Lesley, our fitness and Etsy expert is back with perhaps the best tutorial I've ever seen.  She poured her heart into this one folks, who is going to join me in making a set of these?  Granted, I'm lucky enough to have two Rugrat Design snack bags that we use ALL.THE.TIME!  Perfect for on the go snacking :)

__ For those of us with school age children….the time has come….summer is over and it is time for back to school. There may have been tears (theirs or your own) or there may have been celebratory moments (again, theirs or maybe your own too!) Regardless of how it happened….it happened….the school supplies were purchased, first day of school outfit selected and laid out, teachers and schedules assigned and just like that- the 2013-2014 school year began. Along with those supplies, book bags, “perfect shoes” and the coolest styles comes the lunchbox. And that is where the subject of this month’s entry begins….

If you’re reading this blog- it means you are at least partially green. If you were looking for the “How to fill the landfill ASAP” blog- you’re in the wrong spot. So- back to that lunchbox. In packing daily lunches for my daughter I was determined to do my part to be a little more green. I went a tad crazy seeking the perfect lunchbox.  My daughter is carrying a Goodbyn lunchbox this year and so far I pretty much have a crush on the thing. Truly.

In addition to this lunchbox, we use reusable sandwich wraps and snack bags instead of ziplocs, foil or saran wrap when I pack lunch and snacks. We also use a reusable drink bottle instead of juice boxes. Since I can’t tell you how to make a drink bottle, you’ll just have to go to Target to get one of those bad boys. But, as the woman behind Rugrat Design. I CAN tell you how to make the reusable wraps. So I will do that. That’s right, I’m telling you how to make something instead of sending you to my shop to buy it. Aren’t I nice!? For those of you who don’t sew or don’t want to- then just head right over and do your shopping and I’ll happily make it and mail it to you :)

So, shut up already Lesley and tell me what to do. OK. I hear ya!

With no further ado….THE REUSABLE SNACK BAG AND SANDWICH WRAP TUTORIAL This is my first tutorial and therefore I request your patience as it may be a tad wordy. But I promise you, at the end, you will have a reusable snack bag and sandwich wrap and you can send stylish and green lunches for your Rugrat (or yourself!) Goodbye waste…hello style!

When it comes to Easter baskets, there are some things that must not be changed:  gourmet jelly beans (no generic or jumbo ones for me!) & a Reese's peanut butter egg.  Those two things will keep me fishing through the plastic green grass with a smile on my face all day long!

However, the rest of the traditional Easter items NEED TO GO.  Forget the waxy tasting chocolate crosses and bunnies!  Forget the foil wrapped eggs.  Dear me, puh-lease leave out the marshmallow peeps.  The malt balls and speckled eggs, meh...

Let's raise a generation of kids who covet their SMALL amount of high quality chocolate* (here is where I back-track and snub Reese's...do as I say, not as I do) and get giddy over the healthy treats found in their Easter baskets!

*I recommend heading to your local Aldi for the best selection of chocolates.  It's one of life's great perks that the local "budget" grocery store is originally from Germany and therefore full of reasonably priced German chocolates!


Lazy Green Mama's 10 Healthy Easter Basket Fillers Recommendations:

 Do you feel it?  The pressure to be all things to all people at all times?  I do. 

Mamas, let's make a pledge to ourselves to take things one step at a time.

I'm starting this blog with quite a few "aces in the hole".  (ooo... I like writing within quotations almost as much as I love writing within parentheses!).

So, I'm gonna start with a topic I've been asked to explain many times:  CLOTH WIPES.

CONTAIN YOUR EXCITEMENT LADIES!

Yes, cloth wipes are the easiest way to green up the output process of your wee ones.  (Ha!  I just came up with that- "output process"!  I feel clever.)

If you already use cloth diapers, this will be an easy addition for you!  The wipes go right in the diaper pail.  If you use disposable diapers, this is a way to be a little greener, a little healthier for your baby and a little more confident around any tree-hugger friends you have.

For the first 8 months of my baby's life, I found a zen-like joy (only slightly exaggerating) in folding the wipes accordion style after washing* them and then placing them in my Prince Lionhart wipe warmer (hey, now they sell one with bamboo wipes!  glad they jumped on the band wagon!).  Just remoisten the little sponge thing every day and your wipes are always the perfect moistness and a pleasing temperature. 

Now that my baby is a little hardier, I'm relishing the freedom to be a little lazier with my wipes.  I toss them into the dryer (ok, sometimes I line dry them, but only sometimes!) and then stuff (emphasis on the helter skelter here.  no folding allowed!) them into the unplugged wipe warmer. 

Now, if you aren't a cloth diaper mama, you may be a little squeamish about the idea of having to wash poop (that word makes me smile).  If that's the case, no biggie... use disposable wipes on those diapers and cloth wipes for all the others!  If you want to go all-out and use the cloth wipes for everything, I've been really pleased with the bumgenius bottom cleaner
that I received as a baby gift.  I spritz a little on the dirty bum and everything wipes cleanly off.  One 4 oz. bottle has lasted a LONG time!  However, once that runs out, I'm gonna fill the bottle with ye ole H2O and a squirt of Dr. Bronner's (I'll let you know how that goes).

As for the cloth wipes.  I really like these thin unbleached flannel squares.  I imagine it wouldn't be too hard to make your own flannel wipes, but come on... this is MY blog!  I have also tried cloth wipes that are more terry cloth (bumgenius brand, though they don't seem to be for sale online anymore).  These are great as washcloths, but too thick for a wipe.

What do you think?  Do you already use them?  Will you try?

*How I wash:  I wash my wipes with the cloth diapers.  1. cold rinse; 2. hot wash with 1/4 the amount of detergent (Dreft or any free & clear); 3. extra cold rinse.  If you don't wash cloth diapers, throw the wipes into the washer for a cold rinse before adding whatever else.  The wipe-to-skin contact is brief, so let's not over think the detergent!