GUMP Consignment Sale TOMORROW 8-12, 1/2 OFF 1-2

GUMP Consignment sale in Ghent, Norfolk, VA TOMORROW!  

This year the 1/2 off has been extended to 1-2.  Find out the address by clicking on the Blog Title, but it's off of Raleigh and Colonial in Ghent.

I volunteered last night and there are some great items for SUPER CHEAP!  I was a consigner, so I was able to shop early during the "Boutique sale," new early shopping night for consigners last night, and I bought a HUGE bag of play clothes for $12, a lace puzzle for $2 (perfect condition) and some nearly brand new, an awesome organic wrap dress for Olivia for $10 (I consider this to be pretty expensive for a consignment sale, but this dress is a $60 dress in great condition -love the brand and quality really holds up!), and new Robeez for some new babies coming in April for $4 each.

I hope it's not too taboo to buy super gently used baby items for my friends.  Either way, I can get more great things for people if I buy this way then brand new, plus better for the planet.  I also prefer to buy either what's on the registry or things that have been lifesavers with Olivia, that people may not know about or are harder to find natural products.

Happy birthday to Mommy, was how I woke up this morning ... It's so fun Olivia loves to sing happy birthday, especially on my birthday!  :)

Thanks for being followers ole friends!  I'm sorry I've been incognito for so long now!  The winter got the best of me, but I am working on small things to help me get my big picture straight ... For instance:
1) Meditate* in the car for 5 minutes when I get to work.
2) Writing at least one thing down I'm grateful for at the end of each day**.
3) Yoga twice a week.
4) Eat more greens!

I've become much better over the years of not faulting myself for the things I could have done better, but give myself credit for the things that I did do well and just try to do more of those.

*I hear with practice it gets easier, so I just keep reminding myself to listen to my breathing and clear my head as thoughts roll in.  It's a nice way to start the day.

**Olivia and I were watching an "Olivia" episode - When Grandma comes to visit - and Grandma said she likes to think of her favorite part of her day, at the end of the day, so she has good thoughts to go to sleep with.  I thought this was a great suggestion and either doing this or writing down our gratitudes are a great way to redirect ourselves to the things that are truly important.

Life is good!!

Funny

Today my sister sent a text to my parents, brother and I, that said, "Camille got her butt stuck in  tupperware bowl."  Well, my cousins name is Camille (married adult), and I thought, well that's cool they're talking to each other, but I wonder how she did that.

Later on I opened the text and there was a picture attached of the little baby girl she Nanny's ... I guess her name is Camille too.

You know what else is funny, Ellen.  Click on the Funny title:)

-Found this funny photo there:)

Obama and War

I'm listening/watching President Obama's speech from December 1, 2010.  

He is such an eloquent speaker.  He explains what his plans are in such detail and with such thoughtful brilliance and a kind heart. 

During this speech he talks about how we had been at war for 8 years.  8 years!  

He's talking about the completion of the Iraq war and when all of our troops return home.  

The President also explains how he came to the conclusion that he needed to support the long standing request for more troops in Afghanistan and the plan of when we are bringing them home.

He speaks about the number of coffins he has come to see home.  President Obama describes how many condolence letters he has signed and met the families of those who were killed in these wars.

The President describes what the Afghanistan people have gone through and support at this time will enable them to have their own country again and eliminate the Taliban. 

I'm surprised he even wants to continue to be President.  With the efforts and exhaustion it would take to be ON the majority of the time and still be able to be there for your family.

The Obama family is providing us a huge service.  They are giving us a chance to do something for ourselves.  Please support a government family we are so lucky/blessed to have.  

They don't want us to give up any of our spirituality, no matter what that means to us as a person.  Coexist!   

This is just a small part of an educational, emotional, hopeful speech.  I highly recommend listening to it and giving yourself a minute to really consider the sacrifice, so many American's, so many humans, children, worldwide have given in order us to find lasting peace.  Let's do it in their honor, in whatever way that means to you.

It's our job to find a connection.  It our job to be happy.  It's our job to be here now.  You and Me, we can do this together.

Web Page Designer ...

I think this blog has so much more potential ... I think it could more organized with a section for healthy recipes, baby tips, saving money, consignment sales, products, places, websites, and blogs.

I'm going to share a day in the life by describing yesterday, today and tomorrow ...

0600: Awoke
0700: On way to work
0830: Big EMS Awareness presentation
1030: Back to office
1500: Leave work
1530: Pick Olivia up!
1600: Arrive at Lotus Acupuncture clinic for Olivia to be tested for NRT.  See Aunt Victoria and get some snuggle time.
1620: Find out there are no drops to test Olivia with, so it was a long trip with no results, but resolved.
1730: Get home and snuggle with Olivia.  Heat her dinner in toaster oven, prepare Olivia's lunch, and prepping meals (Paul working on his paper upstairs).
1830: Paul comes down, briefly catch up, I change, run out door.
1910: Arrive for Dr. Kearney's, 101 Positive Ways to Discipline your Children.
2145: Arrive home from Parent Chat
2145: Finish making chicken curry soup, Paul deboned whole organic chicken I'd had cooking while I was gone.  Thank you, Paul!  Make brownies for retirement party and wheat berry salad for Navy holiday party.  I couple friends really liked the wheat berry salad too.  :)
0100: Went to bed.
0640: Paul leaving.

Today:
0720: Woke up.
0740: Got up to Mommy, mommy, mommy :)
0840: Drove Olivia to school.
0900: Dropped her off.
0915: Worked
1130: Holiday part
1245: Back to work
2000: Home from work after Olivia went to bed. :( (3 more days of work, until Olivia time!)
2015: Intense Rain/Wind Storm starts on the 72 degree day with a 41 degree low tonight...
2030: 15 minutes with Paul to catch up about our days.
2045: Ran next door to Auntie Maggs to give her the soup I put aside for her and extra wheat berries.
2100: Cut brownies for retirement party
2130: Get ready for bed.
2200: Sit in bed and blog
2215: Laying in bed blogging, watching SNL with Paul while he takes a break from paper.  The SNL with Steve Buscemi and Black Keys!
2330: Go to bed.

0600: Start all over again through next Tuesday ... Fun, happy, but busy.  Trying to focus on getting some rest when I can.

Anyway, if you are interested in making this blog into something more organized and help me further educate the planet on how great it is to be green, happy, positive, peaceful, filled with joy and love and happiness for www.envirojensbaby.com.  Please email me.  I can barter and/or negotiate payment.  

Also, if you'd ever like me to post a story you'd like to share, please email me too.  I can do it with or with anonymity.  I just want to share a good word and One Love!

An economic opportunity!

"Do you know the difference between a rich person and a poor person?  $0.01!"

Do you consider whether you've left the water on a little bit too long?
-Economic opportunity!  Do it for shorter?

Do you sometimes look around and notice you have 6 lights on and 3 would be fine?
-Economic opportunity!  Turn off extra lights and lights when you leave a room.

Do you wash your hands and then shake the water off, so there is less to dry on a disposable paper towel?
-Use a towel and wash them often!  -If you're not washing your hands well or your family is sick,  everyone could use their own towel.  I know towels can share germs, but I try to wash my hands well, quickly and we have quite a few towels, so we can use a new one at least every other day.  Also have a towel for Olivia only in the bathroom.  I just feel better about that.
--Short term investment versus a long time expense.

I want to give my friend Charlie a shout out for inspiring tonights blog.  He has lived fruggally in the ways that are important, is retiring and has a subaru and porsche!  I'd say Life is Good!  Congrat's, Charlie!

If we get it under control, our children, the next generation, won't have to.  

Discipline

Tomorrow night I'm going to a lecture on the: 

101 Positive Principles of Discipline by Dr. Katharine Kersey - Included as the link on this blog.  Our dayschool Director provided an short lecture on this principle and gave us the list of these 101 principles.  She worked under Dr. Kersey and uses these principles at Ascension Day School.

Olivia has recently started to push her/our limits a little bit.  When I have asked her twice to stop doing something, such as getting into the tv electronics, I have implemented time out, where she stands in the hallway corner.  She has stayed there and just stares at me waiting for me to tell her it's ok to come out.  I'm so glad it has been so easy!  It's only happened twice, but there could be more challenging behaviors to come as she has started to shrug when I ask her questions at times... I try not to laugh because it's also so cute!

Paul and I agree we need to work out what our discipline procedure will be, but hope this is all it will take for the next year ...  Especially, and I'm sure obviously, physical punishment is too harsh at this age, and possibly any age.  I've had friends who have implemented time out in a corner of a certain area of the house and this has worked, so this is what I did. 

I look forward to learning new ways to deal with upcoming challenging behaviors tomorrow night.

"Discipline doesn't break a child's spirit half as often as the lack of it breaks a parents heart." -Anonymous

"It is better to bind your children to you by a feeling of respect and by gentleness, than by fear." -Terence

Budgeting for baby

I called into a local National Public Radio (NPR/WHRO - Here say with Kathy Lewis) show a few months ago when they were discussing people who choose not to have children because of the environmental impact more people will have on this planet.  I called in to say, that I used to think like that, but I know Olivia has actually reduced my impact on the planet. 

Ok, maybe I would actually be biking to work if I didn't drop her off at daycare before, but I'm sure I would have found plenty of excuses for weather/meetings/etc, to have done skipped this semi-regularly.

Either way, my point is, our babies can help make the planet a better place.  We can use reusable diapers, make our own baby food and buy lightly used clothes through consignment and thrift and hand me downs from our friends.  We can make choices that save resources for our children. 

I know it is easier right now to buy pre-packaged, disposable, items for our kids, but you must weigh out the future we want for our kids.  One small step at a time, just give yourself a breathier to think about whether we are headed in the right direction for us all ...

The bankroll portion of the following quote mostly applies towards her college fund and plane tickets now that she's 2 ... Wowza!

"A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for."  -Anonymous