{not} Skipping the Introductions

I was thinking about skipping the whole introduction post but decided that it's probably necessary to start off on the right (or left, if you prefer) foot. I don't talk about myself much, so I'll get it ALL out right now:

My name is Lyn.  I have two little boys and one big boy {my husband}.  The Littles {as I refer to my kids} are completely different kids for being brothers from the same genetic pool. Kien is a genius, and I'm not just saying that because I have mommy-eyes for him.  He's seriously so bright.  Brayden is average, which because Kien set the bar so high, I have to constantly remind myself that average is okay.  Kien likes to sit and play Legos all day. I know it's normal for kids his age (he is six, by the way) to be Lego-crazy but he definitely takes it to the next level, and he is crazy good at coming up with new things to build. He would rather be inside, whether it be playing Wii, Legos, Pokemon, or reading. Anything indoors and at home is all Kien wants to do. Brayden, my [lord help me] almost-two year old would rather scale the side of the house or run a few laps around the block.

I wear four hats when it comes to work, but thanks to my magnificent husband I am able to work from home.
1- I have a creative business, mainly focusing on kids' party invitations, but I also do flyers, business cards, brochures, advertisements, etc.
2- I have an accessory shop I run through Etsy, which right now only has earrings, necklaces, and rings, but I hope to expand on it in the near future.
3- I handle reservations for a vacation rental property company here in Hawaii, the company runs seventeen units so it's small but quickly growing
4- As of January 2013 I am a doTERRA Independent Product Consultant, so I am diligently working on growing my essential oil business

I'm also a pathological volunteer
1- I'm the area coordinator for AYSO soccer in my town.
2- I'm a co-Creative Activities leader for our local MOPS [Mothers of Preschoolers] group.
3- I write the PTSA Newsletter for Kien's school. Last year I was the secretary but I non-hesitantly gave up that role this school year.

Because my kids are still so young, I am learning something new about parenting every single day. I'm pretty sure that it's all the same stuff that all parents go through (or I just tell myself that to make me feel better) but I'll share experiences anyway, as long as they relate to my venture of going green.

Ah yes, about going green...

When I set my mind to raising free-range chickens in the backyard, I planned hard.  I totally love Raising Chickens For Dummies by the way. Especially since I literally knew nothing beyond the fact that roosters cock-a-doodle-doo and hens lay eggs. I want chickens for a few reasons: eat the bugs in the yard, eat the weed-seeds that are never ending, give me fresh eggs to eat, and so I can watch the Littles {especially Brayden} chase them around.  In the raising-chicken plan, we are at the point where the plans are drawn and materials are in my yard, now Ryan just needs to build me the coop.  My goal is to get three chicks as Easter presents.

The chicken-aspect has then led me to deciding to compost. Okay, it wasn't totally the chickens.  Every time I throw a banana peel or cucumber skin in my garbage, I cringe. We recycle, why wouldn't I compost?! Right. So that is going to be another adventure.

Getting rid of harmful chemicals! Okay this might even be a little touchy for some.  Ever since meeting my husband, Ryan {I think it's been about eight years} I have been learning through his mom the ways of hippy-hood.  Not the stinky, green smokin, long haired, flower child kind of hippy. But the all-natural, healthy eating kind of hippy. Thanks to her wisdom, I am quite proud of the fact that I have never been the type of mom to pull out the Tylenol at the first sign of fever.  I turn to  home remedies, natural alternatives, essential oils, and homeopathic medicine. There were products I ignorantly still used, like diaper rash cream on Kien (I learned better once Brayden hit a certain age) and Lysol disinfecting wipes until three years ago.

The hardest topic for me is eating healthy. Okay who am I kidding, I am not ever going to eat completely clean or green. I love food. But I CAN make a few healthier choices here and there, especially for my kids.  They don't drink juice. Kien thinks that, like beer, soda is a grown-up drink. They don't get gummy snacks, ever. I cringe even on the special occasion when they have candy. They never have crappy snacks on a day-to-day basis. I read ingredient labels like a nut job and veto anything and everything with high-fructose corn syrup and artificial dyes. I have been guilty of buying Cheetohs {the spiral puffy ones are my favorite} for a beach day, but it's gone in a day and we won't see the beautiful neon orange poison-filled twisties again for months.

OKAY! I think this novel covers everything related to me taking my family green(er). OH! We just signed contracts yesterday to go solar. We already have a solar water heater but we will be going full-solar now :) That's exciting for us.

NOW that is everything. right?

I hope that my adventure doesn't scare you out of going green{er} and that you can actually find some entertainment in my maniacal jibber-jabber. I will love to hear back with suggestions for alternatives that you use as well, all while I'm sharing my strategies.



go do something green{er} today!
Lyn