Did you know that peat moss is a non-renewable resource? Did you know that it takes a peat moss bog thousands of years to evolve? How about the fact that once a peat moss bog is harvested, it’s gone forever? Peat moss is very important to the health of the bogs’ ecosystem and water filtration, while being the home to many different species of wildlife and flora. Most importantly, peat moss is the single largest terrestrial store of carbon, equivalent to 75% of all the carbon in the atmosphere. The consumption of peat moss for horticultural use is not necessary. When you are picking up your gardening supplies, steer clear of the peat.
Yesterday, we had a celebration for Eben’s 10th birthday.
You probably already know how special Eben is to me! Really, he is a sweetheart and spending the day celebrating his 10th birthday was the perfect way to start the week.
This year we decided to host a surprise gathering of family members. Surprisingly, Eben said it was his favorite birthday ever – even though it was low-key! His face when he walked in the door and everyone shouted “Surprise!” was priceless.
The decorations were all from my craft closet – a yellow tablecloth (these wash up perfectly and can be used again and again), confetti and stripey hats that we have used for several parties and a handful of napkins leftover from a previous party was all that was needed! The gift wrap is either 100% recycled (unless the gifts were from family, then I am not sure) or reusable bags that we have used over and over again too! I made the tassel decorations hanging over the table with recycled tissue paper. I carefully took them down, so I can use them again in the future!
For each place setting, I used our everyday dinner plates, silverware and a wine glass filled with bubble gum. Our guests enjoyed Izze’s, organic lime rickeys, make your own organic sandwiches, coleslaw and potato salad. Easy Peasy and yummy too.
Eben wanted to help make his birthday cake this year (he is a big fan of those ultimate cake off shows). So, he and I spent Saturday afternoon making a hilarious shark cake made of organic pound cake and frosting. We used these all natural food colorings. Can you see the fishy in Mr. Sharks mouth?
One of Eben’s favorite birthday presents? This adorable set of organic stuffed elephants from Dandelion. Aren’t they adorable?
Do you host parties for your child’s birthday? Do you prefer quiet parties with just close family and friends? Or huge blowouts?
Happy 10th Birthday! 10! I hope you have the most fantastic day ever. Thank you for teaching me so much during this short period of time. Your creativity, sense of humor and genuine heart have inspired me to be the best version of myself. Your ability to view the world through a different lens than most, challenges me to do the same. I love that you aren’t bound by conventional thoughts and that you always stick to your beliefs, regardless of what others think. I am so proud of the person that you have become and feel very lucky to be your Mom. You have truly completed my life, I love you so much.
If your kids are like mine, they have tons of art supplies available for their creative projects. Keeping those crayons, markers and colored pencils at the ready for impromptu masterpiece creation is essential for your budding artist. You can keep all of those supplies neatly organized and easily accessible by putting them in a recycled children’s desk organizer made from an orange juice carton that was slated for the recycling bin. This recycled desk organizer can hold a lot of art supplies and can be easily toted to the car or into the doctor’s office waiting room. Read on to learn how you can create this simple desk organizer in just a few easy steps.
Wouldn’t this fantastic tree bookshelf be the perfect bedroom or living room accessory? I love the bright-green pieces that make your books and other loved objects seem as though they are birds perched on a branch. The tree bookshelf is made using recyclable metal. I love that it is made completely by hand too.
