Finish Strong

Keep your creativity going even though it may seem stressful as school winds down.

There’s only a few weeks left of school. You’ve made it this far, but you have miles to go before summer. There are projects, papers and exams to finish. You want to end the year well... give it your all. Of course, I could launch into a speech about the Little Blue Engine and how she braved the mountains with her perseverance, prescribing the same remedy for you. But... I won’t.

Here’s my suggestion: take time to play. Yes, that's right: play. You don't have to dig out your old Barbies or Power Rangers to do this. Find something fun, safe and non-electronic to do by yourself or with a group of friends. Go swing on the swings at your neighborhood playground (that's one of my favorite things to do). Fly a kite. Go bowling. Ride your bike. Take a walk. Paint a picture. Sculpt with play-doh. You get the idea. Now use your imagination.

Playing will help you tap into your creativity. If you have been studying diligently, your play breaks give your brain time to work subconsciously. Listen to what you hear as you play. That's why cell phones, TV, movies, iPods are banned from this play time. You need to be able to hear yourself think. As you're roller-blading, you may figure out the solution to the math problem that's been stumping you. The idea for the next section of your research paper may come to you as you are baking a pie from scratch.

Pablo Picasso, the famous Spanish painter, said, "All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up." Guard and nurture the artist in you. You don't have to let that part of you go because you're old enough to have a part-time job or you are finally able to drive. The ability to play will help you deal with the stress of your grown-up responsibilities.

About the Author:

Tamara Batarseh, Executive Director of Love In A Big World (LBW), is a singer/songerwriter/performer with over fifteen years of performance experience. She is co-founder of LBW and has been the creator of the organization’s programs and materials. Batarseh has recorded two albums, written LBW’s character education curriculum, trained LBW’s performers, and performed live for thousands of kids.

Natural Lawn

Going green can be for your lawn, too.

I have been in my yard working away for more than a few weeks now. I tried some experiments to see how well natural lawn care measured up to the traditional, sometimes not so eco-friendly options. I learned that managing your lawn does not have to include pesticides and harsh chemicals. You can go green in lawn care. Here are a few tips to help you manage your lawn so that you feel safe.

Where do we begin? Killing those unwanted green things (commonly called weeds) in our flower beds and garden space. I began with vinegar. I compared it to some traditional weed killer by using the vinegar where my food is going to go and the other as far away from my family and food that I can. I found that the vinegar worked just as well at killing the weeds; it just took a few more applications. As cheap as vinegar is, I feel like that works for me.

OK, so now we are ready to prep. For my garden this year, I decided to do a few organic herbs, strawberries, lettuce, tomatoes and arugula. To prep my area, I hand pulled any left over weeds and grass. I chose a soil conditioner with organic matter and worm castings to break up the dirt and get ready for my plants.

For a pre-emergent on my garden (to KEEP the weeds out) I used an organic remedy. It is actually corn gluten that has been used to stop weeds. We will see how it works over time, but I feel confident after doing some research. Espoma Organic Weed Preventer and Lawn Feeder is what we used, but there are other options. Most lawn and garden centers will carry many organic options that you can choose from.

Last year I applied Cyan Pepper to my tomatoes and kept squirrels off them. For pest, bug and animal control, check out as many options as you can. It may get expensive to try out every one, so make sure to do your research and look for user reviews, if online, or ask your garden center professional how well the options work. The most important thing to remember is that you feel comfortable with the ingredients of the product and it has proven effect-ability.

Try setting your mower on higher levels. The idea is to allow the grass to shade the weeds in an attempt to keep the grass nurtured and the weeds not. Only water your grass when it is very clearly showing signs of stress or drought. To measure how much water your grass is getting place a cup in the zone of the sprinkler and look to make sure it gets at least an inch of water.

To help keep your plants alive, opt for local or regional plant options. This helps to ensure that the plants will have optimal weather and water needs in your area.

These are just a few options. There are multiple services that can provide you with what you need if you choose not to do it yourself.

Compost: All The Extras

Compost: Week Nine

I had originally only wanted to run this series for nine weeks, but the end result of mature compost was the intended time-line determinent and since I began this journey in the winter I am destined to continue until I can broadcast images of my compost in my garden.

We have talked in great length about what we can and cannot put into our compost. We have talked about how to manage crisis with your heap. From the start, I was clear that I was going to do as little as possible with my compost, but that's not to say there are some pretty nifty tools you can spend money on to work along side nature. Now, I am told you really only need something to stir, sunlight, and nature to get your dirt, but it would not be fair if I didn't least mention some of the handy thins you CAN use.

• Compost Activator
  
  
• Thermometer
  
  
• Turner
  
  
• Biobags
  
  
• Sifter
  
  
• Fruit Fly Trap
  
  
• Aerator
  
  
• Compost Fork
  
  
  Like I have mentioned before, you do not have to use any or all of these suggestions. I choose to use an old broom handle for aeration and pull out the shovel when I need a good stir. I have found that watching my compost daily to see what issues it’s having help me know what I need to add or hold-off on.
  
  In the Series
  Week One - Compost: Getting Started
  Week Two - Compost: Winter Time
  Week Three - Compost: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
  Week Four - Compost: Enhance Your Compost
  Week Five - Compost: Enhance Your Compost II
  Week Six - Compost: Couldn't Hurt
  Week Seven - Compost: Crisis Control
  Week Eight - Compost: The Smell Of Dirt

What's In Your Trash?

Metro Beautification & Environment Commission offer your kids some tips on auditing the waste in you home.

The following has been provided by Metro Beautification & Environment Commission.

Whether your family is already recycling at home, or would like to get started, you can make a big difference by completing a family waste audit. This is just an organized way to sort through the trash and make decisions about how to get rid of it in the most responsible way.

First, do some thinking about trash. Is everything you throw away really trash? Is there something else you can do with stuff beside throw it away? What choices can your family make so that you throw away less trash each week? Next, get organized for the waste audit.

You will need three plastic bags and a pen. Label the bags (1) stuff we can reuse, sell or give away, (2) recycling, and (3) trash.

Ask an adult to help you with the next part. Go to each room in the house and look in the trashcan. Pull out anything that can be reused, sold or given away, or recycled and put it in the correct bag. Empty the trash that is left into the trash bag. (Hint: Stay safe! Put on some rubber gloves or cover your hands with a plastic bag before reaching into the trash can.) Divide the trash into these categories: reusable at home (if you would really reuse it), reusable by someone else (to sell or donate), recyclable in your municipality, compostable in your backyard (non-meat food and food soiled paper), and trash. Do the same thing in all the rooms in the house.

Gather the family together to look at the results of your waste audit and talk about what you see. Which bag has the most stuff in it? Which bag has the least stuff in it? Did you find stuff in the trash that could be recycled or reused? Could there be a way to recycle more and throw away less trash at your house?

Ask an adult help you do some research. Look in the phone book to find places that you can donate or sell stuff you don't need anymore. Look up your county Public Works Department on the internet and find out what can be recycled in your community.

Volunteer to be the “waste manager” at your home! Place containers in the appropriate rooms to collect recycling, reusable items, compostable food and trash. Some rooms may not need trashcans, just recycling containers. Ask your parents to help you find a place to keep the recycling until it goes to be recycled.

Make a poster to show what can be recycled. Decorate a box for items that can be reused. Find a place to put the box so that everyone in the family can put their old, but still usable, stuff in it. When the box is full, the stuff can be donated or you could hold a yard sale.

Wait a week or so and do a follow-up waste audit. You should have a much smaller bag of trash this time. Bring your family together to see the results and congratulate them on making less trash!

Cooperation - Morning Surprise

Bring some team work into your home.

The other morning I returned late from a run. As I walked through the door, my 9 year old son proudly announced, "I made breakfast, Mom!" All three children were seated at the table, eating and smiling. The kitchen was a mess, but everyone was happy. I realized that sometimes I don't give my children the chance to do all they can because of my list of shoulds... that mental list of expectations of being a good mom. I need to give them opportunities to contribute in meaningful ways to our family life. After all, we're a team!

Quick Tip:
Let your kids make a meal. You may end up eating cereal for dinner, but you will also have some very proud children. Praise them for their contribution!

Definition:
Cooperation is working with others as a team.

Read:
The Great Ball Game, A Muskogee Story
retold by Joseph Bruchac

Talk:
Tell a story about a time that a team you were on won a game because of the efforts of an unlikely player.

Act:
Go outside and play a game of kickball, baseball, soccer, basketball - any team game! Have fun working together!

About the Author:

Tamara Batarseh, Executive Director of Love In A Big World (LBW), is a singer/songwriter/performer with over fifteen years of performance experience. She is co-founder of LBW and has been the creator of the organization’s programs and materials. Batarseh has recorded two albums, written LBW’s character education curriculum, trained LBW’s performers, and performed live for thousands of kids.

Earth Day

How are you and your kids cool on Earth Day?

This year, CoolPeopleCare and CoolMomsCare were a large part of the Nashville Earth Day festival. Through out the day, we had multiple kids stopped by to enter our “Cool Kids Care About The Earth” Art Contest. We had kids drawing pictures of helping their parents putting recycling in the bin; we had others draw images of trash pick-ups.

Being at this event really was an amazing opportunity. To see how much kids really do care was truly amazing.

Here is my charge for Earth Day 2008: I would love to hear about how you and your kids care for the Earth! In our comment section, share these stories. Let us know what the coolest things you and your family have done together in celebration of Earth Day.

Compost: The Smell of Dirt

Compost: Week Eight

As I sit here writing, taking a break from the perils and joys of yard work, I can see dirt under my nails. Dirt is becoming something I am beginning to appreciate and really love. It's not quite time for my compost to bring forth its glorious goodness, but I went out there the other day and it already smells of dirt. I can tell you, the joy of smelling dirt never seemed like something I would want to write about, but that's composting success. Soon I WILL have fertilized dirt to pull from my compost bin.

In an effort to send less and less waste to the landfill and more and more into reuse, I found more items you may want to add to that compost pile. Also, please send us your composting stories because we would love to start posting those.

• Clean paper
  
• Cotton rags
  
• Vacuum cleaner lint
  
• Animal manure (just be careful about animal waste - never use cat litter or dog poop)
  
• Cardboard rolls (not just into the recycling bin anymore)
  
• Fireplace ashes (use sparingly)
  
• Grass clippings (let them dry out for Brown or use them Green)
  
• Animal Fur
  
• Hay and Straw (great for drying out that compost after all these rains)
  
• Houseplants (as long as they are not diseased)
  
• Nut shells
  
• Sawdust (just be careful about the wood type)
  
• Shredded Newspaper (great if you are running low on brown leaves)
  
• Tea Bags
  
• Wood Chips
  
• Wool Rags
  
• Certain Diapers
  
  In the Series
  Week One - Compost: Getting Started
  Week Two - Compost: Winter Time
  Week Three - Compost: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
  Week Four - Compost: Enhance Your Compost
  Week Five - Compost: Enhance Your Compost II
  Week Six - Compost: Couldn't Hurt

Cool Moms In The Community: California Writes For Environment

Read an Interview with one Mom Blogger who is seeking to do all she can to help with the global warming problem.

I found La Marguerite through Vanessa Can Petten's "50 Best Mom Blogs." When I found Marguerite, I knew instantly that she had something you all would want to hear about, so I approached her for an interview.

Her site is thorough and her experience in multiple fields more than qualifies her for more than just opinion, but I will let you check her out for yourself. Here is a brief interview I had with her last week.

Interview with La Marguerite's Marguerite

Your blog seems to be a personal journey through what so many of us seem to be striving towards: being more environmentally sound. Can you tell us a little more about what really provoked you to begin this journey?

Yes, I can remember that moment very well. It was December 2005. I had been invited to attend Al Gore's presentation of "An Inconvenient Truth" at Stanford University. I went reluctantly, as I was rather turned off by my new husband's environmental zeal. To my great surprise, I came out of the event a changed woman. I was so convinced by Al Gore's expose, that I swore to myself that I would do all I could to help with the global warming problem.

What were some of the first behaviors you began to try, as you were once a self-proclaimed 'Green Girl Wannabe'?

The biggest changes took place after I started my blog, La Marguerite, about a year ago. The act of chronicling my daily eco-sins, and later successes, was very instrumental. I believe it is very important to not rush one's process of 'self-greening.' We are talking about changing some deeply entrenched behaviors here, and there is a maturation that needs to take place.

Some of the areas I focused on were some obvious ones, such as unnecessary fashion shopping, riding the train instead of driving, remembering to take the reusable bags at the grocery store, buying local produce, turning off the power strip for my computer, and cutting down on laundry. I am happy to report that I made progress on all fronts. The support of my husband - aptly nicknamed Green Guru in my blog - as well as my readers, played a great part.

What other sites do you often write for?

For a while I was writing for Environmental Graffiti, and also Groovy Green. Over time, I have found it more and more difficult to spread my writing outside of my own blog. My posts do get picked up often by Reuters Environment Blogs, and also L' Atelier, a Silicon Valley French American business website. Besides writing articles, I also spend a fair amount of time commenting on other blogs, including Dot Earth, Grist, World Changing, and the Huffington Post.

How do you get your children involved with the messages you are speaking about the lessons you are learning?

I don't, at least not directly. My belief is you have to start children on the greener path while they are young. When they are teenagers like mine, I have found it is just too much to deal with. There are only so many battles I can tackle at once, and green is just not one of them. The best I can do is lead through example. As I have been cutting down more and more on my shopping, I have noticed that my daughters are no longer so eager to go to the mall. It is happening organically.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda: I Should Have Planted More Flowers

Take the time to plant solid roots with your kids.

Even though I grew up on a farm, I have no green thumb. When my son was a toddler, we attempted a garden. It took us two years to grow one carrot. Not much has changed in the years since. I struggle to maintain the few plants I presently have. But I shouldn't have let my plant impairment stop me from planting more flowers. In the end, it's not the resulting flowers that really matter, but the planting.

I should have made planting a family project. We could have started in the winter when everything is brown and seemingly lifeless. We could have studied seed catalogs and learned which flowers would flourish in our area. Each family member could have chosen a favorite flower, fruit, or vegetable. We would have designed our garden to be as diverse as our family.

We could have visited a nursery and talked to professionals. We would have listened to expert advice about plants and developed a new plant vocabulary. We could have learned what gardeners, botanists, and landscapers do, and the requirements for each job. We could have created our own planting scrapbook, complete with photographs and journals.

We could have visited farms and even joined a cooperative. We would have experienced organic farms and commercial farms. We would have learned the differences in fertilizers, insect control, and plant maintenance. We should have participated in "pick your own" farms.

Once we had decided on and purchased our seeds, we would have learned to plant. We would have learned about timetables and care for seedlings and young plants. We would have chosen potting soils and containers. We would have experienced parenthood, ownership, and responsibility.

We would have celebrated our own "Earth Day" when we prepared the ground outside and transplanted our young plants. As the plants grew, we would practice procedures to encourage growth and prevent harm. We would develop the skills needed to help our plants grow to maturity.

As our plants matured, we could have found ways to share the finished results. We would be able to physically understand the meaning of the phrase, "the fruits of our labor." Depending on our crop, we would share them naturally as harvested or as ingredients in other products.

Finally, as the plants settled into their fall stages, we would learn the differences between plants that would come back the next year and those we would have to plant again. We would begin our planting year again by designing our plot for the coming season.

Planting is a family activity that would require teamwork and hard work. By working together as a family in our own family garden, we would understand a little better about how all living things are connected in our ecosystem. And maybe, we would learn to grow carrots in one season!

About the Author:

Luanne Davidson is the proud mother of three adult children and wonders what might have been if she had done a thing or two differently. She writes her "Coulda, Woudla, Shoulda" column each Thursday.

Patience: What’s the rush?

Practice patience.

A few years ago I realized I was always rushing my children. “Hurry up! We’ll be late!” became my mantra as soon as we started putting on our shoes. It didn’t matter whether we were going to the doctor’s or the grocery, I panicked about time. My panic turned into rushing; rushing led to irritable mom and grumpy kids. I asked myself, “Why am I in such a hurry?” Since I didn’t have a good answer, I decided to pace myself instead of trying to squeeze too much into one day. That way we can all enjoy the hand-holding and giggling that goes along with a day out of the house.

Definition:
Patience is waiting without complaining; accepting pain or challenges without complaint

Quick Tip:
Read Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal and Delight in our Busy Lives by Wayne Muller. This is one of my favorite books. It changed the way I look at life.

Read:
The Carrot Seed
by Ruth Kraus

Talk:
The boy in the story had to wait for the carrot to grow. What can you do while you are waiting for something good?

Act:
Supplies: cups, soil, carrot seeds, dirt, water.
Plant carrot seeds and wait for them to grow.

About the Author:

Tamara Batarseh, Executive Director of Love In A Big World (LBW), is a singer/songerwriter/performer with over fifteen years of performance experience. She is co-founder of LBW and has been the creator of the organization’s programs and materials. Batarseh has recorded two albums, written LBW’s character education curriculum, trained LBW’s performers, and performed live for thousands of kids.

How to Set Up a Rain Barrel

In this article, Luanne Davidson proves that ANYONE can set up a rain barrel. So, read the article, get your barrel, and get ready to start harvesting rain water!

Last year, I had every intent of getting a rain barrel. I didn't want to work hard at it - I just wanted to get the darn thing and have it set up and ready. I had heard all about getting them free, or for a reduced price, etc., which kept me from action - too many decisions and choices.

A few weeks ago, I decided with spring here, it was time to act. So I ordered my barrel (no price comparison shopping - just one of the first ones that came up on Google). It was delivered a few days ago, and here is my simple step-by-step process of becoming a little greener.

Step 1: Notice that there was a HUGE box on my front porch. I didn't, but my husband did and mentioned it. The mentioning pretty much summed up his participation in this project.

Step 2: Bring in HUGE box from front porch, and place in den, next to pool table, away from gas heater - rain barrel will be no help in putting out fire unless there is actual rain in barrel, which cannot be accomplished if rain barrel melts.

Step 3: Take HUGE rain barrel from HUGE box - wonder if this was right size, since I didn't remember my son's being this big. Let barrel sit for awhile, away from gas heater (note: barrel is plastic - I think it was used to transport pickles or something.)

Step 4: Email my son telling him of rain barrel delivery, and asking him to come over and help set it up. Try to get top off barrel, to no success. Wonder if top is supposed to come off. Wonder if there are directions anywhere. Look in box, but only the packing slip is in there. Wonder how I am supposed to get water out when barrel has water. Look at various holes in side of barrel, wondering what they are for.

Step 5: Check email - no reply. Go get a snack.

Step 6: Check email again - no reply from my son, so I decided to forge ahead. Keep trying to get top off barrel. Remember all the times I tried to get tops off things, and succeeded, only to discover that top was not supposed to come off. Miraculously, top begins to screw off, as it was designed to do.

Step 7: Peer inside barrel to discover plastic bag containing spigot and plastic cap and (hallelujah!) instructions.

Step 8: Scan instructions (since I rarely read them). See a diagram on how to install spigots. As it turns out, you have a choice of two openings to put spigot, depending on whether to put the barrel on ground level or elevate it. I hate decisions. After carefully pondering, I put cap in bottom hole, and spigot in hole slightly higher up.

Step 9: Take barrel outside to designated rain barrel position (where downspout is that floods the concrete slab). Begin monotonous gutter renovation.

Step 10: Take off bottom bendy part.

Step 11: Study how to take off long straight part - need screwdriver, which entails trip back inside.

Step 12: Unscrew long part - put aside.

Step 13: Put on bendy plastic part - decide to screw in to metal part for security. Requires new holes and another trip back inside to get drill.

Step 14: Drill and screw in plastic bendy part. Decide more metal gutter needs to come off, so unscrew, take off, drill, rescrew.

Step 15: Bend and fold and twist plastic bendy part to divert rain to top of rain barrel.

Step 16: After much consideration, decide to switch spigot and plastic cap - decide spigot needs to be on bottom-most hole to get all rain out. Both components are screwed in pretty good, so another trip back inside to get plier-tool-thing to loosen.

Step 17: Unscrew, rescrew, adjust plastic bendy gutter thing.

Step 18: Decide barrel should be on blocks so I can get a pitcher under spout. More moving, positioning barrel, bending, twisting plastic bendy, until it appears all is well. Very excited, because much rain is predicted.

Step 19: Wait for rain - am not disappointed. During a break in rain, I decide to go out and check on barrel (I have issues). Notice all rain is pouring over top. I loosen lid on barrel, and rain begins to flow inside.

Step 20: A few hours later, I decide to check on barrel again, expecting to jiggle barrel to hear a few inches of rain. Barrel is so full, it is overflowing. The instructions say in this case, to connect the long gutter back, but the end of plastic bendy thing is too big, so this is not feasible. So, rain just continues to splash all over concrete slab.

So, in conclusion, I have my rain barrel. It is now full. I do not need it to water the outside plants, because it has been raining nearly nonstop. I will go out and get some to water the indoor plants.

I just don't know what to do with tomorrow's rain!

SPECIAL BONUS

Join us in Nashville on April 17 at the CoolMomsCare Rain Barrel Workshop. For just $25, you get the barrel and a demonstration of how to put it all together!

About the Author:

Compost: Crisis Control

Compost: Week Seven

I was hoping that I would have the perfect compost, as I was writing this series on composting. Although I never claimed to be an expert, I was hoping I would at least be a really lucky novice. Well, I didn’t want to admit it, but, "Mommy, the compost is stinky." My compost smells bad and has some flies in it. So this week I wanted to talk about trouble-shooting your compost.

What does my problem mean?:
My pile is anaerobic, too wet or may have too many nitrogen-rich products.

How can I help it?:
We have had a great amount of rain lately, so my compost does not need any more kitchen beverages in it. Also, the anaerobic state has come from not enough oxygen - aka, I need to stir my compost. So yesterday, I got out there with a shovel and aggressively stirred the compost pile. I was so happy to see that there is already a good amount of decomposition going on in the bottom of my pile, but in certain spots a horrifying odor would escape as I broke some parts up. I added more DRY, brown leaves to help absorb some of the water and stirred it for more than ten minutes.

The leaves will also help to balance out an Nitrogen over-use that may be in there (although I doubt that's my problem as I have more leaves than anything in there). From the diagnosis and remedy, my compost should we odor free within a week or so if I keep up the stirring.

What did I learn?
A good compost pile needs at least SOME managing, even if it is just an aggressive stirring whenever I add new organic matter. Also, do not be afraid to stir the compost. I was nervous about exposing the organic matter the the aeration holes on the side, but if stirred properly, the organic matter can stay towards the center of the pile but still be interlaced with the good, carbon filled brown stuff to help break it down. Finally, I learned that to maintain the proper balance of Nitrogen and Carbon, I need to have five times more BROWN material than GREEN.

Here are some common issues, signs and resolutions that may help.

Issue:
Your pile will not heat up.

Problem:
a. Your pile is too small.
b. You need more Nitrogen-rich matter.
c. The organic matter you have in your bin is too large.
d. Not enough water in the bin.
e. Weather is too cold outside.
f. Not enough oxygen in the pile.
g. Compost is finished decomposing.

Possible Solutions:
a. Increase your pile size to at least 3’ x 3’ x 3’ by adding more organic materials and leaves.
b. Add more Nitrogen-rich products (grass, fruit, or vegetable scraps).
c. Make sure to chop and organic matter that is too large (things like broccoli stocks are really hard to break down).
d. Add water to your pile (do not just stand over it with a hose - it should be as moist as a rung out sponge, no wetter).
e. Know that in [cold weather][] decomposition still takes place but it is much slower. Ensure that your bin is in the sun for the entire day, if possible to help keep it active.
f. Make sure to stir the pile.
g. If the decomposition process is complete, it will no longer be hot. You will know it’s ready when it is no longer hot and it smells like dirt.

Issue:
Your pile seems to attract rodents, pests or flies.

Problem:
a. Organic matter is exposed.
b. You have sugary, fatty or protein-rich materials in the pile.

Possible Solutions:
a. Make sure to keep all food scraps covered by leaves and work to bury them at least six inches in the pile.
b. Recheck your Do Not list and make sure you’re not adding Do Not items to your pile.

Issue:
Your pile smells like ammonia.

Problem:
Your pile is lacking Carbon.

Possible Solutions:
Add more leaves, hay, straw or shredded news paper to help balance the Nitrogen content of your pile.

Issue:
Your compost has insects, slugs, worms and millipedes.

Problem:
This is not an issue; this is a good thing. These organisms help to break down the organic matter in your pile.

Possible Solution:
None needed.

Issue:
Your pile has fire ants.

Problem:
a. Your pile is not hot enough.
b. Your pile is too dry.
c. Your kitchen scraps are too close to the top of your pile.

Possible Solutions:
a. Make sure to add a good mixture of Nitrogen-rich and Carbon-rich products to your pile.
b. Add water to your pile (do not just stand over it with a hose - it should be as moist as a rung out sponge, no wetter).
c. Make sure to keep all food scraps covered by leaves and work to bury them at least six inches in the pile.

In the Series
Week One - Compost: Getting Started
Week Two - Compost: Winter Time
Week Three - Compost: Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
Week Four - Compost: Enhance Your Compost
Week Five - Compost: Enhance Your Compost II
Week Six - Compost: Couldn't Hurt

Taxes and Money

What can Tax Day mean for your family?

I heard an interesting theory a week or so back on NPR about taxes. The argument was that giving people rebate checks will result in a different outcome than offering them tax relief throughout the year or giving them pre-paid debit cards. The idea is that if we are giving a relief each month, we will significantly change our buying habits as apposed to getting a check once a year.

As I look back over the last year, I can actually relate to this theory pretty intently. Honestly, when I quit my job February 2007 to become a full-time, stay-at-home mom, our finances changed dramatically, but my spending patters took a few months to catch up. I kept spending like I was, to some degree, thinking my income was not that big of a deal. I was quick to be corrected.

When I got a new job in September, I had been hit hard enough to know that just because I was not making more money I really needed to work on catching up from February. When I became a salaried employee and my husband got a new job, we sort of went off the deep end. We got Netflix, rejoined the Y and did some home repairs that we had been holding out on. I bought a new computer for work (which I was desperately in need of) and began to see how fast that extra money each month was gone and we were "strapped" again.

This was when I resolved to get my spending into a new place. We began to adopt the 24-hour wait period for all purchases, we had to revamp our budget and really start over. I never learned much about money management; I never understood the implications of money.

Today, I am seeking to find balance with money and not change my spending habits just because we have more income - the "more" is to be saved, invested, or given.

I once heard that most millionaires only make about $50,000 to $100,000 a year. These people probably pay off their homes, have no car payments and rarely use credit. I want to be that frugal. I want to get a tax return and invest it rather than have to catch up from over spending in previous months.

So what? Well, I believe that as we learn to better manage our money so our little girls will learn. As we show her to power of donation, giving back, saving for the future, and being less "needy" she will too learn the value of frugality. Next week we mark the dreaded Tax Day. My goal is to look at it as a learning experience for our future dollars rather than a time of dread.

Shoulda, Woulda, Coulda: I Should Have Talked Taxes

Bring your kids into the taxes as more than just a write-off.

When my children were small, we looked forward to our income tax return. Being a single-income family of five, we always had a use for any extra bit of money. Had I realized how I could have used tax season to financially educate our children, I would have talked taxes sooner.

I would have started with Daddy's job, explaining how he gets paid. We would have talked about paychecks and how money is taken out for insurance, retirement, and taxes.

We would have learned that taxes are withheld from each paycheck and that in April we fill out a form to see if we've paid enough tax for that year. We would have looked at a tax return form and seen the lines where the children's names would be listed. When we lived in states with state income taxes, we would have included those forms. We would have understood that if we paid too much, we would get that money back. As they matured, the children would learn in more detail about income taxes, helping them with that "first paycheck" shock.

We would have understood that taxes are the funds the government uses and listed the ways tax money is spent. We would have included the fire and police departments that protect us, the parks and swimming pools that we enjoy, the public schools and libraries that educate us, and the disaster funds and health care that help those in need.

By understanding a little bit about the basics of income tax, children can better appreciate a tax refund. If we received a refund, we would talk as a family about its possible use. We would begin by differentiating between a want and a need, and listing possible ways to spend the tax return in both cases.

We could have decided to spend the tax return on needs such as strengthening a savings account or paying off a bill. We could have finally bought that new appliance or fixed the roof. We could have decided to fund a need for someone we knew. We could have decided to fund a need improving our community. We could have decided to fund a need for our church or civic club.

We could have decided to spend the return on our wants. We could have funded a family adventure or project. We could have sent Dad out to play golf or celebrated a sibling's special birthday party. We could have purchased a new television or redecorated a room. But whether we decided to use the money for a need or a want, we would have decided together.

As parents, we often want our children to have the best. We want to provide for them and not concern them with money issues. But by involving our children early in the financial aspects of the family, they not only will become financially savvy, but will realize the practical, real-life side of being a family.

About the Author:

Luanne Davidson is the proud mother of three adult children and wonders what might have been if she had done a thing or two differently. She writes her "Coulda, Woudla, Shoulda" column each Thursday.