photo via seventhgeneration.com

Seventh Generation :: Green Home Guide

“Creating a healthy home is a journey. …

To help you get started, we’ve created three lists of ideas: Light Green are easiest to do. Dark Green require more of a commitment. And Deep Green mean you are in for the full ride. Keep in mind that Light Green ideas can have as much impact as those on the Deep Green list.”

Green Home Guide | Seventh Generation.

According to their list, our family falls somewhere between the Medium and Dark Green.  Just the other day, I said I felt pretty proud of us, that we had come a long way on this journey towards Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality.  Well, I guess Sofia’s Ideas on an Eco-Mentality just aren’t up to par with Seventh Generation’s.  Humph.

What about you?  Are you a Light, Medium, or Dark Green?

I was hoping we’d get some more beets this week, because my friend was kind enough to share a recipe for Chocolate Beet Cake with Beet Cream Cheese Frosting on my facebook page.  Finally!  A recipe for beets I can get excited about!  ;0

So, as I walked up to my cooler, I was actually thinking “beets, beets, please let there be beets!”  Ha!  The irony of it all!  If you know me, you know I’ve been trying to enjoy beets for years, unsuccessfully, but trying because beets are nutritionally outstanding.  Recipe after recipe I say “um, no.  still yuck”.  But that recipe?  That recipe made me think “hell yeah!”.  And so I find it ironic that I would actually be hoping for beets.

But no, no beets this week.  Darn.

In our “share” this week ::

• Cherry Tomatoes

• Broccoli

• Japanese Eggplants

• Baby Pac Choi (Bok Choy)

• Tatsoi Japanese Spinach

• Baby Chard Mix

• Red Bibb Lettuce

• Oakleaf Lettuce

{CSA 2012} Share 5 :: Recipes

• Cherry Tomatoes  :: Mini Caprese Bites (thanks for the idea, Sarah!)

• Broccoli :: Broccoli Raisin Salad Done the Raw Food Way

• Japanese Eggplants :: Nobu 57 Japanese Eggplant

• Baby Pac Choi (Bok Choy) :: Baby Bok Choy with Cashews

• Tatsoi Japanese Spinach :: Gingery Sauteed Tat-Soi with Tofu Steaks

• Baby Chard :: Pan Fried Noodles with Ground Pork and Baby Chard

• Red Bibb Lettuce :: Thai Lettuce Wraps

• Oakleaf Lettuce :: Balsamic Chicken with Avocado and Radish Salad

Well, that’s the plan anyway.  Stay tuned and see how it all turns out!  I love this feeling of accomplishment… my menus are planned, my grocery lists are made, and my coupons are clipped.  Meal planning around our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share, and homeschooling around teachable moments both definitely fit Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

Alright.  Now look at this closely.  You see those spots?  Those spots are actually aphids!  Lots of aphids.  So, what do I do?  Attempt to wash them all off?  Just throw them out?  I’ve had bunches with an aphid here or there but never this many.  What do you think?  Advice?

Maybe we’ll just do a lesson plan around aphids?  How about we start with…

{CSA 2012} Share 4 :: Meals

It wasn’t a perfect week, but we stayed pretty true to our meal plan.  I was craving Indonesian food, but I never made it over to the Oriental Market.  (How does the week just get away from me that way?)  So, we did what we could, with what we had on hand.

Tomatoes :: Margherita Pizza

This is all Arcane.  Friday is pizza night and he just does his thing in there.  He says his secret ingredient is “love”.  This week, he used fresh mozzarella and fresh basil leaves with the farm tomatoes.  Yum.

String Beans :: String Bean Stir-Fry

Papa slightly stir fried the string beans with some onions, garlic, steak (as a garnish), and cashews with his own blend of Asian sauces (meaning, a splash of any & everything we had on hand, cuz that’s how he cooks!).  The string beans were still mostly raw, retaining their nutrition & keeping the focus on the their flavor rather than the sauce.  Perfect.

Asian Lettuce Mix :: Asian Greens Salad with Peanuts and Chicken

This is a go-to recipe for me.  Everyone loves this salad, including Mia now!  When it comes to dressing, I always make my own (because I’ve attended lectures where they were referred to as “death in a bottle”) and stick to simple ones that have a maximum of 5 ingredients.  This time, I left out the celery, only because I forgot to buy some.  Still delish, but was lacking that “crunch”.

Broccoli Greens :: Cantonese Kai Lan

The trick to these is not to put too much in your mouth all at once.  A few of us nearly choked.  Lesson learned.  I used the recipe as an idea, but I basically just did my own thing with them.  I couldn’t tell you what I did exactly, but I do remember thinking “next time, maybe some baby corn, carrots, and cashews with these”.  Tasty.

Birthday Breakfast :: Strawberry Nutella Crepes

One of Papa’s favorite childhood memories is of the special breakfast his mom would make on the weekends… crepes and croissants from scratch.  Every time she comes for a visit, he brings it up at least once, and we all chime in, begging her to make us some, and teach us her secrets.  Since it was Arcane’s birthday last weekend, she happily obliged!  And now?  The crepes torch has been passed, not to me, but to Aslan…  “I’m a crepe maker!  I make crepes!  Watch me make crepes!”  And she does, she makes the crap out of those crepes!  ;0

Like I’ve said a gazillion times, I am so not a natural in the kitchen, but I do love providing my family with Yummy Delicious Goodness.  I still plan my meals, but I try to be more flexible on the execution, and choose simple recipes rather than intricate 5 course meals.  Centering our meals around the vegetables we get in our weekly CSA shares is how we dine with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

How do you approach your meal planning?  What is your starting point – coupons? cravings?

a {snippet}

latte, laughter, lists, library, lovely

Week after week, I gush over these vegetables.  Its redundant.  Sorry.  But the truth is, the novelty hasn’t worn off!  I love the quality of the produce, I love being a member of an organic CSA (community supported agriculture) farm, and I love supporting the Swank Family.  It makes me happy, it makes me proud, it excites me… the whole thing just feels, I dunno… good.

I love the anticipation that builds on the ride over, the bumpy dirt roads, and driving through the canopy of trees.  I even love being the first one, the one to open the gate, because I get to turn into a ninja for a half a second when I get caught in a spider web.  I love making my way up to the pickup point, seeing that blue cooler with my name on it, and driving off with this week’s bounty.

I love that I try to sneak a peak when I get to every stop sign or red light on the way home.  I love that when I cut my bag open, the leafy greens fluff up and out, and the fragrance intensifies.  I love that sometimes, we find a little stow away that makes for a good laugh.  Last week, a little frog jumped out of the butter lettuce and scared the bejeezus out of me!

I also love the spectacle that is our home when I’m setting up for my csa photo shoot.  Me, gathering my containers and baskets for props, lovingly matching each vegetable to its nest for the week, and arranging them “just so”.  The kids, coming over to help, asking questions about what looks unfamiliar, inquiring if eggplants would be good on a pizza or “do these taste good raw?”.  Mia, now the curious crawler, wanting to tug on and taste everything – the little thief!  Occasionally, she is successful.  Ahem.

I love that when Papa wants to start lunch, he knows to ask “Did you already take a picture of these?” or “Were you planning something with this?” as he holds up one of the bunches.  This week, he claimed the tomatoes to eat with some fresh mozzarella and basil, but Arcane was able to negotiate a few for his Friday night margherita pizza.

In our “share” this week:

• Tomatoes

• Scallions

• String Beans

• Japanese Eggplants

• Broccoli Greens

• Asian Lettuce Mix

• Baby Chard Mix

• Multi Lettuce Mix

There’s an Asian theme brewing in my head.  I’ve been craving my mom’s cooking.  I keep randomly saying things like “I want kroket!”  or “I want rendang!” and Papa just nodds because what I am really saying is “Papa, will you please make some rendang?”  Did I ever mention that when we do eat Indonesian food around here, it’s Papa that cooks it?  Yeah, I don’t even know what to say about that.  (I’m hanging my head in shame.)  Perhaps I can pair some of these veggies along with some of the recipes my mom left with me during her last visit?  Yum!

{CSA 2012} Share 3 :: Recipes

• Tomatoes :: as if they last!

• Scallions :: tossed into most dishes

• String Beans :: tossed into a stir-fry

• Japanese Eggplants :: Tempura

• Broccoli Greens :: Cantonese Kai Lan

• Asian Lettuce Mix :: Asian Greens Salad with Peanuts and Chicken

• Baby Chard Mix :: Pan Fried Noodles with Ground Pork and Baby Chard

• Multi Lettuce Mix :: salad

Well, that’s the plan anyway.  Stay tuned and see how it all turns out!  I love this feeling of accomplishment… my menus are planned, my grocery lists are made, and my coupons are clipped.  Meal planning around our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share definitely fits into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  What did you pick up at your farmer’s market or csa this week?  Any recipes you’d like to share?  Leave your links in the comments below…

Wow, we didn’t stick to our plan at all.  Not even a little bit.  Things were a lot “looser”, not so much structure.  I was feeling under the weather for a few days, and of course, my lil’ lovie suffered along with me for a day or two, so we kinda just threw some meals together at the last minute.

We had a lot of salad, roasted veggies, and stir fry.  All things that come together in a pinch with whatever is around.  No Fuss or Fancy, just Food.

But I do have to say one thing… that last picture?  There is an amazing story behind that salad.  It was a 100% local lunch… the veggies were grown at our CSA farm, in the next town over.  But you will never guess what is sitting on top of those greens!

Go ahead – guess!

I’ve been talking up our morning shakes on Nutrition Fruition, my other blog.  Our family calls it a Brainy Breakfast, and we have been drinking this almost daily for the last several years.  We noticed from early on that when we begin our day with it, we just feel “better”.   And when we go without, for whatever reason, we sorta feel “off”.  I can’t explain it but anyone who has incorporated this shake into their diet can attest to the same.

Intrigued?  Get the recipe and read the rest here.

When I took this photo, I realized that this is what Sunday mornings typically look like in our house.  I realized just how far we’ve come on this journey towards Simplicity, Frugality and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality.  And I felt kinda proud of us.  I know, I’m an eco-dork!  ;0

Do you periodically look back and see how many positive changes you’ve made in your life?

The {Sofia’s Ideas} Frugality Series ::

{Beauty} Hygiene

Now that I’ve introduced you to the Stages, I’m going to begin with Beauty since that is where I (re)started.  Last time, we talked about Skin Care.  This week, its all about personal Hygiene.  In particular, I want to share my journey with deodorant.

© Daniel Gilbey

Papa had been warning me about deodorant for years, but I thought he was just being an alarmist.  Whenever we had family visiting from abroad, he would show me their deodorant labels to educate me on the differences of what we get here, in the U.S., and what they get abroad, by the same manufacturer.  Popular brands of deodorants and antiperspirants contain harmful ingredients.  Yes, they work.  They do their job.  Congratulations, you don’t stink.  But at what cost? {Stage 1}

I tried to make the switch to natural brands during that period of awakening.  I avoided aluminium, parabens, fragrance, triclosan, etc.  I purchased the most expensive, in hopes of finding something that actually worked – to no avail.  I lived in South Florida.  It’s hot.  And I just couldn’t take stinkin’ all the time.  So I switched back.  (Gasp!)  Intellectually, I understood the dangers of deodorant, but I rationalized it by saying that my new & improved immune system would take care of any naughty cells.  {Stage 2}

And of course, I stockpiled tons of this garbage during {Stage 3}.

However, like I’ve said… We have a choice.  We can pay now or pay later.  We can either choose to invest in our health or choose to subsidize our illness.

So I made a commitment.  I was going to figure this out.  I didn’t want my sons and daughters putting these toxins on their chemically-sensitive and developing bodies.  Alzheimer’s, cancer, autoimmune disease?  Um, no thank you.  So, the first thing I did was make my own.  {Stage 4}

Sofia’s Ideas Homemade Deodorant Recipe ::

• some baking soda

• some cornstarch

Directions :: Place random amounts into a sealed container, shake like heck.  Apply 50 times a day with a large poofy powder brush.

Brilliant, right?  Well, the truth is, it was astounding!  Papa and I were amazed at how well it worked.  It was a revelation!  We gushed about it everyday!  And that lasted for about 2 weeks.

Something went severely awry at that point and we were just rancid!  I mean, we knew we were going to experience some detox, so we tried to push through it for a couple of weeks, but like I said, we live in Florida.  It’s hot.  And we were stinkin’.

So again, we started purchasing every natural brand we could find at Whole Foods, drugstore.com, and Etsy.  Nothing worked for very long.  Eight weeks in, we switched back to the chemicals.  (Gasp!)

And that’s where we still are today.  Honestly.  I wish I could say that I found the perfect solution, but this is a work in progress for us.  I have a few homemade recipes that I think I can pull off, but I feel kinda “meh” about it.  Know what I mean?  I just want someone to tell me “Buy this.  This works.  And its safe.”  The end.

Seriously, my poor kids – are they really destined to have the mom that makes homemade deodorant and toothpaste?  Aren’t we weird enough as it is?  ;0

This recipe seems simple enough, though, and I already have all the ingredients.  We shall see.

What about you?  Have you tried to make the switch?  Have you found the magic potion?

• The Story of Cosmetics is a great introduction.  If you have not watched this video, I urge you to take a few moments of your time.  If you see value in it, share it with others.

• Skin Deep  is an essential tool to use.  The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Database is THE resource.  Grab something out of your cabinet now and look it up – I bet you’ll be surprised!

• The Dirty Thirty by Glamology is a quick list for reference.  Print this out or bookmark it on your phone so you can refer to it while out shopping for products.

Sofia’s {Ideas}

A Sunday series.  A single idea.  One of way too many.

For years, I would wake up at 5am and hit the ground running.  Literally.  I’d throw my sneakers on and go for a walk, jog, or run.  It was part of my daily Hour of Power.  And now that I am reclaiming my awesome, I’m trying to do this consistently again, despite the fact that my 3 youngest lovies (ages 5, 3, and 9 months) are usually awake before dawn.  How?  Sunshine Baskets.

Simply, quiet activities they can do in their rooms if they wake up before the sun shines.  Hence, Sunshine Basket.

“If you wake up before the sun shines, you can have your Sunshine Basket.”  Because, the goal is to have them remain in their rooms until its time for us to get our day started.

I’m keeping the novelty intact by not allowing them to have their baskets at any other time, and by changing the contents every Sunday.

Sunshine Baskets are a good way to rotate the toys, books, and puzzles they already have, and to also use up some stuff from the recycling bin.  Some weeks, I’ll put a bunch of random junk in there with some tape for more open-ended play.  Simple, Frugal, and Green.

It’s going to take some time for the kids to adjust to this (and Papa, if Mia wakes up while I’m out), but I think it is a worthy investment of time and effort.  No more waking me up, on the rare occasion that I’m actually asleep.  No more waking up the rest of the family with sounds blasting from the tv or wii.  No more begging me to stay, or to come with me on my morning walk.  No more disruptions while I’m trying to read my daily dose of inspiration or write in my journal.

I’ve been meaning to put these together for years, but felt like the kids weren’t ready for me to “leave” them for the sake of my health and sanity.  (Ok, you got me – that was just an excuse not to get off my rear.  ;0 Hee! Hee!)  I think we all benefit from a mama that feels happy, healthy, and energetic.  Don’t you agree?

Sunshine Baskets are one way to keep the children quietly entertained while I go refuel.  And of course, in a way that fits Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

How do you get your “me” time in?  What works for you?  What doesn’t?  How do you handle it when the kids wake up before you are ready for them? 

If you follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter, then you already know that I’ve been refocusing on nutrition since the start of the year.  (No, really.  I’m really doing it this time.  I’m reclaiming my awesome in 2012, remember?)  In fact, I’m finally writing over at Nutrition Fruition on a more consistent basis.

We have been as excited as ever to be a part of our CSA (community supported agriculture) this year.  All of us have been cooking up a healthy storm over here, I just haven’t been taking any pictures.  (I was in a funk, and therefore a creative drought.)

Its a little ridiculous, really, how much we love our CSA vegetables.  You’d think by now we’d lose some of that anticipation for our weekly shares.  I mean, it really is just vegetables, right?

Oh, but it’s not just vegetables!  These vegetables come from Swank Specialty Produce, “purveyors of the finest HydroNatural greens, herbs, and specialty produce to South Florida’s best restaurants and gourmet markets”.  If you are local to me and want to see for yourselves, you can find them every Saturday at the West Palm Beach Green Market.

I know I’ve said all of this before, but it really is worth repeating… It is a HydroNatural farm, meaning it “combines hydroponics with natural, sustainable agriculture”…

That is only part of what I love abut our CSA – everything (possible) comes with its roots!  Why is that good?  Because “The plants are harvested live with the roots attached, enabling them to stay fresher longer. Properly stored, the plants last up to three weeks.”… as if they’d last that long in this house! ;0

Beautiful, isn’t it?  And what you can’t get from these pictures is how good everything smells!!!  That baby fennel smells of black licorice!  That fresh fragrance is definitely lacking in the produce we buy at the grocery store, organic or not.

In our “share” this week:

• butter lettuce mix

• baby lettuce mix

• Asian lettuce mix

• baby broccoli greens

• baby fennel

• beets and beet greens

• baby eggplant mix

• tomatoes

{CSA 2012} Share 3 :: Recipes

• butter lettuce mix ::  Lettuce Wraps with Chile Peanut Noodles

• baby lettuce mix :: Ciabatta BLAT

• Asian lettuce mix :: Asian Greens Salad with Ginger Miso Dressing

• baby broccoli greens :: Cantonese Kai Lan

• baby fennel :: Roasted (Baby) Fennel and Baby Carrots

• beets and beet greens :: Tangy Buttered Beets and Beet Greens with Dijon or this

• baby eggplant mix :: Caponata Linguine

• tomatoes :: in one of the salads, if Papa doesn’t eat them all first!

Well, that’s the plan anyway.  Stay tuned and see how it all turns out!  I love this feeling of accomplishment… my menus are planned, my grocery lists are made, and my coupons are clipped.  Meal planning around our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share definitely fits into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  What did you pick up at your farmer’s market or csa this week?  Any recipes you’d like to share?  Leave your links in the comments below…

Pure Genius!

photo via mobypictures :: Peter Xtian Villar

The January issue of Mambo Sprout’s Messenger is out!  There are a lot of changes happening with this useful publication, including the fact that they are now publishing 12 editions a year!  Yes, now you will benefit from more money-saving coupons, product information, and industry news on a monthly basis!

Click on the image below.  You’ll be able to download your copy & print out coupons from there.

Last week, I shared the Whole Food Markets :: The Whole Deal with you and talked a bit about how I stack coupons, right?  Well, this is one source of those manufacturer coupons that you can stack with the ones from Whole Foods.

Utilizing Mambo Messenger’s coupons & money saving information is just another way we provide our family with nutritious foods.  And as always, in a way that fits Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

Sign up to get your Mambo Messenger here.

What’s your coupon “system”?  Any tips you’d like to share?

photo via designmom.com

I loved this short post on how to… Use Storytelling to Inspire Kids to Go Green by Simple Mom.

You can also click on the image above to learn how to make your own colored pencil necklace!  So neat!

Sometimes the desire to teach our children about being a good steward of the Earth pushes us to be more creative.  We never want the message to be of the doom and gloom type; we don’t want them to live in fear of a toxic and dying planet.  What we want is to educate and empower the next generations, so we come up with ideas on how to ensure that they “learn what they live” in positive and optimistic ways.

Having an open and ongoing discussion about the choices we make as a family is the predominant way we “teach” our kids about going “green”, and about Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality.  In other words, we weave it into our daily conversations, and its naturally intertwined with the rhythm of our day, rather than a “subject” we teach during homeschool.

What about your family?  How do you approach this subject with them?

All I have to say about this is… AWESOMENESS!!!

pinterest

Note :: I could not find the original source of this photo.  (It just keeps cycling back to the pin.)  If anyone knows where this originated, please email me so I can give proper credit.

The person who made these brilliant canvases used whole crayons and left them as part of the artwork.  I, however, need to “green” it up a bit more by suggesting that you use Fractured Crayons instead.  If you have kids, you have fractured crayons, loads of them!  Instead of tossing them, or recycling them into chubby crayons, make something nifty like this.

Also, instead of purchasing a canvas, you can simply staple fabric (think cheap muslin or even old t-shirts) onto a shoebox lid or t-shirt box.  Works just as well, for little to no cost at all!  How’s that for keeping this project in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality?

The January/February edition of Whole Foods Market :: The Whole Deal is out!

“Keep your healthy resolutions, gear up for game day and discover Valentine’s Day values all with the latest issue of the The Whole Deal value guide. It’s packed with more than $46 in coupons, 17 Sure Deals, 9 new budget-friendly recipes at less than $4 per serving, a handy meal planner for 4 and 10 money-saving shopping tips.”

Click on the image below.  You’ll be able to download your copy & print out extra coupons from there.

What I like to do is skim through the available coupons and just make a mental note.  I wait to see what’s on sale & what specials they run, which usually come in my “Whole Foods Market Local Store News and Sales” email (sign up below).  I cross-reference the two, match them up, see if I have additional manufacturer coupons I can stack, then print out only what I need for that week.  I used to print, cut, & file them all at once, but found that it creates paper & time waste.

Utilizing The Whole Deal’s coupons & money saving information is just another way we provide our family with nutritious foods.  And as always, in a way that fits Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

Sign up for your Whole Foods Market Local Store News and Sales here.

What’s your coupon “system”?  Any tips you’d like to share?

Months and months ago (ahem), I contacted the Newman’s Own Organics company to inquire about coupons for their products.  They responded more than generously by offering to send us “a few of our products to sample”.  Um, yeah, I think we got just about every snack in their line!

I was completely taken aback when I opened the box.  The kids were obviously elated!

The Good ::  I really love that the products are certified organic.  I trust the brand and the company.  If you look them up, you’ll see that their online presence is positive.  The company is known for doing right by people and the planet.  And when it comes to superior ingredients, there’s no question.

“‘Great tasting food that happens to be organic.’ (That’s what we kept in mind when we created our products.) We focus on the kinds of products we loved as kids, but take them one step further by using the highest quality of available organic ingredients.”

The majority of the snacks were more than good.  I mean, like a whole lot more than good.  Better tasting than other organic brands?  Perhaps.  Better tasting than non-organic counterparts?  Most definitely!  Can’t quite explain it, but once you’ve eaten organics for awhile, you can actually taste the chemicals in the other stuff.  I’m not kidding.  My kids can tell the difference between organic apples or chicken and not.

The Strawberry and Tangerine Licorice Twists topped our favorites list, unanimously!  All of the cookies, and I mean ALL, were full of yummy delicious goodness.  My personal favorites were the Hint-O-Mint Newman-O’s and the Orange Chocolate Chip Family Recipe Cookies.  All of the Fig Newmans were delish, but I think fig is an acquired taste, no?  If you dig Kraft Fig Newtons, you’ll totally dig these!

The Bad ::  The stuff we didn’t like, we really didn’t like.  Not a fan of the Soy Crisps, in any flavor.  And the mints made my tongue feel like I had bad breath.  Does that make sense?  It didn’t actually give me bad breath, but my mouth felt like I did.  Trust me, I made Arcane smell my breath.  That was interesting.

The Ugly ::  Price!  You know, I’m all about “you get what you pay for” and “invest in your health” and “vote with your dollars”.  BUT, even with all of that in mind, picking up a package of one of these snacks at our local market is unlikely, unless its on sale and I have a coupon for it.

With all of that said, I did use the available coupons to see how it would impact the out-of-pocket price of their items.  I first went to our local Publix, but the items I had coupons for were not sold there.  So I headed to Whole Foods Market and was disappointed; even with the coupons, it was still far more reasonable to choose a comparable item in the Whole Foods 365 brand.

Conclusion :: All in all, we would put Newman’s Own Organics in our “yummy delicious goodness” category.  That means we loved it!  Perhaps there were specific flavors we wouldn’t purchase, but there are already items in their line that have bogarted their way into our grocery list.  Yeah, I’m looking at you, Fig Newmans!  ;0

• Head over to Newman’s Own Organics to print out some coupons here.  They update monthly.  Currently, they have coupons for Fig Newmans, Chocolate Bars, & Licorice Twists.

• Amazon.com has some of this available for Subscribe & Save, which is a program I am a huge fan of.  You lock in your discount, have complete control over your shipments, can cancel at any time, and customer service is awesome!

Finding affordable ways to purchase organic “extras” is one way we grocery shop with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

I was not compensated for this post in any way.

Even though I prefer print editions of magazines, this is one digital version I do enjoy!  I’m (kinda sorta) looking forward to curling up on the couch with this, cup of black tea in hand… It’s the Annual Fitness Issue – can’t wait to see what’s new!

Click on the cover below to get your digital copy of Organic Spa magazine FREE!

Tip :: Once you get your copy, click on the text of any cover article, it will take you straight to the page!

In so many ways, this is in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  Are you having a hard time transitioning to digital too? or do you actually prefer reading books & magazines on your gadgets?

The {Sofia’s Ideas} Frugality Series ::

{Beauty} Skin Care

Now that I’ve introduced you to the Stages, I’m going to begin with Beauty since that is where I (re)started.  Last week, we talked about Hair Care.  This week, its all about Skin Care.

So, skin, it seems, is another touchy subject.  Some people have been blatantly condescending towards me.  Really?  Just because I don’t personally have ashy skin means I don’t have the capacity or the wherewithal to understand it?  Its skin, not rocket science.  Believe me, I don’t want my kids to suffer, which is precisely why I refuse to slather Vaseline on them.

But, I will admit that I am a girlie girl (when it comes to this, anyway) and I REALLY love my lotions and potions.  I was the kind of girl that couldn’t walk out of the store without a little something – new lotion, body scrub, something.  I love to pamper myself.  My soft skin used to be part of my identity.  {Stage 1}

But again, that was before I educated myself about the products I was so willingly slathering onto our bodies on a daily basis.  (The Story of Cosmetics is a great introduction.)  So I threw out all that crap, began using organic products, and eventually found companies that were compatible with our needs.  My concern was the totality of our health, which included what we were absorbing into our bodies through our skin.  Believe me when I say, I spared no expense!  {Stage 2}

But all of that went out the window when I had to pinch pennies.  I started buying ANYthing.  I refused to pay more than a dollar out of pocket.  I ended up with tons of body washes, lotions, and sunscreens from all the drugstore brands we are familiar with.  And not only did our skin change (for the worse), but I developed allergies, and eventually that rash.  {Stage 3}

I got fed up.  What I wanted was an easy and affordable way to maintain our health & hygiene & budget simultaneously.  That’s when I got smart and read the “made with…” parts of the bottles.  And instead of purchasing things that were “made with…”, I just purchased the things they were made with.  In other words, why buy lotion made with coconut oil if you can use pure coconut oil?  Why buy body scrub made with olive oil if you can just make your own with the oil in your pantry?  Why pay for fragrance and fillers?  Or poison and preservatives?  {Stage 4}

So now, we have these four things.  And we all use them.  I think we have reached a happy medium.  Simple. Frugal. Natural. Healthful.  And please notice, 2 of these items, we also use for hair care.

1. {Wash}  Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Liquid Castille Soap ::

We use this for EVERYthing!  And I mean everything; it’s in every room in the house.  I buy the biggest size I can get, for the lowest sale price available (Amazon.com or Whole Foods Market).  Just a little squirt onto a loofah will do it.

Note:: It will NOT make a ton of suds.  You will be tempted to use more because that’s what we’re used to.  Don’t.  You’ll just be wasting it.  I assure you, you’ll be clean.

2. {Moisturize} Nutiva Organic Coconut Oil ::

Again, we use coconut oil for EVERYthing and it smells like macaroons.  A little bit goes a really long way.  Once you’ve used coconut oil on your skin, it is very unlikely that you’ll want to use anything else.  Aside from knowing it is healthier, it also feels healthier.  Rather than wasting money testing chemical laden products that simply strip our skin of its natural health, I opt for this.  I feel good knowing that I’m not slathering chemicals onto our skin for vanity’s sake.

3. {Baby Wash}  Dr. Bronner’s Baby Mild Liquid Castille Soap ::

I usually use this with the lil’ lovies until they are able to close their eyes when I’m washing their hair.  Every baby is different, but I would say that close to age 2 is when I ween them off and move onto the peppermint.

4. {Baby Moisturize} Burt’s Bees Apricot Oil ::

For no other reason other than I love the way it smells on babies, I use this.  Not after every bath, but when necessary.  (I have learned, the hard way, that babies do not need to be bathed as often as Johnson & Johnson would like us to think!  ;0 )  And when I can manage to create a quiet moment, apricot oil is wonderful for an infant massage.

Simple.  Frugal.  Natural.  Healthful.

I can’t give you an exact on how much I spend on skin care, but I can tell you that those items do last a long time around here, and we are a family of 8.  For all of its uses, not just skin care (cleaning the house, cooking, etc.) I spend about $50 every 2 months for those 4 products.  $25/month ÷ 8 people = $3.12/month/person for beauty, cleaning, nutrition, etc.  Pretty darn good.

Other benefits I didn’t cover include, but are not limited to, less plastic waste, less chemicals down the drain, and less bathroom shelf space.

So there you have it – that’s how our family approaches skin care with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  What are your thoughts and/or experiences?

5 Homemade Organic Beauty Recipes with 5 Ingredients or Less

Beauty Brands Sued Over Use of the Term “Organic” on Labels

Study Finds Popular Cosmetics Contain Lead, Arsenic and Other Toxic Heavy Metals

Even though I prefer print editions of magazines, this is one digital version I do enjoy!  I’m (sorta) looking forward to curling up on the couch with this, cup of black tea in hand… I’m looking forward to reading a Yogi’s advice on stress-free holidays.

Click on the cover below to get your digital copy of Organic Spa magazine FREE!

In so many ways, this is in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  Are you having a hard time transitioning to digital too? or do you actually prefer reading books & magazines on your gadgets?

A few days ago, I shared our meal plan and have been posting pictures of the yummy delicious goodnesses along the way (on facebook and twitter).  My goal was to go for simplicity and to use up all of the leafy greens first.

Click on the pictures to go to the original recipe…

{CSA 2011} Share 1 :: Meals

with the Spring Mix Lettuce…

with the Italian Romano Pole Beans…

with the Chinese Spinach and Mustard Greens…

with the Heirloom Zucchini…

When you click on the zucchini bread picture above, the link will take you to the recipe I used as a base.  I chose this one because it was the one I found that called for the most shredded zucchini.

My adjustments:

• sucanat instead of sugar (same amount)
• whole wheat pastry flour instead of all-purpose (same amount)
• omit nutmeg and cinnamon
• add handful of chocolate chips and walnuts (to your liking)

And because we were in the Halloween spirit…

Pumpkin Pancakes

Wet ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups plant milk (we used vanilla soymilk)
• 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar

Dry ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 3 tablespoons sucanat
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

In a large mixing bowl, use a hand mixer (or whisk) to whip up wet ingredients until smooth.  Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients.

NOTE: It will be thick, but do not dilute with more milk.  Once the batter hits the griddle, it will thin out.

Yes, we do use as much organic ingredients as possible.  The majority of our staples are organic.  If you have a Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s, or Publix in your area, take a look at their private label as a frugal organic option.  We no longer live near a Trader Joe’s, but in NY, that is where we did most of our shopping.  Now, much of our baking supplies are from the Whole Foods 365 Organic Everyday Value line and we rely on Publix’s GreenWise Market for many of our pantry goods.  Both of our stores allow us to use their store coupons with a manufacturer’s coupon.

Also, the bulk bins at Whole Foods Market carry a great variety of baking supplies from flours to grains to nuts and dried fruits.  Just remember to bring your jars with you, have them weighed at customer service, and then go fill them up.  Not only will you reduce your plastic use, but you will also save yourself the trouble of transferring the food into a container once you get home.  That’s just another way we grocery shop in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and an Eco-Mentality!

If you follow me on Facebook and/or Twitter, then you already know that I was giddy on Monday, all day long.  Four o’clock couldn’t come fast enough; I just could not wait to pick up our first CSA (community supported agriculture) share of this season!  I wasn’t the only one either; the kids were just as excited as I was, and decided that they wanted to come along for the ride.

As we headed towards the farm, we talked about all of the recipes we really loved from last year.  Arcane even suggested a few new ones he’d been thinking up.  The conversation was full of “Ooh, you know what we could do?” and “Oh yeah, or how about if we…?”  The closer we got, the more intense our anticipation…  Is this normal?  I mean, it really is just vegetables, right?

Oh, but it’s not just vegetables!  These vegetables come from Swank Specialty Produce, “purveyors of the finest HydroNatural greens, herbs, and specialty produce to South Florida’s best restaurants and gourmet markets”.  If you are local to me and want to see for yourselves, you can find them every Saturday at the West Palm Beach Green Market.

I know I’ve said all of this before, but it really is worth repeating… It is a HydroNatural farm, meaning it “combines hydroponics with natural, sustainable agriculture”…

That is only part of what I love abut our CSA – everything (possible) comes with its roots!  Why is that good?  Because “The plants are harvested live with the roots attached, enabling them to stay fresher longer. Properly stored, the plants last up to three weeks.”…

Beautiful, isn’t it?  And what you can’t get from these pictures is how good everything smells!!!  That fresh fragrance is definitely lacking in the produce we buy at the grocery store, organic or not.

In our “share” this week:

• Green Oakleaf Lettuce

• Red Bibb Lettuce

• Spring Mix Lettuce

• Chinese Spinach

• Mustard Greens

• Heirloom Zucchini

• Baley Cucumbers

• Italian Romano Pole Beans

{CSA 2011} Share 1 :: Recipes

• Green Oakleaf Lettuce :: Coconut Curry Chicken Wraps

• Red Bibb Lettuce :: Ciabatta BLAT (blt with avocado)

• Spring Mix Lettuce :: Winter Salad with Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing (family favorite)

• Chinese Spinach :: stir fried as a side

• Mustard Greens :: sauteed with garlic as a side

• Heirloom Zucchini :: Zucchini Bread (adapted), roasted as a side

• Baley Cucumbers :: simply sliced as a side or in salads

• Italian Romano Pole Beans :: sauteed with a bit of garlic & onions

Well, that’s the plan anyway.  Stay tuned and see how it all turns out!  I love this feeling of accomplishment… my menus are planned, my grocery lists are made, and my coupons are clipped.  Meal planning around our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share definitely fits into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  What did you pick up at your farmer’s market or csa this week?  Any recipes you’d like to share?  Leave your links in the comments below…

The {Sofia’s Ideas} Frugality Series ::

{Beauty} Hair Care

Now that I’ve introduced you to the Stages, I’m going to begin with Beauty since that is where I (re)started.  Let’s talk about Hair Care.

Before I begin, let me just say that I get it.  Not only is there a spectrum of hair types & needs, but also a spectrum of emotions when it comes to one’s hair.  On one end, there’s “its just hair” and on the other, there’s “its my hair!“.  I personally lean towards “its just hair”.  I also have to preface this with the fact that my children have “multicultural hair”.  People love to advise me on what I should be doing with my daughters’ hair.  I used to take that advice, I even used to seek it, because my concern was how good their hair looked, at any cost.  {Stage 1}

That was before I educated myself about the products I was so willingly slathering onto our scalps on a daily basis.  (The Story of Cosmetics is a great introduction.)  So I threw out all that goo, began using organic products, and eventually found companies that were compatible with our needs.  My concern was the totality of our health, which included what we were absorbing into our bodies through our skin.  {Stage 2}

But all of that went out the window when I had to pinch pennies.  I started buying ANYthing.  I refused to pay more than a dollar out of pocket.  I ended up with tons of shampoos & conditioners & goops from Herbal Essences, Garnier Fructis, etc.  And not only did our hair change (for the worse), but I developed allergies, and eventually that rash.  {Stage 3}

When I got fed up, I researched even more than I did the first time.  What I wanted was an easy and affordable way to maintain our health & hygiene & budget simultaneously.  That’s when I stumbled on the No Poo Method, which I eagerly tried on all of us, despite my well-known disdain for all things vinegar.  It was super cheap, super healthy, and worth a shot. {Stage 4}

Well, it turned out that their hair didn’t take to it that well.  No matter how many times I tried to adjust it, it was just not working.  And honestly, I don’t know what I was thinking – even the faintest vinegary smell induces my gag reflex.  Adding the vanilla bean or the cinnamon stick did NOT help.  You can certainly try the No Poo Method, people swear by it.  Baking soda and apple cider vinegar… who knew?  But for us, it just didn’t work.  So this is what we do…

We used to buy shampoo, conditioner, anti-frizz, deep conditioner, gel, putty, grease, and leave-in detangling spray.  A different brand/line for each person in the house. (I wish I was kidding.)  Now we have these four things.  And we all use them.  I think we have reached a happy medium.  Simple. Frugal. Natural. Healthful.

1. {Shampoo}  Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Liquid Castille Soap ::

We use this for EVERYthing!  And I mean everything; it’s in every room in the house.  I buy the biggest size I can get, for the lowest sale price available (Amazon.com or Whole Foods Market).  For shampoo, I put about 3 tablespoons (although I just eyeball it) into a plastic squeezie bottle (16oz.) and fill the rest with water.  Every so often, (instead of a residue shampoo) I add a tablespoon of baking soda and shake like heck.

Note:: It will NOT make a ton of suds.  Your hair will feel dry and stringy.  It will be weird at first.  You will question whether your hair is truly clean.  You will be tempted to rescue your shampoo out of the recycling.  Don’t.  Do not be alarmed; this is perfectly normal.  I assure you.

2. {Conditioner} Dr. Bronner’s Citrus Conditioning Hair Rinse ::

I suggest first trying the apple cider vinegar rinse if the smell is not bothersome to you.  It’s healthy, super inexpensive, and effective for most hair.  But if you’re like me, then this is a great alternative.  I put about a dallop of the conditioning rinse in a squeezie bottle and fill the rest with water.  I tilt my head back, squeeze some onto my hair line, let gravity pull it through my hair, then rinse with cool water.

3. {Anti-Frizz, Detangling, Styling} Desert Essence Jojoba Oil ::

My first choice is the jojoba oil, but like the peppermint castille soap, we use coconut oil for EVERYthing and it smells like macaroons.  Either one, a little bit goes a really long way.  All I need to do is run my fingers through with whatever is left from doing the girls’ hair.  Their hair requires more moisture than mine, but it’s still more cost effective this way.  Rather than wasting money testing chemical laden products that simply strip their hair of its natural health, I opt for this.  I feel good knowing that I’m not slathering chemicals onto their scalps for vanity’s sake.

Simple.  Frugal.  Natural.  Healthful.

I can’t give you an exact on how much I spend on hair care, but I can tell you that those items do last a long time around here, and we are a family of 8 (well, 7 because Mia is still a lil’ lovie).  For all of its uses, not just hair care (cleaning the house, cooking, etc.) I spend about $50 every 2 months for those 4 products.  $25/month ÷ 7 people = $3.57/month/person for beauty, cleaning, nutrition, etc.  Pretty darn good.

Other benefits I didn’t cover include, but are not limited to, less plastic waste, less chemicals down the drain, and less bathroom shelf space.

So there you have it – that’s how our family approaches hair care with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  Are you willing to try the No Poo Method or have you already?  What are your thoughts and/or experiences?

{Written July 2, 2011}

I watch as the excitement grows.  All over the world, bloggers are writing about

what experiences they are yearning,

what they look forward to learning.

What they know they will be buying,

what foods they think they may be trying.

The air is alive with anticipation.

Their season has just begun.

But for us, here in Palm Beach, Florida, the temperature rises.

The sidewalks sizzle,

the mosquitoes menace,

and the rains replenish.

Thus, the contemplative consumers can no longer congregate at our Farmer’s Markets…

for it is the end of our season.

I don’t understand it myself, but it seems as though I get a bit sad towards the end of our CSA season.  Even though there are weeks where it is actually stressful to get to the farm, time consuming to plan what meals we’ll be making with our bounty, and I end the week feeling guilt-ridden that I didn’t use up all the veggies before they withered… I still get sad when its over.

And then I tell myself that next year will be different.  We’ll somehow, for some reason, be in a different season in our life.  I won’t be pregnant, we won’t be working out the kinks in our attempt to educate our own children, we wont be harried with too many things on our calendar.  I always think that the end of one season will somehow make more room for the next.

I imagine that next year, we’ll be volunteering at the CSA once a week, learning the whos & whats & wheres & whys & hows of it all, preparing all that produce together as a family… slowly, mindfully, and present all the while.  I imagine that next season, will be THE season… the season where it all just sort of comes together and falls into place.

I crave a slow and simple life for myself and my children… the life that blogs like Soule Mama and Simple Mom dangle in front of me, taunting me with how easily and naturally it seems to comes to them… the life that I create in my mind, in those quiet moments that seem so few and far between… the life that I’ll be living, I tell myself, when I’m no longer Struggling for Simplicity.

But that ideal eludes me.  Its like I can almost touch it, its within reach, but there’s just one more thing I have to do before I can slow down.  There’s just one more goal I need to achieve.  There’s just one more task I need to check off my list.  There’s just one more duck to be put in its perfect little place in that perfect little row.

So while we were at Swank Farms today, indulging in their annual “Pick Your Own” to mark the close of season, I tried to let go of those attached sentiments.  I tried to let go of that guilt of allowing yet another year to pass with so many imperfections, unfulfilled expectations, and unachieved goals.  Instead, I tried to hold on to that optimism, that hope, that daydream that I continue to aspire to regardless of how many seasons (of life) have passed.  Instead, I tried to reassure myself that life unfolds exactly as it should.

And when we had harvested as much as we could realistically consume, we shook hands with Darren and Jodi Swank, said our good-byes and wished each other well “until next time”.  We loaded up our van with more varieties of lettuce and basil than I even knew existed.  And when we drove away, I chuckled to myself, because secretly, I was telling myself that next season will be different.

Sofia’s {Ideas}

A Sunday series.  A single idea.  One of way too many.

Last week, I shared how we set out water bottles for trick-or-treaters on Halloween, instead of candy.  But I also shared my awareness that plastic water bottles are so not in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on an Eco-Mentality.  Today, I’m sharing how to Upcycle those Plastic Water Bottles & Candy Wrappers inevitably strewn about.

This is what I meant when I said “But that is not all, oh no, that is not all!“

All we need are empty water bottles, candy wrappers, glue + water mixture, and scissors.  By simply decopauging the water bottles, we have the foundation for several different crafts that children can make with no (or minimal) help.

Your classic birdfeeder and planter, but with a cool new look…

organizational containers… for the little things boys tend to collect…

and for girls with their hair accessories & trinkets & “tiny adorable preciousnesses”…

Remember that sneak peak? where I showed you the scale of these itty bitty cuties?

How about turning those rosettes into a mini topiary?

Use one of those decopauged bottles as a vase for either the mini topiary…

or the classic paper flower, this time made with candy wrappers instead…

But my favorite, of course, is more educational.  For us, an addition to our simple, frugal, and green homeschooling arsenal, but great for any home with lil’ lovies… color matching containers to use with whatever you have around.  We have all sorts of stuff to color sort – rainbow pasta, plastic bottle caps (of course), and colored craft sticks…

The possibilities, really, are quite endless…

Pom poms are always fun to sort!  As you can see here, sometimes its irresistible…

to put all those little “puffles” in their place…

But that is not all, oh no, that is not all!

Stay tuned for even more on celebrating Halloween with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

Give the Gift of KIWI Magazine

KIWI is the only magazine dedicated to helping parents raise their children the natural and organic way, covering health and wellness, social and environmental issues, parenting, and more. A gift subscription to KIWI shows that you care and is ideal for birthdays, baby showers, holidays, or “just because” gifts!

photo via kiwimagonline.com

 

Click HERE to order!  I highly recommend this as a gift for the holidays; I have given this subscription to people in the past (and I would do it again this year except that I think I’m going to try for a 100% handmade and $0 holiday.  Think I can pull it off?  We shall see!)  Kiwi is one of the magazines that I look forward to reading from cover to cover because their mission & philosophy fits very much into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

 

Just a Sneak Peak of what I meant when I said

“But that is not all, oh no, that is not all!“

The {Sofia’s Ideas} Frugality Series

The Stages

There was a Hidden Cost to my Frugality; the cost was the deterioration of my health.  That rash was the last straw for me.  I was sick & tired of being sick & tired, especially after having had the experience of optimal health.  That gave me the impetus to investigate how we could go back to living in alignment with our philosophy – that investing in quality is synonymous with investing in our health, and our futures.

I’ve had to find a balance between being frugal and still living in alignment with that philosophy.  Its been a journey.  I look at my journey, thus far, as having four stages…

Stage 1 :: I Know Nothing

(or the “I’m a closet huffer so I buy whatever smells good” phase)

This stage began from the time I left home, until Aysia’s ASD diagnosis.  During this stage, I didn’t even know enough to question quality or safety.  I figured, “if they make it and sell it, it must be safe to consume, right?”  I also didn’t think in terms of a budget.  If we had it, I could spend it.  There was no focus during this phase.

Stage 2 :: I Know Everything

(or the know-it-all “Organic without Abandon” phase)

This stage began with our commitment to only non-invasive treatments (including dietary intervention, chemical & metal detoxification) until Papa was downsized from his job.  During this stage, I purchased Organic without Abandon.  Whatever our family needed, I bought the organic or natural version.  Money was of absolutely no object.  I didn’t look at prices.  Ever.  The focus during this phase was solely on quality.

Stage 3 :: Scarcity Mentality

(or the “if we become homeless at least we’ll have 2 years worth of toothpaste” phase)

This stage began from the time of our sudden & dramatic financial change, until that rash.  During this stage, I completely abandoned the mindset I had developed in Stage 2.  I was in survival mode; learning how to use coupons to create a stockpile.  If I couldn’t get it for free or for cheap, I made it myself or did without.  The focus during this phase was solely on quantity and price.

Stage 4 :: Abundance Mentality

(or the current phase I’m in)

This stage began the day of that rash, and is still currently running.  I’m becoming an increasingly mindful and intentional consumer.  I’ve learned that there is very little that we actually need.  I’ve learned that if we are willing to revisit our ideas on what is necessity, and what is superfluous, we will be surprised at the quality & quantity we can actually afford.  The focus now is on quality, quantity, and price. 

We have a choice.  We can pay now or pay later.  We can either choose to invest in our health or choose to subsidize our illness.

Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing what we actually purchase and use in our home today – from food to clothes to sundries… all in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you? Do any of the stages resonate with you?  What are you most looking forward to reading about?  and why?

Sofia’s {Ideas}

A Sunday series.  A single idea.  One of way too many.

I’ve been asked this before, but never posted anything on Sofia’s {Ideas}.  So today, I’m going to answer the question :: “If you guys are all healthy & natural & organic & stuff, what do you do about Halloween?“  Good question, simple answer :: water.

Hey, I told you we were that family.  But, I’m not preaching about the detriment of chemical laden “treats” because all you may hear is “sugar bad  blah blah blah  immune system  blah blah blah  holier than thou” right?  All I’m doing is sharing what we do.

I felt like a hypocrite giving out candy and I saw there was a need here.  Like I said before, it gets hot in those costumes.  And these kids get thirsty!  And a lot of the time, mom’s hands are too full of the cumbersome swords & wands & things to even think about carrying drinks, soooo …

Our "Happy Halloween" Door Sign

In years past, I printed this on copy paper, then slipped it into a paper condom (sheet protector) before taping it to our door.  This year, I’m laminating it.  I have an orange metal bin that I fill with water bottles.  How are plastic water bottles eco-friendly?  Well, they’re not.  But I have a solution for that too, which I will be sharing.  Soon.

We’ve done this for several years now; I find it to be more simple & frugal than what we used to do.  And I’m not giving out fruit or homemade treats that parents won’t feel safe with.  Those things end up just going to waste.  But water bottles, I’d like to think, are actually appreciated and consumed, as children continue on their trick-or-treating.  No matter the weather where you live, kids need water, especially on Halloween.  So, if you feel compelled, be that family, be that house, and feel good about it.  We do!

If you would like to share, please share a link back to this post or my blog,

rather than a link to the pdf itself.

FREE to download ::

 HalloweenWaterSign.SofiasIdeas

Setting out water bottles for the children that make their way to our door is a healthy Halloween alternative that is in complete alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity…. all with an Eco-Mentality!  

But that is not all, oh no, that is not all!  Stay tuned…

DIY Halloween Costume Contest {KIWI Magazine}

There is a super easy entry form when you click on the link above.

“We’re on the hunt for the cutest, greenest, and most unique homemade Halloween costumes—and we want to see YOUR child’s DIY masterpiece. Snap a photo of your child in his homemade costume and send it to us by December 15. Your child could win $250 and be featured in the October/November 2012 issue of KIWI! Click here for official rules“

Simplicity :: I know there are a gazillion local costume contests happening in our communities, but I love that I don’t have to make my kids sweat and stand around in their costumes to enter this one!  And like I said, the entry form is super simple!

Frugality ::  Entering is FREE!  Seriously, I’ve seen at least 2 costume contests come through my email where you had to pay an entry free.  Huh?

Frivolity ::  Well, the whole thing is frivolous, really.  But its Halloween, though; it’s fun!  I think it’s worth it to enter if you’re making your child’s costume anyway, right?  If I can get my act together with these costumes, I’m so going for it!

Eco-Mentality ::  5 Sofia’s Ideas on Simple, Frugal, and Green Halloween Costumes

Will you be entering this costume contest, or any other contests in your community?

Did I ever mention that I rock?  Yup!  I’m featured on Kiwi Magazine’s blogroll.

Yes, it was far more impressive when I was one out of just a handful, but ’tis an honor nonetheless!  And what was really cool was that I just happened to notice myself on there one day, and I had only been blogging for a few months!

Toot! Toot! (that’s me, tootin’ my own horn!) ;0

I know I am always going on and on about our Whole Foods Market here in Wellington, Florida.  So, I will spare you from having to listen to the details of their amazing awesomeness once more.  I will not go into detail about how the kids really enjoyed themselves at the Pizza Patch Garden class.  I’ll just let the photos speak…

And I won’t be redundant with how the classes are in complete alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality! 

Especially not this particular class, where they showed the kids how to plant organic basil in an empty plastic bottle.  (Note: this was purchased gravel.  If I were going to suggest something, I would suggest gathering pebbles, small shells, etc. instead for a bit more frugality & eco-mentality.  But I’m not suggesting anything.)

I’m not going to bore you with how impressed I was that Ms. Cheryl made it simple for even the youngest of kids to make healthy pizzas independently.

{Ezekiel (sprouted grain) English muffins}

And I will refrain from gushing over how Ms. Cheryl went out of her way, after class, to walk us over to the prepared foods area, to make sure we were able to take home the new Health Starts Here whole grain pizza dough, even though they didn’t have a plu# for them.

You can also forget about me reminding you that these awesome classes are FREE!

Oh, and you can bet that I will not be sharing how the Whole Kids Foundation has an amazing School Garden Grant program that you can look into over HERE.

Nope.  Not saying a word!  You can count on me!    Hee! Hee!

Am I the only one that’s in love with Whole Foods?  Seriously, I think I have a problem.  I should probably see somebody about this.  I told you I have issues! 

What about you?  Where do you like to go in your community for such things? 

Did I ever mention I failed home economics?  Not once, but twice?  Oh, but if my teacher could see me now…

Batik Napkins

I think she’d be kinda proud of me.  Shoot, I’m proud of me!

In fact, I think they look so nice, I’ll show you twice!

.

Listen, I know for those of you who know your way around a sewing machine, this is nothing to brag about.  But for me?  This was HUGE!  I was so proud of myself that I stood back and shouted “Look what I have created!“  Tom Hanks style…

 I kid you not.

I really did that.

But without the fire.

And I meant it!

Ah, heck – three time’s a charm!  Hee! Hee!

.

btw, this has been on my to-do list since 5 Simple & Frugal Additions to Dining Simplicity.  Yeah, it took me that long!  But you know what?  These are surprisingly easy to make, will save you tons of money on paper goods, are super pretty (especially if make them to your liking or to match your decor), and not to mention so much better for our planet than the disposables.  Therefore, reusable cloth napkins are in complete alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality! 

And yes, thank you for noticing that these too are color coded!

When was the last time you were really proud of something you made?  I’d love to hear about it!  Or better yet, if you have a link, please share it below! 

National Costume Swap Day

 Saturday, October 8, 2011

We will not be participating in National Costume Swap Day.  (Gasp, I know!)  Well, we’re not into Halloween costumes that you buy at the store.  Yes, we do have a spiderman & superman ensemble lying around here, maybe even a leftover princess gown from back in the day.  But for the most part, I make these kids put together their own costumes (more on that below).  Because for one thing, store-bought costumes are pretty ugly & cheaply made.  Another thing, and the biggest reason, is that they do not make costumes for children that live in warm climates!  (Well, not ones that don’t make them look like little hoochies anyway!  Why is that?)  I’ve been saying for years that they need to come out with a line with cool, breathable fabrics, specifically for those of us who experience summer year round.  How’s that for a Sofia’s Idea?

5 Sofia’s Ideas on Simple, Frugal, and Green Halloween Costumes

1.  Hand Me Downs.  Like when Aysia was a nurse, she simply borrowed my sister’s scrubs.  Obvious, I know, but I mean you can use hand me downs & work your magic on them to turn them into something unexpected!  Let the kids raid your & each others’ closets for inspiration.  You might just want to make sure they run things by you before they take a scissor to anything.

2.  Thrift Store.  I give my kids a budget (a miniscule one, like $5 each) and take them to the thrift store.  This especially helps when they still have no clue what they want to be.  Sometimes a certain hat or gadget will spark their imaginations!  Like when Aslan was some kind of punky brewster type of fairy princess, she put the whole thing together herself and had a ton of fun doing it.

3.  Garage/Basement/Attic.  Aside from a dusty moldy chest of old garbs, what else do you have down/up there?  I wish I had a picture of Arcane’s first costume; my mom turned an old couch foam into a slice of Swiss cheese!  Yup, she also made him the mouse costume, and the cheese is where he held the candy.  Pure Awesome.

photo via photoshopessentials.com

4.  Originals.  If you have the ability and the time, head over to the thrift store and see if there are any sheets, rugs, gowns, etc. that will spark your creativity!  There’s nothing like a costume that mama made, an original, one that you know 5 other kids will not be wearing too!

5.  Anything or Everything.  Seriously, just put on anything!  I’ve never understood why we have to buy brand new Halloween costumes every single year.  Especially when the costume choices don’t vary much from year to year.  One year, my mom cut out holes in a giant leaf bag and I went trick-or-treating as a garbage bag.  I still got candy.  And I didn’t need an umbrella.  Or tell them to put on everything they own!  One year, Aslan put on rainbow socks, a tutu, a floral crown, and a wand along with different shades & patterns of pink and she looked adorable!  AND she loved it!

The point is, you have choices.  You don’t have to go with store-bought if you don’t want to.  You don’t have to spend a lot of (or any) money.  You don’t even have to sew an extravagant original!  You just have to be resourceful and creative and playful.  Keep it simple, keep it frugal, and minimize waste all at the same time.  That’s how we do Halloween with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

You can also click here for more information on how to “green” your Halloween!

What are your thoughts on Halloween costumes?  Is Halloween a big deal in your family?

Personally, Halloween is not a huge deal in our house.  I’ve even gotten a few snarky looks in the past from those who judge my parenting by the absence of plastic bats & spiders & skeletons on my patio.  However, this year I will finally attempt to make (yes, sew!) our family’s costumes.  In fact, the older kids will be designing and sewing their own.  Fingers crossed.

South {Florida Frugal Family Fun} Events ::

Week of September 25, 2011

© Renata Osińska

Wellington Whole Foods Market →

Chinese Cooking with Chef Joe

Sunday, September 25th :: 2:00-3:30pm

Free

Join Chef Joe as he demonstrates the art of authentic Chinese cooking using the freshest Whole Foods Market ingredients.  Bring your appetite and sample these great Chinese dishes.  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

Kids Class – Pizza Patch Garden Favorites!

Tuesday, September 27th :: 5:30-6:30 pm

$1.00 donation to Whole Kids Foundation

Looking for a fun cooking event for your budding chef?  Healthy Eating Specialist, Cheryl Kobal, will show kids how to grow a “Pizza Patch” garden using bring-your-own recycled beverage bottles.  They’ll also learn how to make a healthy pizza out of the colorful pizza patch garden vegetables and other flavorful, healthy ingredients.  The best part of this activity – eating it!   All children must be accompanied by a parent.  One hundred percent of the funds collected will be donated to the Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant Project to create and expand school garden programs.  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

Mom’s Morning Escape & Whole Kid’s Club Story Time & Snack

Friday, September 30th :: 9:00-11:00 AM

Story Time 9:30-10:30am

Free

Moms will receive a free mini-massage, coffee or tea, and muffin from the Coffee Bar.  Please check in at the Customer Service desk to pick up your Mom’s Morning Escape Voucher, then make your way to the Coffee Bar for breakfast. Also, don’t forget to enjoy a relaxing five minute chair massage by My Massage Corner in the Lifestyle Center (first-come, first-served).  Massage sign-up sheet is located just outside of the Lifestyle Center). Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

*Whole Kids’ Club Story Time & Snack 9:30-10:30am

Come with your little ones to enjoy a healthy snack and story in the back of the Café.  Children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian to attend.

♥♥♥♥♥

Royal Palm Beach Library →

561-790-6030

Johnny Appleseed Story Time

Monday, September 26th :: 3:30pm

We’ll honor this seed-sowing hero’s birthday with stories, songs, and a simple craft. Ages 4-6. (45 min.) Preregister.

Silly Story Time

Thursday, September 29th :: 3:30 pm

Listen to silly stories, sing songs, and make a simple craft. Ages 4-6. (45 min.) Preregister.

♥♥♥♥♥

All but one of the events are FREE!  And that’s just because Whole Foods is asking for a $1 donation to the Whole Kids Foundation.  So for us, its still only going to be $5 for the kids to go!  5 bucks for an awesome class with Miss Cheryl?  AND the money is going to a fantastic cause that is totally in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas?  Um, yes please!

What about you?  What do you have planned for the week? 

South {Florida Frugal Family Fun} Events ::

Week of September 18, 2011

© Renata Osińska

Wellington Whole Foods Market →

Seafood 101

Wednesday, September 21st :: 6:30-8pm

Free

We have heard that many of our customers wanted to learn how to fillet a fish, so guess what?  We listened and back by popular demand we have invited Associate Seafood Coordinator, Terry Guam to share some of his best tips.  Participants will learn the basics of filleting a fish to get the most out of every piece and then treat you to a delicious taste of seafood cooked to perfection!  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

Health Starts Here™ Tour & Demonstration

Saturday, September 24th :: 2-4pm

Free

Join our Healthy Eating Specialist, Cheryl Kobal, for an informative, introductory tour which runs through our entire store and features our Health Starts Here™ program ingredients and prepared foods.  You will learn about the program’s four Healthy Eating Principles, how to identify the most nutrient dense foods and how to make them work for your busy lifestyle.  The tour will be followed by a live cooking demonstration in the Lifestyle Center, using recipes that utilize plant-strong ingredients for you to taste and enjoy.  The tour will begin at the new, state-of-the art Health Starts Here™ Information Station!  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

♥♥♥♥♥

Royal Palm Beach Library →

561-790-6030

International Day of Peace Story Time

Wednesday, September 21st :: 3pm

Celebrate this special day with stories, songs, and a simple craft. Ages 4-6. (45 min.) Preregister.

GO Club

Friday, September 23rd :: 4:30pm

A member of the American GO Foundation will teach you how to play this ancient Asian strategy game. Ages 8-17. Adults accompanying youngsters are welcome to play. (60 min.) Preregister.

Ballet Story Time

Saturday, September 24th :: 11am

Dress up in your dance clothes and listen to stories about ballet. We’ll also sing songs and make a simple craft. Ages 3-6. (40 min.) Preregister.

♥♥♥♥♥

Cultural Connections

There are so many events this week that are not only in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality, but also with our current unit studies!!  So of course, this would be the week that everyone starts getting sick, right?  Right.  As it is, I think I may have to rearrange a few things as to accommodate for the sickies so I doubt that we’ll be doing much of anything above.  Ugh!  I’m gonna go load up on my Juice Plus+ now…

What about you?  What do you have planned for the week?  I know you guys are probably enjoying the weather in your neck of the woods, right?  

The Fall Mambo Messenger is Here!

Find over $25 of savings inside. Plus, great information on your favorite natural and organic products. And don’t miss out on our fall giveaway! Details inside.

Live Well, Be Well.
The Mambo Team

And don’t forget that you can stack these coupons with the Whole Foods Market coupons HERE.  Well, I know that you can at my Whole Foods in Wellington, FL.  But you can only use one set per transaction.  If you are unsure, call ahead or speak with the customer service desk to find out what their coupon policy is.  Find your local store HERE.

Now, if you’re not friends with me on Facebook yet, well poo-poo on you!  Hee! Hee!  But seriously folks, if you haven’t “liked” the Sofia’s Ideas Facebook page yet, you missed and will continue to miss, posts like these.  I will no longer be sharing this stuff here, so what are you waiting for?  Go on – click on it! 

“Frugality is one of the most beautiful and joyful words in the English language, and yet one that we are culturally cut off from understanding and enjoying. The consumption society has made us feel that happiness lies in having things, and has failed to teach us the happiness of not having things.” — Elise Boulding

I read that on another blog and wrote it down; I’d love to give credit but I failed to write down which blog – sorry.

In general, there are a lot of misconceptions about frugal people.  There are stereotypes and there are myths.  Sure there are cases that fit those images, but from where I stand, those are the exceptions to the norm.  In my life, there are people that assume the reason I choose frugality, or the reason I live with “rustic” things, or the reason I opt for less is because I can not afford to do differently.  What they don’t know is that my love affair with thrift started decades ago…

When I was a teenager and got my first real job, I would cash my check and have my dad drive me to the Goodwill.  I could have, but I didn’t want to shop at the mall like all my friends, who wore the teen uniform of the moment.  I loved spending hours in there, going through all the racks, and finding those hidden treasures!  My peers absolutely gave me shit for it, even then they assumed I was poor, but I didn’t care.  Nothing was more satisfying than getting a compliment on something and saying “oh yeah, thanks, I got it for a buck at Goodwill!” while thinking “and you can’t have one, nanny nanny poo poo!”

I’ve always loved a good bargain and the thrill of the hunt, but its that unique find that gets me.  Till this day, my favorite piece ever was this royal blue velvet coat with bright red silk lining and giant brass buttons.  It looked like something Jimi Hendrix would have worn on stage.  I loved that coat!  For a few years, it was my signature piece, until someone stole it.  And I got it at the Goodwill for about ten bucks.  Even a piece I found more recently, a vintage black skirt with hidden pockets, inspired a new love song from my husband.  My wardrobe is minimal compared to most women I know, but I like it that way.  I like that I actually love and wear the pieces I own.

OK yes, my recent flirtation with stockpiling our food and sundries was born out of necessity.  But the reason I continue to practice some of the skills I learned during that time is because I find value in it, not because I can’t afford otherwise.  The reason I continue to first REFUSE, then reduce, reuse, and recycle has nothing at all to do with being cheap or poor.  It is a lifestyle choice based on my philosophies and beliefs and the legacy I want to leave.  There are people that assume if it were more financially feasible, I’d buy more and “better”.  They can’t understand the concept that the lifestyle I am attempting to live is a conscious one.

With that said, I will be honest and say that I do miss being able to go to Whole Foods without coupons, without looking at prices, and only focusing on reading ingredients labels.  I miss making decisions based on what is best to feed my family, without the constraints of a budget.  But even if our income were to triple tomorrow, I wouldn’t go back to that wasteful way of grocery shopping.  I’ve learned far too much about financial stewardship for that.

I guess what I’m trying to say to the people that assume these things about me, those who either consciously or unconsciously use a condescending tone with me, those who raise their noses when they see me picking through discarded curbside items is that for me, and for many others, The Road to Frugality is an Intentional One.

International Coastal Cleanup

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Do you remember when I was I wondering about the legacy we are leaving behind? and then I asked :: “How can any of us be content knowing that this Sea of Change begins with us?”

Well, here is an amazing opportunity to do our part…

The International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) is the world’s largest, one-day volunteer effort to clean up the marine environment. Every September, volunteers from over 100 countries descend on local beaches, rivers, lakes and canals to show their commitment to cleaner waterways.  The Ocean Conservancy, the world’s largest organization focusing exclusively on the health of the marine environment, has sponsored this annual event for the past 26 years.

In our state, the ICC is much more than just removing trash…

To learn more about this opportunity and to find a location…

HERE.

As of right now, I am still trying to figure out if I’ll be able to participate with Mia, who is still nursing every 2 hours and is technically still under age for sunscreen.  I may have to sit this year out, and just have Papa take the rest of our crew.    I’d hate for the whole family to miss out on this incredible learning opportunity, and opportunity for service, just cuz of the pair of us!  Honestly, I can’t think of a better way to volunteer our time (and homeschool) in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on an Eco-Mentality!

Are you planning to participate in this year’s International Coastal Cleanup?  Have you in the past?  What was your experience?

South {Florida Frugal Family Fun} Events ::

Week of September 11, 2011

© Renata Osińska

Wellington Whole Foods Market →

Health Starts Here™ 28-Day Challenge Information and Sign-up

Monday, September 12th :: 11:30 – 1:00pm

Free!

We invite you to kick-start your healthy eating commitment and join us for an exciting, life-changing adventure!  Bring a friend or two and learn about our Engine 2 28-Day Diet Challenge and experience a sample recipe from Rip Esselstyn’s book The Engine 2 Diet.  Engine 2 is a plan of action for following – and sticking to – a heart-healthy, mind-healthy, body-healthy, and taste-bud tempting PlantStrong™ lifestyle.  Healthy Eating Specialist, Cheryl Kobal, will host the 28-Day Challenge and guide this support group on a five-week long challenge that will walk you through healthy eating guidelines, cooking demonstrations, taste tests and workshops designed to help you stick to your goals.  Those who attend all five workshops will have the opportunity to win books, gift baskets, and other prizes.  A potluck graduation party will be held on the last day of the challenge.  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

Deliciously Raw with Renate: Sea Vegetables

Tuesday, September 13th :: 6:30 – 8:00pm

$20/Person

Join Raw Foods Chef, Renate, as she prepares divine dishes with sea vegetables and shares her secrets to living a raw foods lifestyle.  Each month, Renate shares how to live a raw lifestyle without sacrificing taste!   Each class will include three delicious recipes all with plant-based ingredients full of nutrients.  This is the perfect class for the amateur, novice or expert!  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000, Payment Collected upon Registration

Gluten Free Cooking with Chef Joe

Wednesday, September 14th :: 6:30 – 8:00pm

Free!

Join Chef Joe as he demonstrates how to create a Gluten Free meal that is easy to make and flexible to fit your taste.  Be sure to bring your appetite and your Gluten Free questions.  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

Health Starts Here™ Taste of Health Thursdays

Thursday, September 15th :: 1:00 – 4:00pm

Free!

Stop by our new Health Starts Here™ Information Station located next to the Juice Bar in our Produce Department to see what nutrient dense dish Healthy Eating Specialist, Cheryl Kobal, is whipping up to tantalize your taste buds.  You’ll also learn about the inside scoop on healthy eating and get tips on how to incorporate more nutrient-dense foods into your diet.  No registration necessary, just stop by.

♥♥♥♥♥

Royal Palm Beach Library →

Crochet Club

Tuesday, September 13th :: 5:00pm

Learn basic skills and socialize while you work on projects. Ages 8-12. Space is limited. (45 min.) Preregister.

Bilingual Story Time

Wednesday, September 14th :: 6:30pm

A fun family story time in English and Spanish, where we’ll read, sing, and create a delightful craft. Ages 3-6. Preregister. Comparte en familia una divertida hora de cuentos en inglès y español. Leeremos, cantaremos, y podras crear una preciosa manualidad. Edades 3-6. (45 min.) Se require registrarse.

Community Helpers Story Time

Thursday, September 15th :: 3:30pm

Honor our firefighters, police officers, doctors, and nurses with stories, songs, and a craft. Ages 4-6. (45 min.) Preregister.

Sing Your Way to Spanish with Jody Dreher

Friday, September 16th, 3:30pm

To celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, learn wonderful Spanish songs and rhymes as Jody involves her audience creatively using song, movement, games, and drama. (45 min.) Preregister.

♥♥♥♥♥

• Saturday, September 17th :: 11am
• Glades Road Branch Library
  20701 95th Ave. S. , Boca Raton , FL , 33434
• 561-482-4554
• Stories, songs, crafts and movement activities designed for children with developmental disabilities. Registration required.

Super Saturdays

• Saturday, September 17th :: 11am
• Greenacres Branch Library
  3750 Jog Road , Greenacres , FL , 33467
• 561-641-9100
• Hang out with friends at the library for games, crafts and a movie screening. Ages 4-8.

Recycled Jewelry

• Saturday, September 17th :: 3pm
• Royal Palm Beach Branch Library
• 500 Civic Center Way , Royal Palm Beach , FL , 33411
• 561-790-6030
• Make eco-friendly jewelry at this class for ages 10-15.

Those Whole Foods Markets events and the Recycled Jewelry class are definitely in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!  There are lots of great things happening this week!  And the vast majority of these events are FREE!

But, since we’ll be busy with our permanent weekly classes, we will only be attending Crochet Club and Story Time at the Royal Palm Beach Library this week.  Hey, now that you know what we look like, won’t you please introduce yourself?  I’d love to meet you in person! 

What about you?  What do you have planned for the week?  Any great events you’d like to share?  in my neck of the woods or yours?

Even though I prefer print editions of magazines, this is one digital version I do enjoy!  I’m (sorta) looking forward to curling up on the couch, with my (children’s) tablet, cup of black tea in hand… I’m heading straight to the Eco Fashion section to see what’s new!  Click on the cover below to get your digital copy of Organic Spa magazine FREE!

In so many ways, this is in alignment with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  Are you having a hard time transitioning to digital too? or do you actually prefer reading books & magazines on your gadgets?

South {Florida Frugal Family Fun} Events ::

Week of September 4, 2011

© Renata Osińska

Wellington Whole Foods Market →

POWER DINNER Featuring Fiesta Cuisine from Engine 2

Friday, September 9th :: 5:30 – 7:00pm

$10/person

Join us for a Nutrient Dense Power Dinner to energize for the Jeff Annas Memorial 5K Run and to learn about our upcoming 28-Day Challenge Program featuring Engine 2.  Guests will enjoy a plant-strong, fiesta-inspired meal that will contain the nutrients necessary to run a winning race!  The menu features Portobello Mushroom Fajitas, Black Beans & Rice, Tex Mex Spinach Salad, Salsa & Guacamole, and Dark Chocolate Brownies.   Guests are encouraged to sign up for more information about the 28-Day Challenge Program at the Health Starts Here™ information table in the Café. Dinner will be served in the Lifestyle Center from 5:30-7:00 pm.   A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Whole Kids Foundation.  To learn more about the Jeff Annas Memorial 5k please visit: www.jeffannas5k.com   Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

•••••

Sushi & Stroll Summer Walk Series

• Friday, September 9th :: 5:30 – 8:30pm
  
• $7 adults; $5 children ages 4-17; museum members and children 3 and under are FREE; $2 for taiko performance (optional)
• Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens
  4000 Morikami Park Road , Delray Beach , FL , 33446
• 561-495-0233
• Summer nights in South Florida are something special, especially when they are augmented with taiko drums and a cultural backdrop that can’t be beat! Add a cold drink, a breathtaking sunset and a walking path through a tranquil garden, and you’ve got Sushi & Stroll Summer Walks! Stroll the gardens at your own pace and take advantage of our self-guided audio tour. Excite your palette with something delicious from our own Cornell Café, indulge in some shopping at the Museum Store or tantalize your senses with a drumming performance by Fushu Daiko. Please note that the museum galleries are closed for these special nights.

 Butterfly Gardening Workshop

• Saturday, September 10th :: 1pm
• FREE with paid admission to the park.
• Tradewinds Park
  3600 W. Sample Road , Coconut Creek , FL , 33066
• 954-968-3880
• Learn how to make a  butterfly garden at this workshop. Topics covered include how to attract local butterflies and which plants are best for butterflies.

It doesn’t seem like there is a whole lot going on this week in our neck of the woods.  Well, not stuff that fits into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality anyway.  Which is fine by me cuz I think we need some time to adjust to our new & cluttered schedule (more on that later, I’m sure).  Although, I must say, I am surprisingly pleased with the way the kids & I have jumped back into our routines.  We still have some kinks to work out, but still impressive. 

What about you?   Is everyone back to school already?  If so, what are your plans for the week?

South {Florida Frugal Family Fun} Events ::

Week of July 17, 2011

 

 

Wellington Whole Foods Market →

Block Party: Teams’ Choice!

• Tuesday, July 19th : 5:30-7:00 PM

• FREE

• Experience a new way to shop for dinner.  Enjoy free samples around the store and vote for your favorite department sample based on creativity and taste.  Teams will create flavorful dishes to give you new ideas for meals and recipes while competing for our Recycled Earth Trophy, so be sure to pick up a ballot in our Produce Department to cast your vote and turn it in to Customer Service.  No registration necessary, just come on by!

What is Type 2 Diabetes and How is it Related to Food?

• Tuesday, July 19th : 6:30-7:30 PM

• FREE

• If you suffer from Type Two Diabetes and are looking for an answer natural answer, then sign up today for this informative talk.  Natural health expert and Chiropractic Neurologist Dr. Tim DeCanio will provide alternative and non-medicinal options to improve Diabetes. Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

Local Artist Celebration: Joanne Baker

• Friday, July 22nd : 6:30-8:00 PM

• $5 Per Person

• Meet our current local artist, Joanne Baker, who has created beautiful paintings inspired by our local wildlife sanctuaries.  Join us for this special event to honor her work and enjoy live music and a wine and cheese tasting — all for a great cause!  One hundred percent of the event entrance fees will benefit the Wellington Art Society Scholarship Fund. Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000.  Payment will be collected at event entrance in the Café.

•••••

Intro to Stand Up Paddleboarding

• When: Fridays : noon – 1 pm (ends January 27th)
• Price: $20.
• Venue:Jupiter Outdoor Center
  1000 N. A1A , Jupiter , FL , 33477
• Phone: 561-747-0063
• Description: Hang out and learn this new water sport that everyone is buzzing about. Learning on flatwater is ideal for beginners. Reservations recommended.

Lighthouse Sunset Tour

• When: Friday, July 22nd : Sunset
• Price: Members, $15; Nonmembers, $20
• Venue: Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
  Lighthouse Park
  500 Captain Armour’s Way, Jupiter, FL, 33469-3508
• Phone: 561-747-8380
• Description: Visit the Jupiter lighthouse during sunset for a tour. The tour includes a look at the watch room and the lighthouse’s operating area. Children must be a minimum of 4 feet tall to climb the stairs. Wear closed-toed walking shoes. Reservations required.

Dr. Logger Presentation

• When: Saturdays : 3:30 – 4 pm (ends July 30th)
• Price:  FREE
• Venue:Loggerhead Marinelife Center
  14200 Federal Highway, Juno Beach, FL, 33408-1406
• Phone: 561-627-8280
• Description: Dr. Logger is an educational ambassador for sea turtles. In his 30 minute show, Dr. Logger addresses threats to turtles, nesting, anatomy, and the turtle lifestyle. For all ages.

We still haven’t made our way over to the Jupiter Lighthouse yet but I think its mostly because I’m a huge sissy -  the mosquitoes are especially vicious at dusk and dawn.  And even though Papa makes big batches of his home-brewed bug spray, and I practically bathe in the stuff, they have the ability to find the most miniscule hole in my protective barrier and bite me right there – like my eyebrow, or the top of my head, or even between my toes!  Besides, the family van is currently in a thousand pieces in our driveway so I’m not making any definitive plans just yet.  Hhhmmm… I see lots of sewing in my future (more on that later, I’m sure!).

I love that most of these events are FREE, and as always, they all fit into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  What are your plans for the week?

South {Florida Frugal Family Fun} Events ::

Week of May 29, 2011

© Renata Osińska

Wellington Whole Foods Market →

Support Our Troops Cookout!

• Sunday, May 29th : 12 – 4 pm

• $5 Donation to Forgotten Soldiers Outreach

• Stop by our cookout and enjoy a hamburger, hotdog or portabella burger along with a side and choice of drink all for a great cause!  100% of the money raised will go to Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, to ship care packages to our troops.  Our store will match up to $250 in donations so be sure to bring your family and friends to help us reach our goal.  To learn more, come by the information table or visit www.forgottensoldiers.org.  Customers are invited to write letters of encouragement to our troops at the info table or donate toiletries to be included in the care packages.

Block Party: Health Starts Here

• Tuesday, May 31st :  5:30 – 7 pm

• FREE

• Enjoy an evening of health samples around the store with some of our favorite nutrient-rich ingredients and vote for your favorite Health Starts Here dish.  Each department will present cuisine based on the four principles of the Health Starts Here program – whole foods, plant strong, healthier fats, and nutrient-dense.  Be sure to stop by the Health Starts Here desk at Customer Service to learn more about upcoming classes.  No registration necessary, just come on by!

•••••

Gardens GreenMarket

• When: Sundays : 8 am – 1 pm (ends June 26th)
• Price:  FREE
• Venue:Gardens Park
  4301 Burns Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• Phone: 561-630-1100 (Phone)
• Description: Enjoy live entertainment and shop for produce, plants, flowers, crafts, prepared food and more. Rain or shine.

Waldorf Wednesday

• When: Every 1st Wednesday of the month : 11 am (ends July 6th)
• Price: Members $2; Nonmembers $2.50 with paid admission
• Venue: Schoolhouse Children’s Museum
  129 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach, FL, 33435
• Phone: 561-742-6780 (Phone)
• Description: Kids will create an art project using all-natural materials.

Lighthouse Sunset Tour

• When: Friday, June 3rd : Sunset
• Price: Members, $15; Nonmembers, $20
• Venue: Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
  Lighthouse Park
  500 Captain Armour’s Way, Jupiter, FL, 33469-3508
• Phone: 561-747-8380 (Phone)
• Description: Visit the Jupiter lighthouse during sunset for a tour. The tour includes a look at the watch room and the lighthouse’s operating area. Children must be a minimum of 4 feet tall to climb the stairs. Wear closed-toed walking shoes. Reservations required.

Dr. Logger Presentation

• When: Saturdays : 3:30 – 4 pm (ends July 30th)
• Price:  FREE
• Venue: Loggerhead Marinelife Center
  14200 Federal Highway, Juno Beach, FL, 33408-1406
• Phone: 561-627-8280 (Phone)
• Description: Dr. Logger is an educational ambassador for sea turtles. In his 30 minute show, Dr. Logger addresses threats to turtles, nesting, anatomy, and the turtle lifestyle. For all ages.

Birding at MacArthur Park

• When: Saturday, June 4th : 5 pm
• Price:  FREE with park admission
• Venue: MacArthur Beach State Park
  John D MacArthur Beach State Park
  10900 Jack Nicklaus Dr, North Palm Beach, FL, 33408-3440
• Phone: 561-776-7449 (Alternate), 561-624-6950 (Phone)
• Description: Take an educational walk with a park ranger and observe a variety of bird species. Bring binoculars or rent them at the park.

Looks like it’s going to be a great week!  I am really looking forward to Saturday; we’ll be going to both the Loggerhead Marinelife Center and to MacArthur Beach.  The classes are very close to each other and we’ll even have time to eat a quick dinner in between.  I can’t wait to tell Zany about the Birding class since her current independent study is “Birds”.  How perfect is that?!

I love that most of these events are FREE, and as always, they all fit into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  What are your plans for the week?

The Scrap Kins has just released Scrap Collector :: FREE Scrapkins app! I can’t believe I never told you guys about The Scrap Kins before! From their About page…

The Scrap Kins is an NYC-based Creativity program for kids based on the
adventures of a group of monsters that live in a recycling center and build

their world out of the things we throw away. Created in 2006, by children’s

designer Brian Yanish and inspired by his childhood drawings, The Scrap Kins

mission is to encourage creativity and resourcefulness through stories and

recycled art projects. Endorsed by Scholastic After-school as an Instructor Resource,

The Scrap Kins have developed programs and projects for Clif Bar & Company, The
Wildlife Conservation Society, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Free Arts and
Children’s Day NYC.

Here’s an interview with the creator of Scrap Kins, Brian Yanish…

In “Scrap Collector” you’ll help Itcher navigate a rainstorm of falling junk as you try to collect recyclables in your recycling bin.

FEATURES:
• Easy to Play: Simple tilting of mobile device left and right moves the character
• Levels increase in difficulty with faster falling objects and wacky gravity
• Learn the basics of what you can recycle
• Links to ScrapKins.com to explore the world of the ScrapKins® creativity
• What can you make from all that stuff you collect? Stay tuned!

Download it FREE from the App Store here.

♥ For the rest of us who don’t live in NYC, we can download 2 FREE projects here or go ahead and buy the book here.

I love Love LOVE it!  I love the whole premise behind Scrap Kins and love how Brian is making it easy, fun, and frugal for children to learn about making recycled art projects!  This soooo fits into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

It’s no secret that we love our Whole Foods Market.  Although we didn’t stay for very long, we were really glad we went to the CSA Meet & Greet yesterday, to show our support for our CSA, Swank Specialty Produce.

Jodi had a small table set up right by the front door, in the produce department…

(I know these pictures aren’t great but I forgot my camera at home and these were taken on my dinky cell phone.)  She had people sample the wonderful veggies they offer…

What I loved was hearing her passion for what she is doing.  She & her husband are expanding their farm and are currently taking new members for next season!  If you live in the area, I would encourage you to take a tour of the farm so you can see & learn for yourself why we are so excited to be a part of their CSA.

You can pick up your shares at the farm like we do, or you can pick up from the Wellington Whole Foods Market since they are now a CSA Drop Point.  Click here for more details & contact information for our CSA.

We also went to the Lunch & Learn at Whole Foods this afternoon and had this yummy delicious plate of goodness at the end of the class…

Everything was fresh, raw, and really healthy.  Our favorites were unanimous – we all really enjoyed the Green Bean Salad with Goat Cheese Dressing and the Red, White, and Blue Fruit Salad.  The kids & I couldn’t believe how delicious the cashew cream was; everyone in the class was seriously impressed.  We plan to make both of those for our next picnic on the lake.  (The instructor stressed that everything she prepared was picnic friendly and would hold up well in the heat.)  The other recipes on our plate…

Cabbage Slaw with Gala Apples and Walnuts

Southwestern Couscous Salad

These were both good, but a bit too dry for my taste.  The slaw was made with radicchio since they were out of red cabbage.  I’m not a fan of the it’s bitterness so I’m thinking if I make it with the red cabbage and double the dressing, I’ll enjoy it a lot more.

The Meet & Greet and the Lunch & Learn were both FREE!  We had a fantastic lunch, picked up some new cooking tips, and met some fun people too!  I just love our Whole Foods Market; participating in their events are one way we plug into our community with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

Click here to find your local Whole Foods Market and check out their events calendar!

What local events do you enjoy in your neck of the woods?

You may also want to check out…

5 Sofia’s Ideas on Whole Foods Market

Get More of the Good Stuff for Less

South {Florida Frugal Family Fun} Events ::

Week of May 22, 2011

© Renata Osińska

Wellington Whole Foods Market →

Meet & Greet our First CSA Farm

• Sunday, May 22nd : 3:00-6:00 pm
• Free
• Meet Jodi Swank, co-owner of Swank Specialty Produce, and learn all about our new Community Supported Agriculture Drop Program.  Jodi will have on display an example of a typical share that participating customers pick up weekly at Whole Foods Market and some delicious samples of their amazing produce.  Also, be sure to pick up a flyer from our produce department with all of the CSA details.

Deliciously Raw with Renate: Picnic Favorites

• Tuesday, May 24th : 6:30-8:00 pm
• $20/Person
• Celebrate your health on Memorial Day and learn to make great picnic dishes that everyone will enjoy. Each month, Renate shares how to live a raw lifestyle without sacrificing taste!   Each class will include three delicious recipes all with plant-based ingredients full of nutrients.  This is the perfect class for the amateur, novice or expert!  Pre-Registration Required @ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000, Payment Collected upon Registration.

Health Starts Here Lunch & Learn

• Tuesday, May 24th : 11:00-12:30 pm
• Free
• Kick off your summer of grillin’ and chillin’ with this month’s Lunch and Learn class, which will feature healthy side dishes just in time for Memorial Day cookouts and celebrations.  Join our Healthy Eating Specialist, Cheryl, as she prepares Health Starts Here side dishes full of flavor that are sure to be crowd pleasers!  Pre-Registration Required@ Customer Service or Call 561.904.4000

•••••

Gardens GreenMarket

• Sundays : 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (ends June 26th)
• Free
• Gardens Park
  4301 Burns Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• 561-630-1100
• Enjoy live entertainment and shop for produce, plants, flowers, crafts, prepared food and more. Rain or shine.

Lighthouse Sunset Tour

• Wednesday, May 25th : Sunset
• Members, $15; Nonmembers, $20
• Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
  Lighthouse Park
  500 Captain Armour’s Way, Jupiter, FL, 33469-3508
• 561-747-8380 (Phone)
• Visit the Jupiter lighthouse during sunset for a tour. The tour includes a look at the watch room and the lighthouse’s operating area. Children must be a minimum of 4 feet tall to climb the stairs. Wear closed-toed walking shoes. Reservations required.

The Adventures of Eco-Man

• Friday, May 27th : 6 – 8 p.m.
• Free
• Boulevard Heights Community Center
  6770 Garfield St., Hollywood, FL
• 954-967-4235 (Phone)
• The Atlantic Coast Theatre For Youth brings you a superhero comedy showcasing the importance of going green.

Dr. Logger Presentation

• Saturdays : 3:30 p.m. – 4 p.m. (ends July 30th)
• Free
• Loggerhead Marinelife Center
  14200 Federal Highway, Juno Beach, FL, 33408-1406
• 561-627-8280 (Phone)
• Dr. Logger is an educational ambassador for sea turtles. In his 30 minute show, Dr. Logger addresses threats to turtles, nesting, anatomy, and the turtle lifestyle. For all ages.

Story Time at Green Cay Nature Center

• Saturday, May 28, 2011 : 10 - 11 a.m.
• $2 per child
• 561-966-7000 (phone)
• Join us monthly as we read stories, have learning time, and make crafts about animals and other nature-related themes! Topics will vary each month. Ages 3-5.

Boardwalk Tour at Daggerwing Nature Center

• Saturday, May 28, 2011 : 10:15 a.m.
• Free
• 561-629-8760 (phone)
• Join a docent for a 1/2 hour guided tour of Daggerwing Nature Center’s swamp habitat! Families & All Ages.
• Daggerwing Nature Center is located within South County Regional Park in western Boca Raton.  11200 Park Access Road, Boca Raton, FL 33498

Gosh, there’s just so much going on this week; it’s going to be really tough to choose what we’ll be doing in addition to what’s already on our calendar!  I know we are definitely going to Whole Foods Market today to show love and support for Jodi (owner of our CSA).  And even though that Adventures of Eco-Man play will be a bit of a drive for us, we love going down to Hollywood Beach!  I know some people refer to it as HollyWeird (how rude!) but I just say that it has a “colorful & charismatic crowd”! 

I love that most of these events are FREE, and as always, they all fit into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  What are your plans for the week?

When I picked up our share this week, I had the pleasure of chatting with Jodi from Swank Specialty Produce, owner of our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  I had noticed over the last few weeks that they had cleared more land on the farm, so I’ve been giddy with anticipation!  She said they are expanding and will be offering much more than vegetables next season!  Woo-hoo!  I can not wait!

In our “share” this week:

• Swiss Chard

• Bibb Lettuce (x2)

• Baby Kale

• Basil

• Hungarian Wax Peppers

• Cucumbers

• Baby Squash & Zucchini Mix

• Baby Eggplant

{CSA} Share 11 :: Recipes

To tell you the truth, I don’t feel much like planning this week.  I kinda just wanna use up whats in our pantry.  I’ll probably just whip up some salads, try to eat most of these veggies raw, and maybe grill up the eggplants, zucchini, & squash as a side to fish.

The Hungarian Wax peppers, however, should not be eaten raw!  Jodi emphasized this over & over again!  They are hot!  But, she did say that they are delicious on everything from salads to sandwiches, the way she prepares them.  She said to roast them, then deseed them.  Put them in a storage container and let them sit to make their own juices.  The way she described them to me, I can not wait to try!  She said that they are the absolute tastiest peppers ever!

Stay tuned and see how it all turns out!  Using up whats in our pantry, eating as much raw produce as possible, and being a part of our local CSA definitely fits into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and an Eco-Mentality!

Click here and  here to find out more about why I love Love LOVE our CSA, Swank Specialty Produce!

What did you pick up at your CSA or Farmer’s Market this week? Feel free to share your links, pictures, and/or recipes in the comments section!

On Sunday, I shared one of the many ways we reuse newspapers around here.  Now, those bookmarks are really quick & easy compared to these Plantable Greeting Cards, but don’t get discouraged!  Believe me, if I can pull this off, you can too!  (Remember, I always say that my crafting skills start and stop with a glue stick!)  It’s not that its a difficult project, but it has several steps and you must be patient since it takes a few days to get to the finished product…

Plantable Greeting Cards

The kids were really creative, coming up with both Easter and Mother’s Day shapes for their cards.  Me?  Just a standard square or rectangle as you can see below.  Bo-ring!  That’s my square on the right, and Sparkle’s Easter egg on the left.

After several botched batches, Zany and Sparkle were really proud of their Easter cards…

We also came up with a poem to mail along with the cards…

We made this card just for you

turned a newspaper into something new

Within this card are wildflower seeds

some dirt and water are all it needs

In a few weeks beauty will be found

where you planted this in the ground

I have to admit, I really love this project!  I just love handmade gifts – both giving and receiving them.  But I especially love how “green” this one is, don’t you?  And I think because these take a few days and require a bit more tlc to get them “just so”, they kinda feel a bit more special!  Just another way we spread the love in a way that fits with Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

the little list has this great directory of the classics…

free children’s audio books: a directory

Incorporating this great resource into our children’s educational arsenal definitely fits into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

Her site is full of great resources that you can utilize no matter what your educational approach!  I really love her nature study lists, especially since Arcane, Zany, & Sparkle are all doing different fields of nature for their independent studies right now.  If you decide to head over and explore, please let her know Sofia from Sofia’s Ideas sent you to spread the love! 

Other posts I’ve done in the same vein…

FREE “Green” Online Children’s Books

FREE Books for Your FREE Kindle

5 Sofia’s Ideas on Frugal Homeschooling

© Renata Osińska

South {Florida Frugal Family Fun} Events :: Week of May 15, 2011

Gardens GreenMarket

• Sundays : 8 a.m. – 1 p.m. (ends June 26th)
• Free
• Gardens Park
  4301 Burns Road, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
• 561-630-1100
• Enjoy live entertainment and shop for produce, plants, flowers, crafts, prepared food and more. Rain or shine.

The Art of Found Objects

• Friday, May 20th: Dusk
• Free
• Mizner Park Amphitheater
  590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, FL, 33432
• 561-237-9000
• Enjoy a family-friendly flick outside.

Lighthouse Sunset Tour

• Friday, May 20th: Sunset
• Members, $15; Nonmembers, $20
• Jupiter Inlet Lighthouse
  Lighthouse Park
  500 Captain Armour’s Way, Jupiter, FL, 33469-3508
• 561-747-8380
• Visit the Jupiter lighthouse during sunset for a tour. The tour includes a look at the watch room and the lighthouse’s operating area. Children must be a minimum of 4 feet tall to climb the stars. Wear closed-toed walking shoes. Reservations required.

Family Fun Day and Open House

• Saturday, May 21st : 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Free
• Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex
  501 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, FL, 33316
• 954-468-1580
• Find out what the Fort Lauderdale Aquatic Complex has to offer. The event includes: early registration / tryouts for summer programs such as the swim team, swim lessons, swim camp, dive team, dive camp and dive lessons. Also available are museum tours, water aerobics, prizes, cotton candy, and swimming. Bring your swim suits.

Personally, I plan to take advantage of the green market that’s still open.  While market season is just beginning for some of you, its coming to an end for us.  Spending a weekend morning with my family, strolling through the green market, enjoying all the organic and “green” goods our local community has to offer?  Well, that totally fits into Sofia’s Ideas on Simplicity, Frugality, and Frivolity… all with an Eco-Mentality!

What about you?  What are your plans for the week?