fun, fast april

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It was a fun-filled month with activities, birthdays and visitors. This year is whizzing by sooo fast! We finally had the Blue Heron photographer come by to take photos of our house. The coffee table book will be out soon! Although the house "looked" clean, we pulled it off! The pool is also coming along, but what a pain it has been! Jonathan has been busy hard at work (along with those fun, 16-hour days) to open the new restaurant BRAND Steakhouse at the Monte Carlo Hotel. My college buddy, Armando, was in town. He and Mark stopped by to hang out and graciously brought over BW-3! The Bedfords had a Spring Party where Fallon and Jordan were able to hang out outside of school. Bonnie Wharton came over with Miss Lola who is now 4 months and the same size as Aspen.

allergy nation

I can't think of 1 person who is not on allergy medication or suffering from allergies in Las Vegas. Sorry to say, but if you aren't, you will be. Something in the air in Las Vegas will ignite it. I have not been on steady allergy pills until this spring. Poor Fallon and Jonathan, they started right before Easter and have been on Claritin. Fallon uses the occasional nebulizer to prevent any wheezing. In Fallon's class alone - most of the kids are on allergy meds. You can also tell that by the end of the week, the teachers are worn out from handling cranky, doped up kids. What is going on with our climate -- global warming? Some things we have been trying to do while these allergies attack our immune systems: Drink lots of water, keep the house dust-free as possible, doors and windows closed, invest in an air cleaner, shower nightly, shake out bedding, vitamin C, eat local honey, and get lots of rest. Kids especially need the extra zzzz's.

need a new camera

Armand was in town from LA and let me shoot some pics with his new camera. I miss the days of using my manual Nikon F1 and developing actual film the old-fashioned way. I was spoiled by the point-and-shoot digital cameras, but now I am itching to get back into real photography. I have been checking out (ahem...Mother's Day) the Canon SLR line. So much for the portability! I have not taken the girls to a real photographer (other than in-store studios). I feel guilty that my formal training in photography has gone to waste. Check out these pics we took on his mac gallery. Also check out his flickr page.

michaela is 4!

We celebrated Michaela's 4th birthday at Rainforest Cafe at MGM today. We had never been there before. Michaela got to invite her best buds from school. The girls had a blast - the face painter/balloon artist made the party. Thank you to the Manni family for inviting us all to lunch!

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aspen's tutu

The Easter Bunny got matching tutus for Fallon and Aspen. We needed a new solo of Aspen for the photo wall. She was a great sport considering she was so sleepy.

happy earth day - "planting the seeds"

Since the beginning of April, I've been teaching Fallon more about recycling , waste, saving energy/water, eating healthy, etc. I volunteered with the school's week of activities of planting, recycling and teaching why it's important to protect the environment. The moms came together to dig holes, plant bushes and flowers outside the school, while the kids got down and dirty, touched worms, dirt and experienced gardening. It was fun to watch them and I know they loved it too! I had also asked Whole Foods to participate by way of their very generous donation to the Merryhill kids (reusable bags, treats, coloring books, stickers and gift baskets of cleaning products and body products).

Even though we practice it at home on a daily basis, I underestimated the ability of a 3 year-old to grasp the idea of being green. Everyone has different values and impress them upon their children. My parents raised us Catholic and to be thoughtful, caring citizens. I appreciated these values growing up and get it more now as a parent. And now, as a parent, we try to teach our kids the same values along with green living. It's never too early to teach or to learn. Plant those seeds! I am very proud to witness the fruits of our labor especially when Fallon expresses her care for people and things - including the environment.

upcycling with capri sun

As part of Earth Day awareness, I collected over 300 of the non-recyclable silver drink pouches from the school this month and made some fun stuff. Fallon wanted to wear her pink Capri Sun belt. She was really proud to be wearing it because she drank all those pouches. I displayed the finished products at Fallon's school to "plant the seeds." The goal was to put out a visual message that might actually make some people think. It turned out people were very interested in making them at home, especially the belt and the zipper case!

recycle your old cell phone

Cell phones are recyclable! Many of the parts end up in pens, computer parts, etc. Turn your old cell phone or PDA into a free TerraPass. Through a partnership with RIPMobile, you can now turn old cell phones that have been littering your drawers into gift certificates redeemable for any TerraPass product. You can also send them in the envelopes you receive when you order from Amazon.

bye bye plastic bags

Whole Foods did away with their plastic bags today forever! It was a move to eliminate over 150 million bags Whole Foods distributes a year. As an Earth Day promo, I got a free canvas bag for being one of the first 100 customers to shop there. I hope this elimination from the store helps train shoppers to bring their own bags. Read more in this article.

girls just wanna have fun

Fallon has been living in her tutus the past few months. I must admit, I was never really into girly things until Fallon came along. She is my girly girl - all about skirts, tutus, frilly things and dresses. I just let her be herself so we went out today in her tutu, leggings and high tops - looking like a punk rock princess. She definitely turned some heads - especially with many little girls.

happy birthday ashley!

We joined Ashley at her birthday dinner at Roy's. We have not been there in so long and forgot how tasty it was. We got to catch up with Brian and Jason, whom I have not seen in 4 years! It was great to reconnect with old friends and wish my dear friend a wonderful birthday:)

fallon and michaela

Fallon's school friend, Michaela, came over while her parents are moving into a new house. These two had the best time with all kinds of activities. Mostly, they enjoyed art and imaginary play. They set up a Target store in the master bedroom where in aisle 17, you could buy a real baby Jesus in the Christmas section. Aspen was their willing and able prop for this. She seemed to not have minded. I had fun watching these 3-year-olds play!

my parents are still in the philippines

I've gotten some emails regarding the status of my parents. Yes, they are still in the Philippines. They are supposed to come back in June, but my mom is ready to come back. She has missed spring gardening and tomato planting the past few years (I miss it too!). Most of you know that my parents hibernate in the Philippines from January- June. Dad gets his fill of surgeries through various medical missions since he has been retired. He has been feeling great - not taking medication for his allergies or heart. Mom is enjoying having a maid and getting regular massages and mani/pedis. They are doing light traveling and lots of socializing. And of course, they are eating like champs. I'd say in a nutshell, they are enjoying their lives. Despite their good reports, I still worry about them and I miss them a lot. I look forward to their arrival back in the States. Fallon misses having Lola (Grandma) down the hall and we miss Papa's treats to the buffets. I especially miss their cooking! I am sure they are also missing Fallon and dying to see how big Aspen is! Hurry back! We love you!

springs preserve

Ashley and the girls met us at the Springs Preserve today. It was a beautiful day to go! It was very educational for us - so much about water conservation, desert landscapes and efficient living. The kids loved the playgrounds, sandboxes and open spaces. We got a family pass since it is a great resource for when we begin landscaping and researching solar panels.

recycled dog toy

Planet Dog orbee-tuff Recycled Dog Bone Toy. What other toy company takes their leftover material and makes productive use of it? We don't know of any. Planet Dog's Recycle-BONES are made "regrind" of 100% 1st quality orbee-tuff¨ material that would otherwise be discarded. Non-toxic, recyclable and rinses clean! I'll woof to that.

green-ish shoes

Cork and bamboo are popular choices for sustainable materials. How much better do you feel about buying "green" shoes? Even though I have no business looking at these fabulous shoes, I often fall into this shoe dilemma - "should I wear silver or gold?" This shoe takes care of that and it almost justifies buying these since you get 2-for-1, doesn't it?? And every girl needs a slammin' black wedge! Yeah to Prada and YSL for using cork and bamboo for their summer wedges. Barney's New York still reigns as best shoe department in my book!

happy birthday jordan!

And another birthday party this weekend...for Jordan Mulligan, who happens to be Fallon's "prince" at school. She had reported a few months ago that they had gotten married on the playground, but we never got invited. Anyway, what I love about living in Las Vegas is the abundance of party venues for kids. Today's party was at Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef. It's a great place for kids and adults. I saw Jordan's mom at school and she joked that we may be in-laws someday! Looking at these pictures of them almost makes me cry! Click to see larger.

repurpose capri sun pouches

Do your kids drink Capri Sun or KoolAid in a "fool's foil" pouch? Well, I tried to avoid it for as long as I could with Fallon since the pouches are non-recyclable (not foil) and billions of these pouches end up in landfills each year. But Capri Sun is at every party and in many a lunch box at her school. It was inevitable. We finally gave in - but in order to comply with Fallon's request, I wanted to repurpose these pouches. I had heard of companies like up and coming Terracycle, ecoist and bazura that take wrappers, pouches and other non-recylcable materials and turn them into something useful. I asked Fallon's school, Merryhill, to start saving these Capri Sun pouches for me so I can begin my repurposing project. I want to make these into fun things for the kids during Earth Week. If any of you drink them, send the pouches my way!

happy birthday emma!

Fallon's classmate, Emma Cornia, had a 4th birthday party at My Gym. What a great place to have a party. They had a blast. Thank you Margaret for the great pics!

on my iPod: missin' the 80's

I had an urge today to download some of my favorite 80's songs. What I realized is that I practically LOVED every song I came across from Madonna - Prince - Duran Duran - Bon Jovi - New Order - Cyndi Lauper - Elvis Costello - Journey! I even liked Def Leppard! Why was music so good back then? And so, I told Jonathan (thinking it was a shot in the dark), "If Elvis Costello ever tours, I have to see him." Lo and behold, he is touring with the Police and coming here in May!!! Gotta go. And then I proceeded to download every Journey song. There was many a Tuesday night during karaoke at BW-3 at Ohio State, I looked forward to the sloppy, chubby guy to stand up and rock out to Open Arms. Do you remember this guy, my fellow Buckeyes? He was so entertaining. I looked for him hoping he'd be on You Tube, but no go. I did come across the videos of the new Journey lead singer, Arnel Pineda, who happens to be Filipino. Yes, he can sing Steve Perry. After Jonathan and I enjoyed a few Journey videos and sang along to all of them, I said to Jonathan, "If Journey ever tours, we have to go." Lo and behold, they will perform at Mandalay Bay on July 18! Anyone want to join and relive the 80's with us? I'm also downloading Elvis Presley and Beatles to share with the girls.

prefab home

Our next house (not in the near future) is a prefab because it's clean, green, healthy and modern. Once you start, you can't stop! Our current house is somewhat green, but not enough. We inquired to do a Sunset Breezehouse by Michelle Kaufmann prefab community such as this. Unfortunately, Las Vegas' high temperatures will not allow such a home. In the meantime, we dream...

fallon blows her nose!

Hey Mom and Dad - I know you'd appreciate this bit of news: Fallon finally blew her nose today. I had tried to teach her in the past, but she was always reluctant. Her pediatrician said they don't really know how at this age, but I can't stand it when she sounds all stuffed up in there. Anyone want tips on how we did it, email me!

tiny dancers at merryhill

I happened to have my camera in my pocket at pickup today. I was glad I caught this. They have been practicing a dance to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. Fallon and Jordan (her prince/husband) were so cute and did the twirls on their own, as did Kannon and Jaden - the ones to watch!

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dirt candles

Everyone loves candles, but what most people don't know is that most candles are not good for the environment because of the petroleum-based paraffin, the artificial frangrances and when burned, the black soot is toxic. It is also harmful to your home. I came across Dirt Candles which are made from organically grown American soybeans. They contain essential oils and are packaged with recycled glass and paper. They do not test on animals, are soot-less, charitable, fully biodegradable and not to mention hip! They utilize organic ingredients and environmentally sound business practices whenever possible. I fully support companies that embody these beliefs. This is not the only company to make soy candles, but just thought I'd share. So, candle-lovers: buy and burn responsibly.

planting the recycling seed

4.2.08
Fallon is at the age where whatever you tell them, they will believe you. If you tell them they have to brush their teeth before going to bed, take a nap, say please/thank you, flush the toilet, etc., they will (sometimes reluctantly). Eventually, it will be ingrained in their heads that it's just what you do. So, in order to instill the importance of recycling, I have been teaching her why we need to recycle. With that, Fallon has been helping me sort recyclables into the 3 bins. We usually have more recycling than trash, so she's understands it's a daily practice around here and anywhere we go. And since she enjoys running to the garage with recyclables, I get a break from doing it!! The project has been going so well, that the other day, Fallon opened up one of my packages and picked up the paper scraps on the floor. Instead of throwing it into the trash, she asked, "Mom, is this for recycling?" The seed has been planted!

aspen is 7 months

Another month! She was sleeping through the night last month until the the first feelings of teeth sprouting. She still wakes up 1-2 times at night - easily irritated by the pain which equals annoyed parents :( She has graduated from the swing and naps well in her crib or the car seat. Other than that, she has been smiley, talkative, active (thrashes in her ExerSaucer) and hilarious. She is also sitting up very well - she sat in a restaurant highchair for the first time. She's on the verge of crawling, rolls over and sometimes falls asleep that way. And of course, she is still sucking her thumb. She cracks up at Fallon's entertainment. Favorite... Toys: Learning drum, peek-a-boo toys. Outing: Picking up Fallon at school in the Bjorn/Sling. On her iPod: Classical Nap Time for Tots. Foods: peas, carrots, squash, applesauce, prune juice (ew!), bananas and now sweet potatoes.

sustainable shades

Eco-friendly shades! I was going to treat myself to a pair of classic Ray Ban aviators, but these are way cool. There are lots of retro styles to choose from in a variety of woods (bamboo would be my first choice). The stylish shades are handmade from sustainably harvested wood, and the temple and lenses are imported from Italy. All parts of the sunglasses are completely hypoallergenic, including the finish. And with 100 percent UVA/UVB lenses, the glasses will protect you from the oh-so-harsh sunlight, without exposing you to anything else harmful.

fallon's class picture

Fallon had her class picture today. She was sick today from bad allergies, but I brought her in just to say cheese and go back home. There were a few kids missing, but her best buds were there, especially her, "Prince Jordan," (sitting to her left) who also happens to be her "husband." They got married on the playground a few months ago. Apparently, it was a small ceremony.

stylish water bottles

SIGG water bottles are made of aluminum and is safer than using plastic and having that plastic bottle end up in the ocean someday. Sadly, Americans add over 30 million plastic water bottles to our nation's landfills and ocean – everyday! It comes in so many different styles - for kids, too!

eco nation ipod speakers

Whenever we're on the go, sometimes Fallon gets bored of going around with me, so I whip out the iPod and let her watch something. Her ears don't hold the earbuds and she doesn't really like headphones, so I found these cool little speakers that easily tote around and are eco friendly! The particular one I bought comes in a flat package and is made from 80% recycled materials and do not require batteries. So great for traveling. Love it.

shaving

Up to 2 billion razors end up in landfills each year. Upon this alarming fact, I gave Jonathan an electric shaver a few years ago. He has used a razor just for a little cleanup after shaving. He is not one to primp, but I'll probably treat him to a straight blade shave/lesson at the Art of Shaving.

organic nursery

If we were to do Aspen's room all over again, this would be the bedding. Isn't it beautiful? Maybe we'll do our guest room in the regular bedding. After all, their entire line is exclusively made with organic or sustainable materials.

sun chips

One of our favorite snacks are Sun Chips. Fallon is picky when it comes to chips, but when it comes to Sun Chips, she's all over it. I don't mind at all. Not only is it made with whole grains, but as of April 22, one of their plants is going to be using solar energy and they purchase energy credits. How wonderful!

town square

It was a beautiful day, so we decided to make a quick trip to Town Square (our version of Easton Town Center). Not all the stores are open, but the most important part is the tree house at the playground for the girls and H&M for me!

(an old) but still a bright idea

If you are not using any of these compact fluorescent bulbs in all/most of your lighting fixtures, then you need to get busy! This is green 101. How can you not buy a pack of 10 bulbs for $15 bucks (Costco) and lower your bills? I can't remember the last time we changed a bulb. You can learn more about it here.

green diapers

Diaper fact: Around 27 billion disposable diapers are used each year in the U.S. alone! Most of these single-use diapers end up in a landfill and it may take hundreds of years for a disposable diaper to decompose!
A friend had asked me what I thought about 7th Generation brand. They're great if you are going for chlorine-free, safe for baby and toxic-free, however, they take up as much room as regular diapers in landfills and take just as long to decompose. I do use them when we go out, but we also use cloth diapers as much as possible and do the old fashioned sink rinse (no wipees). They are the most economical, green and natural for the baby. People panic at the thought of washing, changing and soaking them. It's really not as difficult as you think. Once you find good-fitting cloth diapers and you get to know your baby's schedule, you can nail down a system and do a load every other day.

sidney mupas comes to vegas

Olivia and Ray Mupas came to Vegas for Olivia's pharmacy class. They brought their adorable 3-month-old Sidney with them! He's definitely a mini-Ray (sorry Olivia!) and is the same size as our tiny little Aspen:( It was a tough trip for the parents since he is not a fan of the car seat/stroller and prefers being carried. We were so glad to see them and hear all about the new baby and new house! Can't wait to visit!

save gas - go cruisin'

It's perfect outdoor weather right now. What better time to take advantage of leaving the car at home and going for a good old-fashioned bike ride, but in style! I have been trying to get a cruiser, but there are no cool bike shops here...hmm. We need to just get out to LA and pick these up so we can go cruising with Fallon at the park. I love this vanilla bike for me and maybe the all chrome one for Jonathan? These are nice-looking bikes and very reasonably priced! After Fallon outgrows her low-rider trike, she'll be ready for this pink big girl's bike.

what fallon is reading: the lorax

In honor of Earth Day this month, I broke out The Lorax by Dr. Seuss tonight. She loves it. If you don't know about the book, it's basically about human impact on the environment. We started reading it last year, but the concept of saving trees was beyond her comprehension. Since we started teaching her about garbage and recycling, her understanding of the earth and protecting the environment is becoming less ambiguous. During the story, we took breaks and explained what "thneeds" were and why the Once-ler was chopping the trees down. She kept asking questions about it. At the end, there are no more trees and Fallon expressed herself by saying, "It makes my heart sad." When the Once-ler tosses the little boy a seed for to plant new trees, Fallon got excited and said, "Now they can grow new trees and all the animals can come back and eat the fruit again!" I was amazed she got it. She wants to give her class a copy of the book, so they can share in her newfound passion for trees.

safe baby bottles: glass or bpa-free plastic

Aspen has been "on the bottle" for over a month now. We had some nipple confusion and a little finickiness, but she's all good now. She loves the Born Free glass bottle - which is the safest for babies. When on the go, we also use the Born Free plastic version. Another up and coming company makes a simpler one: green to grow - a bpa-free baby bottle found at Whole Foods. I love these companies since they started their businesses since having kids and wanting better, safer products, especially running their businesses in the greenest way possible. They make these BPA-free bottles made from PES plastic. They are free of phthalates and free of bisphenol A – a suspected hormone-disrupting chemical used in polycarbonate plastic, from which most baby bottles are made. It is also lead and PVC-free. Why be concerned? Basically, the plastics can be leached into the milk, especially when warmed. Don't even get me started on the plastic baggies people use in bottle frames! Here is a list of naughty bottles.

byob

Environmentalists have been trying to influence retailers to get rid of their plastic bags. Personally, we have only been doing it for a few years, but oh, the plastic bags we've saved! We so rarely go out without a bag into a store. I take my Whole Foods bags into Target and now the cashiers are starting to get it. I heard that Walmart has even joined the brigade and is now selling bags at the cash wraps. If you shop at Costco, they don't give out bags - did that ever bother you? IKEA was the first to go international with the plastic bag ban. Now you have to pay for a jumbo bag if you want to bag things. Whole Foods will ban their plastic bags on April 22! Yeah! You just have to train people to remember to bring bags into the store. Here are some of my favorite bags - if you must buy some:
1. Reisenthal Collapsible Market Basket
2. Classic LLBean Canvas Tote
3. BuiltNY Market Tote
4. Alchemy Recycled Ad Bag
With choices like these, it's fun to Bring Your Own Bags!

happy april: earth day is coming

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better it's not" - The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
I began to blog so our families can stay updated with Fallon, but it's become more than that. I used to keep a journal the old fashioned way, but have since enjoyed the electronic way. And since the green boom, many of you have sent me emails on what you are doing to become more green and asking me my thoughts on products or topics. I love reading them! So, now I throw in a green post here and there. I am no authority, but we do strive to make better choices, especially with having 2 kids now. Bigger families = bigger consumption = more garbage = more responsibility. We are very conscious of walking and talking green - from organic foods to choosing fair trade and safe products to recycling, cutting back, making smart choices, etc. We try everyday to reduce our waste by recycling, reusing/repurposing and refusing bags at stores or not using takeout containers. Every little bit helps. Here's a thought: If they charged us by the pound for trash pickup, I bet we would really try to reduce our weekly waste! In celebration of Earth Day, I will blog more about our green thoughts, ideas and products - including cool kid/baby gear. Stay tuned!