Tabletop at Second Baptist West Campus

Last night the Women's Ministry at our church hosted a Tabletop event. I hosted a table of ladies from my Wednesday morning small group. We had a great time of fellowship, a nice pasta dinner, and heard Nina Hendey (the owner of Taste of Texas) speak. There were tables that were very elegant, some creative, some elaborate, some whimsical, others just couldn't be categorized. Here are a few photos.

Above is the table I decorated.

Below is the table that was named "Most Elegant" decorated by Melinda Robinson and Shannon Waits. My picture doesn't do it justice. If you look closely you'll see it was accented with green apples and cute bottles of green dish soap as favors.
"Under Construction" was hosted by Lisa Mahady. Lisa received a prize for her creativity.

March for Babies

We were privileged to walk Sunday in the March for Babies in memory of Maddox Stanfield. Despite the threat of rain, the morning was beautiful. Pictured here is Kenzie (Maddox's mom) & Deacon (Maddox's big brother) in front of an awesome banner donated for Maddox.
Here I am beginning the walk with Kenzie.
Drew, Andrew, Lila and me at the end of the 5 mile walk.

First haircut

We took Andrew to Cool Cuts for his first haircut yesterday. It was such a painless experience. When we walked in, we picked out a movie. Andrew was seated in a little firetruck in front of a TV eating Lucky Charms. He didn't even flinch for the electric trimmer. The stylist did say that his hair was incredibly dry and suggested he move out of baby shampoo. I'm not sure what surprised me more - that my big boy has grown out of baby shampoo or that the stylist was pushing products for a toddler.

Going (mint) green

I've always been a little green...I have vivid memories of refusing Styrofoam containers in my middle school cafeteria. I wanted to recycle. While a dislike for trash runs deep in my blood, other aspects of being "green" don't come so naturally (I drive an SUV). Don't worry. I'm not about to campaign for Al Gore to be president. But the more I learn about going green and natural, the more I feel like it is worth our attention.

Here are a few simple things we are doing to make a difference for our bodies and our planet.

*We've purchased reusable grocery sacks to use in lieu of all those annoying plastic ones. If you are in TX, the green bags at HEB are great. They are 99 cents each, very sturdy, and 4 bags take care of most of my groceries. Also, don't have your milk, detergent, and other products too heavy for the plastic bags bagged. Easily saves 10 bags a week.

*RECYCLE. Most city/suburban neighborhoods have curb side recycling service, use it!

*Organics. Buy organic where it matters most, milk, for instance. If every Wal-Mart shopper (200 million) bought one gallon, we could keep 38 million pounds of chemicals out of the environment yearly. This only takes into account the environmental impact. It saves your family from exposure as well. Here's a list of the "dirty dozen" foods you should buy organic when possible (with thin skins or are not easy to thoroughly wash): apples, bell peppers, celery, cherries, grapes, nectarines, peaches, pears, potatoes, raspberries, spinach, & strawberries.

*Wash laundry with cold water. Do several loads in a row so that the dryer remains warm and doesn't have to reheat for each new load. If plant-based cleaning products threaten to break your budget, consider alternating plant-based cleaning products with your old favorites.

*During times of mild weather, use natural light to light your home. Turn off/unplug electronic items when they aren't being used: cell phone chargers, computers, printers, baby monitors.

These are just a few things we are implementing in our home. The more I learn, the more I want to make changes to positively impact everything around me.

What are your favorite tips on being "green" or natural? What are your favorite resources?

Happy Birthday, Drew!

We celebrated Drew's 30th birthday last night with family, friends, and lots of crawfish.

I am so blessed to have such a loving husband and best friend. Our children are blessed to have such a committed father. We love you, Drew, and are thankful for you every day!