Happy New Year

Today is the last day before the New Year...I can't procrastinate any longer on my resolution for a greener year although truly I have NOT been procrastinating. It just seems right to begin this adventure in the new year...and see where it takes us. And here we are.

Last night I decided to make a vision board. I am not exactly looking for any magical powers to come from my board-just something lovely for me to look at each day and envision what I might like to attain in my life. You could easily call it a collage because really, that is what it is. I did not know where I was going to start or end with my new vision/collage/thoughts on a big piece of card board. I did a minor amount of research-maybe 2 minutes worth just to make sure I was on the right track. I even found a website with some music suggestions to inspire me and I went into a quiet room to be alone and get into Zen Mode...I was feeling so inspired. Unfortunately, when I typed the song title into the computer...something went seriously wrong as the music I selected from the song suggestions turned into some sort of raging screaming scary outburst-you know grunge headbanging nightmare for your ears...so I just did away with that and turned off the computer program. At least I was in peace and quiet now with no kids and nothing to interrupt my mode, so I breathed in and out and proceeded with my inspirational board...until my husband came in with the baby and started to take over my Zen Room... I felt myself start to freak out inside because it is really difficult to be ZEN when everything around you is SO UN ZEN! I let it go....and then I proceeded and did not give up and one thing led to another and to another until I had a completed board and I am liking what I see...It has a lot of GREEN writing....a lot of PLANTS and FLOWERS and a GIANT BEAUTIFUL GARDEN on it...there are beautiful pictures of farm scenery, fruits and vegetables, a big yellow butterfly, and a lovely calm organized home with children's art hanging from the walls. There are inspirational quotes and inspiring words. I love my board! I can't wait to admire it in 2009 and see how I can re-create this vision in my own life.

So today, my oldest daughter spent countless minutes admiring my board. All day long she was asking about it and telling me how much she liked it. She also kept trying to adjust my pictures and help me glue stuff on (which secretly was a bit annoying) and I kept having to stop her...this was MY board.

As I write this, my daughters are on the floor with magazines and crayons and scissors and glue making their own boards. These boards are full of colors they love, cut out from magazines with rugs and bedspreads, beautiful bedrooms and kids playing at the beach. There are little girls dressed up in princess costumes and tutus and even one sweet child being kissed goodnight in her bed. One of my favorites is the "Beautiful Table" my youngest daughter had me cut out for her..."I just love that table-it is so beautiful". Their visions may not be about the new year or becoming green-but they are their own creations and they had fun!

I hope that in the coming year I can help inspire my children to be more aware of our environment and the impact we have on it.

I can't wait to live my green collage of inspiration in real time!!!

What inspires you to be green in 2009?