Have you picked your organic pumpkins for Halloween? Are you getting ready to carve them? If so, make a delicious, healthy snack by roasting the pumpkin seeds. It is a simple process that leaves you with a yummy treat to enjoy all weekend long.
Remove the seeds from your pumpkin, rinse, drain and let dry. In a bowl combine the seeds with 1 tablespoons organic olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon organic sea salt. Spread the mixture onto a cookie sheet and roast in the oven at 325° for 30 minutes.
If you have an orange juice carton – or any type of juice carton – in your recycling bin, you can create a cool recycled craft. With scissors, a cutting blade, glue and a few other basic supplies you and your child can easily put together one, or all of, these simple juice carton projects. Choose from a desk organizer, wallet, sailboat, portable dollhouse, or snack container, click here to get started.
I woke up today to learn the news about Steve Jobs and was overcome with sadness. Mr. Sweet Greens and I spent the morning discussing his death and Eben worried that we were talking about a close family member. Apple products have had a huge impact on our lives and Steve made living more beautiful.
When I first decided to start my own business, one of the first contracts that I secured was with Apple. I worked virtually as a technical support representative, part of my contract was to stay current on all of Apple’s keynote addresses, conferences, products, and press releases. This has always been a large part of the contracts that I hold with my clients. However, with Apple it was different – it was the first time that I actually looked forward to them. I loved to watch the creative genius [Steve] in action. Apple’s advances in technology have had a direct impact on my career.
A quote from Steve: “No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”
I still can’t believe that it is October – we are doing most of our Halloween decorating today. In fact, Mr. Sweet Greens told me that he will be getting out his table saw and looking for wood to upcycle into a front yard graveyard. When we moved back to Florida, we gave our graveyard setup [above] to our neighbors. We didn’t think it would be very Earth friendly to lug it clear, across the country. Plus, it is kind of fun to find recycled materials to make a new set-up, we can’t wait to get started.
The conversation at our home has been non-stop Halloween – ideas for decorating, daydreaming about our upcoming trip to North Carolina [I can’t wait to pick large, organic pumpkins from the patch] and planning a party for some close family and friends. Last night, Eben and I spent the better part of an hour glued to Martha Stewart’s Halloween section, pinning every idea that we absolutely loved. We already made our glitter skulls – complete with homemade glue and recycled newspaper skulls that I found at our local craft store.
Have you starting making your Halloween plans? Do you decorate? Are you hosting a Halloween party this year?
Children are like sponges, soaking up everything around them, all day long. Finding ways to incorporate green learning into everyday life is great for expanding their horizons and instilling a love of our environment. Plus, it can be a lot of fun, too. There are many ways to make your everyday routine a green learning experience. You don’t need stack of books or a computer. Errands you need to run or chores you must do can provide teachable moments that can educate kids through life experiences. Check out my seven favorite eco-friendly ways to incorporate learning on the go for little ones.
