Steps to Green-Living (Part 2)

In the beginning of 2020 I put spending time in nature, and cutting back on single use products at the forefront of my focus. How did I do?

Check, Check, CHECK! I did it!

Less plastic, less paper towel, bye bye sponges, hello cloth diapers, hello electric vehicle, and falling in love with plastic free grocery stores.

If you go back and read my first post “Small Green Steps” you can read about all of my little and practical tips and tricks on leaving less of a footprint.

NEW Steps Towards a Greener Life!

• Switched to Cloth Diapers!

  (A whole post on that, coming soon.) This felt like the biggest step because I never imagined I would do this, but I am so glad I made the switch!

• Started Using Microfiber Cleaning Cloths!

  (I use these from Amazon), to replace MOST paper towel usage. And whoa, it cleans SO much better than paper towel. Paper towel feels like a waist of time when it comes to cleaning now. You just collect the used towels, and run a wash on them, and they are good as new. (Thank you to my big sister for this idea.)

• Replaced Sponges, with Something Way Better!

  I started to make my own linen dish washing cloths, to replace sponges. This idea came from a friend, and whoa… sponges just …. no use for them now! (Sponges are made from plastics, and also hold onto a lot of bacteria.)

• Electric Car

  I went from a gasoline powered SUV, to a fully electric car! It’s a Tesla and I am never going back. With gas savings, never having to do an oil change, not paying sales tax, and a $5k rebate from NJ due to causing far less emissions, owning a Tesla Model 3 is WAY more affordable than you would think.

• Meat and Eggs from Local Farm

  I now get a lot (but not yet all) of my eggs and meat from a local NJ, veteran owned, farm Dutch Hill Farm. But I can’t even take the credit, through the pandemic they made it so easy, and delivered right to your door! They just opened up their own store in Spring Lake, NJ!

• Started Shopping at Plastic Free Refill Stores!

  This is SUCH a game changer! And my dream is that the whole world returns to this style of shopping. It is simple, you bring your own reusable or recycled jars and containers, and you fill them up with as little or as much of any product you want, and you pay by weight. So if you just want to try a little of something, or you just need 1 cup for a recipe, you can!

  Do You Buy: pasta, oats, olive oil, nuts, sugar, vinegars, beans, seeds, granola, chocolate chips, dish soap? Then head to Dry Good’s Refillery in Montclair, NJ! The last time I was there the owner (seen in the photo above) saw that I was struggling to keep my 2 year old from touching things, while I was shopping, so she so kindly brought him over to her chalk board wall, and let him draw. Now come on!— This is the world I want to live in! Where a mom can feel supported and seen by another mom. Where a business owner is not only so passionate about changing the plastic imprint on the world, but going the extra mile to help her customers. They also have fresh bread from a local French baker, and other goods like eggs, milk, cheeses, and produce.

  Do You Buy: dish soap, laundry detergent, all purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, hand soap, shampoo/conditioner, shower gel, even things like peroxide, aloe vera, and kid’s soap? Then head over to Good Bottle Refill , also located in Montclair, NJ! They have so much here, you just have to go check it out yourself! I believe you can even order online, and have everything delivered!

  I got a hair conditioner there recently that smells like I am at a high end spa, with Cedar & Sage! These stores are also stocked with so many eco-friendly products, it is a great place to shop for meaningful gifts that are better for our planet! If you don’t have bottles of your own, no problem, they have some you can buy!

• Started to Recycle Soft Film Plastics, PROPERLY!

  Are you asking, what are “soft film plastics”? Basically, all plastic bags, and plastics that cannot be put into your regular recycling. Amazon bubble envelopes, plastic shopping bags, chip bags, the plastic bags that every sing thing you buy seems to come in.

  The problem is most people toss these things in the trash, or try to put them into their regular plastic recycling (I’m guilty of that!). But these items only clog the recycling plants, as their machines are not made for this type of products.

  It is easy! Just collect all of these bags inside another one of these bags and bring them to select locations around you, and they will be processed properly and turned into amazing things like decks by NexTrex. I drop my bags off at the Kohl’s near me, but you can look up locations near you, here.

• Shampoo Bar (No Plastic Packaging!)

  Trader Joe’s sells one that is very affordable! (Shampoo bars that I have found online were too much money, in my opinion, and I didn’t want to take the risk of hating it.) I am really happy with this product. It lathers up better than you would expect, and I have really long hair. It seems to clean my hair, without drying it out. If you have oily hair, you probably wouldn’t need conditioner, just this bar. I imagine I’ll be buying this from now on. (My favorite organic hair tip is here!)

• Cloth Menstruation Pads

  The thing is, when you are used to washing your child’s poop out of cloth diapers, suddenly disposable menstruation pads seem like such a waste! I personally don’t mind blood at all, and I don’t see period blood as gross or “un-pure” in anyway!

  If you don’t know already, there is no such thing as TMI in my book… so get over it :)!

  I have fairly light periods to begin with, so a small cloth liner is all I need many days. It is also nice to use these when you are not sure if your cycle is done for good, or going to surprise you with a little more. For heavier days I still use tampons or pads that do a better job at absorbing quickly. I need to look into something a bit more substantial than these liners. But real change happens one small step at a time.

What’s My Next Step for Low Waste Goals?

• Take Out Container Waste

  This drives me CRAZY! I still struggle with remembering to tell takeout places to NOT give us all this plastic. Few people actually need the crappy fork and knife. And 37 packs of ketchup or soy sauce. Why?… Like please, save yourselves some money, and don’t add all this trash to each order!!!

Question! Does anyone bring their own reusable container for takeout? Like a metal bento box? Do places frown upon that?

• I Want to Get More of My Foods Through Local Farms

  I’d love to join a CSA next summer, but I haven’t found any in this area. I also want to buy raw milk from a dairy farm. I know of one in NJ but it is an hour away. Any recommendations?

• I Want to Start Composting

  We have been trying to buy a home for almost two years, but still live in an apartment. I have turned my fire escape into our garden, but composting seems out of the question for now. But one day!

I’m just a photographer loving all the green around us! Thanks for reading!

You Might Also Like! “Minimalist Mama Must Haves”

Eco-Friendly Dish Sponge Alternative

Replacing Dirty Sponges with an Eco-Friendly Alternative

Here are some of the things that this linen cloth can do that your sponge cannot!

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• Fit inside tiny spaces like the corners of Stasher Bags, the handle of your blender, between the threads of screw on bottles, inside any narrow jar/small space.

• Last a very long time, without ever getting stinky. Linen is naturally anti-microbial. (Sponges seem to be a natural breading ground for bacteria.) If you rinse, squeeze, and hang your dish cloth between uses, it simply doesn’t get gross. I started using my first one in February (5 months ago), and it has holes in it, and is getting tread bare from so much use, but it still works great and doesn’t smell. I used to replace sponges every month.

• It is washable! If you wanted to, just toss it in the wash along with your towels.

• Better scrubbing power than your average sponge with the scrubby pad.

• Safe on all surfaces.

• Wrap around the end of a wooden spoon to instantly become a bottle brush.

• Great suds power. I thought that it would probably not lather up the soap as well as a sponge, but it is the opposite!

• Better for the environment (obviously)!

I hope to start making more of these and selling them on my Etsy shop, as well as have plenty on hand to give as housewarming gifts.

Let me know if you are interested! Comment bellow!

And I MUST give credit to the lovely and talented Susan Baker! She is my photographer, and has taught me so much about healthy living, and this was her idea.

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Be sure to read my other posts about the first steps I took towards a greener life in 2020, and (coming soon!) how the progress has been going in 2022!

You Might Also Like! “Minimalist Mama Must Haves”

RIP Skimpy Little Dress

I am not sure what is more shocking… that I once wore this skimpy little thing in public, OR… that I kept it around in my closet until now. (I am 33, and happily married, with a child.)

I get wanting to be a hot mom. And just because I had a kid, doesn’t mean I have to resort to frumpy mom jeans. But, have you seen this dress? Can you call this a dress? Does my mom know that I had this thing in my suitcase when I went to Vegas?

I held the dress up to show my husband, and I asked, “Should I keep this?”. And without hesitation, he said with certainty, “No!!”. It wasn’t exactly the reaction I had hoped for from my husband, but truly, it has no use taking up space in my closet. (What little space this little bit of fabric can take up.)

And what about my stiletto heels?

The only surviving photo of me in this dress.

As a collage student, I didn’t own a single pair of rain boots or snow/rain friendly footwear. It was 4-5 inch heals all day, every day! (except for summer when I would wear flip flops and the occasional wedge). I could walk in those heals like it was nobody’s business. I never took my shoes off at a dance party, and I still walked faster than most people who were schlepping from class to class in their sneaks or Uggs. What happened to these shoes; those sexy spikes that made my long legs go on for days? They are literally and figuratively collecting dust, at the bottom of my closet!

I have changed.

I have softened. I partially blame my loving husband for making me feel so safe, and bringing my wildness down to earth a little bit. On our wedding day, I didn’t wear heals. I didn’t wear shoes at all. I wanted my bare feet in the grass.

Now I’m more into flowy than tight, and not only do I not wear 5 in heals, I wear mostly zero drop shoes! I am all about that minimal footwear life.

Sometimes I feel so sad about this change. But then when I think what it would be like if I didn’t change… If I was walking around Trader Joe’s, buying apple sauce for my toddler in THIS DRESS! … Yeah, we have to evolve. Not let go of our young spirit, but evolve along with it somehow. That is probably why I held onto that dress for all these years.

Goodbye Little Dress, and Thank You.

So I slipped this little baby on one last time to confirm… YES, my ass cheeks would show if I took more than 2 steps in this thing, and it’s time for it to have a new life, at some new parties, with a new set of legs. Goodbye.

If you want to capture some of your sexy essence, in that skimpy dress, or in the nude, or in an oversized sweater that just makes you feel warm inside… Let me know! Boudoir photography is one of my favorite styles. Let’s capture and celebrate ALL sides of you!

Thanks for reading friends! And if you thought this was fun, you might also like, “Mug Shot”.

A Walk in the Rain

If you have ever gotten stuck in the rain, you remember it!

The best part about getting stuck in the rain, is there is nothing you can do to stop it. You’e gonna get wet! And your brain is like, “Oh no! I’m getting wet!... And my CLOTHES are gonna get wet!”. And the other part of your brain is like, “You get wet in the shower, and your clothes get wet every time you wash them… so what’s the problem here?”. This is also true… but why does it still feel so weird/wrong?

But, once you accept that your hair, your face, your clothes, your shoes— are all going to get wet, you are FREE! And it can be blissful! :) … I suppose if you are on your way to work, no one wants to sit in cold wet cloths all day. But if you’re not going to be stuck somewhere, I recommend, the next time it rains… go for a walk. :)

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I have SO many endearing thoughts about the rain! Yesterday I took my baby boy for a swim in the pool and it started to rain. And still I thought, “Oh no, we will get wet!”… (What is wrong with me? Haha). And on the drive home, I saw a huge rainbow, and New York City sparkled like the buildings were carved from opal.

Kids should play in the rain…

When it rains, I am sure to take my 10 month old out on our fire escape to feel the droplets, and listen to the sounds. One of my fondest childhood memories is when my parents let us play in the rain! It rained so hard that our driveway flooded a bit. It was such a hot summer day I can still remember how warm the water felt as we splashed around barefoot, in the ankle deep puddle.

My family will never forget…

I am sure every family has those famous stories that are told over, and OVER. Our family’s story took place on vacation, and when we were “a mile” (or something) away from the car, the sky opened up and started to pour BUCKETS!! I was young, I am guessing 5 or something? (I’ll have to have my mom fact check this story.) I remember sitting in the back of my dad’s huge pickup truck, as he stood outside wringing his shoes out, and my mom was in the passenger seat CRACKING UP! … Getting wet in the rain will set you free! :)

(My mom said she thinks I was probably more like 3 years old. So who’s to know how much of this memory is mine, or just implanted from hearing the story so many times.)

Just a few years ago…

My husband and I took a trip to Montreal with our friends Rosa and Miguel. We walked up to the top of Mount Royal on a beautiful (and sunny) day. And then, the sky got dark. We figured we would head back before it started raining too hard. And it just started to rain harder and HARDER! It was like going for a 45 minute walk, directly under a shower head. We couldn’t even wipe the water from our eyes because our hands were dripping wet. We were all totally soaked to our underwear! Once we accepted it, the walk in the rain was AMAZING, and now one of my fondest memories as well. :) Had the sun been shining, I doubt I would be talking about it now. (And thankfully all of our phones survived!)

The song I can’t get out of my head…

“I’ll never stop the rain, by complaining. Because I’m free. Nothin’s worrying me.” - B.J. Thomas.

I have carefully curated a playlist to sing to my little one. (More on that in a future post!) And this song, “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” is now one of my favorites!! I encourage you to go take a listen. Who knew that this adorable old song had lyrics to live by!

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If you are interested in having a photoshoot in the rain, please message me!!!

Awad of Clay

One of the MANY perks of being married to the love of my life, was getting his last name! And therefore being able to call my sculpture business “Awad of Clay”! :)

I really miss photographing families and weddings right now!! But, an upside to this social distancing lifestyle, is that I have had some time to get back in my art studio, and sculpt.

Awad of Clay is all about bringing a little bit of happiness to others. And I mean a “little” bit. Because I love to sculpt tiny little things! :) Why is it that the smaller the thing, the happier it makes me?

These little sculptures all started with my tribe of clay elephants. Each one hand carved, hand painted, and no two the same. In college I sculpted over 100 of them. Many of them I fell so in love with, that they became a part of my private collection. Others I would personally select and give as gifts to the very special people in my life. These elephants are a symbol of happiness, pure intentions, and good energy. I have some elephants from college for sale, and am always happy to create new custom elephants.

My most popular creations, are my clay animals that hold your metal tea ball to the side of your cup. The fox, bunny, and turtle “Tea Ball Friends” seem to be the crowd favorites. However once customers realized that I could make custom animals and pets, that became my best seller. Who wouldn’t want a tiny replica of their dog to sip some tea with?

The most recent addition to my clay shop are my mini kettle bell necklaces. I do make plain kettle bells, but of course I can’t stop there!. Inspired by Onnit’s Primal Kettle Bells, I sculpt samurai, octopus, bee, moon, and feather kettle bells.

The only time I forget about food, is when I am sculpting! In college I majored in Fine Art with concentrations in Ceramics, Dance, and Photography. Photography is the focus of my artistic career, however sculpting is my happy place! … Speaking of happy place, I always dreamed of living in a tree house, and have sculpted many little villages and treehouses.

You can find me on Instagram, @AwadofClay

Letter to my Mom

Dear Mom,

Many have told me, that once I became a mother, I’d understand you better... and I kinda blew it off. I’m pretty good at seeing things from other people’s shoes. But... I can admit, I was wrong. 

I just “get it” a little more than I could before. Now I picture you so clearly, sitting in your wooden rocking chair, nursing your little babies at all hours of the night. The house dark, silent, and knowing how dad liked to save on heat… it was probably quite chilly too. 

You gave us everything you had. Your body, your energy… your every last nerve, you gave to my sisters and me. Starting with 9 months of sharing your body with another life, (Not to mention the indescribable pain of natural birth! Which you did THREE times!), followed by months of sleepless nights! But it only starts there. It’s really about all of the tiny moments that come after that. The countless times that moms put themselves second. It’s really hard, but moms do it happily. 

I understand now, that part of you leaves your body and then becomes someone independent of you. Suddenly their hunger, their comfort and needs become more important than your own. So when that tiny baby grows up, and goes through a “14 year old rebellious stage”, ouch, that has got to hurt and hurt really deep. I have said sorry for that a thousand times, but I know I can’t say sorry enough. :) But I also know, you have forgiven me.

You are my hair stylist, human spell check, wedding florist, birthday event planner, dad translator, and biggest fan. You were the first to know when a boyfriend was bad news, and the first to know that Abraham was the one! I am proud to say, “Mom, you were right!”

Motherhood is hard and often thankless. So, thank you mom. Thank you for all the times I forgot to say thank you.

I love you,

Sarah

Work Life Balance and Mom Guilt

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, I wanted to share a little bit about what it is like to be a working mom. In particular, what it was like as a new mom, and a stay at home business owner. Ironically many working moms now find themselves working from home as well, and can see the perks and the challenges that come along with it, first hand.

As my world came to a stop, and I gave birth to our little boy, life outside my emotional cocoon kept going. The e-mails and phone calls kept coming.

I received an email while I was at the hospital, in labor. Someone asking for information about family photos. I send these types of e-mail responses all of the time, so I tried to reply. But I just didn’t have the ability to focus… even between the mid-level contractions. So, I put my phone down, knowing that because I didn’t respond right away, I wouldn’t book this job.

At home with a 2 week old, emotional and sleep deprived, with stitches almost healed… I returned a missed call.( A woman was asking about doing a photo session in a few months.) I got her voicemail, so I gave her some information and explained, “I just had a baby, I am taking some time, but I’ll get back to you in further detail as soon as I can.” … but she just kept calling!

And there I was, faced with a new equation to balance. How do I give this perfect new life all of my love and attention while keeping up with the busy wedding season, and continue to uphold my standards for my clients.

Questions in my head: How soon can I be healed up and carry my camera equipment? What will a 12 hour work day be like when running on little to no sleep? How will I feel to be away from my baby for the first time? Will he take a bottle? My son wants to nurse every hour, and I have editing and emails piling up… Should I have closed shop for a few months?

Mothers know, that “mom guilt” is no joke. I would look at him sleeping in my arms, and say, “I could never be good enough”. That is truly how it feels.

But! In my opinion I have the best case scenario. I get to be a stay at home mom AND do what I love for a living! So if my tiny baby has to share my lap with my computer sometimes, that’s fine. If he has to learn to play on his own a bit more so that I can get work done, I will have to forgive myself. And if I didn’t take any maternity leave, it is only so that I can make this life work, and be with him as much as possible!

So to all the mom’s out there who ask themselves how they will do it, or if you are doing the right thing... You are doing an amazing job, and you are enough.

You might also like “If this Bunny Could Talk”.

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Your "Mug" Shot

The comforts of home… like not needing pants, or drinking a cup of something warm and delicious, from your favorite mug. :)

What might the mugs in our cabinet say about us? Would a photo of our mug collection be an metiforical portrait of ourselves? Does our mood affect what mug we gravitating towards?

And, to an outsider, this special mug might not look like much. Just as we might walk past someone and not think much. “Oh thats just some lady.”, or “Thats just another business man.” But to the people who know and love them, there is so much more that what meets the eye.

Personally, my mood and drink of choice dictates what mug I will grab from the cabinet. Take this mug for instance (The black and white one in photo, with engineering facts on it, that I don’t even understand!) … Why might I love to drink from this mug?

It’s a mug from my dad’s old job. He used to work for an engineering firm, and he had to put up with a LOT of crap at that job. So this mug is a powerful symbol to me. When I need to get work done, push through, stay focused, and not mess around… I choose this mug. It reminds me of all that my dad sacrificed for his family, and how hard he works day in and day out.

He is a “no excuses” kinda guy, so this is my no excuses kinda mug.

During these times of quarantine, I have been gravitating towards this mug (see below). My husband and I picked it up last May, in Paris, at one of our favorite cafes. We were on our baby moon. :) To me, it reminds me of that very different time a year ago… wandering the streets of Paris, with nothing but excitement and questions about what our life as parents would be like, and who our little baby would be. It is playful and care free… it is sweet.

So I asked some friends to send me their “mug shot”. Each drinking vessel has a story that is personal and unique. Without trying too, our mug is a window into who we are, at home, with our guard down, enjoying the comforts of home.

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Marcos

I had to look up “firmament” haha. It means heaven or sky in regarded to a tangible thing.

“First, that top blue layer firmament . That color seems to resonate with me on a cellular level. I see it and am instantly and pleasantly charged. Blue in the mystic sciences is associated with manifestation, throat chakra. The throat is considered the bridge between the physical and spiritual dimensions, if i recall. :)

That dirty tan and sexy blue, pair well in a complementary union. Sand and water. We are made of those elements and more!

Next was the shape of the mug, its geometrics :). It has an octagonal body with a circular top. Love the way it feels in my hands. I sip from it like how i think a Zen Master sitting on a river bank would sip from it. :)

I have no idea what the kanji on the cup mean.”

Jade

“Here’s a mug that I received from a patient last week. Little did she know that I was going through a very stressful week with my boyfriend’s whole family diagnosed with COVID. And I was out still seeing a lot of patients from all over, even some that’s been exposed to COVID. So her gift was a breath of fresh air amongst a cloud of doubt. A reminder that my work makes a difference. I use her mug everyday when I do my documentation at home.”

Rosa

Rosa told me that this question was easy. And her answer warmed my heart!

“My favorite mug. It’s 20 years old. My son gave it to me when he was 4, for Mother's Day. ❤ The edges are very worn in.”

Jolene

“Sometimes I can’t believe that I spent two years of my life living in Malaysia. The experience was already 6 years ago, but it feels very much like yesterday.

When I think about moving back into my own place, I think about taking this mug with me and drinking in warm memories of a special time of my life.”

Kim

I made this little mountain goat special for Kim. :) And it is so fitting that she is the only one who photographed her mug outside, because my dear friend is ALWAYS outside!

“This one is from my sister when I visited her in Hawaii, so it means a lot to me. And I love to pair it with my mountain goat tea ball.”

Lopa

The part at the end made me laugh! :) Love it!

“This mug holds a lot of love, hope, and encouragement for me. It’s a reminder to experience life slowly, fully present, with heaps of self-care—all while inhaling the gorgeous aroma of tea!

It’s one of my very favorite material objects in my home, and woe be to the one who leads to its demise! Just kidding. (But not really…) Here’s to more and more love, peace, and presence every day. <3”

Andrea

I am totally jealous that I dont have this mug. And now have to look into this amazing work.

“This mug resembles a character made by one of my favorite creators, the Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki. I grew up watching his works - which are technically classified as a “kid’s genre” but are also a mix of magical realism, urban fantasy, and really enforces the importance of caring about our impact on the earth.

Like Miyazaki’s animations, this mug appears to be light hearted. But, when you take a closer look, it’s function actually provides us more ways on how we can better take care of ourselves and the world around us.”

Ana

“They're are both really special to me. The one on the left was given to me by me best friend, when she asked me to be her maid of honor. The valentine's mug, my mom gave me 18 years ago, after finding out I didn't get anything in school. ( I was a transfer student, so I had no friends yet.)”

Allison

Her collection is in storage at the moment, but she still has this one at her apartment.

"It's from the Barn, which is a really cute breakfast restaurant in, Adamsville RI. It's literally in an old barn. I used to meet my Dad there, and we would go check out the antiques next door! They always had homemade jam that was outrageously good.”

My Dad

I am so happy that this is my dad’s favorite mug at the moment. It was a Christmas gift from my son (he was 4 months old at the time, hehe.)

I am not one for mugs with sayings on it, but this one was just TOO perfect for my dad! Truly, if he doesn’t know how to fix it, I don’t know who else we would call.

I hope when he drinks his morning coffee from it, he knows and feels appreciated for his many talents and never quit attitude.

Love Will Persevere

This affects everyone. It might affect us differently, but in some way it is making it’s mark on our lives. And that is one of the beautiful and horrible things about this situation.

While some children are rejoicing because they don’t have have to goto school, some parents are pulling their hair out. Medical staff and essential workers carry on knowing their job is more risky but as important as ever. Hundreds woke up to find themselves unemployed, while others put their grinding commutes and business attire on hold, and work from home.

Small business owners are holding their breath as their livelihood becomes more and more uncertain. But we just take it one day at a time, and know that we are not alone, and there for sure are people out there who have it much worse.

As a wedding photographer, I can’t help but feel for the couples who have to put their dreams on hold, or come to terms with a new version of their perfect day.

On Friday I was walking through a park with my husband and our little one, as we witnessed a very small and quick wedding ceremony. I watched the bride’s face closely as I often do when I am shooting weddings. Is she stressed, is her mind wandering, is she happy? And she truly seemed so happy. She was glowing! I don’t know what her wedding plans were, if family and loved ones couldn’t be there, if she lost a lot of money. But in that moment it seemed like all was right in the world, she was marring the love of her life, and all the details, the fancy food, the flowers, just disappeared from their minds.

It was a beautiful reminder, that all we need is love.

A quick cell phone pic of the wedding we saw in the park. Congratulations to these two!

Small Green Steps

A few years back I took the first steps in actually doing something about the amount of trash I create. This year I made it a personal goal to go farther.

You might notice that trees, leaves, and natural light are common themes, as you scroll though my website.

So it only makes sense that I do my part to take care of this beautiful green planet.

Below are some of the things I am doing to cut back on plastic and live a little more sustainably. I have a long long way to go, and welcome you to share your tips and tricks with me!

Be Prepared While on the Go

• I always keep a set of bamboo cutlery in my bag, now I never need to use plastic when I am out on the go. I am a HUGE fan of Wahi Hawaii, because their products are affordable, and make it really easy to go without single use convenient plastics. (Muse Coffee Co. proudly sells their beautiful bamboo straws.)

• When ordering takeout, (and I am still getting the hang of this one) remember to say no extra sauce packets or cutlery. Sometimes they toss in handfuls of ketchup or soy sauce, 10x more then anyone would use, and most of the time it goes right in the trash!

• I love my Fellow Carter Everywhere Mug! It seals shut so you can toss it in your gym bag, diaper bag, fancy bag… and not worry about spills. PLUS, it will keep your drink hot or cold for a really long time! So if you forgot about your cold brew until 10 hours later, not to worry, your ice will still be ice!

My Tips for Bringing Your Own Bags

• This one is pretty obvious, but can take practice to remember to bring them. In the beginning I would always forget my bags at home/in my trunk. So keep them in your car, in your passenger seat, where you will see them.

• I prefer canvas bags that you can carry over your shoulder. They are great for lugging heavy things! You can load them up, and fit larger items like a watermelon. Because they are over the shoulder, you have two free hands to deal with your child, car keys, and coffee. :)

• If you are only picking up a few things… Just carry the stuff!!! I always say “No thanks”, when they place one bottle of kombucha in a plastic bag. Come on people!

Tiny Steps (They might not seem like much, but it’s a mindset!)

• Loose leaf tea, instead of tea bags.

• Bar soap, instead of soap in plastic bottles.

• Never buy trash bags, use all the paper and plastic bags that you find lying around.

• Buy Used/ Donate. Also, just try to buy less! Less is always more in my book! :)

• Buy in bulk and share with friends and family. (Also still working on this!)

• Buy milk in reusable glass bottles, that you can return for $2 each! The milk tastes better too!

• Wooden toys, instead of plastic.

• Shop for whole ingredients/produce, to avoid having to buy so much packaging.

• Make your own cleaners and room sprays. For amazing tips and recipes check out Brown Thumb Mama.

• Bees wax wrap and reusable bags/glass containers, instead of plastic wrap and ziplock baggies.

• Use water from your rice, instead of expensive hair products! (Check out the Blog!)

What I am Working Towards

• There are some great new products out there, like bar shampoos and toothpaste tablets that are zero waste! But, so far I have not tried them, because the brands out there are cost prohibitive. But I am keeping an eye out!

• Buy ALL of my meat and eggs directly from a local farmer!

• Grow more of my own food… We live in an apartment, and there is only so much I can grow on my fire escape! :) (Don’t worry, its totally up to code.)

Let me know what ideas you would like to try, and PLEASE share your tips with me!!

It's Like a Protein Shake for Your Hair, Bro

I gotta give a shout out to my sister Vic for this one! Who discovered this on her journey to reconnect with her natural goddess curls!

So, I want you to try and picture me standing in my kitchen trying to explain to my husband why he should dump this mason jar of cloudy water on his head… Haha! He tried his best to entertain me.

Me- “So there is this mason jar, its got rice water in it. Next time you shower poor it on your hair and wait about 3 minutes before you rinse. Then you can condition… It will make your hair stronger and healthier.”

Husband- “Sounds like your sister is selling you snake oil.”

Me- “But its FREE!” :)

Okay! I’ll get to the point!

Basically you soak rice in water as you wash it, then you take that starchy cloudy rice water, and you poor it on your hair after you shampoo. Just let it sit a few min, then rinse, and continue with your conditioner as you normally do. I was SHOCKED at the results after just one wash. My hair was so much softer, shiner, and my scalp was less dry. What!?

(Pro Tip: Don’t let the water sit out because it will start to grow funky stuff. Keep it in your fridge.)

(Confession: I never used to wash my rice, because I was lazy, but now I do just to get the water for my hair.)

If you want more info, look it up. My sister gave me the short hand, and I just ran with it. But hey, it works!

If you try this…

Please let me know your results! :)

Please Don't Grow

How can your heart grow bigger and break apart all at the same time? Just have a baby, and watch them grow.

My friend Jenn said it perfectly,

“Parenting is a continual process of letting go and welcoming the new”.

Having a baby is the perfect metaphor for time passing. No matter how tight we hold them, and no matter how deeply we look into their eyes, we cannot hold onto time.

Perhaps that’s why I love photography so much.

It is the closest thing we can do, to hold onto time. To at the very least, take a little trip back into our memories.

Haven’t we all tried to stop time? Like, when we were on a date, young and in love, and we knew it had to come to an end, but we just wanted to kiss in the parking lot a little bit longer. Or when on vacation, and the sun and the breeze mixed together in a way, that just made us want to melt into the waves, and never ever worry about real life again!

Children remind us just how quickly time is moving… It already feels like a dream that we felt that first kick inside our bellies. Before we know it, that moment of holding their helpless newborn body to our chest, is a distant memory as well.

“It goes so fast”, EVERYONE tells you this, but still …it’s so so fast. It’s almost too fast to bear.

As I fold up the onesie that was once too big, but is already too small, I say to my baby out loud, “please don’t grow”. But of course, I don’t really mean that. Watching our little ones grow is a one of life’s greatest blessings. But I know, one day, when my little baby is a grown man, I’ll pull that tiny onesie out of the box… I will fall to my knees, press it to my face, and my heart will break and fill with gratitude all at once.

You might also like, “If this Bunny Could Talk”.