It is with great joy and wonder I introduce you to Jaden our fourth grandchild born last week in Bellingham WA. His father, my son Javan and his mommy Terina have a daughter Teilani who has her Nona's heart too, but this little guy is the cherry on top.
I have been so blessed with two incredible children who in turn have grown into compassionate, smart, considerate adults who are the best parents to their children one could ever hope for.
Starting out as a child of one, adopted with no roots of my own, it is such an incredible feeling to see me grow into a family of loving people who no matter what, band together and look out for each other, and accept the good and not so good about one another. That to me is a true FAMILY and we have it hands down.
Love to All
Monday, July 28, 2008
Welcome little one. We love you!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Quote of the day.... I loved this one
Saturday, July 19, 2008
One of the Very Special Wonders in my Life
I was told recently that there is a special little person in my life that never gets mentioned in my blog. I'm afraid this is true and I must correct this error. Atticus is my grandson who is 6 month old and a joy to everyone in his life. He always smiles and laughs and is Mr. Chill. His sister EQ was the first born and has always held a special place in my heart. When Atty was born I just couldn't imagine loving him the way I did his sister. Well, it's incredible how big our hearts really are, and how when another person comes along, you find you are just as smitten with him as you were with the first one. It really is amazing. I look forward to enjoying both of my little ones as they discover and grow, and while his parents will probably have him playing sports and being all boy, his Nona will sneak in some classical music, museums and beaches as much as possible. His slideshow is at the bottom of the blog page.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Food for thought, so to speak
If you just whistle every now and then; skip every thousandth step or so; skim the odd stone across the odd pond; go dancing on the occasional blue moon, if only alone in the dark; dress up sometimes, even with nowhere to go... for simply stirring up some little bit of hope, no matter how silly or disconnected your actions seem to be with the rest of the world, magic flashes in the unseen, friends are summoned, connections are timed, stars are aligned, opportunities are crystallized and serendipities are calculated, creating possibilities for new realities that cannot now even be imagined from where you presently stand.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Recyle - Easy plastic rules to remember
2. HDPE - milk jugs, trash bags, detergent bottles, some yogurt cups.
Sometimes recyclable:
5. PP - diapers, straws, yogurt containers.
6. PS - CD cases, egg cartons, Styrofoam.
Not so much...
8. Other - other types of plastic, plus things made from more than one type of plastic (see below).
Bioplastics (7, and marked as either compostable or biodegradable):
9. Compostable Plastic - is nontoxic and breaks down as fast as paper in compost.
10. Biodegradable Plastic - may contain toxins, so you have to send it to a special composting facility (enter compost and your zip at Earth911, see below).Commonly questioned items:
Container Caps - typically different plastics than the container; take 'em off, check the # inside, and either recycle or throw them away.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
22 Steps Toward Energy Efficiency
Co-op America.org, (http://coopamerica.org/) published a very comprehensive list of 22 steps we as individuals can do to save energy every day. Most are very simple and they can make a huge difference.
Here's how to save energy and money. Go for a big, but doable goal – 10% energy saved per year over the next five years – 50% in five years! For the average household, 10% per year energy savings is only about 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kwh) of energy/year.
Here's how do-able that is:
Many families could achieve the first 1,000 kwh/year of savings by washing clothes in cold water (770 kwh/yr); placing several major electronics, such as video and stereo systems, on a surge protector that can be switched off (47kwh/year); and brushing of their refrigerator's condenser coils twice a year (392 kwh/year).
Many families could get another 1,000 kwh/year reduction by replacing half of their incandescent lighting with compact fluorescents (440kwh/year), letting the dishes in the dishwasher air dry (404kwh/year), and enabling the "sleep" function on their computer and printer to go on after five minutes of non-use (259kwh/year).
Are you ready? Here are 22 steps you can take -- each with the energy savings you can achieve each year. Pick the ones you'll do to get your first 10% energy savings. (These energy savings assume an average US home, which uses about 11,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and 19,000 cubic feet of natural gas per year.)
1. Turn off lights you're not using – We even have switchplate reminders for you, downloadable on our Web site. (2% energy savings per year, assuming an average family's energy use)
2. Schedule an energy audit – Your local utility will probably provide an audit for free, and you may also get a more comprehensive audit (saving you more money in the long term) by paying for a whole-house audit. (Up to 50% energy savings per year)
3. Don't heat or cool empty rooms – If there is a room in your house that is rarely used, close off the vents to save on heating and cooling. (Varies by size of room.)
4. Give your dishwasher a rest– Skip the energy-intensive drying cycle on your dishwasher and choose the air-dry option, or open the door for zero-energy dish drying. (5% energy savings per year)
5. Shift your energy load to off-peak hours – Because power sources must produce electricity around the time of use (without capacity for long-term storage) it is our collective peak demand that triggers the building of more polluting power plants. (Varies)
6. Turn off your electronics – If you're going to be away from your computer or other appliance for more than an hour, turn it off. (5% energy savings per year)
7. Eliminate "phantom load" – Many electronics use energy even while turned off, so your best bet is to unplug them when not in use. (5% energy savings per year)
8. Make your fridge more efficient – Keep your refrigerator's coils clean to boost its overall power, and store jugs of water in any empty space inside, because water retains coldness better than air. (4% energy savings per year)
9. Wash clothes in cold water – Your clothes will get just as clean, on half the energy. (7% energy savings per year) 
10. Give up your dryer – Hang your clothes to dry on a clothesline or indoor rack. (10% energy savings per year)
11. Plug your air leaks – Energy-efficient heating and cooling systems are wasted when you're leaking out the cool or warm air you're putting in. (5% energy savings per year)
12. Reduce your water use – Simple ways to save water include fixing any leaks and replacing faucets and showerheads with low-flow options. (3% energy savings per year)
13. Cut waste through windows – Properly seal window edges, cover windows with curtains to prevent heat loss, or coat windows with reflective "low-e" films that reduce heat loss while still allowing light to shine through. (10% energy savings per year)
14. Help your hot water heater – Add an insulating cover to reduce heat loss. (1% energy savings per year)
15. Install ceiling fans – Reduce your air conditioner usage with ceiling fans. Look for "Energy Star" models that use 50 percent less energy. (19% energy savings per year)
16. Get a programmable thermostat – Automate when your heating or cooling systems come on to save energy while you sleep or are away from home. (10% energy savings per year)
17. Upgrade your appliances – Look for the "Energy Star," and you may be eligible for a tax break. (3 - 12% energy savings per year)
18. Upgrade your hot water heater – Save energy and space by upgrading to a tankless or solar hot water heater. (14% energy savings per year)
19. Green your roof – Studies have found that a green roof on a typical one-story building can result in a 25 percent reduction in summer cooling needs. (12% energy savings per year) 
20. Save energy through landscaping – The US Department of Energy found that the proper placement of as few as three shady trees will save an average household between $100 and $250 in energy costs annually. (12% energy savings per year)
21. Replace your windows – In step 13, we have recommendations for working with the windows you have. Replacing your windows with more energy-efficient versions can save you even more. (14% energy savings per year)
22. Don't waste energy on TV – With the switch to digital TV coming in 2009, many people are buying new, digital-ready TVs. If you must shop for a new television, look for an LCD (liquid crystal display) screen, which uses six times less energy than a plasma screen. (2% energy savings per year)
Aren't they SIMPLE??? Look at the savings you get doing these simple things! Solar panels and wind turbines are wonderful, but by doing these simple steps you can feel great about contributing what you can do now to guarantee energy savings today for our future.
Hope you'll try at least a few of these tips. It really makes a difference and you feel good about yourself because you're trying! Also - consider joining Co-Op America or sign up for their newsletter.
~ Dreaming in Colors
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Phoenix is getting Greener all the time
Phoenix has a Farmer's Market that I didn't even know existed. I miss the local vendors we had at the Public Market at home, and I missed being able to buy local meat, chicken, and fish once I moved here. It really was a big hole I couldn't fill. When the sustainable green living mantra started, I didn't have any idea how to shop local as it seemed there wasn't much farming going on here.Wrong !!!!There are several organic growers in the area and I am just ecstatic to know I can go shopping Saturday morning and get fresh veggies and fruit. (http://www.downtownphoenixpublicmarket.com/)
I hereby take the pledge to buy locally
during National Independents Week,
June 30 through July 6,
to help celebrate the diversity and vibrancy
that makes me proud to call Arizona Home.
I fully believe in that pledge except for the last line..........not quite there yet.
As though that wasn't big enough news! There is also an online Green Market called Boxed Greens(http://boxedgreens.com/shop/home.php) and they sell veggies, fruit, breads, organic chicken, beef and all types of dry goods. Best yet-they deliver to various parts of the valley!! I can order online and they'll bring it to my office in the morning! Wow.
Then - because I work for a medical group, the pharmaceutical companies bring us lunch each day of the week. Nice perk - but most of the time I just eat salad. Being the day before a holiday I really didn't expect to find lunch upstairs today but SURPRISE(!) we had the best food I have had in weeks and weeks. (A side story: Another thing I have had trouble finding in Phoenix is good Asian food. People here think Pei Wei is Asian food. P-a-lease.) Well today I had the BEST Asian food of anywhere. The owner's name is George Yang and he's from Burma and combines the flavors of each region of Asia from India to Viet Nam on his menu. I just about had a seizure eating the Shrimp with honey glazed walnuts - it really was shrimp "to die for". The Mongolian beef and citrus chicken was right up at the top of the list too. The restaurant is George and Son . The story of the name of his restaurant is just wonderful. He was late middle aged when he had his first son. George opened this restaurant and named it "for the precious child that came in to his life as a way to honor him."
All of this in one day!! It doesn't take being hit in the head with a hammer to realize this was special and worthy of noting.
Stay safe and cool over the long weekend, and try not to burn the house down with fireworks!
~ Hannah
Dreaming in Colors
