Happy New Year!

Well, HELLO! I hope your holidays were wonderful and not too stressful! MUCH has happened since I've been away...let's see, Lovebug turned two (wow!) and her party was successful and fun (details to come soon). After that, there was much crafting and creating for Christmas! Then we had what this area would definitely call a WHITE Christmas. The Eve was especially white so we played out in it for a short bit which was delightful albeit very cold (the shots are from that and x-mas morning)! Of course, just lots and lots of fun with family and friends all thrown in there. It was truly enjoyable, although it was a bit busy, and admittedly, there were too many late nights leading up to the big day(s). I really tried to plan and make whatever possible for Lovebug's b-day and Christmas early on but I didn't start early enough unfortunately :). Anyway, there are areas to improve upon for 2010 that's for sure...


Speaking of, WOW, it's almost that time. Crazy, crazy, crazy. I love new years so much though! I love the feeling of a clean slate and just all the ideas, plans, and goals for the upcoming year that we talk about and write down. So fun! We're going to have a simple celebration tonight with Lovebug, who is getting a treat of organic raspberries which she loves. Once she's asleep, my sweet Love and I plan on enjoying a treat of our own in the form of veggie sushi and catching up on Harry Potter. Wow, crazy sounding night, huh? :) Much to our dismay over the holidays, we realized that somehow we missed seeing "The Goblet of Fire"! Don't know how that happened but I'm excited to see it finally!


Down will come all of our Christmas decorations this weekend too which is sad but I'm really ready for a blank canvas around our nest, you know?! I'm ready to clean, organize, simplify, purge, and LOTS and LOTS of other wonderful things this coming year. It's going to be a wonderful one, I just know it! I wish you all a blessed 2010! Have a great night and Happy New Year!

What's Cooking

This week has been such a fun one! Lovebug and I got to visit both of my dear grandmas which was so wonderful and we've just been having a really great time together learning, playing, and living. She is constantly teaching me things and hopefully vice versa as well.

It's also been an incredible week of food at our nest (even more than usual)! My Love made two delicious fall meals that we've been enjoying all week. For dinner, it's been roasted acorn squash with polenta pesto. This dish is SO good and is our official "welcome fall" dinner that we typically have Halloween week. It's also one of my favorite meals EVER so I have been looking forward to dinner every day! :)


For lunches it's been the above carrot soup with homemade pumpkin bread, both of which are really good too. They compliment each other wonderfully and it's been the perfect meal for a fall week like this one! It's slightly sweet but slightly spicy too and it's a great sipping soup to just put in a mug. We have adapted it a bit, but the original recipe was torn out of an old Cottage Living and has been sitting in our soup folder for awhile so we decided to finally give it a try.

Sweet & Spicy Carrot Soup

(2) T - Olive oil
(1) large - Green onion, thinly sliced
(1) - Onion, diced
(1) 16-ounce package - Baby carrots
(1) - Garlic clove
(1) T - Fresh ginger, minced
(3) (or more if want spicier) - Jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely chopped
(1/4) cup - White wine vinegar
(6) cups - Vegetable stock
(1) medium - Sweet potato, peeled and cubed
(1/4) cup - Orange juice
(1) tsp - Ground cumin
(1/2) tsp - Ground coriander
(1) T - Agave nectar
(1/2) tsp - Celtic sea salt, plus more to taste

- Heat olive oil in large pot. Add green onion, onion, and carrots; saute until onions are tender. Add garlic, ginger, and jalapenos; saute a few minutes more. Stir in white wine vinegar. Add stock and sweet potato; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer 30 minutes or until veggies are tender. Stir in oj, cumin, and coriander.

-Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Process in blender half at a time until smooth (or use immersion blender). Return mixture to pot and stir in agave and salt; cover and warm over medium heat until heated through. Serve and enjoy...

If anyone out there gives it a try, let me know what you think!

I'm so excited for the weekend! I look forward to handing out our FruitaBu's to the little trick-or-treaters and seeing what Lovebug thinks of all these kids in costumes coming to our door. Have a wonderful one!!!

OH and HEY, I was sad to see yesterday that I lost a "follower". I was really disappointed. Isn't that funny? I thought "Huh, why did they stop following my blog?...Did I bore them?...Did I offend them?". This blog stuff is humorous sometimes isn't it? :) Oh well, maybe they'll come back some day...

4th...

Our 4th of July included watermelon, wiffle ball, peach cobbler, and fireworks, amonst other things....OH and some water play for Lovebug. The metal tub bought the day before at a local feed store was quite a good purchase and she had a blast playing and cooling off in the water.


It was a great day spent with family, although it did seem really long and we were all pretty tuckered out come late afternoon. Somehow we mustered up the energy to go watch our city's fireworks display, but Lovebug could have cared less. She was not impressed at all! So we quickly left, and without a mosquito bite thank goodness. When we came home, our neighbors did their annual little display in the street and she LOVED that. Maybe because it was so close and she could see and hear them so much better. I don't know, but she loved it and was upset when they were over!


I just feel so blessed today - to have my little family and have had such a great fun-filled holiday weekend! There were quite a few highlights but a couple stand out currently, with one of them being the pizza my Love made last night. It was hands down the best pizza I've ever had...seriously. I have begged him to please write down what he can remember of the ingredients before he forgets because it was SO incredible. I cannot wait until the leftovers tonight for dinner, followed by some leftover peach cobbler too! :) Another highlight was finding and then listening to a mixed cd :) my Love made for me about 9 years ago! We had such a good time listening to the songs he chose to put on there...such wonderful memories!


We actually got a little rain yesterday which cooled things off a bit and the morning air actually feels pretty darn nice. When we woke up it was only 82 in the house which isn't bad at all compared to what it has been lately. I know it's going to be a wonderful day! Well, I hope everyone had an incredible holiday and I wish you an even more incredible week!

Happy Easter!

Well it's been awhile my friends! Once we got back from Antique Weekend, things were a bit different around our nest and now we're leaving again for Easter with much to do in order to be ready for that. I still have to sort through all the pics of finds from Antique Weekend to share with you too...I'm just behind and cannot seem to catch up. Oh well...we can only do the best we can, right?

Look what Lovebug and I found hopping in our yard?? These cute little vintage bunnies are a teaser of what we found at Antique Weekend! We got them from a vendor we had never visited before, but will definitely from now on as she had quite a few things I scooped up immediately upon seeing. They are Japanese and will be oh so cute on the Easter breakfast yumminess I'm making this year...Once I clean them up from playing in the yard of course :).

Have a wonderful Easter everyone and I'll try to be back more regularly next week...

Our Heart Day

Hope your Valentine's was as perfect as ours! Wasn't it so much fun that it fell on a Saturday? It was a slow day at home with the three of us just hanging out and enjoying each other. We ate some delicious food (and desserts:), crafted a bit, and caught up on some of our favorite shows online. I thought I'd share some hearts and such from our weekend...


Yummy whole wheat chocolate chip pancakes made for me by my sweet Love...


Lovely patch I made from recycled shirts, then embroidered and sewed onto one of my Love's undershirts as his little gift from me. He loves it as he has always wanted a tattoo of my name, so this was something in that direction :)...


Delicious and simple homemade pizza made by my Love for dinner...


Adorable new leg warmers on Lovebug as her little gift...


Precious little conversation people customized for us by these Etsy gals that inspired my Valentine's look this year...


Fun little banners and mobiles I made from newspaper, acrylic paint, and cotton yarn...


Hope the rest of your week is full of yummy, lovely, delicious, adorable, precious, and fun things! OH and thank you so much for all of the sweet comments on Lovebug's party, especially to Joslyn for putting it on Kirtsy. I felt so honored and am super glad I finally posted it! :)

Valentine's Week

How was your weekend? Hope it was beautiful! Ours was. I love the weekends so much with the three of us all being together! For the second weekend in a row, I got some sewing in and whipped up this little felt pencil case for our sweet niece's birthday. I know, I'm one of the last ones getting in on these, but it was pretty simple and easy to make. I really want one now for myself! :) OH and the pencils are from Stubby Pencil and are made from 100% FSC certified wood. They are beautiful and very easy to grip.

SO Valentine's Day is this Saturday in case you didn't know! I am a lover of it and always have been. Yes, it is a marketing holiday and I'm not a fan of the consumerism aspect of it but I think it's a fun little day. I truly truly believe you should treat your loved ones like it's Valentine's Day every single day though!


We tend to give homemade or handmade gifts (or nothing) rather than the traditional gifts, but there are lots of ways you can green your typical Valentine's gifts. If you do flowers, then you really need to opt for organic, either bought at a health food store (Whole Foods, Central Market, etc.) or online at Organic Bouquet or California Organics.

If possible, find locally grown flowers too. The commercial flower industry is scary with ridiculously unfair labor practices and an incredibly scary amount of natural resources and chemicals are used to grow those beautiful things. So really go organic or as another option, go with a plant which will help to clean your loved one's air!


As far as Valentines, make your own from craft or everyday materials lying around or buy ones made from recycled or hemp paper. Or send an e-Card!

Another traditional gift is chocolate, right? Yummy. Well you can certainly green that by buying fair trade organic! Dagoba is my personal favorite but there are alot of great choices out there now. In terms of the amount of pesticides used on crops, non-organic cocoa is 2nd only to cotton so it's really important to buy organic chocolate! When you buy fair trade you are supporting fair labor conditions and pay, as well as good environmental practices.


There are tons of adorable things on Etsy of course too...or whip up something of your own! There isn't anything better than getting a present handmade by someone you love.

I'll share later in the week what I am making for my two Loves...I certainly need to get to work on them! Have a wonderful week full of extra love and sweetness everyone!

Our Holidays

Our holidays were so wonderful and I'm truly sad they are over. But we haven't taken down our decorations yet and I'm thinking about giving them another week up as well as dedicating a photo post solely to them! :) We'll see...



As far as all of our festivities...we hosted our annual Christmas Eve brunch with part of my family which was loads of fun. Lovebug LOVED getting to play with her cousins and youngest uncle (seen above). So sweet to watch! Afterwards, we finished putting together some gifts during the day and then had a nice quiet dinner. We got all cleaned up and into our special x-mas eve pajamas and actually got to sleep at a decent hour, which doesn't always happen. Christmas morning was really special with just the three of us at home. We had a yummy coffee cake breakfast and then our little present giving time was so enjoyable! Lovebug's two gifts were immediately a big hit...and she got some cloth books on Christmas Eve from us that she is really enjoying now as well.


Thank goodness for camera timers so we could record our fun morning with the three of us all in this shot. :) Good memories!


The rest of the day was spent with both of our families at two different locations and was great fun! We're so blessed to have such wonderful families. We missed everyone that wasn't there though, especially my two sisters! Lovebug did SO well and was such a joy all day despite all the driving. I know she will enjoy it all even more next year, which is really neat to think about. Look at her all tuckered out going from one party to the next...


Here she is sitting in her great-aunt's little wooden chair from Mexico, which she loved because it was the perfect size. One of the highlights of Lovebug's day though was getting her great-aunt's teddy bear that was hers when she was little! It's so cute and in such great shape even though it's definitely been loved...what a GREAT great-aunt!



Well, happy New Year's everyone! WOW - 2009! I'm really excited for all that awaits us this year! I just got done making a cashew nut "cheese" which we're going to enjoy with some crackers, fruit, nuts, and chocolate tonight along with some special sparkling beverages. Just a quiet evening bringing in the New Year with my two Loves. Maybe we can sneek in a DVD if Lovebug lets us :) - we'll see. Then tomorrow we'll have a long breakfast of special coffee cake (that I need to run and make) and coffee (of course:) discussing and talking about our plans and wishes for the new year! Welcome 2009!!! Hope everyone has a good one!

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

My goodness, I cannot believe Christmas is here! We've been (are) busy finishing up things for all the festivities. The snowflake fairies visited our house last Friday night so now even though we won't have a white Christmas we can look outside and see "snow". So pretty. My Love and I had fun making them but they are very addicting! We also had so much fun on our first Lovebug-less date on Saturday night! YES, it was way past due, but was still very hard for me at first, but I finally was able to relax and we had SO much fun! We missed our lil' sweetie greatly though and were so excited to get back to her. Thank you again wonderful grandparents!

Yesterday I had a couple high-stress moments because our Christmas cards/Lovebug's "announcement" (yes, she just turned one:) arrived and they looked terrible so we scrambled around trying to fix them...let's see, then some other presents we ordered online arrived and they're wrong or won't work. SO I had to make myself some chamomile tea, turn on some holiday music, calm down, and just relax. I needed a good reminder about what this time of year is all about and what it means to me. It's so easy to get swept into the stress of the season, but I'm good now...and ever since I've been making an assortment of sweet and spicy organic nut mixes, coffee cake, and cookies to enjoy with our families! Still have presents we need to finish up today though too...but not stressing, just enjoying.

WELL, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone!!! I hope you all have a wonderful time with your families and friends!

Green Light, Recycle Light

I remember growing up how much fun it was to decorate for Christmas...an enormous amount of jolly music, a great deal of laughter, so many yummy holiday treats, and just a ridiculous amount of fun. All of that is still true, but now I get to decorate my own nest with my Love and it's even more enjoyable!

In order to green up your holiday decorating, if you need new lights for your tree or outside, go get some LED strands!! They are WONDERFUL...we've had ours for 3 years and have never had a single bulb go out or break!!! Of course, proper storage is key once decorations come down, but our LEDs are "fade/chip/peel/break resistant" and so far so good. LEDs also use about 10% less power than traditional incandescents, are cool to the touch, and they will last much longer! PLUS, if one bulb does go out, it won't affect the whole strand! Now, THAT is a huge plus, isn't it?

I was first introduced to LEDs as an event designer when we switched from traditional lights to LEDs for event lighting and the difference was huge!! The quality of the light, the options we had with them, but mainly how much less power they use! They might be more expensive up front but they will end up saving you money as they will last you longer and lower your electricity bill. Three years ago we got ours (Philips Indoor/Outdoor Set) at Target but I know they're even more widely available now at home improvement stores and whatnot. Our LEDs burn brighter and have a cool look to them that we really enjoy, but I know they also have "warmer" toned strands now as well for those of you who would prefer that.


Holiday LEDs is a wonderful website that sells a TON of different options, so you should check them out as well...but what is REALLY amazing about them is they offer FREE Christmas light recycling!!! Well, the recycling is free but you have to pay for shipping obviously. Here is all of the info with details of how they go about recycling the lights. It's just so wonderful because with traditional incandescent strands, it seems people are constantly having to get new ones (I know we did growing up) and those strands which contain PVC, glass, copper, and lead are just ending up in the landfills which isn't so great for the environment. SO instead of just tossing your old strands, send them to Holiday LEDs and in return, they will send you a 15% off coupon! Pretty cool...

They prefer the light strands sent in a cardboard box (so it can be recycled) and they ask that you include your name and email address so they can send the coupon to you! For more details, check out their website...

HolidayLEDs.com
Attn: Recycling Program
2500 W. Argyle St.
Jackson, MI 49202


As another option, I had heard Home Depot was collecting any type of holiday lights for recycling as well but only for a limited time. I called my local one and they ARE still accepting them, so maybe check them out first as a local option.

Please do keep in mind though that whether incandescents or LEDs, all light strands contain some amount of lead as a stabilizer for the PVC. So wash your hands thoroughly after handling lights and keep little kids away from them!

WELL, this weekend is going to be busy...got my 10K I've been training for tomorrow and then Lovebug's birthday party on Sunday - YEA! I'll let you all know how they go...Have a wonderful weekend!

Oh Christmas Tree...

On Sunday we made the trek to Cowtown for the yummiest pancakes in the world at our favorite restaurant! Then we headed to a local farm to cut down our Christmas tree...it's a fun tradition we started once we got our little green nest. Although it was pretty cold and extremely windy, it was a whole lot of fun! We started another tradition by loading up on vegan cupcakes and brownies at Spiral before leaving so we had treats on the way home! :) Next year, we need to bring along hot cocoa or spiced apple cider to wash it all down though...

It seems that more and more people are doing cut trees instead of artificial ones, no? I have always enjoyed real trees so much more. Mainly the smell and the natural beauty of them, but they also have many wonderful environmental qualities that make them perfect for green nests. Artificial trees are made from PVC which you really want to steer clear of because PVC is typically stabilized with lead, amongst its other eco and health negatives. So something to think about...

Our first year we found a small organic tree farm which was so cute, but unfortunately they are no longer in business. Last year, we ran into a problem when we went to another tree farm and found every single one of their trees had been spray painted and looked so un-natural...we left right away and ended up cutting down a Eastern Red Cedar from our family's lakehouse :). This year we tried another farm and their Leyland's were NOT sprayed thank goodness even though their other kinds were...so we went with the Leyland, which we really love. Here's Lovebug and I in front of our tree before my Love cut it down.


As always, it's always best to support your local farmer, rather than the lot down the street that is supplied by large-scale out-of-state farms whose trees have been hauled cross-country and released a good deal of CO2 along the way. After everyone buys their trees and the holiday season is over, the tree farm will plant more trees in their place. As the trees grow, they will provide habitats for birds and other animals as well as turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. I know it's not always an option dependent upon where you live, but seriously, you might be surprised by what is right around you...Go to Pick Your Own Christmas Tree to find a farm near you!

If you go with a real tree, what are you going to do with it after the holidays are over? Most cities offer a recycling progam where they turn them into mulch...or you can compost it yourself, which is what we do. If you have a pond, you can put it in there for structure and habitat for the aquatic life. Depending upon what kind of tree it is, you could plant it in your yard, but this isn't typically an option with most kinds. Anyway, if we do cut trees, we need to make sure we properly take care of them after the decorations come down!

Well things are busy around here getting ready for Lovebug's 1st birthday party this weekend...More of that to come later :)! Gosh, I can't believe it's already Wednesday - this week is flying by! Alright, gotta run...Have a good one.

So long fall...

Oh I hope everyone's Thanksgiving weekends were wonderful! Ours was delightful! Thanksgiving day was long, but was such an enjoyable time with our families. However, we REALLY missed the beloved ones that couldn't join us (you know who you are!)!!! Friday and Saturday were spent working on things for Lovebug's 1st birthday party next weekend, which I am so excited for! Lots of Christmas music was listened to all weekend :)...speaking of which, Pandora has some great x-mas stations in case you're interested! We also took down all of our fall decorations, but I was able to get some shots of them before doing so...






The lentils/split peas got containered for cooking, my Love used the squash in a delicious penne dish, the soy candles got put away for later use, the acorns got saved for future crafts, and then everything else got composted!!!

It's hard to believe...but, so long fall! HELLO December!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I just love these little pilgrims my Gramma made us...


From Our Green Nest to yours, we wish you a beautiful and enjoyable Thanksgiving day tomorrow with your loved ones. May we give thanks and savor all that we are blessed with!

Thanksgiving Stew

So alot of people probably wonder what vegetarians/vegans eat for Thanksgiving...NO, we don't eat Tofurkey! In fact, we have never once cooked tofu, but that seems to be what alot of people think :). Actually we usually take a yummy quinoa squash pie as the vegetarian entree, but this year we're changing things up and taking a stew. Not any old stew mind you - it's called "Three Sisters" stew and it's delicious! We love this dish as it contains some of our faves- beans, corn, and squash, which makes it very hearty and nutritious. Plus, in Native American mythology, squash, beans, and corn are known as the "three sisters", which makes it perfect for Thanksgiving. Click on the above link because they have other great recipes too!

Hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend - ours was mainly spent cleaning out our garage :). However, here are some pics from a walk (see, we DO have some red and orangish leaves here in Texas:) and Lovebug having a good laugh and blowing you all kisses! Have a fabulous week getting ready for your Thanksgiving festivities!

Thanksgiving

Next Thursday is quickly approaching, isn't it? Thanksgiving is always a beautiful fun day! Ours starts with the traditional 5K Trot around downtown "D" followed by a day of giving thanks with both of our families.


Here are some things we can all do to make our Thanksgiving healthier for our families and the environment:

*Use LOCAL ORGANIC ingredients...hit up your farmer's market (find yours here) this weekend and use whatever they have to make some delicious entree and/or side dishes. They may not be the dishes you usually make for Thanksgiving, but why not change things up to keep them interesting?! Support those local hard-working farmers and their harvest!

*If you can't buy local AND organic, then at least go ORGANIC (some would disagree and say go local in lieu of non-local organic, but we always go organic). Your food will be healthier for your family, plus benefit the environment as well by supporting sustainable non-destructive farming methods.

*Healthy up your ingredients in your traditional dishes in whatever other ways possible! I'm no expert, but if any of you have any questions on how to do this, I'll certainly give it a shot with a suggestion of what we would do!

*Don't use anything disposable. Ensure less waste ends up in our landfills by using cloth napkins, your pretty plates, and real glasses and silverware!

*Create a Thanksgiving tablescape with beautiful items gathered from nature and/or organic seasonal squash and whatnot that you can end up eating afterwards.


I know it's incredibly wishful to think that many Amerians would forego the traditional turkey in lieu of a vegetarian entree, as I know to many of you (and it was the same for me before going veg) that it's not really Thanksgiving without turkey. However, even your turkey choice can be healthier (and more humane). Search LocalHarvest.org to find a local farm within driving distance for an organic one. You might be surprised by what is right around you! However, if you cannot find one, then you can buy organic heritage turkeys (and so many other organic ingredients) from Local Harvest's Thanksgiving Specials page.

Or give your local health food store a try and see what they have - you want certified ORGANIC, PASTURED/FREE RANGE, and HERITAGE - those (3) things. "Organic", which means no hormones, antibiotics, steroids, and other nasties were used in raising them. "Pastured"/"Free Range" meaning they weren't stuffed in a cage with who knows how many other turkeys. Instead, they roamed around with 24 hour access to fresh air and ate native grasses and other natural vegetation. Lastly, you want to buy "Heritage", which are the ancestors of the broad-breasted White breed that most people buy. The Heritage turkeys have a longer life-span, eat a very diverse diet, and are making a comeback within the market which is a great thing.


Next week, I'll share the dish we're making for Thanksgving this year...Here's to a healthier and greener Thanksgiving for all of us!

Independence Day & Vaccine Seminar

The 4th of July is such a beautiful holiday that evokes so many wonderful memories for me...mainly, swimming, fun outdoor games/activities like wiffle ball and tennis, watermelon, corn on the cob, cherries, peach cobbler, homemade ice cream, sparklers, and fireworks of course all enjoyed with family! What memories/things does the 4th evoke to you?


OH and for you DFW locals, there is a vaccine seminar (Educate Before You Vaccinate!) that our dear friends organized Sunday, July 27th, at 1 PM that I wanted to let you all know about. The speakers will be April Renee and her husband Dr. Gary Tunsky (a naturopathic doctor)- they lost their autistic daughter to a vaccine injury and have since made it their mission to get the dangers about vaccines (given to both children and adults) out there.

Not vaccinating is something that we're very passionate about (here's a past post about it)...It truly is something that every family as to decide for themselves but it's SO important to educate yourself before you vaccinate, so you know what you're injecting your children or yourselves with and what your options truly are! Hope to see some of you there at the seminar - but NOTE that the room holds about 100 people, so get there early!!! Here's the location info:

North Branch Denton Library
3020 N Locust St
Denton, TX 76209
July 27th @ 1 PM

Happy Independence Day everyone- hope you and yours have a most enjoyable one!!

Green Your V-Day

The time is almost near and Cupid will soon be here!! I love Valentine's Day and always have - my Mother made it a very special day. Granted, she's the best Mom there is so she made every day special but V-day was especially so, and with every meal there was something red! She would make something wonderful for breakfast and lunch, but dinner was the most special - with lots of red yummy food and she would have little presents for each of us kids at our setting and the eating area would be decorated in reds and pinks. You're the best Mommy - I only hope I can be half the Mom you are!

I know it's a "marketing" holiday and I truly believe that you should treat your loved ones like it's Valentine's EVERY day and do random special things, but I still think it's a fun day! Here are some ways to make your V-Day GREEN:

-In lieu of flowers, buy potted plants so there is no waste after a week AND you're giving something that will help clean your loved one's air!!
**Best air cleaners include: Janet Craig dracaena, Peace Lily, & Rubber Plant, amongst others.

-If purchased flowers are what will make your love the happiest, then buy organic flowers from Organic Bouquet, California Organics, or Manic Organics Flowers...Whole Foods now carries some organic flowers as well - so check your local natural food stores...Look for in-season, locally-grown flowers!
**The commerical flower industry is very scary with unfair labor practices, excessive consumption of natural resources such as water, and a ridiculous amount of toxic chemical use (that are illegal w/i U.S.) that pollutes our environment and harms the workers that work on the flower farms, who often suffer from skin and respiratory problems, fatigue, blurred vision, and premature birth. The flowers are fumigated, sprayed with pesticides, and soaked in preservatives...Do you really want that brought into your home for you and your loved ones to breathe in?

-Buy organic fair-trade chocolates - yummy!! I love Dagoba and Green & Black...
**Non-organic cocoa is 2nd only to cotton in terms of the most pesticides used on the crop, which is scary as exposure to pesticides is being increasingly linked to various kinds of cancer. Buying "fair-trade" ensures that the employees and farmers that harvested the cocoa beans were treated and paid fairly and sustainable environmental practices were in place.

-Look for Valentine's cards that are made from recycled paper content....or make your own for a much more personalized touch from materials you already have...or send an Evite card or e-Card!

See, even a holiday like Valentine's that evokes the color red can be made green...Happy Valentine's everyone!