2011 Wrap-Up

So I thought I was 100% done with this whole blogging thing until I recently noticed that I've been posting these multi-paragraph comments on my friends' Facebook walls. How annoying is that? Apparently I have things I really want to say. I'll spare them (and Zuckerberg). I guess I forgot how much I like to hear myself speak.... or... read myself type?

At first when I started to type this post I thought I'd try to recount my parenting/homemaking/life successes and failures for the year (a crunchy epic win-epic fail kind of thing), but the more I thought about it the more it seemed stupid to call anything in life an epic win or fail. It's all really just a work in progress. Anyway, these are the things I've attempted this year and the status of these.... let's go with "projects."

1) Weight loss -- After a slow start in the Spring I'm proud to report I'm down about 25 lbs since July thanks to the very awesome My Fitness Pal (I mostly use the free app) and my wonderful local YMCA and their kick butt free childcare. I've been slacking since a little before Thanksgiving, but am looking forward to getting back into my workout routine after the first of the year.

2) General craftiness -- I would call this category a total failure if it were not for my new found love of Pinterest. I still can't sew or knit or turn an old wine bottle and a piece of plywood into a stylish end table (like some of my very talented friends), but I can make snow paint (a super cool mixture of equal parts white glue and shaving cream) and turn paint chips and an old frame into a dry erase calendar.

3) Cloth Diapers -- So I really do love cloth diapers, they are super cute, very absorbent and ridiculously addictive. We used cloth exclusively for a solid 6 months. But then I got super busy with work projects and had a difficult time keeping up with the laundry. There are now disposable diapers back in the rotation. However, kiddo seems very interested in potty training now and I'm hoping to use mostly cloth trainers.

Just because he's so good looking

Five Easy Ways To Be Crunchier

I love baby steps. And of course, seeing as how I'm crunchy(ish) and not the crunchy(est) I also like easy. These simple suggestions are good for your health, your environment and your wallet.

1) Get a Reusable Water Bottle - Love this one. Bottled water is one of the greatest marketing schemes of all time. Bottled water is unnecessary and expensive. I love this Klean Kanteen stainless steel water bottle. I started carrying a reusable water bottle while pregnant to help me remember to drink enough fluids. Then it came in handy after the baby was born because it's tough to stay properly hydrated while nursing. And, duh, lots of water is good for weight loss!

2) Buy Local - Going to the farmer's market on Saturday mornings in the Spring and Summer is one of my favorite traditions. Buying local not only greatly reduces the carbon footprint of the items you buy, it also supports the local economy. Somethings at the farmer's market are a good deal -- some aren't -- but I find all the fresh produce, herbs, dairy, flowers and handmade items really inspire me and set the tone for a good weekend. There's something so special about being that connected to the people who grow your food.

3) Change Light Bulbs - This is one of the greatest money-savers of all the green tips. Though they may cost a bit more up front, compact florescent light bulbs quickly pay for themselves. Not only do CF bulbs last so much longer than traditional incandescent bulbs, they also use less electricity thus lowering your electric bill.  According to the Environmental Defense Fund, if every household replaced three 60-watt incandescent bulbs with energy efficient bulbs the pollution savings would be like taking 3.5 million cars off the road.

4) Use Reusable Shopping Bags - My favorite thing about reusable shopping bags is that some stores (including Target) give you a discount for using reusable bags. My favorite reusable tote (perfect for farmer's markets) are the graphic pattern reinforced bags from Simply Green Solutions. Having these also comes in handy for stores like Aldi where bags are not complementary. Plus it's nice to have a few insulated bags with you to help keep meat, dairy and frozen items cool if grocery shopping isn't your last errand of the day.

5) Limit the paper in your life -- There are so many ways to do this, but some suggestions include not getting a receipt at the bank or store unless you really need it, opting out of catalogs and pre-approved credit card applications and paying bills online. Some great resources for helping you reduce the paper waste in your life are Catalog Choice and Opt Out Pre Screen.