Check out these sites!

Please check out some of the websites listed on the side bar! They are great resources for living green! If there is something you are trying to do greener and haven't figured out how, please comment and I'm sure we can help figure out how to accomplish anything!

long time no blog......

So it feels like an eternity since I've last blogged about my experiences. This actually is a good thing, because life has gone on as normal. It has become easier and easier to not buy new! I really don't feel the daily lurch in my stomach that I felt for the first few weeks just at the thought of it. I have found a new sense of peace and strength in my life and the decisions I've made. Now I find myself ready to face the prospect of pushing my ideas on others....watch out all! I've cut myself off of eBay since my last blog and now only look to buy things when I NEED them(so far no needs :( so no purchases) It's amazing how quickly that transition happens~ I did run into Target the other day (for a legitimate purchase) and was still overcome with the "I want's"! Everything seems like such a good deal and seems soo cute, but nothing that I couldn't live with out. I realize that I have just removed my temptations, and am happy that the urge has gone away! Anyhow if you have thought about trying to go without shopping new, the only advice I can give is remove your temptations and VERY QUICKLY the urge to shop will disappear. I am glad to know this year will go faster than I had anticipated!

Addiction!

Addiction runs in my family a fact I've known for quite awhile now! Although up until recently this is something I believed I didn't struggle with myself. OH how I was wrong! I am addicted to shopping and this experience has opened my eyes to this and is helping me to change. They say acceptance is the first step. :) I realized today that ebay is my new best friend when I started browsing just to see what was for sale and how much of a steal I can find it for! It literally took me having someone say "yeah but do you need that?, I thought this year was about creating less waste. You are still bringing waste into your life!" Wow was that a slap in the face! Hi my name is Liz and I am a shopaholic! Thankfully I am aware and have vowed to change my life for the better! My family does not need the clutter or stress that extra crap brings.

As a side note, I want everyone to know I am not making light of addiction I truely feel for everyone fighting their battles! (but I do feel I am addicted.)

Puppy Love

Good things are happening as a result of our Mom*Pact. It's funny how one step in the right direction takes you to the next and before you know it, your life is changing in extraordinary ways. The idea of being a better steward of our earth has caused me to reflect on being a better steward of my health, life, time, friendships, family,etc.
Two weeks ago, I started to feel beat down. I was tired, depressed, discouraged, and feeling pretty hopeless. I ended up in bed, completely weak and ill. Those who know me, know that I'm pretty high-energy and animated, but I felt like I was litteraly dying. I racked my brain trying to figure out what in the heck was wrong with me. It wasn't the flu. I didn't have a fever, but I couldn't function. I began to think that I was crazy and that it was all in my head. As I lay in bed, praying to God to heal me, I took an inventory of my habits and lifestyle. I had been surviving off of redbull, pepsi, coffee, and random food here and there. I was deeply self critical and my constant failures and false starts caused me to loose confidence in my ability to carry out and complete any significant goal. Every week was the "week that I would get my U-Know-What together."
God is so good, and He always manages to send you a little kiss just when you think you're going to go under. That weekend my friend Victoria popped into town. She came over and we layed around watching Vh1 and E! reruns while talking about life. After a few tears and some encouraging words, Victoria helped me realize something so simple, yet so significant and profound. "Baby Steps..." I'm an extremest. "Balls to the Walls." All or nothing is my naural inclination. So, I took my journal full of goals and broke them down into baby steps. First thing first, a complete and unwavering trust that God is in control and that He works all things together for the good to those who Love Him and are called according to His purpose. Second, evaluate what is not working and causing me to fall further away from the passionate life that I want to live. And third, taking it one step at a time....
Instead of embarking on an intense P90X workout that I probably would've quit after 2 days, I started taking walks every morning and used that time to thank God for my life, my kids, my health, the beautiful creation of our earth and that no matter how messed up I can get, He still loves me. This lead to an overall attitude of gratitude and desire to take better care of the health that He has blessed me with. I started drinking Green Tea instead of coffee, water instead of pepsi, fruit instead of junk and I've even been drinking this amazing green drink that has given me energy and health. My mind is clear, my heart is grateful, my body is energized, and my spirit is refreshed.
I have had the opportunity to bless others through freecylce and in turn have received a priceless gift of a new addition to our family. Buddy, my new puppy was in need of a home after his family moved to Santa Barbara. He was headed to a pound, when a friend of the owner posted the add on freecycle. I made contact and immediately bonded with the owner. It's funny how life comes full circle. When I was 8, I got a toy poodle for my birthday. I loved him so much. We had to move and my dad gave him away. I was heartbroken and never really loved another pet since. Buddy was a gift to the oldest son of this family who is about the same age as I was. It was such a gift to be able to welcome into our home. I see Buddy, and it's like I'm seeing my "poopsie" (only an 8 year old would come up with a name like that. LOL) He is playful, trained, and pottie trained. He's my walking buddy and I absolutely love him. I just can't believe how amazing life is right now.
Just one step at a time....

FEELING FRUMPY

I'm not a shopper. I don't like to shop. NOT even grocery shopping. Yes, I'm a rare breed of woman who does not enjoy shopping. But I'm feeling frumpy and need to update my wardrobe. I thought this challenge would be easy for me because I don't shop anyway. But I find myself looking for loopholes. Like, for instance, bra's and underwear. Hello! I'm not using recycled ones. And shoes. What's the point of buying used tennis shoes when you need the support of new ones. My boys are growing so fast. I need clothes for them, especially jeans. AHHHH! Ok, breathe..... I'm stretched so thin that going on a thrift store scavenger hunt is like shaving your legs with tweezers. Am I crazy? Ok I know I am a little crazy by default. I am a Cadena afterall. I need some tips. Where do I go to get nice looking recycled clothes. I need to narrow my search. HELP THE FRUMPY MOM

NY here we come!

I am happy to say that like Liz I am so excited that we are have stuck to this challenge to not buy anything new for on full month. It has been a real treat to hear from so many people who are reading and thinking in small ways about how they too can make a big difference. This quest to see how we can make the world a stronger, safer, and cleaner place for our children is worth the effort. Thanks to everyone who keeps me going and give me suggestions when needed and jokes when i get frustrated. You are all part of the solution! Gracias!

However, this month will be my personal challenge. I have a rejuvenation trip to New York planed with my best girls. Yes, this means NY with no crazy shopping spree! My goal is to do my best to not shop for anything new. I may look for something cool that is upcyled (made with something recycled) and i will no doubt be bringing home my baby girl something. I will however try to find something that will be earth friendly. Keep me in your thoughts and give my any suggestion that you may have.

HAPPY FEBRUARY !!!!

Victory~

I just realized that we have 1 month down! Yeah, only 11 to go!

Play-Dough!

So I unlike my sister have no problem leaving my house un-showered, with dishes in the sink and my bed unmade! To those that know me this is no great surprise, since my house has an open door policy and is often visited in such a state. I have two boys, one of whom hasn't stopped moving since the day he was born, so I've learned that to keep my sanity I must leave my house daily! Recently though something new has happened in our house he's turned two and now thinks tv is his new best friend! Last week I had a couple of errands to run and a play date set up and was trying to get out of the house (on a day the tv had actually been off) and Sawyer was having nothing to do with it, he wanted to stay home. The more aggravated I became the more it was obvious he didn't want to leave. I called my husband and said "I just don't know what to do, he's not being bad, he just doesn't want to get dressed!" to which he responded "well then put him in time-out." Then it hit me am I really going to put him in time out because I want to leave the house! Nothing we had to do was that important. So we changed gears I made play-dough and we had a great afternoon together! I know the importance of getting out (as we are at the park at least 2x a week) but some afternoons remember it is just as important to take time and enjoy the simple things in life! That afternoon, I spent no money, didn't worry when my son ate the play dough and sat and played with a little boy who normally runs circles around me!

I also made a huge mess that took me two days to clean up! but the way I see it, there are always dishes in my sink, what's one more. :)

pictures to follow get out blog

to all the ladies who are making small changes...

Do not underestimate your small part. It has a HUGE impact! You are changing the world. I am inspired by the things I am hearing from you. Thank you for all that you are doing. Thank you for reading and for sharing. Keep up the conscious living and tell us all about it. Blessing to you all and the earth SURELY thanks you too!

Get Out!

This blog is coming to you from a mom who (sadly admits) to cleaning before playing, too spending way too much time on the computer and who can not leave the house without a shower! Today I broke all my rules! Yes, even the shower. I not only survived. I have lived to blog about it!


I just had one of those perfectly unplanned days that make you take a deep breath and appreciate all the wonders around you. And since the wonderful world is the motivation for this "buy nothing new" challenge I am going to share my day with you.

Yesterday began as any other day with the am coffee and clean up the house routine. Then I received a message from Amy she said something about the best time to call her back and that she was headed to the beach. My little one who had been listening looked up at me with the most beautiful eyes (full of wonder) and said "where is Amy going"? She knew what she had heard but this is her new coy way of asking "me too, mommy?' She especially uses this when she is sure that the answer is "no way". To my surprise (and hers) I said "yes".

We cleaning the house together. They were so motivated with the idea of a beach day that they cleaned (and sang). This alone should be celebrated but this is just the beginning of our amazing day.

We packed the car with any snack and drinks we could find and headed to the beach. The drive of 20 min was filled with happy chatter! The day was warm but not hot. This did not stop the girls. They were in the water within 2 min and played until they were so cold they could not argue with the idea of a hot bath (at home).

So my message today is GET OUT ...OUTSIDE THAT IS!!! Enjoy this great earth no matter where you live. Get the kids jackets on and take them for a nature walk. Let them play on the sand (even if you are cold). Enjoy!

thank you dr. king for making the world better and for the day off school to enjoy it!
Posted by jessica at 1:23 PM 0 comments Links to this post

Torture!

So this weekend, Jeremy and I had a friend watch the boys to be able to spend a little quality time just the two of us! It's been awhile and it was so nice to get out, only problem is we ended up at the mall window shopping! While I was enjoying my husbands company the agony of being in a place where everything is for sale is torture! There was a lot of great sales going on and a lot of HOT shoes! Man oh man was I tested! But alas my rock was by my side and kept reminding me we are doing this for the greater good! Support is everything because I think I would have caved said "F*@# the greater good I want new shoes!" Anyhow life continues on and I find I have a lot of extra time, because when I was bored I used to just go to target and see what was new, now I find something productive to do, or search new enviro-friendly websites (I'll post some of my fav's) anyhow just thought I'd let everyone in on my challenges and thank those who've shown support because it keeps me honest!

Inspired

Hey it's silent partner again...

I was really inspired by Liz and her enthusiasm for our mission. I just wanted to pass along some helpful resources. I signed up for freecycle through Yahoo and you wouldn't believe the kind of things you can get for free. If you haven't already signed up, do it today. You can even get rid of things that you have and don't need anymore simply by posting and requesting same day pickup. Easy as pie. And those of you who have blackberry's you get to reply immediately and have a better chance of scoring on the coolest stuff that you would otherwise have had to hunt down and pay for.

Another resource that you all know about is your local thrift store. I went today and was amazed at the stuff they had. I had to use major self control or I would've bought everything I saw. If you're a book lover, like me, you can get 15 books for the price of one new one. If you have kids, you'll love the selection of books, clothes, games, toys, outside equipment. I was floored. Goodbye Target and Hello Thrift Store!

I'm still in on the mission, but I won't be blogging every day.... I promise to keep you updated as often as is possible. I have to get creative when it comes to finding internet usage. But I am a Mexi-can, so I'm not giving up. Thank you Liz for inspiring me and thank you Jess for bugging me every day to blog. I'll let you all know if I have a new epiphany or experience to share with you all.

Love, Peace, and Living Green,

Ale

looking for another challenge

On that note when you have some time check out Susie Orman's challenge on Oprah's website. She was on during the live your best life week and her challenge was

For just one day, do not spend any money on anything.
For just one week, do not use a credit card.
For just one month, do not eat out at a restaurant.

Empowerment

I'm often wow'd by the things in life that give you strength. Not strength as in muscle but strength as in power, and confidence! When I gave birth to my second son I didn't have pain medication like I did with the first, and I have often said that I honestly thought at times during that delivery that I was going to die! But being that close to death (or at least feeling that close) and knowing that you have survived is a very empowering feeling! You feel invincible and you now know that you can push yourself farther than you ever thought possible. This is completely different but yet so the same~ I never went into this thinking it would be easy, but also not realizing just how hard it would be. I also never realized just how empowering self control, and creative thinking could be! It is an awesome feeling to know you are making a difference, no matter how big or small! I encourage all of you to challenge yourself to not buy, if even for just a week or month. Knowing that you are making a difference is powerful and you will feel better at the end of your challenge no matter how big or small.

Silent Partner Speaks Atlast

Ok, so I've been the silent partner of the group up until now. I could give you a list of reasons to which you can reply "are you a Mexi-can or a Mexi-can't." Point taken. Let me introduce myself as a single mother of two beautiful and rambunctious boys. I can put a fatal twist on my story or I can thank God that He's given me a great story that will one day help someone else. Anyway, I am blessed. Thank you very much.
Back to the subject at hand, my two beautiful cousins Jess and Liz inspired me to join them on their journey to a greener life. It is amazing how one decision impacts a million little details in your routine life that all of a sudden you find yourself on this unexpected adventure. I was on the phone with Liz the other day and I was picking up some things for a friend of mine in Santa Barbara who is living green in many other ways. She sold her car, apartment, and gave away all of her belongings to travel the world and live in the back of her salon. However, she did need some socks and sports bras from Walmart, and since I was on my way down to Santa Barbara, I picked them up for her. I felt like there were eyes on the walls. It was like in those movies where there's a girl walking through a forest and the trees come to life and grab her. Yea, like that. I was on the phone with Liz when I walked in and the noise of Walmart was obvious, so I confessed.... Then right before checkout, I looked down at my toes and they were unpolished. "Oh noo... I cannot go to Santa Barbara with unpolished toes! I'm going to get some polish. " And it hit me. Hello! I live 2 blocks from here. I'm so used to the convenience and instant gratification that driving back to my house and polishing them for FREE didn't even occur to me. Thank God I was on the phone with Liz or I may not have even noticed my impulsive reaction. So, long story short, it isn't just about not buying something new, it is about living with a whole new awareness that alters your thoughts and decisions. And this magnificent awareness benefits our planet, ourselves, and future generations. Don't we all want to be a part of a story that makes an impact? Don't we all want to die knowing that we did all we could and lived an adventure of love, faith, and giving? We can. We will. Let the adventure begin!

nadia loves her shine!

thrifty love

As I said in an earler blog my little ones (especially my 6 year old) were in need of some clothing. So after some stress due to the fact that we have no good thrift store within a 30 mile radus and temptation to just go the easy route and shop new. I did it! I went thrift store shopping for my little ones and we had some success!

The best part was watching how excited my girls were with there outfits. They only want to wear there "new" dubs. I will try to upload a picture. Nadia (my princess) favorite is a gap skirt that is lavender with sequences all over with a Ralf Lauren t-shirt. Alexa (the queen of comfort and a true minimalist) favorite is a pair of brown gaucho pants with a white fancy shirt. After a few hours we had a large bag of clothing and had only spent $25.

I have to admit some things were not the right sizes but for the amount of money we spent we did just fine. So happy hunting to you and yes it is worth the time:)

coffee please

I broke the rules today but it was to better be able to keep the rules up. I bought a travel coffee mug (made with some recycled materials) so that i will be able to get my coffee this year without paper cups.

Let them eat soup....

So tonight I hosted soup night at our house (it's something our parents group does) and I was trying to make sure that I didn't create as much waste as we usually do. Since we normally use paper everything, I asked on freecycle (an awesome group on Yahoo check it out) if anyone had coffee mugs that they didn't want and was able to use coffee mugs as bowls and borrowed enough plates and wine glasses that I didn't need any paper products! I felt so proud that I was able to reduce our impact without impacting anyone that was here! We had a lot of fun and we didn't create a lot of waste! It just keeps reminding me to think outside the box. The stuff is out there you just need to know where to look!

The Pact!

Ok, before we go much further I should explain a little more about our pact! This year we have decided as Mom's, Women, really as Humans that we have the ability to open our eyes as well as those around us the impact we make on this earth. So we have decided to take it upon ourselves to lessen that impact in a very basic way: by not buying anything new! This doesn't mean we won't buy anything this year, it just means we will buy used, buy consigned, we will ask friends and family if they have items we need that they are no longer using, anything we can due to create less waste and be able to have recycled o r reused something that otherwise would have become trash. Along with this we have chosen to not eat fast food, at least not as a regular meal option. Being mom's there are days when life gets away from you, but we don't need it and it creates a lot of waste. We aren't saying no to eating out, just not carry out, delivery, that sort of thing, if you are in a restaurant eating in is pretty similar to eating at home. There will be dishes, and such. An lastly we are choosing to be conscious in our decisions as to where we shop, try to support local businesses in any thing we do need to buy. Anyhow wish us luck and if you are able to in any small way, JOIN US! Every little bit helps!

dear elizabeth

let go! this is not about guilt nor stress. This is a year about learning to live both a simple and sustainable life (all the while being fully present). we are just learning and changing. thank yourself for all you are learning and growing.

solution time

Dear family and friends,

It is with great excitement that I am writing you. As most of you know I have been struggling with what to do next with my life for sometime. I am sure many of you are sick of listening to my ideas and aspirations, but please read further as I know you will be as excited as I am. This year I will be opening a children's consignment store. It will be named ONE. ONE will be a green store that sells gently used children's and maternity clothing and toys. We will also sell gift items that are made from recycled or vintage materials.

I feel that there is a strong need in our community for such a store and also this is the right time for me and my family to take on such an endeavor. ONE is truly something I believe in!

I am writing this to ask you to join in my adventure by being one of my first consigners. Consigners will receive 40% of the selling price for a used article. If the article is new (with tags) or priced over $29, the consigner will receive 50% of the selling price. I have a goal to open by April; however I am collecting stuff now. If you are ready to start making some money and contributing, call me and I can pick up your stuff or you can drop it off.

Please email me any questions, suggestions or comments you may have. I look forward to hearing from each and every one of you.

Peace, love and thanks,
Jessica Yacoub
Owner (to be) of ONE
Creating a better world ONE outfit at a time

PS I also welcome any ideas you may have for our green gifts section. Do you make something, if so can you make it with vintage? If so let’s talk.

who knew...

Who know blogging could be harder than not shopping? Well, so far it has been. Today is day 9 of our challenge and boy has it been a challenge. I can not say that have needed anything but I have been tempted. Today we went to a store that was closing and everything was 70% off (not to mention sooooo cute) and i am a sale junkie. That is...i was a sale junkie before 2009! The good news is i left with NOTHING! i could not have been prouder. Note to self...not buying feels good.

What i have learned in 9 days is that shopping has become so convenient. There are stores everywhere and things are pretty cheap. Shopping becomes so mindless and not buying anything new places you back in the now. It has awakened me in so many ways.

What i need to learn is where to go when i do need things for my kids. Any ideas? My daughter really need some jeans and pants. She just shot up and today nothing fits. We have no kids consignment store where we live and i do plan to change this *more to follow* but for now we need a solution.

I went to ebay but i really find i like to see and touch before i buy so this weekend we are on a search for a good thrift store. i will keep you posted how that goes.

Guilty Concious...

OK, so a couple have things have happened that have made me contemplate my commitment and made me realize just how big a thing I've taken on!

I want to change my life, I want to make the world a better place for my children, and I want to make my life simpler. I keep telling myself these things because they are true and because hopefully they will help me keep on track and remind me why I'm doing this!

Tonight after dinner a friend asked me if I wanted to go get a frozen yogurt and of course I did so right away I said yes. Then I realized that I would have to bring it home in some sort of container so I said I couldn't. After contemplating the situation I decided to bring my own container and then I would still be following the rules and yet enjoying something sweet at the same time! :) Well long story short they wouldn't allow me to use my container and instead of not getting anything I chose to use there, dare I say it, STYROFOAM! Before I did it, while I was doing it and even now, I feel guilty about it! The whole point of this year is to create less waste, to do things conscious of their effects on the world around me, and I let myself get something in styrofoam! If it had been in a recyclable container I don't think I would have felt guilty about it for a prolong period of time. Only problem is I am conscious of what styrofoam does to the environment, I know that it doesn't decompose and all this knowledge is a constant reminder of why I made the pact that I did! It's little things like this that keep reminding me that I need to stay committed and when in doubt go with my gut and choose to live a greener life! I knew going into this year it wouldn't be easy, yet I also knew I would be able to make a diffrence. So I will continue forward with the knowledge that now when I'm pushed I will be that much stronger!

Another year older....

Yesterday was my birthday, and we had a friend come over and watch the boys so we could go out for dinner and a movie! We had a nice dinner then headed over to the theater and were standing in line at the consesions when we realized that we had said we weren't going to be doing fast food because of the waste it creates, and that popcorn and soda were the same. So we went in without any snacks, and funny thing I really didn't miss it, because we had just eaten we weren't even hungry. Yet we are so stuck in the mind set that you have popcorn and soda at a movie that we went straight to the line without even considering if we were hungry. It just made me realize that I need to be more concious of my life and what I do, instead of living on autopilot!

Welcome to '09

So today is the first day of 2009 and so starts our journey! This year I have pledged to not buy ANYTHING new! I know if you are like me you are thinking what the hell is wrong with her! but it's all for a good cause. I have chosen to take this on in an effort to lower my families carbon footprint, and hopefully inspire others to do the same. I also am excited at the prospect of having to think outside the box. I do believe I can do it, but I think I'm going to need help! So as the need arises I hope that everyone will be willing to give me advice and ideas that have helped you lower your impact on our sacred earth! My goal is at the end of this to not even think of going back and be so set in my new lifestyle that it is easy to live without the new crap that fills my house every year! Anyhow life is calling wish me luck as I embrace the new year!