Emily Time!

We are trying to spend more time at home and cut down on the running around (a bit)!

We had a quiet day at home. Grandpa worked while babysitting our sweet baby!

She loved her time with Grandpa!

Katie and I ran a quick errand and we were back in 30 minutes!

Emily enjoyed time on her play mat!

Her eyes are open more often now!

She listened intently to the new sounds!

And is trying her hardest to see where the noise is coming from!

At this point she is only seeing contrasting colors.

We are loving our time with her!

(but of course miss the other children at home)

Her eyes are a muddy blue color. Katie and Andrew have green/ brown hazel eyes.

We have brown, blue, hazel and green in the families!

Excited to see what color she decides on!

God bless you sweet girl!

She loved my shirt with the contrasting black and white!!

Okay... we are done with play time - she's starting to cry...

Oops- false alarm!

We are okay after all!

A bath, diaper change, a feeding and a new outfit!

We are good to go!!

It's been a glorious few days!

Sightseeing in Stuttgart!

Emily is very portable right now!

Easy to carry around and very little fussing!

However, she had a tough night so we tried to do less on Day 2...

It didn't work as planned but it was a good effort!

Remember all the gear you need for a baby!

And,

how much longer everything takes ;-)

Katie and Andrew handle it so well and we try to help out as much as possible!

 We visited one of the local castles!

Schloss Solitude was the name of the castle and it was beautiful!

In Germany everything is closed on Sundays so family's spend the day together
(no shopping, no errands) and the day will often include a hike!

I love this about Germany!

They had horses on the grounds surrounding the castle, they are so beautiful!

I am thinking about taking horseback riding lessons with some of our children!

Sarah and Ava are doing it now. Mia, Melissa and Mom are thinking about joining them!

In our family, whoever gets to ride horses, "gets" to do the doggy poop pick up at home!

It's the price you have to pay for the privilege of riding horses!

I did a little riding when I was younger... a lot lot younger!

Wonder if I get even get up on the horse now???

On the way home we stopped at Rubble Hill.

After WWII they dumped all the rubble from the buildings that were bombed on top of this hill.

It has now grown over and has become a place to rest and reflect on all that happened during the war.

65% of Stuttgart was destroyed during WWII

We ended up stopping here because Katie needed to feed the baby- I am so glad we did.

There is so much history in Germany...

All over the city are small plaques on the sidewalk where people were "last seen"...

 How awful it must have been for the families of the missing people... 

It is in memory of all that happened and a reminder that it can never happen again...

It overlooks the city of Stuttgart.

Praise God that beauty can come from such evil...

This cross is at the top of the hill...

And then it was time to make our way back down.
Hubby and I enjoyed the time with Andrew.

I promise...
there will be way more pics of Emily in the next post!

Meeting Emily!

Hubby and I are in Germany!

It is beautiful here!

Spring has sprung!

And we have finally been able to hold our precious Granddaughter!

She is beyond beautiful!!

It was a lovely day outside so we spent much of it out in the fresh air!

Emily snoozed most of the time!

This is such a treasured time!

I really can't believe it!

I am holding my granddaughter!

WoooooHooooo!

Oopsy!

Sorry Emily!

Hubby is such a proud Grandpa!

Her shirt says

"I love Grandpa!"

Praising GOD for this time with Emily, Katie, Andrew and of course, Penny!

We Have Been Busy...

Looking for dresses for our June wedding!

Matt and Caitlin are busy planning it!

Lace and eyelet are "in" this year!

Aren't they "in" every year!

Seriously, who ever tires of lace and eyelet!

It's always beautiful!

(God Bless our sweet Emma's legs… they are always scarred and tattered… it hurts my heart but their is nothing I can do about it...)

And here is Mia's dress!

I ordered them online and was thrilled that they all fit!!

The boys will be in khaki pants and yellow checked shirts!

The wedding is nice but comfortable, it will be held outside in the mountains of Colorado!!

These two have lost another tooth!

(the tooth fairy is getting tired!)

Abby's are already growing in and they each have two more loose teeth!

And our sweet Emily Kathleen continues to grow and change!

Here she is leaving the hospital and below…

She is one week old and resting on her daddy's military clothes!

So precious and so perfect!

And the newest pic has her going outside in the fresh air for a short walk with Mom and Dad!

Very soon this Grandma will be holding her- so thankful!

How to Celebrate Earth with your Kids, Everyday

Leo, one special morning

One morning last year, as I was clearing up breakfast after sending my boys off to school, I heard my youngest shout:

-Come here, Mama! You’ve got to see this!

-What is it? I cried from inside.

-You’ll see, but run! You’ve got to hurry!

I ran outside to the front porch and then down a few steps to where my son stood, eyes frozen in one direction.

-What is it? I asked again. 

Without a word, he lifted his arm and pointed towards one of our oak trees. I followed his arm and finger, scanning and squinting through the branches in search for something special. Was it a squirrel? But everything looked in order to me and I was about to ask what had caught his attention, when he murmured:

-Isn’t this beautiful? Look at that green!

Right in front of us, a morning ray of light highlighted the moss-covered limbs of our tree and I had almost missed this magical sight: Nature's brightest green or what Benjamin Moore calls "Paradise Green"...

Paradise Green

Much like that morning, Earth Month or Earth Day is a great opportunity to take a moment out of our busy schedules to pay attention to Nature and be thankful for her gifts. But why celebrate Earth only once a year, when our survival depends on it daily?  Earth Day should be every day of every month, and it can be with the Zero Waste lifestyle! 

A sustainable future starts at home by raising our kids to be good stewards of the environment. 

Here are 10 tips for celebrating Earth with your kids, everyday:

1. Educate your kids about environmental issues. Watch documentaries such as DisneyNature’s Ocean and movies such as The Lorax with an underlying green theme. The more they know, the more they’ll understand the need to reduce waste. For more suggestions, including books, take a look at my kid friendly selection.
2. Turn down freebies. In our consumerist society we’re pounded with free goods. But every time we accept a freebie, such as a plastic party favor from a birthday celebration, we create a demand to rig more oil and make more plastic party favors. Once home, these items quickly break (making kids cry) and clutter our space and then landfills. Teach your kids to think twice about bringing things into your home and graciously say no to favors that they don't need and won’t last.
3. Declutter their wardrobes and toy chests. It seems natural to want to spoil our kids with stuff. Yet, decluttering their space is a more environmentally sound thing to do, as it puts precious resources back on the market for others to enjoy while decreasing the depletion of natural resources. Teach them the benefits of decluttering vs. accumulating. Living with less allows them to pick up their room quickly so they have more time to play!
4. Give them the gift of experiences. Experiences don’t break and last forever. They also teach our kids that beingis more important than having. Consider activities instead of stuff as presents. Examples include tickets to a movie, a show or a museum, gift certificates to the local ice cream or pizza parlor, registration to a skateboarding or dancing class etc. 
5. Shop the bulk aisle with them. Eliminating food packaging does not just make obvious environmental sense, it makes financial sense (Did you know that when you purchase a packaged good 15% of the price covers the packaging? That money could be used to fund an experience). And it’s better for our kids’ health too -reducing their exposure to processed foods and plastic packaging's toxic leaching. Let your kids fall in love with unpackaged food by letting them explore the bulk aisles and choose their favorite cereal and snack with you. 
6. Pack Zero Waste lunches. Disposables are not only a waste of resources; they’re a waste of your time and money shopping for them. Keep your money out of the landfill (save it for a family trip) and pack a waste free lunch for them: You probably already have all the reusables you need! A reusable bottle and container, and a dish towel to wrap them in Furoshiki style. The cloth becomes a carrier, a placemat, and a napkin all in one!
7. Take them on a tour of your local sorting center. Not only will they learn about what happens to their recyclables once they leave the curb, but so will you. You’ll get to see firsthand why plastic bags and shredded paper are a sorting facility’s nightmare.
8. Include them in composting activities.  There is a composting system out there for every family’s living condition (whether you are an urban, suburban, or rural dweller) and diet (whether you produce meat or veggies scraps). The worm bin in particular, is a great way for kids to witness the cycle of nature: feed the worms and watch them transform scraps into a rich soil amendment, which they can then feed to your plants.
9. Get out. What better way to teach the importance of conservation than going outside to enjoy nature and understand the reason behind being green! Let your kids connect with the outdoors through hiking, biking, picnicking, camping, etc. They can also participate in litter picking events or habitat restoration projects: Their energy is always welcome!
10. Have Fun! Environmental awareness should not make our kids feel scared about their future, but give them the strength to want to do their bit for the Earth. Kids respond best to our “lessons” through humor and play. We found that experiences provide a great opportunity for both. Stay tuned for upcoming posts about our family most recent adventures. 

If you have not already done so, check out my book Zero WasteHome: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste (adapted versions available for the UK and the Commonwealth, France , Quebec and Korea,), for more tips on how to Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot at home.