This Moment...

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. 
Inspired by Soulemama 

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Holiday Countdown!

Wow! I can't believe it is already December. Time is flying and I still have so many holiday gifts to make! The pressure is on now....
For Finn, December 1 marks the beginning of the Christmas countdown, and discussions of Santa seem to recur every few hours. Excitement is in the air, and Finn's anticipation makes this year's holiday season that much more fun for me.
Today we started 2 different advents. Yesterday we made a simple chain out of red and green construction paper that we will tear one link off of every day until Christmas. I also found a great wooden advent box last year at Goodwill, and I have filled it with stickers and candy for each day of the month. For $4 it was a total score (even if it has a little more religious flare than I would normally display). But, I hope that next year I will find (or make) the time to create a handmade advent calendar. I have seen so many cute ideas on blogs this year that have inspired me to make sure I get one made for next Christmas....
Until then, paper chains and salvaged boxes will have to do. Happy Hannukah for those of you who celebrate and I hope you all are finding fun and anticipation in your holiday plannings and celebrations! Pin It Now!

Quick Tips: Handwashing

 Tis the season for germ spreading and hand washing, right? Here are a couple of quick tips from Mindy Pennybackers Do One Green Thing that will help you make some more informed choices when choosing what to wash your hands with.

When possible, avoid regular handwashing with antibacterial soaps containing triclosan because this chemical spreads antibiotic-resistant bacteria (which means that when we actually ARE sick and really do need those antibiotics, they may no longer work!). Also, washing with antibiotic soap is no more effective than soap and water at killing germs anyways, so it is really unnecessary. Lastly, the production of triclosan (to put in the soap) releases dioxins into the environment, which can cause cancer. Yuck.

One last quick tip: when choosing between bar and liquid soap, choose the bar version. Bar soap has less ingredients AND less packaging than liquid soap, making it better for the environment, and probably better for your health as well.

Wash well! Pin It Now!

Thanksgiving Day Hike!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

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Giving Thanks

 So many times my Thanksgiving is so filled with preparations, travel, and last-minute errands that I tend to forget the true focus behind the holiday, which is being thankful for what we have. This year I feel so lucky to have a healthy and (usually) happy 3 year old, a new bean in my belly, and a husband who has been there by my side even when I am a grump. I also feel lucky that even though my family is currently not in the best financial situation, we have managed to make it through each month and we both still have jobs. I am trying to take time to appreciate all of the little things that happen in my day to day life and to try and be thankful for them, even when they seem stressful or mundane at the time. I know that these years when my little guy is still little will pass much too quickly, and when I look back upon them, I want to be able to remember every moment that I can.
Wishing you all a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving! Pin It Now!

Snow!

Portland doesn't often get snow, so folks who live here often appreciate even the smallest dustings like we woke up to this morning... In my opinion, nothing beats a cold, sunny morning with fresh snow on the ground!

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Hand Turkeys!

At our house, Thanksgiving decorations always seem to be minimal, as Halloween, Finn's birthday and Christmas always steal the show, not leaving much time to display Thanksgiving art. However, today, in celebration of one of my favorite holidays, Finn and I made our yearly hand turkeys. We made a couple "fancy" ones out of construction paper, googly eyes, glitter, feathers, felt and pipe cleaners and I transformed some felt hands that we hung on our holiday tree for fall into some hand turkeys to hang on the holiday tree. So there. Thanksgiving decorations, check. I am feeling much more festive now (especially since I got all of my Thanksgiving grocery shopping done today! And I have vowed not to step back into a grocery store until Friday!) Pin It Now!