Green Gifts this Christmas

I try to keep track of the The Nature Conservancy is doing. They're great. This year they are claiming Cyber Monday as "Green Gift Monday" to raise awareness of responsible and meaningful gift giving.

For some of you, this sounds ridiculous. Mr. McBrayer and I strive to keep in mind spiritual, economic, and environmental stewardship in everything that we do. Although our (well, usually they are my ideas that the husband is so sweet to humor) methods are probably seen as strange to many people. I didn't really think this until I saw the look on my husband's face when I showed him my sister's Christmas gift this year. Not only is the gift handmade but the wrapping is a paper Chipotle bag turned inside out with a cut-out snow flake on top wrapped in twine. Welp, is that just cheap or is it eco-conscious? Maybe a little of both?

I seriously did consider making sandwich bags, produce bags, and grocery bags from cloth and putting them together in bundles for family and friends so that everyone can go paperless next year - but I realize that those of you who actually want to go paperless have already done so. Don't worry, there will be none of that under the Christmas tree this year, but don't think I didn't contemplate it.

The best ways to "give green" this year, I think would be to buy hand made or to re-purposed (vintage/thrift), and try to buy locally. Also, it is a great idea to give to charities - that would go to a great cause, and no packaging or shipping or production necessary. And always keep in mind how you are wrapping your gifts.

Get creative!

If you're buying vintage and the thrift store feels just a little too cheap (or stinky-dirty?), try Etsy

CopperPennyVintage

AFarmersWife

For the coffee lover: Support a Colorado local grassroots business owned by two Christian guys who are trustworthy in life and in business. They even buy only fair-trade beans and roast them fresh just for you:

Switchback Coffee Roasters

Just a few ideas for you to browse over. Feel free to comment with any ideas that you might have.

Introducing The Thrifty Home

Jen is just a regular lady with some great ideas and innovative friends. Click on the icon above to see her blog.

Every wednesday she hosts "Penny Pinching Parties" which is why i subscribe to her blog and is why I thought to share her with you today. 

Yesterday on her blog, she showed us how to make your own foamy hand soap (which is mostly water with just a bit of normal soap - imagine how much better that is for the environment and for your budget!?) by The Common Cents Home

Also, how to make your own reusable swiffer duster cloths (by Sew Much Ado). I go through probably one of these little dusters every two weeks to a month and then I toss it in the trash. What a great idea to make them yourself (and it looks easy!!!) and just plop them in the laundry with the rest of my cleaning cloths when i'm finished. 

Another thing that I love about her blog is that she introduces us not only to great ideas but also to really creative people. Check her out if you so desire or have the time.

blood:water mission

Landon and I love this ministry

They have a new project for Christmas that I think is incredible. Check out the video:

Give the Gift of Clean Water from Blood:Water Mission on Vimeo.

Getting the most from your credit card?

I actually think i am.

When i started working remotely for ACSI, i started being responsible for buying every single thing that i needed for my job (stamps, internet, ink, plane tickets, parking, etc...) myself (of course i get reimbursed eventually). I very quickly realized that it was not going to work to use my debit card for these expenses (when we got married, we did away with credit cards). So i succumbed to find myself a credit card. After much research, i decided upon a Chase Freedom card and i have no regrets.

Today i checked my credit card statement online and got a glimpse of my rewards and i was thinking that i was wishing everyone was as lucky as me - to get FREE MONEY!! In the last 2 years, i've received about $500 total from Chase.

Here's what their website says about this card:

With Chase Freedom, you now have the flexibility to earn more cash back with every eligible purchase.

Your eligible everyday purchases earn you 3% cash back. It's never been easier to reward yourself with Chase Freedom.

Gas: Use your card for fuel, repairs, car washes and other gas station purchases
Groceries: Stock up on food, household goods and more at participating grocery stores
Quick Service Restaurants: Rewards add up fast from pizza to hamburgers to tacos - even sandwich shops, coffee houses and more

These are just some of the places you can use your Chase Freedom credit card to earn 3% cash back. And you'll still earn 1% cash back for every eligible dollar you spend on all other purchases.

You have a choice when it comes to rewarding yourself:

Reach $50 in rewards and redeem for a $50 check
Save up $200 in rewards and redeem for a $250 check

Well anyway, if you're unsatisfied with your credit card or if you're searching, i really recommend this one. They even called me this week to report "fraudulent charges", which were not actually fraudulent, but it gave me peace of mind to know that they're actually paying attention to stuff like that. I'm a pretty satisfied customer.

Mint-alicious

I love this stuff. It is so refreshing. First time i ever tried MetroMint, i was opening the store at 4am and my coworker was swigging some of this chilly water. i tried some. wow! but i never thought i could possibly be hoity-toity enough to buy bottled water. a few weeks later, is ran into this pretty bottle on the shelf at the supermarket above a tag that read "buy one get one free". sold. just this once. yummy!

that was a year ago.

today i was at the local organic market and saw a red "price-reduced" tag below the MetroMint bottles. It just so happened that i was speaking to my grandmother today about how wonderful MetroMint is. We were talking about how we get peeved when a bottle says "water" on it, when it's loaded with sugar or cancer-breeding aspertame when all we really want is "water" that doesn't taste simply like, well, water. This stuff is made with only 2 ingredients total: purified water, and mint. can't get simpler than that. forget all that other crap that gets into water. i want the good stuff.

well, this is it. try it. it is just so awesome.

World Water Day

Yesterday was world water day.

I am fortunate to work with a guy who spent the majority of his childhood growing up in Peru. We talk a lot about what it is like to live in a poverty-stricken country, and what it is like to transition to America (i can only sort-of relate, obviously). We have these talks between 5-5:30am, usually, after we get done setting up the store for business before we get a steady stream of customers. My favorite part of the morning - getting to know my co-workers. Anyways... Friday, we were talking about water. He was remembering doing laundry by hand and bathing in buckets. Of course i have no memories such as these from our year in Kenya outside of filtering our water and boiling water from dishes. Yet, I do remember that rain was always on the list for prayer requests at our village church. I remember Francis used to gather water in the river and carry buckets of it back and forth every day on his bike for the orphanage (until my in-laws purchased a rain collecting system for them!).

Though we were very fortunate, because we lived in the upper elevations where there was always water in our local stream. I remember reading about tribes that wer further in "the bush" of Kenya who battled each other for puddles to water their livestock. Children were raped and murdered over water.

Water is essential. For food, for health. For life.


Landon and i really enjoy supporting this organization that works with the water crisis (as well as the AIDS crisis) in Africa. We especially enjoy it because they do a lot of work in Kenya, and they are a small enough organization that we get hand-written notes of thanks and actual pictures of the villagers around the well that we helped build. A little money goes such a long way. That organization is blood:water mission. They build wells in the name of Christ in Africa. I am so grateful that Landon and I can play a small part in what they are doing in the lives of numerous communities in Africa.

Another organization that I've heard a lot about (thanks Emily) that gives water is charity:water. Here is a quick video of theirs to inspire you!


Maybe think about celebrating World Water Day by giving to one of these organizations!

Starbucks RED

It's been awhile since i've made a Starbucks post. Not much at Starbucks thrills me these days, but just today i discovered something awesome at the store and thought that you should be informed. I came across a new Starbucks card that we have. Called a Starbucks RED Card.
Every time you use your (STARBUCKS)RED Card to pay for purchases at participating Starbucks stores between 1/3/09 and 12/31/09 (the entire year of 2009!!), Starbucks will donate 5 cents to the Global Fund to help save lives in Africa.

How awesome! I know that I've posted before about Starbucks RED Campaign and about all of the awesome benefits of now having a Starbucks card. Just a refresher:

When you make any purchases with a registered Starbucks card, you will get:

-free syrups and specialty milks (soy, etc...)
-a free tall beverage with purchase of 1lb of whole beans
-2 free hours of wi-fi every day
-free refills of coffee when you're chillin in the cafe'

And don't forget the idea that having this card will help you to budget your purchases.

I got a few Starbucks cards as gifts for Christmas so i loaded the amounts of them both on a new Starbucks RED card and registered it online today. I usually spend about a dollar every day that i'm working at starbucks - so now, 5 cents of each purchase goes to the Golbal Fund. That's pretty cool. It's not like i'm BUYING the card - all the money i put on there goes directly back into my purchases.
So, why not?

A perscription for Hope

Today i am especially thinking about a few young girls that i know in a tiny orphanage amidst the tea fields of Tigoni. For those of you who kept up with our blog and updates while we were in Kenya, you probably remember these precious girls as well.

Dianah

Dianah suffers from AIDS. Her mother is dieing of AIDS and is a prostitute in the village. Her mother originally contracted AIDS from her husband, Dianah's father, as he was a successful business man. When he was discovered to be raping Dianah, he was sent to prison, leaving Dianah's family without any income. Dianah's mother found herself in a desperate situation, choosing to feed her family by selling herslef - who knows how many others have contacted the disease from her desperate source of income. Dianah and her younger brother came to the orphanage because her mother couldn't care for them within her dangerous lifestyle. Dianah often suffered in and out of tuberculosis. On one such occasion, my parents were visiting us in Kenya. We brought Dianah a chocolate milkshake and "chips" while she lay in bed sick and scared. I sat beside her, stroking her hair, praying for her, singing to her, holding her. She just cried and prayed, "God, why would you let my father do this to me?" This, is a question i have echoed for her in many prayers of anger and confusion to God since.

Grace

Grace lived with her parents in the village. They made their living by making and selling illegal and potant spirits. Desperate men were always in their home completely intoxicated with her parents and her younger sister. Who knows how many hopeless nights Grace spent helpless in the arms of one of her parents intoxicated patrons. When i met Grace, her parents were dieing of AIDS in jail, and she and her sister were at the orphanage. Grace is such a serious girl, with few smiles and a heavy burden. Yet she sings and dances to the Lord joyfully! When a teacher was telling her of the story of the woman who had been bleeding for years and reached to touch the robe of Jesus and was healed, she begged to know more. And i realized that I could never have an understanding of this story as she does.

Both Grace and Dianah are still living at the orphanage, taking medications regularly. They both are young girls of great faith in God. They both are dieing of AIDS. And these are just two. More than half of the children at the orphanage are orphaned by AIDS. This is what AIDS has done to a community, a country, a continent.

Is there still hope when death is inevitable? There is if the hope is Jesus Christ - for he is the only promise for a new life - for eternal life.

As Christians, what is our response to the global AIDS crisis? I have been unsure of how to blog today - world AIDS day. There are so many resources, so many ministries, so many movements against AIDS. Yet, how can we get involved?

You can go buy a latte - any drink you buy today and any holiday beverage you buy this season at Starbucks gives money to support the global fund through the (RED) campaign. but that's not quite enough, is it?

Look into ways you can help.

Here are some AIDS relief ministries we support:
Samaritan's Purse - Be the Virus
Compassion International International AIDS Vaccine Initiative
Blood Water Mission

Some other good ones:
World Vision - HIV and AIDS care
Agathos Foundation - ministry in SA
Buy a t-shirt to support children orphaned by AIDS

I would love to hear of more ministries that serve individuals and communities suffering from AIDS.

been waiting all year for this!!!

Every year we look forward to the 3rd Thursday in November: the arrival of Beaujolais Nouveau. Exquisite.

Minerals

So a few weeks ago i bought these mineral eye shadows on Etsy. I received them in the mail today and am loving them! I got to choose 6 shades for 4.50 (click here if you want some!)

I have had problems lately with eye shadows. I don't wear much eye makeup, but i have been wearing eye shadow to ACSI conventions and by the end of the day my eye lids are red, itchy, and flaky. The next morning the lids are almost swollen shut - weird! I haven't been able to figure it out. It's not just my revlon mascara, but maybelline and clinique and everything. So i decided to try the mineral thing. I put it on this morning and my eyes feel so great! the color is so pretty! The seller even sent me a free sample of her lip gloss and i'm loving that as well!

A Simple shoe

I had been wanting these shoes for a long time. Then, this summer, Mom was shopping one day and just happened to see a pair of shoes that reminded her of me (she is so sweet - a lot of things remind her of me, but don't always remind me of me). Eureka! They were these amazing shoes. So now i wear them with everything that my Chacos don't go with, like.... well, i can't think of anything that Chacos don't go with, but the good 'ol reliable sandals are finally enjoying some shelf life due to these Simple shoes (which are only $19.90 on their website right now!)

So, i won't write a poem for Simple like i did for Chaco - i don't quite have a love-affair with this company yet, but i do terribly admire them. This is another company that is SO SO very eco friendly and conscious.


See their video to see what i mean:

Expelled - no intelligence allowed

Last night Landon and i rented Expelled from Red Box. It was great. You should rent it - it's only a dollar at red box!

I know that many of you do this each year. I just wanted to remind you to start thinking and praying about how you would like to be involved this year. I have been so blessed to be a part of Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child project on many levels.

In high school my accountability group and I put together a few boxes for children for Christmas.

While Landon and i were in Africa, my parents brought boxes like OCC boxes to each of the children that we worked with at the orphanage. It was amazing to see each of our sweet orphans open their boxes. Many of these kids had never received their OWN of anything in thier whole lives - especially something brand new. Many of them had no idea how to play with toys that were in packaging - they had never seen toys in packaging before! Once they got past their bewilderment they were SO HAPPY! I think they felt valued and precious - as they are! I was so grateful that my parents had worked to get those boxes together and brought all of them to Africa with them for the children. Seeing those precious kids open their boxes was one of my best memories of our time with them.

Then only 6 months after we left Kenya, my family decided to volunteer at a Processing center that readies the boxes to be sent to the children. i cried and cried the whole time as i was sorting through the boxes just remembering my sweet little orphans opening their own boxes less than a year before. It is a truly precious ministry!

Processing center locations for 2008:
Atlanta, GA......................................(770) 777-9342
Boone, NC.......................................(800) 442-9120
Charlotte, NC...................................(704) 583-1463
Denver, CO......................................(303) 745-9179
Minneapolis, MN..............................(612) 359-7025
Orange County, CA...........................(714) 432-7030

Please consider making Operation Christmas Child a Christmas tradition in your family.

Click here for more information

National Collection Week is November 17-24.

HOT Motorcycle FOR SALE:

If you know anyone looking for a great deal on a bike, hook us up! This is a 2006 Yamaha FZ6 with only 3,492 miles on it. We listed it on Craigslist yesterday. It was a sad day.

Westcomb clinic

One of the perks that Landon has working at Erehwon, is getting visits from product reps every once in awhile. Tonight he invited me to a Westcomb clinic. (see picture of our rep - Gabriel - sportin Westcomb gear above) They cooked burgers and brats beforehand. Gosh, this stuff is REALLY AMAZING. I am not an outdoor great geek or anything, but this stuff is seriously some of the best stuff on the market as far as mountain gear goes, no doubt about it. It was really exciting to learn about how they make their fabrics and design their garments. Landon and I got to try on some of the soft shells and hard shells (don't tempt me!) (Landon had been drooling over their website for the last few weeks). I thought it was awesome.

oh, and linds, he told us that he's heading down to CO next: Neptune and Mountain chalet. Too bad he wasn't handing out pro-deals!

p.s. been trying to kill a mosquito that is annoying buzzing around my head while i've been typing this. so if i typed in incomplete sentences, that's why. i'm not thinking in sequence: Westcomb...."die!"...e-vent shell..."aaah!"...chocolate cake..."where'd that sucker go?"....how many beers did that rep have?...."such an elusive little sucker!!!"

check this out!

Brittlee somehow got me hooked on this website (click the logo to get there). It's a wonderful marketplace where everything is handmade. I am so inspired by the creativity of the people on this site. I also love the idea of buying things from these people verses the mall when it comes to gifts or whatever else. I do not have a shop on etsy (YET!!! maybe i'll discover that i have a secret creative talent!), but i love, love to peruse all the handicrafts.

I have recently put some of my favorite items on my side-bar so that you can get hooked too!!!

my 5's:

prompted by Carrie, i thought this would be really fun. and it was fun to read hers - amazing the things you could never know about a person otherwise.... so, read, learn, enjoy...

5 things under $5 I couldn't live without:
coffee
toothbrush
snow
trees
Landon (well, he's a litte more expensive than $5 - but his love is free!)

5 favorite movies:
while you were sleeping
pride and prejudice (the newer one)
legends of the fall
a river runs through it
braveheart

5 favorite baby names:
um, landon's not too keen on us sharing these until we're done with babies (though we haven't even begun! - don't want you to steal our great ideas).
but if i had it my way, our kids would be named after things in nature, mostly trees.


5 songs I love:
hymns in general
wild horses - rolling stones (we danced to this on our wedding day!)
blessed the rains - toto
if you want me to - ginny owens
shout to the lord - first song i remember understanding what worship was as a child, and wanting to worship God with my whole heart. really special.

5 positive influences:
family
Landon
african orphans
literature
college

5 things always in my purse:
credit card
Bible
tampons
chapstick
trash

5 life-changing moments:
1999 - Columbine shooting
2002 - moving back to Colorado (from APU)
2004 - Landon FINALLY falls in love with me
2005 - living in Africa
2007 - moving to Illinois

5 current obsessions:
reading your blogs
coffee
pulling dandelions
flowers
family

5 places i want to go:
Colorado
New Zealand
Kenya - i miss my babies!
Montana - don't you think i would love it there?
Switzerland

5 appliances or kitchen tools I cannot live without:
stove/oven
can opener
wine
our nice set of knives
calphalon cookware

please share yours if you so desire - i'd love to learn these quirky things about you!!

BUY ONE GET ONE TREE

Just a reminder: If you buy a pair of Chaco's April 25-27 the arbor day foundation will plant a tree in our national forest. click here for participating retailers

in case you didn't know...

so, if you're a starbucks regular (like many of you are) and your local barista hasn't informed you yet, then i will be the privileged one! if you buy a starbucks card and register it online (or register an existing card), then when you get your soy chai, your soy will be free. if you want a vanilla-latte, your syrup choice will be free - EVERY TIME! and what the picture above doesn't tell you, along with the great benefits it already displays, you will have 2-3 hours free internet each day in our cafes with a registered card.

i know, i've never paid with a card before, but this is good enough reason to put some mullah on a card, register it, and then just keep refilling your starbucks card. the money goes to the same place, anyway. and, quite honestly, it might help you budget your 'bucks intake - like, only spend $30.00 a month at starbucks, so you can only refill your $30.00 balance once a month! i'm calling your husbands about this idea, by the way....