I love this post by Felicia Sullivan featuring 25 ways to save money. In our house we do most of these already (except for #2, go through people’s dumpsters, which I’m not sure I could ever do) and that made me feel good. I especially like Felicia’s emphasis on cutting down on the crap in our lives (like cable and magazine subscriptions), stretching the life of clothing and household goods, and reusing everything from plastic bags to water bottles.In an earlier post in this series, Felicia talks about Alex Beauchamp’s method for allocating her money so that she can live the good life. Put those two posts together and you have us. We spend our money on quality goods that we feel strongly about (such as organic produce or Oakley sunglasses with UV protection that I have worn every day since 2002) and save for things that really matter to us and enrich our quality of life, such as our organic mattress (above) or David’s mountain bike. To some people, those items may seem extravagant, but to us they are essential to our lives and our health and our wellbeing. And if that means we don’t buy the latest gadgets and wear the same clothes and continue using our older computers, etc., that’s just fine with us. It makes sense to us both fiscally and environmentally.

Our Tribute to Audrey Hepburn MySpace page now has over 1,000 friends! How amazing is that?! People keep adding us as their friend and WE ARE THRILLED! Thank you, Audrey Hepburn fans, for being so supportive!

And thank you, wonderful readers, for putting up with this cutesy color theme. Only one more day to go before I unveil our March banner. Stay tuned…

Wow, three entries in one day! Now that’s being productive.
Or something. I had better go eat breakfast.

This is one of my favorite pictures of my father. Look at the glee in his face while flying that kite! I also love that he’s not completely in focus, because even today my dad is always on the move.

Happy Birthday, Daddy! We love you!

It’s raining outside (of course!), so I thought I’d post a picture from last week of the beautiful pink and white flowering trees blooming all over the park. Spring is on its way and I love it. Hope you all stay cozy and warm today. I am trying to psych myself up to go run in the rain. Now that’s dedication.

We’re going vegan this week. Dairy products are so expensive and, while I totally love them, I do think they are meant for fattening up baby animals (cows, sheep, goats) rather than feeding grown people. So we’re having a bit of a change just for a week or two. I’m curious to see if we’ll feel any differently. Last night I made a phenomenal (if I do say so myself) coconut curried vegetable dish. I used fresh spices and they worked so well that we’ve decided to through out those curry pastes in the fridge! Who cares if they save time, obviously they are more processed and they sure don’t taste as good. Anyhow, I have a bunch of cookbooks that I’ve been combing through: vegan ones, Thai ones, vegetarian ones, and I think we’re going to eat really well this week. At least, I hope so!

Please let me know if you have any great vegan recipes and remember we’re also allergic to gluten and tomatoes! (I know, we are so complicated!)

Above are my fraternal grandparents. The left photo is from my grandmother’s college graduation; the one on the right is from their wedding. My grandmother passed away five years ago, my grandfather over thirty years ago and I never knew him.

I keep these photos on the bulletin board above my desk and see them every day. I love the sepia tint of the photos, the expression on their faces, the way the photos are worn, no longer crisp. I love seeing them when they were my age and seeing them together.

When I look at them it makes me feel both happy and sad. (Even now, in writing this, my eyes are filled with tears.) Yet I love that they are immortalized in this photo, and always here in me, and now–through these pictures–with you.

Check out this fascinating trailer for the documentary “Pregnancy in America.” The trailer touches upon on why David and I have no intention of giving birth in a hospital. Some parts that were especially interesting to me:

Doctor in the Netherlands: “We don’t see [birth] as a medical thing. It’s a natural thing and sometimes you need medical assistance.”

Woman with European accent: “In America, it’s not usual that you deliver at home?”

No, it’s not usual. In America most babies are born in hospitals (in Europe most babies are born at home) and we have one of the highest newborn death rates amongst developed countries. You do the math.

(And we’re not pregnant.) link via Elaine

Congratulations to our dear friend Stefan on passing his comprehensive exam! Wish we could celebrate with you!

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