a life beyond running shoes.

almost amish by nancy sleeth (one woman's quest for a slower, simpler, more sustainable life) does that sound right up my alley or what?! it was.  she takes a look at a community that has be able to stay connected to each other while remaining somewhat "out of touch" with modern culture. sleeth a makes the case that current american culture [and even modern church culture] are the ones that are out of touch not the amish.  sleeth takes ten tenants of amish culture and in a way deconstructs it, finds the merit, and challenges her reader to see what they have that we don't.  her ten things: home, technology, finances, nature, simplicity, service, security, community, families, and faith.  the ones that i really loved:  homes - aren't cluttered. technology - serves as a tool and does not rule. [i have stopped checking my cell phone or email on sundays....so mom, call my home phone] finances - save more and spend less.  simplicity - small and local lea...

walking gently on the earth by lisa graham mcminn & megan anna neff i feel like i am always evaluating where i can give up more. where to live simpler. where to make choices that reflect god's care for his creation. i didn't feel like anything in this book was new. i had either read it before, thought through, or talked with someone about it. the main difference is the authors come from a distinctly christian, biblical point of view. some key principles from the book: give first live with margin share and borrow stuff reuse, buy used, recycle pursue justice for people using your consumer power do no harm - protect ecological systems seek contentment just the idea of giving first and finishing with being content are challenging whether or not you consider your carbon footprint. god has called to us as stewards of his creation, and this book gives good basis for it and good resources in each chapter for considering it further. warning.... they do get controversial. ...

and we have success! 1. homemade granola bars add peanut butter and more chocolate chips! okay... so, i am still eating more of them than my children but at least they didn't turn up their noses right away. peanut actually ate his in his lunch and little bit ate one on the bus home from a long morning. (desperation just might breed consumption!) recipe: (adapted from ina garten - the barefoot contessa) 2 cups old-fashioned oatmeal 1/2 cup of puffed rice cereal 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1/2 cup toasted wheat germ 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 2/3 cup honey 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed 1/4 cup of peanut butter 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 cup dried cranberries Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 by 12-inch baking dish and line it with parchment paper. Toss the oatmeal, almonds, and puffed rice cereal together on a sheet pan and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the...

my first attempt at homemade yogurt. it failed..... i tried a recipe i found using a crock pot.... silly me! will try again after easter. i'll keep you posted. my first attempt at homemade granola bars. they were really yummy....but the critics did not agree. my kiddos were not as thrilled as i was by the attempt. apparently they are not as motivated by the lack of corn syrup or lack of trash in my brilliant creation.... perhaps i can just wear them down. i mean, if this is all there is.... perhaps desperation will breed consumption.

frankly, i could not resist. melanie rehak takes time to work in the kitchen of applewood restaurant in park slope, brooklyn (where she lives) and makes observations between choice and compromise all while taking the time to follow the chain of food before it gets to the restaurant. applewood is my all time favorite restaurant. it is where part of my journey of seasonal, local eating began. rehak has read wendell berry and michael pollan. again, how could i resist?! and i think she (and the owners of applewood) strike a balance between eating with convictions (local, sustainable, seasonal) and personal reality (a picky eater that will only eat bananas for breakfast - which in ny this is not local....in case you didn't know that about the northeast). the wrestling with convictions and compromise. and i loved her adventures with the fisherman and vegetable farmers. she learned a lot and still let her child eat cheerios. that is a lady i could be friends with. it did remind me of he...

so the warning has been issued...... this is about feminine hygiene. most specifically tampon alternatives. so for my brother....skip this post. in my attempts to live a greener lifestyle and make changes both small and large, i did a bit of research on tampon alternatives. this is what i found: the diva cup . it has been three full cycles now and i am just posting because i wanted to be able to give a full account of the product. i won't go back. BUT there is a learning curve. i just now feel as if i have the hang of it.....both gross factor and technique. it really does take getting used to and i am not sure how you would use it if you had to change it out while in a restroom without a sink nearby. again, too much information, but on my heaviest days i "empty" twice a day.....and at night still wear a pad. which was true prior to this experiment as well. i did read all the questions posted on their website, read the instructions multiple times, and read other bl...

i can hardly believe that i am only a third of the way to my goal distance. argh! i am intimidated. i got my first "MCM Newsletter" this week. i freaked out! have i booked my hotel? AHHHH! seriously. when do they think this is? three months from now.... oh right?! long run: 9 miles. conditions: 75 degrees; 6:15 am. 70% humidity. i picked up stef half way through run....this makes all the difference. week total: 17.3 miles weight loss: zero pounds i failed to do my cross training or core training this week. but i walked 3 miles yesterday to pick up my CSA - that whole carbon footprint thing...okay, not really - we loaned our car out. but still the kids had a great bike ride. little bit only made it half way. good thing i borrowed that double stroller. but wasn't i a sight with a screaming one year old, a bike on top of the stroller and three dozen eggs plus two whole chickens underneath the stroller. good thing little bit still had his helmet on in the stroller. it ...

i forgot to mention another small change: coffee. in the summer i love my iced coffee. in the winter..... ummmmm.... that vanilla latte. okay - preface - i only drink decaf. what is the point? taste. i add sugar and milk. or no go. well, i have decided that i will not buy my "little slice of heaven" iced coffee unless i bring my own cup..... okay, another confession - this is my husband's mug that he got for his birthday from my amazing sister-in-law who never forgets anyone's b-day and married into a family that doesn't remember to send a card.....or actually, she married a boy who has a sister that doesn't even remember to send a card....actually, my sister is really awesome at b-days too....so it is just me that sucks. and well, i stole it. it seals! i can throw it on the top of my stroller that does NOT have a cup holder and it won't spill!!! i mean seriously, that is one really awesome travel mug! i walk into my little coffee shops and very...

they are small changes, but changes none-the-less: 1. paper towels. we really started using rags awhile ago to clean up the kitchen, spills, and the table, but for kid's hands we have still been using paper towels OR wipes.... i now have a stash of washcloths in the kitchen for dirty hands & faces. 2. grocery bags. we have been using reusable grocery bags since my sister gave me some for xmas two years ago....but now i have been re-using the "vegetable" bags from the grocery. it takes a lot to remember to bring them every week but i feel like it is an important effort. i mean really, you put three apples in that bag and then throw it away. 3. deodorant. (okay, not so small of a change) i am still a little bit in disbelief that it really works. mama v gave me a recipe after my other post asking for help. it works and it is not for lack of smelling my own armpit (TMI - sorry). all i can say is - amazing. i made my own. thanks mama v ..... your recipe is ...

i have always heard (and read) that anti-perspirant is bad for you. after reading the no impact book, i decide to change a few hygiene things.... one being my deodorant. i am using this brand. lavender scent. roll-on. i don't like it. i feel like i stink. any recommendations? i am game to try something new. again.... no anti-perspirant. no animal testing. not bad for environment. let's hear it......

no impact man . by colin beavan i have been trying to figure out how to post about this book for over a week. that is right, i have been writing this post in my head for a week...... here is why: i want you to read it. and i know that most of you (my brother, my mother....okay, all my family) will dismiss it because it confirms what you really believe: that i am really that crunchy. there is has been said. i want you to read this book..... what can i write to compel you to read it? how can i spin it? how can i sell it? i can't. i will only tell you what i thought.... the decision is yours but so far this is the best book i have read this year..... he and his family (wife -prada wearing, cappuccino drinking, take-out ordering - plus toddler) try and go off the grid for a year....in new york city. no trash. no waste. no impact. want to read it yet? of course not..... that is merely strange and crazy but a slightly fascinating prospect. he is a good writer. he is honest. he is no...