My Decade-Long Recycling Project!
A decade ago, when I started freelancing, I realized that I could re-use paper… umm, yeah, DUH!
So all my paper that had something on just 1 side, I put in this light blue box. I kept using it and using it, recycling and recycling. I put it in my printer whenever I’m printing stuff out just for myself- rough drafts, articles to read, lists, etc.
Now my ‘one sided’ paper box is empty, but here’s the good part-
IT TOOK 10 YEARS!… A decade? Are you kidding me? I’m so excited. Now I’m realizing how very little paper I’ve bought in the past decade and how much of a difference my little recycling effort has made on my life and for the planet.
Happy (Belated) Earth Day!
THE Tutorial On Teeth Whitening… (According to me, Obviously)
Who doesn’t want really white teeth?
What’s amazing is that a decade ago the teeth whitening industry really didn’t exist… My how things change…
Years ago, when you could only buy Go Smile whitening strips at Saks, I headed over there and went to pick myself up a package; one of my girlfriends worked there at the time and we asked her co-worker, who presided over the ‘Whitening/Moisturizing/Pamper Yourself’ Counter if they worked well,
“I think Crest Whitestrips are the same, if not better.”
And Crest Whitestrips ARE WAY less expensive.
So I put my money away, headed to my local drugstore and bought some Crest Whitestrips.
I have used these occasionally over the past few years…
The last time I was at the dentist I asked him about whitening, especially because I am constantly during the day, drinking tea…
His response-
“Brush your teeth with a little baking soda, or just buy baking soda tooth paste.”
So I did, I bought Arm & Hammer Advanced White toothpaste, with Baking Soda and Peroxide,
and you know what?
It works! I’m really happy with the shade of my teeth!
So the least expensive solution has turned out to be the best-
I LOVE IT WHEN THAT HAPPENS !!!!!
You Gotta Love Mr. Rogers…
On this rainy Monday morning,
I can always count on words of wisdom from
“Love and trust,
in the space between what’s said and what’s heard in our life,
can make all the difference in this world.”
– Fred Rogers
Have a Great Day
Be Inspired… SpiritJava
I was planning on ending the week highlighting SpiritJava. As you can see in the logo, SpiritJava consists of ‘Caffeinated Meditations’. If you click here you can enter your name and email and receive at the start of each day a quote, and a few lines written by Gregg Kennard.
Imagine my surprise when I opened this morning’s SpiritJava email and it was about Susan Boyle, the same as my post yesterday…
Here it is:
“I dreamed a dream…” Susan Boyle’s excerpt from Les Miserable
The Britain’s Got Talent contestant’s dream is coming true. Good for her.
God’s desire is that all of our dreams come true. It may require some patience, persistence, courage, and action, but manifestation of your best life is definitely what God is about.
He put the dream and desire in you, so keep believing, hoping, and moving forward.
You never know when that defining moment may come. A week ago, Susan Boyle was in virtual obscurity, now she is a household name, an international star.
Keep dreaming!
How’s that for Karma?
I love starting out each day with my SpiritJava email,
it is a reminder to decide at the start of each day, to go into that day with the intention of it being your best day yet…
and that’s pretty important, after all, you’re living it, it’s your day!
Check it out!
Be Inspired… By Susan Boyle
If you have been under a rock, as I sometimes find myself,
or busy getting playdough out of the rug,
you may not have seen this video of Susan Boyle,
a 47-year-old unemployed woman who lives with her cat,
in a small village.
She was on Britain’s Got Talent
AND SHE HAS THE VOICE OF AN ANGEL.
Warning: This will move you to tears, good tears.
Simon was even moved…
If you haven’t heard her yet- Here she is…
What is so inspiring about her is that she reminds us that we all have a special gift inside us, that only we can bring to the world… discover and use your gift.
*I would have put the video right here but you cannot get it off of youtube anymore, you have to go to youtube and watch yourself, which explains the above link… enjoy!*
“Why Make It, When We Can Buy It, Mommy?”
Another thing I’m unconsciously teaching my son…
My little Guy and I planned to surprise my Big Guy by making him his favorite dessert the other day-
Angel Food Cake! We had all the ingredients at home, and by all the ingredients I mean: angel food cake mix and water.
We had to swing by the grocery store for a couple of items before we went home from school. We were walking through the bakery section when my son EXCLAIMED,
“Mommy, Look!” He had picked up a freshly baked Angel Food Cake.
“This is perfect! We can get this for Daddy!”
And we were going home to BAKE him one…
I explained to my little one that we already had the ingredients at home to bake Daddy the cake, which he already knew, and that it would be fun… and then he hit me with it:
“Why make it, when we can buy it, Mommy?”
I think that if there was a ‘Mom School’ I’d surely be in detention right now, writing,
‘I will teach my son the value of making things more, and the value of a dollar’ on the chalk board a thousand times.
Go Down and See The Cherry Blossoms- Parking is EASY
My son and I went down to see The Cherry Blossoms… for the first time. I’m embarrassed we hadn’t done it before because it was so easy- and come on, the Cherry Blossoms are just so pretty!
They are officially ‘past peak’ right now, but as you can see from my pictures- they still look pretty good!
About the parking- it’s easy! Just drive down to the Tidal Basin, go around the Jefferson Memorial and that parkway right there that circles the Tidal Basin and is right by the FDR Memorial has free parking all along it. That’s right- they changed it from 2 ways to a 1 way street- so 1 lane is all parking- brilliant !!!!!!
When did the DC government get so smart ??!!
That’s how it was this week- check the Official Website for details, (although on the website they encourage you to park and take their free tram).
Go down- it’s easy, fun and there’s nothing like seeing the Cherry Blossoms in person!
Ben’s Chili Bowl: Darn Good Chili!
I’ve always meant to try the chili at the Washington Landmark- Ben’s Chili Bowl, because I’m a bit of a chili connoisseur…
if there is such a thing.
So, this week being our ‘Spring Break’, my son and I headed down to U street and the famous chili place-
to see how it measured up.
It’s right across from a Metro station and has a small parking lot in back (10 spaces- this is new), just turn into the alley on the left side of Ben’s Chili Bowl and you’ll see the parking lot!
So the review= THIS IS GOOD CHILI! It’s basically Cincinnati chili, which is my favorite, since my parents are both from Cincinnati. Cincinnati chili is the only kind I make.
For those who are not familiar with Cincinnati chili,
It’s thick, thicker than Texas chili, and the secret ingredient is: *drumroll*………………
cinnamon
yes, cinnamon.
The cinnamon makes the chili sweet and if you add a lot- hot!
Try it at home, you’ll love it!
And take a trip down to Ben’s Chili Bowl, a traditional chili diner and enjoy some GOOD chili !
Check it out- and they just opened a restaurant and bar next door.
Great Motherhood Quote
“If the whole world were put into one scale, and my mother in the other,
the whole world would kick the beam.”
~Lord Langdale (Henry Bickersteth)
Thank You for Ordinary Days- Part 2
I was just driving my son to preschool again, but this time through the thunderstorm which is covering the DC area this morning and I said to him,
“The rain is really coming down!”
and he immediately replied,
“This car needed a car wash and now we got it!”
Man, it’s good to be 5…
Thank you for Ordinary Days
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I Was In The 2012 Show !
Check Out …
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Nicole’s Book
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