It snowed and iced a lot here in Texas last week. We were not prepared clothing-wise. Austin doesn’t get real snow, mostly ice when it does get cold enough, and our family does not participate in any winter sports. Because kids’ feet grow so fast and it also doesn’t rain that much here, we also…
This is a repost of my January 2021 article in the Mueller neighborhood newsletter, The Front Porch Flyer. In the world of zero waste, one of the big books is Secondhand: Travels in the New Global Garage Sale by Adam Minter. The book does a great job of balancing what’s going on in the world…
*Note on the use of the word Christmas: I try to use as many words as I can to capture and make available as much information as possible. Not everyone is going to know all the terms for something so I try and make sure I think of all the alternatives. At the same time…
My favorite R: Repair for a Little Playmate Igloo Cooler I’ve had this cooler since elementary school summer camps. I’m in my 30s so this is a quality product and holds a lot of memories for me. My son started playing with it this spring and he was doing great with it until one day…
Happy Halloween Everyone! I want to share a few ideas for how to handle your pumpkins and gourds after they’re done as decorations. Fresh Pumpkins Pumpkins in good condition (not soupy or moldy) even if they’ve been carved can be donated to the Central Texas Pig Refuge or a similar organization in your area. No…
These homemade popsicles are based on an idea my mom had when my brother and I were little. We’d pour a single serving of yogurt or orange juice into one of the smallest Tupperware cups, freeze, and then chip away at the filling with a grapefruit spoon. It’s a process, it’s cold, and the chipping…
This may not be the most “zero waste” idea I’ve posted here; however the larger volume of bubbles made at home does save transportation costs of driving or delivery and the endless plastic bottles, plasticy-metal seals, and lame tiny bubble wands. So it’s “Reducing” virgin materials and waste. I’m allergic to standard bubble solution. It’s…
I am so excited to share about this experience, and it’s an actual Repair, one of my favorite “R’s”! My son was given this car by one of our neighbors who had outgrown it. It’s a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe, the distinctive red and yellow car of youth. They seem to be everywhere in our…
As it was 106 today in Austin, Texas, I pulled out the ice cube tray! Not for my drinks mind you, but for my son to play with! I got this idea from Thinkery, the children’s museum here in Austin, Texas. The Thinkery, as part of their toddler program Bloomers, froze small plastic animals in…
I purchased this product myself and my review is my own experience. I don’t wear a lot of headbands. My head is a bit larger than normal, earpieces tend to dig into my head, and elastic headbands do not stay on my head even with bobby-pins. The whole cute bandanna as a hairband, even with…