{ on my mind + menu }

1. Won't you consider picking up some extra school supplies for Heather's school supply drive? Email me for her shipping address. She'll pack them all at the end of September and send them to kids in need in Guatemala.
2. Thanks Gabby/Design Mom fame for the MEpad love on Babble last week!
3. Love this post.... 50 photos to inspire a joyous + vibrant life!
4. Have I mentioned that Samme + I are going to volunteer one day a week for a different organization or program and learn about them and help them out. First up, the soup kitchen in town. I'm really looking forward to this commitment to volunteerism with her.
5. Love this post...Living in the Land of Enough...
6. Cried when I read this post.
7. Isn't she crafty?
8. Adore everything about this home, especially the master attic suite.
9. Been reading + devouring this.
10. MantraME poster love.
11. We had fun making these.
12. Made tons of this with plums from our friends plum tree! Yum.
13. Love his bucket list.
14. Love these after school convo cards.
15. And this right here is Trouble, spelled with a capital T. Especially as I embark on September's Spending Hiatus... (speaking of hiatus's I went 30 days pretty much with NO television).

image via ilovelife.

{ airstream adventures }

Here are some before & after pictures of our new home away from home.

Before (obviously)

sources: Airstream (19' Bambi) found on craigslist; Flor carpet tiles; vintage Ikea heavy-weight curtains turned into washable seat cushions and scotch-guarded; misc. pillows from Target + Ikea; road map from Land of Nod; artwork by kids; poster from LobotoME; word/phrase cards from Compendium.

{ organize ME }

For sure one of the craftiest ways I've seen to hang up our weekly planners!

LobotoME goods shown on adorable wall via Karen of Karina Ink fame available here!

{ back to school }

{ back to school dinner + celebration and 1st morning of 1st grade }

{ on my mind + menu }

1. Honored to be a super special guest blogger on one of my very favorite sites, Crazy Sexy Life...musing about the necessity of ME-time. Check it out here.

2.Doesn't the crap in food just scare the crap out of you? If not, it should.

3. Thinking this bag might need to come home with ME.

4. Busy helping schools get geared up big time for our No Brainer Fundraising Program. Fall is a perfect time to do it as everyone needs a little (or a lot) of help on the organization front. Interested? Check out more information here.

5. So, now that all of the back to school stuff is purchased, I'm thinking of doing a NO Spend Month in September...I think fall is a good time to simplify and get organized and often not bringing anything else INTO the home helps with that. Anyone in?

6. Had a fun 'last weekend of the summer' camping trip this past weekend in the airstream. Pics of the remodel coming later this week.

7. Loving the fall transition back to more of a routine. Summer is one big fun free-for-all around here and I think we will all benefit from a bit more of a schedule.

8. The flooding in Pakistan. Sometimes it is so hard for me to go about my day + life when I think about how others are suffering...

9. Which leads me to wanting to do this sooner than later. I have this fear of leaving the kids and going to a 3rd world country to help other kids... What if something were to happen to me? I know most likely it wouldn't, but I still have this fear surrounding it. And yes, I know that worrying is manifesting what you don't want to happen to happen. I get the worry gene from my mother. :)

10. Made about 3 dozen veggie breakfast burritos for busy school mornings.

11. Made about 6 dozen mini, healthy zucchini muffins for busy school afternoons.

12. Great info on why green juice is so GOOD for you. My favorite recipe is apple, spinach, kale, cucumber, parsley & lemon. YUM. If you don't have a juicer go to your local Whole Foods and order one up.

Have a great week! GO!

image via etsy.

{ ME pad }

Who needs an ipadTM when you can have a MEpad? Introducing LobotoME's newest notepad...

The MEpad is always connected, the battery never dies and all you need is a lead-filled stylus to operate it. Space for notes & to do's, people to call and errands to run! As always, printed on 100% recycled materials using soy based inks and made in the USA. Makes a perfect gift for family members, friends and co-workers! Don't you think it would be a hit during the holidays? Available now here.

Here is Karen's all filled out...doesn't she have the best handwriting ever?


The quote at the bottom of the MEpad reads: "I like my new telephone, my computer works just fine, my calculator is perfect, but Lord, I miss my mind!" - Author Unknown

{ on my mind + menu }

1. Thinking a lot about this word (Abundance)...and inviting it into my life. Abundance of love. Abundance of fun. Abundance of dreams. Abundance of silliness. Abundance of time. Abundance of energy. Abundance of health. Abundance of faith. Abundance of $$. Abundance of experiences.

2. Thinking about school & education....Although we choose to educate our children along the traditional, public school route, we aim to supplement their experiences with rich adventures and times shared as a family. Figuring out how to do both this fall as school looms on the horizon.

3. Love this list of things that keep her happy, grounded, inspired & healthy.

4. Love this article about the link between happiness and non-consumption.

5. Great back to school tips via the lovely Karen of KarinaInk. I still can't believe school starts next week!

6. I must get asked a dozen times a week about how to make green smoothies...Check out this video for tips.

7. Love this post about appreciating what you have already in your life.

8. I like this idea of 4 simple goals to do by the end of summer. I'm thinking mine are:
- Get organized for back to school time.
- One more family camping trip.
- At least one more trip to the farmers market.
- At least one more pool trip & picnic.

9. Does anyone else think this is ridiculous? Designer diapers? Disposable ones at that.

10. This seems like an interesting experiment...I feel like I'm moving towards this...simple, classic pieces in gray, black; a great pair of jeans that works dressed down with sneakers or up with flats, etc. Even after the closet purging, I still have clothes + dresses I haven't worn in years...Don't we all have too much in our closets?!?!

11. On our menu this week - loads of green smoothies (my garden is overflowing with kale & swiss chard); veggie quesidilla;, kale & swiss chard lasagna; salmon, brown rice & kale, kids back to school dinner (alphabet pasta, alphabet cut veggies, alphabet cupcakes & more).

12. Went and saw Eat Pray Love (a matinee all by myself = bliss)...loved the movie but LOVED the book way more. But isn't that usually the case?

13. Thanks for all of the love about the new notepad & airstream remodel....more info about both coming soon! :)

Whats on your mind + menu this week?

card pictured above available here.

{ on my mind }

hey, hey, hey! I'm back! Sort of.... what have I been up to you ask?

Well we went on a 2 week road trip in the northeast (NY, VT, NH, ME), visiting family & friends, attending Will's family reunion, picking blueberries, hiking, eating blueberry pie, more hiking, eating blueberry icecream, swimming, drinking blueberry smoothies, kayaking, eating more blueberry pie, etc... We had a blast but are glad to be home in time to get settled in & organized before school starts the week after next.



Designing & getting ready to launch a new notepad that will be available on the website soon! (sneak peek below).



Renovating an old airstream for some upcoming cross-country family road trips - more on this FUN adventure soon! (sneak peek below).


Sending out 100 press kits for holiday gift guide pitches. (see stack below).


Watching NO TV. I took a NO TV for 30 days challenge and other than one cheat (Friday Night Lights season finale on hulu = 42 minutes, we've been TV free for weeks). See what my daughter thinks of this below. She keeps leaving me notes about how the TV isn't working.



Planning Samme's back to school celebration dinner (alphabet pasta, giant cupcakes, school fairy treats & more).

Cleaning & purging and getting ready for the fall... which I have to say is my favorite time of year!

Redoing the kids rooms - making them a bit more "big kid-ish" now that Henry is in a bed.

What have y'all been up to?