I. started 4th grade this year.  Its extra big because we have homeschooled him since he was in kindergarden….and this is the first day of public school for him!

He had a great day!

He has a really nice teacher whom he enjoys, and, the boy who sits next to him loves to dress in cammo – loves legoes and star wars – and has a ton in common with I.

Hope he’s up for 9 months of it!

If only I could find a van this cool!

So, we need a van.  I finally convinced Mr. T. that we just don’t have the space in the wagon anymore – even with the 3rd row seat.  He’s sad.  He doesn’t want to own a mini van.

If you’re gonna have 3 kids, you’re gonna  eventually get a van, its that simple.

I wish we could afford one of the new 7 or 8 seaters like the Honda Pilot, but its just not in our price range.  We’ve got to settle on the van and have been focusing our search on Honda Odysseys and Toyota Siennas.  I’ve found a few, but that was before we sold the Volvo (which happened within a day after posting it on Craigs List!!).

Now, we can’t really find anything.  And, even when we do, its such a saga.

Gather up the kids….who don’t want to go.  And drive.   We’re trying to keep it close, but there’s only been one, and that’s been a bit of an odd experience.

The car was being sold by a family about 20 min from us, so, we went over.  It was nice, had a dent in the back, but was nice, only 125,000mi and in our price range. Mr. T. drove it and liked it so offered $500 less than the asking price.  The guy said he and his wife would have to talk about that but never told us anything from there.  So, we collected the kids and headed home.  Weird.  I emailed just to be sure, but no response.  So, I’m guessing that’s a dead end.

As a result of where we live (in the beautiful Maine countryside) we have to travel around an hour to see other vehicles.  Its a total pain in the a$$.

But, I need a van.  Hell, I already sold my volvo, which, lucky for me isn’t getting picked up until later in the week.  I. starts school on Mon. though and I have to drive him….can’t do that without a vehicle…so gotta go through that buying a car process in all its “deal making” glory.

Here’s to hoping our new van finds us…sooner rather than later!

I’ve been interested in getting an 800 number for my business so, I started searching for options.  I came upon a service from RingCentral.com….and found a free trial with this great RingCentral referral code.  So, I tried it, for free.  I found out I liked the service and that it was a good deal for me.  All without paying a dime.

This got me thinking.  Why doesn’t everything come with a Free Trial?

Any product manufacturer worth your money really ought to offer you the opportunity to try out their product for free.  If you like it, buy it, if not, so be it.  The courtesy alone would get customers!

Admittedly, some things do offer a free trial (ie a test drive for a car) that won’t really tell you all that much about the item.  But, usually a free trial is a great option for a consumer, and most often, will get the product sold to even more people.

We have been in Maine for a few years now but have not had the occasion to make it anywhere north or west aside from a trip through the White Mountains of New Hampshire and Maine.

This weekend, we fixed that a bit.

We went up to an area near the Canadian border where there is a mountain range called the Bigelows.  They are absolutely amazing!

Much of the range is state reserve land and is protected….and wild.  We had the added bonus of being able to take our kayaks out and take a look at these beautiful mountains from the water too.  The peaks are just breathtaking, and I. noticed one was even shaped like the letter “M”.

Having these places still be what they always have been is priceless, and sharing them with children is even better.

This is why protecting and caring for our planet is so important.  If not, eventually, places like these will be gone.

Some great charities to support that help preserve land include

The Sierra Club

Coastal Mountains Land Trust

The Nature Conservacy

We all know recycling is important, Right?

Trying to spend your money on recycled products whenever possible is just as important.

Its not always evident which products use “post consumer recycled content” or not; some advertise, others don’t.  So when you’re getting ready to make a purchase like paper for your printer, or a magazine for example, try to check the percentage of post consumer recycled content used to make this new item.

The more you put your money behind goods that use recycled materials to make their products, the more demand there will be for recycled materials; which will help keep more and more trash out of the landfill and thereby, create more and more goods out of recycled materials…for consumers, like you, to buy!

I’ve been looking for a solid raspberry sauce recipe that I can use for cakes, pancakes, etc.  Often they’re just a bit too runny, but this one came out really well.

In fact, I used it in the center of a chocolate cake this weekend and it didn’t make it mushy in any way, nor did it ooze out the sides!

More importantly, it tastes AMAZING!

The whole house loves it.

So here ya go – enjoy!

Ingredients

3 C frozen or fresh raspberries

1 1/3 C water

1 3/4 C sugar

2 T lemon juice

5-6 T cornstarch

1/2 C additional water

Directions

Combine raspberries, water, sugar and lemon juice in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Simmer for 10-15 min.  If you like, you can push the mixture through a sieve at this point – its not necessary though.

Now, mix the cornstarch with 1/2 C water.  Add this cornstarch mixture to the raspberries and return to a boil.  Simmer for about 5 min. then take off the heat and cool completely.

Born August 1st 1942, Jerry Garcia would have been 68 were he still alive today.

If you don’t know who he is - take a listen .

He has become an icon, and was (actually still is) a musical revolutionary…..both in spirit, and in the music he made.

No  or has ever played like Jerry (some have tried) – and no one ever will.  As soon as  a song he’s playing is heard, there’s no mistaking that it’s Jerry.  Even if you don’t hear his voice, his guitar sounds like none other.  That’s quite an accomplishment for any musician.

And now, today, he is inspiring others to follow their own “music” through keeping old traditional songs and forms/styles of music alive by tweaking them to fit today.  I think he’d be proud!  After all, that’s how he came up.  Playing acoustic guitar and banjo with the bluegrass bands in the early 60s.  Playing those old traditional songs that his own mentor, Bill Monroe was keeping alive.  I guess you’d call it the “audio tradition”.

Its fitting he, even after his passing, is the inspiration to so many.

“Let There be Songs – to Fill the Air!”

Jerry Garcia – 8/1/42 – 8/9/95

If you’re looking for a really easy way to be more earth friendly all while saving yourself money then make the switch to cloth where you’re currently using paper or other single use products.

Reusable products like cloth napkins, rags, handkerchiefs, baby wipes and more can help you cut waaaaay down on the amount of paper products you buy thereby saving you money.

Yes, you’ll likely have an extra laundry load to do, but, especially if you line dry your cloth items, laundering them is less harmful than cutting down the trees and all the bleaching etc that goes on to make today’s single use paper products.

As far as bags.  If you’re not carrying canvas bags at least to the grocery store yet, then you need to get on board!  These need washed far less and have a great effect on the amount of those horrid plastic bags used.  Plus, most places give you at least $.5 back fro each reusable bag you bring.

Making the switch to cloth isn’t a big deal.  You may shell out a bit of money for some cloth napkins.  But, all you really need is two – three sets.  One maybe two for family (which you can even color code so  it makes reusing them for several meals easy) depending on how many you have in the house, and one for guests.   That’s it!  Or, better yet, make your own napkins with this awesome tutorial I found!

As far as rags.  Raid your t-shirt drawer and cut up the most worn for rags.  Or, ask your local thrift store for their stained clothes they can’t sell.  You’ll quickly find you have more rag material than you need.

The switch from tissues to handkerchiefs can be a bit interesting.  But, they’re softer on the nose and  more attractive.  Just have a few for each person so if a cold strikes people aren’t mixing hankies.

Reusable cloth menstrual pads are a great idea too.  You can use the Keeper or Diva Cup too, made out of natural rubber – my reusable Aunt Flo catcher of choice – but cloth pads would definitely be more comfortable, better than all that bleached cotton on your delicate bits, and they’re always there.  So you never have to run out to the store at a moments notice.

While our family hasn’t done this last one yet, I have heard of many doing it with much success.  Cloth toilet paper.  Or better yet, wiping with a peri bottle (how its done in many other countries….hence the bide) .  Many people from other cultures think that spreading everything all over with paper is just nasty, and they use water to feel fresh down there.  Cut up old sheets make for great cloth TP though too if you feel better that way.  Then, just place in a separate covered receptacle and wash as needed.

With these tips, you’ll have no trouble moving away from single use paper products and on to reusable cloth where ever possible.  You’ll quickly find that not having to buy all those paper products is saving you time, money, and space in your trash!

I’ve had pretty poor posture my entire life.  I can see several reasons for it and am now ready to change it.  For good.

Slouching is just so bad for me, and it creates a bad “look” for my body.  My belly protrudes and my upper body hangs down.  I walk/run over a mile every day and do crunches and other ab exercises too – I want that to actually show; not be clouded by my crappy posture.

As I was looking for ideas on how to improve my posture – I even learned it is probably the culprit of my lower back aches I always get.  Never figured that would be the case.

It will take some constant vigilance on my part I think.  I’ve developed some really really bad habits over the many years of poor posture – and they’ll be difficult to break.

The other thing I’m going to try and do is include some pilates and yoga exercises in my daily routine.

I always feel better after doing the Cat/Cow (on all fours hold your back straight, then rounded as if you’re a “scared cat”.  Relax back into the flat back or “cow” then, repeat.).

There’s also a great exercise from a Pilates DVD I used to use.  You lay on your tummy with your legs spread shoulder width apart and your arms both raised above your head.  Tighten your abs (like a string is pulling your belly button toward your back) and then, make a wide sweep with your arms down to your sides; almost like you’re doing the breast stroke.  As you do this tighten your shoulder and back muscles to pull your upper body up as well.  Lower your upper bodyback down as you reach up tall with your arms.  Repeat from beginning.

That last one really makes my back feel great and strong and helps pull my shoulders into the proper place….I’m a big shoulder sloucher.

It doesn’t help that I work on the computer, and am often carrying a baby on my hip.  But, I’ve got to give it some effort and try to get this under control.   There have been too many bad posture years and if I let it go any longer the effects will be even worse, and the habit that much harder to break.

It had been happening for awhile.  Our printer would work, and then all of a sudden for some unknown reason it would just crap out on you….usually in the middle of something important!

Finally, we just had to pull the plug.

Mr. T. ordered a nice new (and much bigger) Cannon printer/scanner/fax.  Our other was a combo model, but with this one, all 3 features actually work properly!

Its wireless too, which is definitely a great feature.  I can print from anywhere!

Of course he had to do a LOT of research.  A printer with an affordable looking price isn’t always an affordable printer.  If your machine only takes pricey ink, that low ticket price ends up being quite a bit more over time.

Don’t get me wrong.  I always take advantage of great deals and other money saving opportunities like a 123inkjets coupon or OEM cartridges.   But some printers just require expensive ink no matter how much you try to cut the cost with discounts.

So, like Mr. T. do your research.  In the end, we ended up with a nice machine that offered a great deal, but, ALSO has affordable ink prices over the long haul.

After the new computers and now this great printer I’m feeling pretty cozy in my little ‘ol “home office”.  We found a place for her on top of the file cabinet (it’s not a huge floor model, but much bigger and beefier than our other one), and she’s already been making it so much easier for me to make copies and get things done.

Can’t ask for much more from an inanimate object!  So, I think, she’s a keeper.

Hopefully, I’m saying that several years from now too!