Eco-Challenge Ending

Whew. Once again this has been a hectic two weeks. Once again I have a sick baby (oh the joys of the first year of daycare) and so we have really been focused on well being of a different kind this week.

That said. We have stayed true to our original goal of eating less meat. We did a potato and eggplant with Trader Joe's simmer sauce one night and going back to basics - we made more soup (check out an old Meatless Monday lentil soup recipe from my friend Deonne). I must have really missed soup this summer because just today we got the first of our soup from Portland Soup Cycle. This is a fantastic company that will make my life so much easier with a "soupscription" to weekly soup delivery. Each week I get a quart of soup delivered to my office on a bike made of yummy local ingredients soup. This and grill cheese or as my work lunch and I will be in heaven for weeks to come - all while putting little impact on the environment.
 
We also invested in an eco-friendly housekeeping service. I know this is probably one of those things that folks looking to live more on less might be looking at my like I'm crazy right now and I don't blame you. But if there is any lesson at all that we too from my husband being home and living cheaper for the last eight months it is that our family time is so very precious. Having him home meant the world and yet so does having some financial freedom.

Ultimately, if we were willing to put the girls back in daycare and have crazy days - we were willing to give up some of the money to help us keep some of the precius time. So if having food sustainable food delivered to me, or having someone help me clean my house with the same eco-friendly products I would use costs me more - so be it. I'm going to do this so that my family still keeps up the little time together we have. I know this is a luxury. I'm aware that some of this is probably not something everyone can do. I have always said I'm blessed to have the ability to live this way - even in this economy. I hope this makes sense to those few of you that might follow me.

One little tip though - I hired both of these terrific service providers through coupons in my Chinook book. If you are in the Portland metro area (or a few other cities they offer them in - check their site) and don't have one find a kid selling them for a school fundraiser and get your hands on one! I saved $15 off my first soup order (that I'm sharing with another family) and nearly $200 of my bi-weekly house cleaning. I'm supporting local, sustainably minded companies, and the book only cost me $20 (I think at least half of that goes to the school). There are hundreds of grocery and restaurant coupons...seriously - this is more for less!

So that is the nearly the end of our eco-challenge - probably not the grand ending I would have hoped for but healthy family comes first. I was really hoping to raise just $50 for NWEI. So Please please please just think about contributing a few dollars to their cause, becoming a member, or starting your own discussion group. Plus check out some of the other inspirational personal goals of other individuals who also participated