Eco Things and Frugal Stuff

We use plastic in this house.  We are not perfect.  But we do what we can to make a difference.  Part of that is sending items to Terracycle for upcycling.  Recently I had two shipments to send:  personal care and energy bar wrappers.  I've stopped buying energy bars for the most part, but Mr. GV still uses Clif Shots when he is biking.  

My visible "eco/frugal" to-do list one day:  return library books, drop off magazines at Friends of Library, mail two books for Paperback Swap, and the two boxes for Terracycle.  

I frequently need green chiles and jalapeños for dishes I make for Mr. GV.  Of course it's always cheaper to buy the bigger cans, so I have leftovers.  No problem!  Just use an ice cube tray to freeze and make servings for later.  

Yard sales!  I went to a city-wide sale a couple of weekends ago and boy was that fun.  Especially if you are just starting out in your own home or if you are having a baby, you could make out like a bandit.  

I came home with:

2 small baskets (used to organize the top of my laundry closet)

4 fun math/story books for J

2 DVDs for J

Lego book, Highlights magazine, Mad Libs 

Brainquest cards (2nd grade)

Audio book on CD

2 rubber stamps (used for our homemade wrapping paper)

Waterproof toiletry bag 

2 drinking glasses

2 shirts for me

3 short-sleeved shirts for J

4 long-sleeved shirts for J this fall

For everything you see in the picture below, I paid just over $10.  Such a bargain.  The drinking glasses, baskets, and shirts for myself were all things I had on my list of wants.  And I am always on the lookout for clothes for J, as he grows so fast (about 3 inches since school started in August.)  

I also went to Goodwill that same weekend.  I was in serious need of shirts.  I was down to just a few decent T-shirts that didn't have mysterious holes, or stains, or collars that are stretched out.  And I really didn't have any other shirts that weren't dressy.  So I was thrilled to come home that day with 7 shirts for a total of $21!  The DVds were $2.25 each.  The Star Wars animated DVDs are for my nephew to watch and the other one is one that I plan to eventually resell.  I should make at least $10 off of it according to the used prices on Amazon.  

Do you have any frugal or eco actions you would like to share?  I would love to hear about them!  

Kindergarten Parade

What's cuter than 11 classes of kindergarteners marching around in a parade?  Maybe a bunch of puppies doing the same?  

In April, J participated in his kindergarten parade, which was themed "A Year in the Life of Kindergarten."  

Here you see the Grand Marshal.  The Grand Marshal is always driven around in a fancy car, you know?  

1st grade or bust!

St. Nick represented December,

while March had a class full of leprechauns and lucky clovers.  

J's class represented April, which is the month in which a huge festival takes place in our town.  

(My apologies for the lack of puppies in this post.)