I’ve been meaning to send this link for a while now, this a real-life friend of mine, an attachment parenting, slinging, breastfeeding, homeschooling mama, singing a song that she says-at least in part- is inspired by me! Here’s the story: I told her husband that he shouldn’t call our home phone because we never answer it because of the bill collectors and tele-marketers. This sparked a conversation about bill collectors and making ends meet and living in the world as it has become and being middle class and Voila! The most beautiful song I’ve ever heard. Get your kleenex, seriously! and then go here to listen The Middle of Nowhere

I’d love to get her a whole bunch of activity on her myspace page, so leave kind words, accolades and due respect and pass the song around if you’re so inclined.

love,
Heather

Dear Mama,
Post your ideas here…

xox,
Heather

First off, Happy Thanksgiving, I hope you and yours have a lovely, lovely, feast.

I had the coolest thanksgiving-y thing happen on Sunday… My feast is going to be 14 people, here, in my tiny house. We have a wooden table that will fit easily 8 people, but only 6 wooden chairs. My dh and I were looking to borrow tables and chairs from anyone.anyone? And then on Sunday, VOILA! the next door neighbor (I mean right next door) put out a round wooden table with 4 leaves and 10 wooden chairs. With a sign that said ‘free’. isn’t that cool?

And don’t forget that the day AFTER Thanksgiving is Buy Nothing Day… so don’t forget to think of something to do that keeps you away from the stores. And that is something to be thankful for, huh?

Love,
Heather

p.s. on the buy note…the 2008 Hathor calendar is on its way and don’t forget Hathor Books for Christmas!

it seems like every time you turn around these days SOMEONE is gettin’ induced because their baby is just too big. AND my theory is that as the holidays draw near those numbers go up. Call me cynical. I don’t actually research this (it’s just a hunch started by a parkbench conversation: A mama told me that her due date was the Saturday of Thanksgiving, and she was being induced the week before because her Doctor was going out of town. At least he was honest I guess)…but worthy of research I think…

Love and XOX,
Heather

So, last year at this time I quit buying water bottles. Stopped cold turkey. Sometimes, before then if we were going to go to the park for the day, we would get 4 plastic bottles of water and take them with us. Every day. If my husband was with us it would be 5. If the water wasn’t all gone, it would take about an hour in the sun in the car and the water would be undrinkable. When I think of all that waste it gives my spine a tingle. But, the good news is I stopped. First I bought a sigg bottle or two and we shared. but I kept losing it and forgetting it places and it was just a huge pain in the rear. So, I’m here to say, don’t think you need to buy anything to stop using plastic water bottles. Just clean out that old jar. I have a shelf now with 12+ jars, there’s always a clean one ready to be filled. Here’s the practical tidbits…

1. I have a cooler that is just the right size for 6 jars, I keep it in the kitchen and load it every morning and take it with us, even if I don’t think I’ll be gone for long.

2. The kids drink the jars near the cooler and put them back when they’re done, no running all over the playground with glass water bottles!

3. You can put the jars inside of a sock (using the sock as a jar cozy), it keeps it cool, keeps it from slipping out of hands, makes it a bit more bouncier and the theory is that if it fall and breaks the glass will all be inside of the sock, pick up the sock and throw it away.

4. In a year I’ve only broken 1 jar and life would’ve been much easier if I would have had a small hand broom and dustpan with me. (note to self get a tiny broom/dustpan and put it in the side pocket of the cooler!)

See how easy? and cheap? With all that extra money you save on water bottles splurge on an extra pizza night!

Love,
Heather