) actually printed up their own very nice postcard-sized advertisements for the show!  We gave a few of our ST fliers to the nice girl at the box office, and she gave us a bunch of theirs to pass around.  Then we just started walking and stopping in stores to hang up fliers.  We were not only able to hang up quite a few posters, but also plan out meals for about seven days’ worth of camping in Falls Church.  HAH!  There are a lot of really yummy-looking restaurants in that city, though!  We hung up fliers in two especially cool places: one called the CD Cellar and one called Let’s Play Music.  The former was a used CD store in a very cool space in a tiny strip mall.  We even browsed their selection a bit and I was very impressed, though saddened at the lack of any Hanson whatsoever.  The latter was a music lesson space with a very cool owner.  He told us that at one point, he almost recorded in the same studio as Hanson at roughly the same time.  The guys ended up recording somewhere else close by, he said.  He seemed very impressed by them, and he might even come to the show!  (By the way, their logo has the cutest guitar-playing cartoon man I’ve ever seen, and he slightly reminds me of Isaac, haha!)

…

Today, I was able to participate in a car wash to raise money for HIVSA and other causes that Hanson supports through their website, takethewalk.net.  The event was organized by Jaime, one of the MD ST girls.  I’d met her at the Falls Church show last spring, but sure didn’t remember until I saw her today!  I left my house at 7:45 and got to Erin’s by about 8:30.  She drove us up to Perry Hall, which is about 30 minutes northeast of Baltimore.  We helped set up for the car wash/bake sale with Jaime and two other girls (Crystal and Angela).  It was ridiculously hot outside, and we were pretty excited to do some car washing!  Unfortunately I think more people came through the parking lot trying to get Chick-fil-A food on a Sunday than came for the car wash, but we still managed to wash probably 15 cars.  We made quite a bit of money for the different causes, thanks to lots of promo on Jaime’s part!  I’ve never done a car wash like that before, and it was a blast to be able to do something so simple that will help so much.  I might even see what I can do about hosting a car wash here on base.  The Chief Selects do them all the time in the huge parking lot by the gas station/base theater/Home Traditions store, and it’s close to the road so there’s plenty of exposure.  Who knows?

…

I’m completely excited about being a part of a Street Team that actually does things to promote the band, their shows, and the causes they’re involved in!  GO GO MD ST!

Cut the chemicals. September 14, 2008

This week’s resolution closely ties in with last week’s!  Since I’ve banished disposable toilet cleaning products from my house and switched to a toilet bowl brush, I definitely need some type of cleaner to use in that dirty toilet bowl!  Sarah told me that she has recently been using vinegar, sometimes with baking soda added, to clean her toilets.  I’ve decided to adopt this habit, too.  I bought the biggest jug of vinegar available – 5 gallons!  Since both baking soda and vinegar are things people can ingest, I figure they’re probably pretty easy on our earth.  I just hope they clean well!  And as a bonus, I can now make my own pickles….

Brush up. September 8, 2008

This week’s resolution will probably have a pretty big impact.  For the past three years, I’ve been using the Clorox disposable cleaning wand to clean my toilets.  I decided that it’s probably not good to be throwing out that blob of spun plastic every other week!  I bought a toilet bowl brush, and after I use that last cleaning wand, I’ll be switching to using it exclusively.  (I haven’t used a brush since I lived with my parents – I hope it cleans well!)

This week, in review. September 5, 2008

I love blogging, so I’m not sure why I keep putting it off.  Actually, I take that back – it’s because I hate blogging without including photos, and I’ve been way too lazy to take or upload them this week.  But something about the morning light inspires me, and I finally ventured out today.  (Pictures right, bottom, and in About-face.)

Last weekend, one of Alex’s friends from work stayed with us.  He would’ve been stranded at his house all weekend (his vehicle-operating roommate was on vacation), so Alex offered him our guest room.  I felt bad that we’re sort of homebodys and there wasn’t much exciting to do!  We spent many hours playing Rock Band, though, and I have to say I’m becoming a better fake drummer every day.

On Saturday, our friends Cody & Phil from back home came over for dinner.  Cody goes to school in NoVA, and Phil was out visiting him over the long weekend.  We grilled out and had more food than all of us possibly could’ve eaten – despite the fact that I forgot to serve the chips and potato salad!  It was wonderful to see both of them again and re-connect with what we’re all doing these days.

Monday was a glorious, work-free day.  We went to Old Town to take advantage of some Labor Day sales.  I was particularly excited about Crate & Barrel’s advertised 70% off.  Though nothing I got actually ended up being on sale (a new toilet bowl brush, cutting board, and hamper), I was glad that I finally got to use the gift card given to us at our wedding.  Of course, a trip to Old Town wouldn’t be complete without eating at La Madeline and shopping at Ann Taylor LOFT.  Loft was having quite the sale themselves, and I got a couple of shirts for $17.  A bargain, if you ask me!  (Which you obviously did.)  Monday evening was spent with friends.  Maery Beth & Jason Turner hosted a cook-out for friends & neighbors.  I had a wonderful time relaxing, eating good food, and talking with friends!

Tuesday was spent doing catch-up from the weekend: laundry, cleaning up the first floor, ironing, and doing dishes.  We had the second fencing contractor out to give us an estimate.  Though his initial estimate was almost double the other company’s (!), he decided to match their price.  I had been hoping that one or the other would be lower, and that would make our decision for us, but no such luck!  I suspect that if we do decided to install the fence, we’ll go with the second company.  The man seemed very dedicated to his work and told me about a couple of features that his price included that his competitor’s didn’t.  We haven’t made the final decision on whether to put one in or not – it’s the price of the fence plus the price of a lawnmower.  Yet it would be so nice to have a contained backyard, with Oscar and with new job possibilities… more on that later.

Last night Bible Study was at my house.  I love hosting, but boy – it felt cramped!  Next time I think I’ll have to scoot back the couch to make room for additional dining room chairs in the living room!  Our discussion seemed more weighty and delved deeper than it normally does, at least in my opinion.  I have a burden to be transparent with these wonderful women, and last night that seemed to come to a head.  I know that personally I need more accountability and revalation of my sins.  Hopefully very soon I will have an accountability partner – someone who can really get in my face and love me to the point of hurting my feelings!  I feel somewhat like a caterpillar wanting to emerge from her coccoun, to employ an old cliche.  Nevertheless, I yearn for change in my own heart more than I have for months.  Now there’s cause for a smiley-face sticker for God!

About face. September 5, 2008

This blog is almost a week late.  (I blame the holiday weekend, having company [not that I minded at all!], and general laziness.)  I promise I’ve been doing it all week, even though I’m just now getting around to posting!

It’s time to do an about-face from using conventional face wash to one that’s more earth-friendly.  I’m going to be honest: it’s not organic.  The commissary actually doesn’t currently offer an organic face wash!  This one, however, is soap-free, colorant-free, contains no animal-derived ingredients, and is not tested on animals.  I’m not sure those could all be claimed by my former scrubbing agent, so I figure it’s at least an improvement.  Leaving out the soap and colorant is not only better for the skin, but also prevents those chemicals from being washed down the drain.  It’s amazing how much soap is put into our fresh water sources each year, and it has a profound effect on the environment.

[I bet I looked kind of silly having a photo shoot with a bottle of face wash in my backyard, but hey, my indoor lighting isn't very good!]