Go Green Expo

Go Green Expo
Business-to-Business Expo
Friday, November 6th • 10am - 5pm
Business-to-Business & Business-to-Consumer Expo Minneapolis Convention Center
Saturday, November 7th • 10am - 6pm 1301 Second Avenue South
Sunday, November 8th • 10am - 5pm Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403
(612) 335-6000
www.minneapolisconventioncenter.com
Tickets: Friday: Complimentary to Business Buyers (please bring your business card for admission)
Saturday & Sunday: $10 for a full weekend pass; $5 for Students & Seniors with proper ID;
Children 12 and under are Free

Energy Auditor

I keep forgetting to post this. I passed my test and now I can officially be an Energy Auditor. I am not quite sure what I intend to do with this new 'title' but we will see what the future holds. I have a new wealth of information to share with everyone!

SAHMs and Being Green

I was recently researching information about being a stay-at-home mom and the economic impact that it has on a family. I have heard many different statistics regarding the worth of a 'SAHM - stay-at-home mom.' As recent as 2007, msn.com reports:
"What's a mom worth?
According to one report, $138,095 a year.
That's the figure in a study put out by Salary.com , which calculates the wages that would have been paid a stay-at-home mom in 2007 if she were compensated for all the elements of her "job." That total was up 3% from 2006's salary of $134,121."
I am not surprised by this figure, although, my husband is. I made a list of all of my duties, AKA my job description and I think that by-and-large, the salary figure could be even higher. You are asking yourself, "why is she writing a post about this on her green blog?" I will tell you. It appears to me that being a SAHM and being green will save you even more 'green' thereby making the stay-at-home mom even more valuable! In future posts I intend to prove my point!

Watch TV - It is GREEN!

I may have mentioned that I watch 'Planet Green' 24/7! I think I may be addicted actually, which I don't think is a bad thing. There are many informative shows which provide a wealth of information. One of my favorite shows is 'Living With Ed.' Ed Begley cracks me up! He has been 'green' since before 'green' had a term associated with it. I also really enjoy 'World's Greenest Homes.' This show is fantastic! It features homes from all over the world that are the ultimate in green and living sustainably. If people would just watch this show alone they could see that it is truly possible to live life off the grid!

I Feel Like a Little Kid Again!

Seriously, getting a new bike makes you feel like a kid! Remember when you were young and your parents took you shopping for a bicycle? The sparkling rims on the wheels? All the different colors and sizes? Well, multiply that by like 1000! The bikes of today are so varied in style and size and color that it makes your head spin. After my husband researched for hours on end on the internet we set out to bike shop. We don't have to go far because he was looking for Trek bikes and we have a local bike shop that carries them. I learned that there are now several kinds of bikes, like tennis shoes, depending on what you are using it for. I have been amazed at how my kids have to have 'tennis' shoes not only for tennis, but also for basketball, walking, running, etc. etc. The same goes for bikes.... I ended up with a bike for 'pavement and paths' since I will be riding on the road or the bike trail. Trek makes a bike for whatever type of bicycling you set out to do. Happy trails!

Square Foot Gardening

This book is fantastic! I am learning all about gardening. This is my first attempt at vegetable/fruit gardening (part of my goal of sustainable living). Mel is teaching me how to garden in small spaces. I recommend this easy to read book for beginners. I have been busy with my gardening for a couple of weeks now but have not posted about it yet....stay tuned as I will show step by step pictures of building a raised bed garden and we will follow the progress over the summer!

Biking Benefits

I just caught this on twitter and had to pass it on. I have been mentioning to Toad that we all need new bikes and this just gives me all the reasons I need to convince him. Twelve Reasons to start using a bike for transportation.
Happy trails!

Amazing Tomato Basket

Today I visited a nursery in Northern Minnesota that I normally don't frequent. I happened upon a hanging basket of tomato plants! I was excited because I am attempting to plant seedling tomatoes in hanging baskets similar to the ones seen on TV that hang out of the bottom of the planter. The picture above shows you that the tomato plants are hanging over the edge instead of out of the bottom. I am working on my vegetable/fruit garden. The weather is just not cooperating. It has been in the mid-thirties - not favorable for starting a garden. My dining room table is starting to look like an indoor garden. Patience is a virtue. Who said that anyway? Whoever said it didn't live in Minnesota!

Living Green Expo

We had a great family outing this weekend. Saturday morning we headed to St. Paul to experience for the first time the 'Living Green Expo' held at the State Fair Grounds. What a fantastic family event! Every member of our family left the Expo with a great attitude and a greater sense of learning what it means to live sustainably. While Todd spent a large portion of time in the Silent Power booth, the girls and I scanned the entire event, checking out all booths and attending a couple of workshops. The girls each acquired a messenger bag that was produced from recycled organic coffee bean burlap sacks, recycled billboard canvas, reclaimed fabric, and recycled seat belts. They use them as a book bag for school. There are so many ways to reuse items that would traditionally be sent to a landfill.

Todd rejoined us for lunch at the Chipolte food stand. Here is a quote from the Chipolte webpage: "Today, more than fifty percent of our beef is from farmers across the country who meet the naturally raised criteria set forth in our Food With Integrity standards. Naturally raised beef costs more, but we think it's worth it. We're working overtime to make all of our beef, in all of our restaurants, naturally raised within the next few years." AND "When you order naturally raised beef at Chipotle, here is what you are getting (and not getting):· No added growth hormones, ever.· No antibiotics, ever.· Vegetarian feed with no animal by-products." All of the proceeds from Chipolte's stand at the event was donated to charity. Thank you Chipolte, the tacos were delicious!

As we ate our lunch and waited for the workshop, Home Energy Efficiency: Advanced Techniques, to begin, we checked out the alternative vehicles area. I was a bit overwhelmed with all of the choices ranging from Hybrid (gas/electric) and Electric to Clean diesel and Neighborhood electric vehicles. My youngest daughter's favorite was, of course, the Toyota Prius. I found myself drawn to the Honda Insight. I was really not impressed with the projected mileage on the Insight. I am waiting for the 2010 Prius; it has an Estimated 50 mpg combined mileage.

The Home Energy Efficiency workshop was AMAZING! But the most exciting thing was that I knew 90% of what was covered! I really feel that I am learning from everything I am reading and watching. The bulk of the material covered concentrated on the TE (thermal envelope.) The speaker talked extensively about the importance of proper insulation and the various types of insulation including new products. I am really sold on soy-based spray foam insulation.

The second workshop we audited was Sustainability 101. Terry Gips from the Alliance for Sustainability led the class. Terry is an extremely interesting person. He has done sustainability consulting for top companies around the world. One of the most important things I absorbed from the lecture was 4 things that we need to do in order to obtain sustained living.
1. Limit what we take from the earth (don't deplete natural resources)
2. Avoid toxic substances (we make)
3. Care for what we do (use recycled paper)
4. Meet human needs of every person
The United States makes up only 4% of the world population but we consume 25% of the world's resources. This fact alone tells you that WE need to make changes in our nation!

The last thing I need to tell you about is that we stopped at several booths and learned about worm composting. The girls and I met the two brothers that designed an indoor worm composter exclusively for Target (http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=cm_wr_ty_dp/190-8616969-1913515?ie=UTF8&asin=B001OREK1S) (This is actually a very simple process to make organic fertilizer for your home garden.) I really want to give this a serious attempt!

Overall, the trip was a success! The Expo was well worth the time spent!

Make-shift Clothesline

Several years ago I started coveting a clothesline pole like my mom has. The kind she has is very elaborate; two big monster metal 'T' poles and four strands of metal strung between them. The truth is you just can't go out and buy those. I decided that instead of buying one of the junky ones and then cementing it in the ground and regretting it later that I should just 'try out' hang-drying my clothes to see if I really like it and to calculate how much I would actually save by doing this. So, I hooked up a make-shift clothesline by securing one end to a metal stake that I drove into the top of my retaining wall and the other end tied around a tree about 40 feet away. I drove a nail into the tree to keep the string from slipping/sagging down the tree (so sorry tree - that is almost dead!) I hung out Todd's T-shirts and they look so fresh swaying in the breeze. It is a bit chilly out so I am sure they will take a little longer than normal to dry. There are a couple of problems with my 'system.' The first one is that the ends are so far apart that the line sags drastically, and the second is that it is not big enough for an entire load. If all goes well I am thinking that I will splurge and contact a welder to make me some like my mom's!

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is an approach that takes into account the impact on society, the environment, and the economy when making business or personal decisions.

"For humans to live sustainably, the Earth's resources must be used at a rate at which they can be replenished. However, there is now clear scientific evidence that humanity is living unsustainably, and that an unprecedented collective effort is needed to return human use of natural resources to within sustainable limits."
(Wikipedia.org)

For me, sustainability is a combination of being conscious of our natural resources, living within our means, and living a life of health. I believe I am on my way to being a LOHAS.

LOHAS "is a demographic defining a particular market segment related to sustainable living, ( Sustainable living refers to a specific lifestyle that attempts to reduce an individual's or society's use of the Earth's natural resources. Practitioners of sustainable living often attempt to reduce their carbon footprints by altering methods of transportation, energy consumption and diet) 'green' ecological initiatives, and generally composed of a relatively upscale and well-educated population segment." That is the definition given by Wikipedia.org. It stands for Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. The definition should not include 'upscale and well-educated' because ANYONE can live a Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability. And, everyone should! It just means that you want to live healthy and be conscious of your surroundings.

Shoes Off Please!

When we moved into our first home we made a rule that everyone should take off their shoes. The main reason was that we had new light cream carpet in our living room that would get trashed if we didn't remove our shoes. Ever since then, we have maintained that rule, mainly because the houses have been brand new and we wanted them to stay looking 'new.' Recently it seems that we have been slacking in this area, including me. When guests come to visit I even tell them they don't have to take their shoes off. Well, after reading this article I have again decided to re-enforce the Shoes Off Please! rule! The reason I enacted the rule to begin with was to alleviate some cleaning but now it is because of health reasons AND cleaning. The article talks about dog paws but I am sorry, I can't get rid of my pets!

Make your Dryer more efficient!

I found this post on Twitter from 'Green Girls' and felt that I should share it:

Green Your Clothes Dryer
10 tips to a greener dryer.


By Josh PetersonLos Angeles, CA, USA Wed Apr 15 07:30:00 EDT 2009

The best dryer for your money and the environment is the clothesline. With the investment of a few bucks you can dry your clothes with solar power for free. However, many people enjoy the convenience of an electric clothes dryer and probably won't part with it. Ok. That's fine. Let's work with that.
If you're going to use an electric clothes dryer, then it should be an energy-efficient one. By adhering to a few simple tips, you can reduce the energy costs and electricity use of your clothes dryer. This is how:
Clean the lint filter after every use.
Make sure the dryer vent's outside. An interior-venting dryer can really destroy the quality of your indoor air.
Avoid overloading and under loading.
Wash loads back to back. The residual heat in the dryer will decrease drying time for every load past the first.
The vent hose shouldn't be longer than 25 feet. Each bend in the hose counts for five feet, not counting the bend at the actual appliance. (20ft of hose w/ one bend is equal to 25ft of hose with no bend.)
Don't forget to clean the exterior vent from time to time.
You'll also want to clean the vent hose once a year if possible.
If you vent hose is kinked, it will increase lint build-up and decrease energy efficiency.
Like the fridge, you should check the dryer door for leaks. Place a piece of tissue paper near the crack while the dryer is running. If the tissue gets sucked into the dryer, replace the seal.
Put the dryer in a warm place.

Go Green Gift Basket

My husband's cousin is getting married in a couple of weeks. I looked at their registry and nothing jumped out at me so I decided to introduce them to some of my favorite eco-conscious products by putting together a go-green gift basket. As you can see, I even included some new Scotts Green Done Right Toilet paper (40% post-consumer recycled paper), 100% recycled aluminum foil and some dish towels to use instead of paper towels!

Havarti Asparagus Soup

Yummy.... I made a simple creamy cheese asparagus soup for dinner tonight. I used the organic chicken broth from a previous post, havarti cheese, organic carrots, and asparagus, which is just coming into season now. I have not seen organic asparagus yet but will keep my eyes peeled. The soup is loaded with vitamins - so good and so good for you. My daughter said, "that soup was really good." So, it was a success if my critics give it a compliment.

The Dirty Dozen

Yes, many organic products are a little more spendy. I am willing to pay that little extra for the comfort of knowing that I am able to reduce my families' toxin consumption. But I did a little research to find out if it is necessary to buy ALL organic. It would be nice to do that but in these economic times when everyone is tightening their belts, is it critical? You can read the entire article and decide for yourself.
The Dirty Dozen List (a compiled list of products that you SHOULD buy organic):
apples
cherries
grapes
nectarines
peaches
pears
raspberries
strawberries

bell peppers
celery
potatoes
spinach

And, some other articles have listed a few additional items:
carrots
kale
lettuce

milk
beef
poultry

The link above has a list of products that you can generally NOT buy organic. I am not going to list them all but it is reassuring to know that there are specific items that are important to buy organic. By choosing organic for the produce designated as the 'Dirty Dozen' you can reduce pesticide exposure by nearly 80%. Now that is amazing!

Valuable Vinegar

Vinegar has been used for thousands of years. It dates back to ancient Egypt; it was probably discovered by accident when wine went sour. The active component of vinegar is acetic acid which is a byproduct of a bacteria called acetobacter. Most table vinegars are about 5% acetic acid. Vinegar is extremely cheap and has a long shelf life.
Here is a list of handy tips that I have compiled from several internet sources. I do not claim that they work because I have not tried all of them yet but I guarantee that I will! Tips offered should be spot tested in an inconspicuous area first. And an important note that I came across was 'do not use full strength vingar on grout - it eats away at it - ALWAYS dilute with water in this case.' Also, make sure that vinegar does not come in contact with hydrogen peroxide. It makes Peracetic Acid. The toxicity is low however it can be extremely irritating to the skin, eyes, and respiratory tract and can explode ast high temperatures. With all that out of the way here is a list of vinegar uses:

• remove calcium buidup in pots and kettles - boil 1/2 cup white vinegar and leave to soak for a while, rinse with fresh water, reboil with same water and your kettle should now be calcium deposit free
• 1/2 cup vinegar added to toilet left overnight removes odor - the smell will dissipate overnight
• a cotton ball soaked in vinegar and applied to bruises for an hour is said to speed healing process
• vinegar on minor burns and many sorts of stings can alleviate pain
• cleaning dishwasher - vinegar frozen into ice cubes - put a couple in bottom of dishwasher and run through cycle
• cleaning dishwasher - put a cup filled with vinegar on the bottom rack of your dishwasher and run it through a cycle to
• old stiff paintbrushes - dip in heated white vinegar for a couple of hours, follow by a rinse in soapy water (beats using turpentine!)
• broad leaf weed killer - spray undiluted onto the leaves of weeds, avoid plants you wish to keep - set on stream, not mist - next day, brown and dead
• grass in cement driveway joints - mix of vinegar and salt
• pet stains on carpet - white vinegar poured on pet urine then blotted up with towel
• pre-spray for laundry - spray undiluted on deoderant and other stains on garments just prior to washing
• shower doors and screens - spray 50/50 mix of vinegar and water on soap scum, let sit, wipe or rinse off
• Neat (undiluted) vinegar sprayed on mold will kill the mold
• Fabric softener - add half the amount of vinegar as you would of your usual softening agent
• If using a fabric softener 'ball' place white vinegar to the fill line and then add 3 drops of lavendar essential oil
• Dishwasher rinse aid - add vinegar instead of rinse aid

Hair conditioner - many variations of this......

• use a tablespoon of vinegar as a replacement for hair condition
• Apple Cider Vinegar and water 50/50 as a rinse aid for hair (vinegar deters head lice)
• cleans dandruff off of your scalp
• furniture cleaner - 1 cup white vinegar with 6 drops of jojoba oil
• glass cleaner - 50/50 water and vinegar or vinegar neat in a spray bottle
• If you have ever used the blue glass cleaner you might have to add a little bit of liquid soap to the water/vinegar mixture to get rid of the wax left behind by commercial cleaners
• polish chrome and stainless steal - full strength vinegar
• iron - use 50/50 vinegar and water mix to clean your iron, add mixture to your iron and allow it to steam itself clean (some say it causes brown gunk so don't use on clothes until perfectly clear of this byproduct)
• pour boiling white vinegar down a clogged drain to remove obstruction
• clogged drain - pour a couple tablespoon of baking soda down drain, add vinegar, let foam, follow with some boiling water, rinse clean
• room deodorizer - use in a fine mist atomizer (sprayer)
• Ants hate vinegar - spray around doorways and repel ants (I wonder if it works for spiders - I will definitely try this!
• Zits - dab zit with a cotton swab or qtip dipped in vinegar
• Hardwood floors - works great - diluted, of course
• Cheese - wrap in wax paper, a vinegar-sprayed paper towel, and a plastic bag - slows molding
• Toe nail fungus - dab on every morning and every night
• Fungal infections - undiluted or 50/50 with water and left in contact for at least an hour, 2xs daily
• Leg cramps - swab area with cloth or paper towel wet with white vinegar
• Clean your bird bath with vinegar
• Outdoor fixtures come clean with vinegar/water
• Tools can be cleaned with vinegar
• gardening containers - kill mold with vinegar
• Pet's ears - clean your bets ears with vinegar (not sure on the process)
• skunk odor - remove with vinegar
• Cat deterant - vinegar deters cats from prowling around your yard, also racoons, rabbits, and other varmits
• Coffee pot - fill 1/2 full with vinegar and run it through, rinse with another pot full of clean water - I rinse it out 2xs!
• Degreaser - vinegar is a natural degreaser
• Stove top - spritz on and leave for 5-10 minutes, burnt on gunk should come right off - use scrubber and Vinegar's Best Friend .... baking soda if more severe
• Oven cleaner - spray interior of the oven with vinegar and let sit for 15 minutes, wipe, and rinse with water
• Limescale remover - mix 75% vinegar/25% water - spray on sink and wrap cloth soaked in mix around taps and leave for a couple of hours and they are like new
• ..... not to mention vinegar is great for chips and salad dressings :-)
• and the list goes on and on..........

Now, I found an important bit of information. Vinegar can be derived from Petroleum. Make sure your vinegar is NOT! Possible toxins will be emitted. It your vinegar says fermented from "synthetic ethyl alcohol" then there's likely a fossil fuel link - the key work is 'synthetic.'

From gathering all of this information I have deducted this.... go out and buy a big 'ol bottle of non-synthetic vinegar and get busy!

Alternative Energy

Everyone should check out this amazing company. Look for it to do big things in the very near future!
http://www.silentpwr.com/

Organic Cotton Quilt

The small town I live in is, well, shall we say, adverse for quality shopping. I have been looking for a new comforter for our bed. I like plain and simple and the last one I bought a few years back was way too ornate for me so when I saw this 100% Organic Cotton Quilt at Target I had to snatch it up. I like the simple stripe pattern. It is hard to tell from the photo, but there is a green trim that makes it a little quirky. Please ignore the red curtains because they will be moving downstairs ASAP. What I like about this comforter is that it goes extremely well with my carpet AND paint. Note: Target, so it was very reasonably priced. My daughter's organic bedding came from Pottery Barn Teen and not so reasonable but totally worth it in value!

How Green Are YOU?

The following article is direct from PlanetGreen.com. I found the statistics very interesting. Five years ago I would have pegged myself as a 'Grouser' but today I would definitely up that to 'True Blue Green.' I don't consider myself a radical either. I want to live healthy and energy efficiently. My husband would fall in the 'Greenback Greens' category. He works in the a Green Industry and talks the talk. So, where do you fall?

"Like all forms of profiling, green profiling is an inexact and often vastly skewed exercise. However, since the Roper ASW Green Gauge Report took a shot at defining different sector of the US markets, vis- à-vis greenness, we thought we'd share the results (with a little help from the Sustainability Dictionary):
True Blue GreensTrue Blue Greens are the most interested in green or environmental issues. In 2007, these customers jumped dramatically from only 9% to 30% of the total American consumer population and they tend to be educated, have higher incomes, and influence other consumers.
Greenback GreensGreenback Greens are interested in "green" or environmental issues but not always willing to spend extra to support their ideals. In 2007, these customers represent only 10% of the total American consumer population (up from 6% two years earlier) but are still more educated and dedicated than average consumers.
GrousersGrousers are disinterested in green or environmental issues. In 2007, these customers represent 19% of the total American consumer population. They tend to view environmental issues as too big and complicated to address.
SproutsSprouts are undecided about environmental issues when it comes to buying and using products and services. In 2007, these customers represent 26% of the total American consumer population and often evaluate environmental issues one at a time, comparing each to their personal benefits or costs.
ApatheticsApathetics are the least interested in green or environmental issues and the least likely to take any action on these issues. In 2007, this group was renamed from "Basic Browns" to "Apathetics" and its numbers fell from 19% to 18% in two years. They tend to be less educated, have lower incomes, and lower influence than other consumers.
So...where do you fit in?"

Todd's Coat Closet

BEFORE

AFTER

This was a major project which involved washing all of Todd's spring outerwear. That doesn't sound like much but Todd has 7 wind jackets. Of course, we don't get rid of any.... he might wear that one particular wind jacket someday. And, they are all good jackets! Todd's shoes, well, that is a another story all together......

Today's lunch was a delightful Turkey Wild Rice with Vegetables. I posted photos of two of the products that I like to use with this meal. Alexia brand whole wheat rolls, with only 80 calories each, are a nice side to our soup. I was so excited to find the Pacific brand ORGANIC Chicken Broth at COSTCO (my favorite store EVER)!

I usually make an extra large batch of soup so I can send it with Todd to work for lunch for a couple of days. This meal is also very healthy and low in calories.

Yummy and nutritious and low cal! Clockwise - sweet potato fries, lean hamburger (the best part.... 100 calorie bun by Arnold Select), mixed lettuce salad with light balsamic vinaigrette by Marzetti, and strawberries.

ALL of the above items are under 450 Calories! (the baked sweet potato fries are about 150 alone but worth it because they are sooo good for you!)

There is something wrong with this photo. Too much snow - that is what is wrong! I am just thankful that my great neighbor, Scott, has once again spared me from having to shovel this crap! Thanks again Scott!

Does anyone feel summery? Well I decided that I am going to ignore the outside weather and have a little summer salad - and my favorite one at that - with ONLY 200 Calories! Yum-yum! You can add a little grilled chicken for a light summer dinner too. It fits right into my big fat loser eating plan.

Today I did some more spring cleaning. I love the feeling of optimum organization. Although my cupboards are usually pretty organized, I went through all of them (again) and made sure they were nice and tidy. Next I plan to attack the family room with a vengeance.

My husband leaves for New Orleans tomorrow and will be gone over Valentine's Day. Last night he surprised me with a gift! Now, you have to know my husband; he is not of the mushy nature. One year for Valentine's, while we were attending college, he gave me a small box and a chocolate candy bar. I was so excited about the small box. What could it be? A bracelet? Earrings? I anxiously opened the box and was surprised to find my own copy of Word Perfect Software. I do have to say that I used that gift frequently during those years of college and it was what he thought I really needed! (he was right)

This year a small package arrived via UPS and Todd said that I could open it because it was 'for me.' I was bewildered because I hadn't mentioned that I wanted anything. I cautiously opened the package to find a technical device (shocker!) that looked like an MP3 player. (not something I really cared to own) Todd informed me that it is a hand-held video camera. At first I was like, um, what do I do with that? But then I realized that I will be able to add videos easily to my blog! So, now I am excited about that and I can carry it in my purse to capture all those moments that you wish you had a video camera for...... stay tuned for the coming videos!!! Thank you Nerd!

More Spring cleaning! I tackled my Laundry Room today, Yikes! One more thing to check off my list of To Do's. (Of course, this room needs an overhaul on a regular basis since my dogs' kennels are kept in there)

Today I took advantage of clearance sales at Target! Yeah me! 50% off! So I picked up a new table, chairs, and bench. Now that is Saving Green!

This spring-like weather has inspired me to do a little spring cleaning. I usually mop my oak floors three or four times a year (and spot clean in-between). The guy that installed the floor told me to only do it 2 times or less a year but I can't get by on that. Sweeping only gets you so far.... I am glad to only do it 4 times a year because it is such a huge job. Moving all the furniture and rugs, sweeping, and mopping takes over half of my day. (three rooms, entry and hallway) But, it looks and smells so nice for a day at least!

I have been experimenting with the recipes from the Biggest Loser Family Cookbook and came up with my own variation of a healthy version of a taco/nacho meal. It is kind of fondue style since you just put the pan in the middle of the table and give everyone a spoon to serve the mixture into their 'scoops' tortilla chips. My family loved it and it was so fun! The pictured mixture is missing the black beans, only because I didn't have any on hand but they are a must because they add so many vital nutrients!

It's a new year! Time to clean out old files and get that work area into tip top shape. So, yesterday and the day before I spent the afternoon cleaning out ALL of our files through-out the house. Here is the photo of my clean desk! (please disregard all of the unsightly cords)