When I was a kid, the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas seemed to stretch forever. Heck — Christmas Eve Day seemed to stretch forever.

The grandkids would arrive at my grandparents’ house early in the day and we would sled down the hill for hours, trying to make the time go by until we gathered around their kitchen table for an informal feast. And then it was time to exchange gifts, and gathered around the fireplace, we slowly took turns opening presents and talking about them. A lot.

The giver was allowed a long explanation of where they found the gift, how they chose it, why … the receiver would give thanks, talking about the 23 ways they were going to use this new wonderful thing that looked a lot like a plain old sweater.

But now that I am a grown-up, the pace of everything seems so sped up. The time between Thanksgiving and Christmas goes by in a flash, and often it isn’t until the holiday is done that I realize I forgot to do something, serve something, give something … say thanks for something.

My mom has this saying. She has been telling us for years, that Christmas is a Season, meaning that you don’t have to cram all the celebration into one or two days.

To help our family appreciate the holiday season, I am trying to be a bit better organized this year.

I have printed out some planning pages, and have a goal to bake one thing, make one thing, share one thing, cross off one thing, and do one (big) thing each week. (When I write it like that, it sounds insane. But you have to take into account that we like almost all of these things, so that helps.)

• For baking, I’d like to make and freeze some healthy (ish) cookies, and I plan to share those recipes here.
• For making, I’m going to continue the Holiday Making Series (I’ve added a new tag at the right side of the blog that you can click on to see the Holiday Making ideas so far) while creating small gifts for friends and family.
• For sharing one thing, I want to work on one project each week with the kids … something we enjoy doing together like making ornaments or new stockings which we desperately need to replace the droopy, Dec. 30, 2001-clearance stockings we’ve had since we were newlyweds.
• For crossing off one thing, I’d like to tackle decorating one week, cards another, and wrapping another. We are planning to take part in One Small Change for the first time this month, and our goal is to not buy wrapping paper this year. So we are looking mainly to old magazine pages, fabric, and the kids’ drawings and paintings (with permission of course), plus maybe those rolls in the basement if we get desperate, but nothing new.
• And for doing one thing, I am focusing on the big stuff here. This week, we are going to see a kid-friendly production of A Christmas Carol. Next week, I’d like to get our tree, and the following week, we are excited to check out the new outdoor ice skating rink in our community.

One other philosophy is helping me feel less scattered about holiday shopping. I have proposed the idea in our immediate family of one thing you want, one thing you need, one thing to wear and one thing to read. I am adding one thing to play (a game, to continue the tradition we had in my family growing up of playing games on New Year’s Eve.)

This will be the first year trying this, and I have to admit to thinking it is genius one minute (I can say that because it is not my idea) and being absolutely panicked the next that it is not enough.

I do this every year, not only with gifts for the kids, but gifts for everyone. I get very caught up at the last minute that we aren’t doing enough, when really, we are usually doing more than we can.

And so that is the challenge this year — to have warm, joy-filled days as we focus on family and our good fortune. And to also know that whatever we can do is more than enough, even if the cards don’t get sent until spring, and we spend one more year with our 3-foot-long stockings.

I’d love to hear more about how you celebrate the holidays, and how you spend the time leading up to them. Please share your thoughts in the comments below!

When I think of people who inspire me to live more sustainably without making me feel guilty or like I am not doing enough, I think of Tara from Sustainable Baby Steps. I first heard of Tara through her blog The Organic Sister where she writes about her family traveling the country in a RV that runs on recycled veggie oil while unschooling and living “beyond green.”

But the way Tara talks about her life, never makes me feel like she is looking down on the rest of us who are not quite there yet. Instead she provides steady encouragement, and a healthy dose of chosen happiness. As Tara puts it, “Inspire. Don’t Require.”

When Tara launched her newest project, Sustainable Baby Steps, I knew I wanted to talk about it here. In the same spirit of sharing, not judging, Tara gives families wonderful inspiration for making small steps towards living a greener existence.

I am so thrilled that Tara agreed to talk about what she is doing with her new blog: 

TVNT: First, can you fill me in a little about you, your family, and how your blogs came about?

Tara: My name is Tara. I’m married to a wonderful guy, Justin and we have an 11 year old son, Zeb. We’re pretty passionate about living organically, from green living to organic learning to designing a life that we love and that feels good and purposeful.

So we do some awesome things like eco-friendly travel, unschooling and following our passions in life to fulfill our individual purposes.

One of my big goals is to make a difference and Sustainable Baby Steps is one way I’m fulfilling that goal.

TVNT: I love Sustainable Baby Steps because you are showing families that every little thing they do matters. Can you share some examples of the “baby steps” you encourage people to try?

Tara: I think a lot of people get so caught up in the details that they can easily become overwhelmed. I wanted to show people that it doesn’t have to be overwhelming; you just have to do one thing at a time.

Some of the easiest (and possibly most important) transitions to make are things like stainless steel water bottles or going chemical-free by switching to all natural cleaners and organic pesticides.

TVNT: I have found in my own experience that as I continue down this road, I am trying sustainable things that I would have thought in the past were too hard to do or too “crunchy.” In your own family, do you keep pushing the limits of sustainable living — I saw a mention of reusable toilet paper!

Tara:We do. I’m sort of an all-or-nothing gal. We love our cloth toilet paper, we love running our diesel engine on waste veggie oil found at restaurants and we loved our veggie garden. In the future we plan to have land, maybe even within an eco-community, and an off-grid home with a permaculture design.

But we didn’t get here overnight! I think some of the bigger things come with time. Not many people can jump right from a conventional lifestyle to cloth toilet paper. But you can jump to recycled toilet paper, or using less toilet paper. And as you settle into things and get more involved in the movement, you may just find yourself taking bigger steps down the road.

TVNT: What advice would you give to someone just starting to learn about sustainable living? What about those people who feel like they will never be “green enough?”

Tara: Avoid the negative stuff if it overwhelms you. Don’t read up on health issues or environmental issues. They can feel TOO BIG and often stop people from even making a single change.

That’s why I include all that info on my website with the warning to not let it bog you down. Yes, it can be important to know why you are doing what you’re doing. But if it overwhelms or depresses you (which will just slow you down) what’s the point? Do what you feel is right, focus on the positive change and get engaged in the process. You don’t need to be an encyclopedia of background knowledge to make changes.

And no, it’s pretty unlikely that most of us will be puritans. It’s not the world we live in. Sometimes our choices will be limited, or other people will impact our lifestyle and sometimes we’ll just give in.

But that’s not a reason to do nothing. Baby steps, after all.

TVNT: What inspires you in your green living? Do you ever have moments of frustration? If so, how do you keep going?

Tara: I tend to live in a nice little bubble, full of people taking steps and bringing positive awareness to the issues. It’s so inspirational to see people live a life of awareness and be engaged in something about which they’re so passionate.

I get very frustrated when I step outside that bubble and do something like watch TV. Commercials can make it seem as though no one cares, as if there is no issue with non-stop consumption and no awareness of things like chemical dangers or health concerns.

But there is an issue and lots of people know and care. I see the green movement as a snowball. The more people remain positive and live their lives, the more they inspire others.

Inspire, Don’t Require. Rules don’t change people; inspiration does.

TVNT: Can you tell us more about your plans for Sustainable Baby Steps? How can people get involved? 

Tara: Sustainable Baby Steps has a lot of growing to do! Over the coming year information will be added about travel, families, health, personal care and so much more. Sign up for the newsletter or subscribe to the feed to be updated of new content.

You can also grab a badge to share on your website or blog, share your favorite page on Facebook or Twitter, ask questions, offer answers and give feedback. I want to know what people want to hear about most and how I can help them make changes in their own life.

I’m looking forward to spreading the message of sustainability with the help of so many other inspired and involved individuals and families!

***

I want to thank Tara for taking the time to talk with me and encourage you to check out her site! Every small step can make a difference, especially if we are all in this together. Can you think of one small change you would like to make to live a little greener? Please share it in the comments below!

Also, be sure to check out Sustainable Baby Step’s Eco Friendly Gift Guide for lots of good ideas!

There was a time, not so very long ago, when each week followed a rhythm and Sundays were a day of rest.

In our family, we are trying to recapture that feeling of having a day of peace, togetherness and reflection.

This isn’t always the easiest thing. Dishes need to be done, groceries bought, clutter … uncluttered.

But our family has recently made a commitment to try to slow down and simplify, and focusing on Sundays seems like a good place to start.

Will you join us for A Simple Sunday?

The real dividing line between the things we call work and thing we call leisure is that in leisure, however active we may be, we make our own choices and own decisions. We feel for the time being that our life is our own. – Anonymous

An assortment of recipes, books, blog posts, or other things (in this particular case, a sandwich) that inspired me this week.

Creating a Gift Larder

Eco Child’s Play’s Holiday Gift Guide

No TV Days from Enlightened Motherhood

Pinecone Nature Study

Yowza. The Next-Level Leftover Sandwich

My sister, who is visiting us this week, was telling us about making dog food for her beloved pups Liam and Dolly. She mixes grains and protein with fruit and veggies, and her adorable canine companions gobble it up.

We are not quite there yet. Although our dog Travis eats his fare share of people food, most of it is grabbed off of plates when backs are turned or given to him by a gullible human.

But I really respect the work she does to feed her dogs well, using whole food ingredients. Although our doggie generally eats a nice crunchy kibble at meals, we do love making dog treats. And we’ve found the treats make great gifts for the dog lovers in our lives.

When searching for dog treat recipes, we stick only to ingredients we can find easily –  no “beef-flavored powder” here. Our favorite two recipes are actually kind of tasty, if a little bland for a human palate.

Liam’s Rock Star Puppy Biscuits got their name from Liam the rock star dog, who was named after a rock star, and also from the star-shaped mini cookie cutter we used to make the biscuits.

Our Peanut Butter Snappers are Travis’ favorite. Like all people under the age of … (well, OK, all of us in this house regardless of age) he LOVES peanut butter.

Wrap a few of these in a little bag and you’ll have a very happy pup this holiday season. Both recipes will keep in an airtight container or zipper bag for at least a week.

Liam’s Rock Star Puppy Biscuits

1 large apple, minced

1/4 cup honey

1/2 cup water (or more to achieve desired consistency)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup oats

1 1/2 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients in the bowl of a stand-up mixer or mix by hand. Dough should be somewhat sticky — you may need to use more than the 1/2 cup of water to get ingredients to come together. Dust a surface with additional flour and roll out dough. Use a small cookie cutter to make stars or other shapes. Place each shape 1-inch apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool before serving.

Peanut Butter Snappers

2 cups flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 cup chunky natural peanut butter

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix ingredients in bowl of a stand-up mixer or mix by hand. Flour work surface and roll out dough. Cut into bone or other shapes. Place about 2 inches apart on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes  or until golden brown. Cool before serving.

Note: Some days are for rolling and cutting, and some days are for plopping and squashing. So if you don’t feel up to rolling out your dough several times, just drop rounded teaspoons onto the pan and flatten them a little with your hands. The dogs won’t mind.

There used to be ducks on Thanksgiving. Two of them.

And a turkey too, and a lot of marshmallows. I feel like my family served more than our fair share of marshmallows at the table.

My mom made one of those green bean casseroles, every year. My grandpa loved it, but he loved everything. Everything.

It was because of him that we had the ducks. No one else really ate them, or they ate a little, but my grandfather could pretty much eat an entire duck, and then another one the next day. Leftovers.

My grandmother never cooked except on Thanksgiving. I will always remember her standing at the counter, whipping the life out of a bowl of mashed potatoes. That was all she made, but it was her dish, every year. No marshmallows, of course.

I took that bowl when she died. It reminded me of her, and when it broke, around Thanksgiving a few years later, I cried. I sat down in my tiny apartment kitchen and I cried. And my husband, who wasn’t my husband yet, came in and saw me there, with my head in my hands missing her so much, and he gently cleaned up the pieces, and held me. And I knew I had made a good choice there.

I’m not sure how the duck thing started, or why we had a turkey and two ducks.

It was a rare day of excess at my grandparents’ house, which probably explains the marshmallows too. Everything was big and grand. We added sugary topping with abandon. Whipped cream on pumpkin pie, and just so much food.

I’ve talked before about my grandparents growing up during The Depression, and the way it shaped them. It made them forever grateful that it never would be that bad again.

My grandpa tried to ensure that by buying two of everything. He stocked his basement, to be sure it would never be like that again.

And he gave. They both did. They gave away so much of what they had — to their children and grandchildren and to people who worked for them and to people they had never met. They gave because they knew what it was like to go without, and the thought of it still broke their hearts.

For many years my grandmother took us shopping to pick out gifts for homeless families in our area. She helped us choose toys and coats for children; warm clothing, hats and gloves for adults, and food for all.

Thanksgiving is a reminder for many of us of all we have to be grateful for.

At a time when many of us feel we are making sacrifices, pinching pennies, being careful, today is a day to remember that most of us are so much better off than people of a different time, or people in a different place.

In our little family, we rarely eat big meals of excess and marshmallow. But eating well makes us feel healthy and secure. And I try not to think too often about how I would feel if my children did not even have access to clean water.

I don’t know how parents survive seeing their children hungry — something happening not only in countries around the world, but probably happening a few blocks away from me right now. I don’t know how my great-grandparents got through it, raising my grandmother for months at a time inside a horse barn before their horse, Pay-Up finally did. Or how my paternal grandparents did not go crazy with worry in a tiny farmhouse in Michigan where some of their children did not have shoes.

But I do know that when I think of these things, it reminds me that many of my frustrations and worries are minor. Even my money worries. They are all so small.

Today, I am grateful for so many things. I am grateful for those grandparents, who lived hard lives, and came out on the other side, stronger, and filled with generosity and appreciation. I’m grateful for a mother who still likes to put marshmallows on everything in life, figuratively speaking of course. I am grateful for that man, who comforted me in the kitchen after my grandmother’s bowl shattered, and the two children he has given me, who love to hear stories about my family. I am grateful for a sister, who traveled to be with us, and her husband, and his family for making a sacrifice and sharing them on this special day. I am grateful for my father, my family and friends and the opportunity to write here every day.

And I am grateful that my grandfather taught me when he was still here that if you have a lot, it is your duty to share it, and after he was gone, through a letter uncovered from his sister, he taught me that if you have a little, you should share that too. I never knew he helped put two of his sister’s through college until recently. By washing dishes.

But I am so incredibly appreciative of the reminder at a time like this. When sometimes the days seem haunted by worry …

But not today. Today, I simply give thanks, and wonder what I can do to help someone not so incredibly blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving.

***

Information about this charity arrived in my in-box and the timing seemed too wonderful to overlook. I know many of us look for charities to give to this time of year. Do you have one you believe in? Please tell us in the comments below.

I’m doing things a bit backwards today. I planned on bringing you our family’s favorite recipe for cranberry bread that we like to have on hand at Thanksgiving and also to give as holiday gifts.

But we have family visiting this week (Owen calls it a Family Explosion) and honestly, we have been too busy having fun to bake at all.

So cranberry bread tomorrow then … and right now, I’d like to think instead about some recipes for the big day itself, using lots of fresh, seasonal, whole food and organic ingredients.

Turkey

This is our favorite turkey recipe. I have used it each year that I have been in charge of “the bird.”

Heritage Turkey recipe with Rosemary Maple Butter

Dressing/Stuffing

Cornbread Dressing from Southern Living

I am trying this Spelt Bread Stuffing recipe this year for our family members with wheat allergies

Wild Rice Stuffing with Cranberries and Roasted Pecans

 Vegetables

This recipe is a lot like the one we use for Brussels sprouts, but we add toasted hazelnuts too

Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Pasta

Curried Squash and Sweet Potato Soup

Corn Pudding recipe from 12 Bones Smokehouse (via a Spicey Perspective)

Cranberries

Cranberry Chutney

Click to download a pdf that features allergen-free Chunky Cranberry Sauce and Pumpkin Custard

More Desserts and Treats

Gluten-free Cheesecake Stuffed Pumpkin Cupcakes

Almond Cranberry Granola

Raw Apple Pie

Citrus Pound Cake with Cranberry Syrup*

And my one of my favorite tricks I like to pull out each year is freezing cranberries in pineapple juice in an ice cube tray. I then add those to a pretty glass and mix juice with sparkling water to create a fun beverage for the kids.

For the adults, see that cranberry syrup above? I make a little extra to add to the “grown-up drinks” in the house (I’ve heard it’s great with a little gin, a little lime and a bit of soda. Test it out and let me know!)

What is your favorite Thanksgiving recipe this year?

(By the way, if you are not a gluten-free/dairy-free, etc. family, please know that the nice little tags below say gluten-free and dairy-free because *some* of the recipes listed above meet those requirements. Some are even gluten-free and dairy-free. Some are wheat-free but not gluten-free. So, before you offer these up at Thanksgiving, please just know that not all are safe for people avoiding wheat, gluten or dairy. If you need more info, please feel free to leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you! Thanks!)

You know how sometimes you stumble upon something and it just fits? It just makes so much sense. And so maybe it becomes a tiny part of your life, and eventually, maybe, a part of who you are.

That’s how I felt when I found the blog One Small Change recently.

When this blog started up in August, my goal was to write about trying to live organically without getting completely overwhelmed.

Because sometimes, especially in the beginning, I think trying to live more organically feels like trying to drink up the ocean with a straw. You do a little and it seems like there is just so much more to go.

But Suzy and Andy at One Small Change have thought of a brilliant way to make living more organically seem so manageable.

I am thrilled that she agreed to talk about One Small Change and their amazing plans for 2011 with me.

So without further ado, here is some Organic Inspiration from Suzy…

TVNT: Can you fill me in a little bit about you and your family?

Suzy: I am married to my best friend and business partner, Andy. Together we are raising our 2 daughters, Magnolia…my shy, sweet, caring, smart 6-year-old, and Sienna…my wild, funny, silly, free spirited 3-year-old.  We live at the base of the Rocky Mountains and enjoy spending time in nature, hiking, camping, snowboarding, snow shoeing, and playing in rivers.

Suzy: Andy and I were having a business meeting one night at the end of 2009.  It is actually kind of funny because we decided to get a babysitter and go out for margaritas and see what we could come up with for new ideas…we now say that our best ideas come about after a couple of margaritas.  Anyway, back to the story…we wanted to personally do something to make a difference.

Our online presence was growing fast at this time and we knew we had an opportunity to inspire others to make changes.  The idea for making one small change each month in 2010 really just came to me that night and the next day we started inviting people to join us.  We quickly grew to about 400 participants…the numbers have dropped since we started, but we have some new momentum for 2011 and have some great new ideas and giveaways coming up to help keep people motivated!

TVNT: Do you find that a lot of people get freaked out by the idea of trying to live completely “green” or organically?

Suzy: Totally!  The idea of changing everything overnight is very overwhelming and a lot of times people will think, well if I can’t change it all, then I am not going to do anything.  This is why we really want to emphasize the idea of making one small change each month.  Even if you just switch one food item to organic, you are making a difference, or take one less shower a month, you are making a difference.

Of course there are times when making a larger change is doable, but by making just one change at a time it seems much more manageable. 

Just think…that first month we started the project we had 400 people all making one change.  If 400 people stopped using paper towels, that makes for a huge impact.  By joining this project, you are making one small change, but also seeing changes others are making and together we are making a huge difference!

TVNT: What is your favorite “One Small Change” you personally have made?

Suzy: My favorite change has been the switch to hanging my laundry to dry.  I wanted to do this for years, but was afraid of making more work for myself.  I started in April and hung my laundry all summer and loved it!  Now that the weather is colder, I do use my dryer mixed in with hanging it, but am still using my dryer a lot less that I did a year ago and that feels great.

TVNT: I saw that your November change is to bake more. For my family, every small change we make means we shuffle things just a lit to make it fit. How do you find time and energy to institute your changes? How do you stay motivated?

Suzy: Finding the time is hard.  The motivation comes from knowing I have made a commitment and I am holding myself accountable by coming back to the blog several times a month to discuss my change.  I don’t want to let myself or my readers down. 

As far as the baking goes, I try to find an hour or two each week to just get in the kitchen and do it. Other things can wait…I don’t put too much pressure on myself and if it means the laundry waits another day, then that is OK. 

TVNT: And finally, can you tell everyone more about how to get involved? WHY do you feel it is so important to start making changes?

Suzy: It is so easy to get involved!  We have a blog, One Small Change, and at the beginning of each month we put up a blog post asking what your change will be for that month.  If you are participating that month, you can leave a comment to that blog post letting us know what you plan to change for the month.  If you have a blog and write about your change on your blog, leave us a link to your blog post so others can read about your change.  Mid month I will put up another post asking how it is going and you can leave a comment with updates.

We have something new and exciting coming up in 2011 where we are giving away prizes at the end of each month for a few participants.  We don’t have all the details worked out yet, but there will be some pretty awesome prizes and we hope this will be a great incentive to keep people going. It is so important that we all do our part in creating a livable and beautiful planet.  We have really gone off the path of natural living and living harmoniously with nature and animals and it is time we get back on track.  If we all do our part, we can seriously make a difference!  If we don’t take care of our Mother Earth, she will not take care of us and when Mama Earth isn’t happy, nobody is happy!

There was a time, not so very long ago, when each week followed a rhythm and Sundays were a day of rest.

In our family, we are trying to recapture that feeling of having a day of peace, togetherness and reflection.

This isn’t always the easiest thing. Dishes need to be done, groceries bought, clutter … uncluttered.

But our family has recently made a commitment to try to slow down and simplify, and focusing on Sundays seems like a good place to start.

Will you join us for A Simple Sunday?

I’m planting a haycorn, Pooh, so it can grow up into an oak tree. ~ Piglet
(A.A. Milne)

An assortment of recipes, books, blog posts, or other things that inspired me this week.

Magic Words

How Gratitude Can Change Your Life

ThankfulFor

Be Glad for this Moment

Six Traditions to Start this Year

What are you thankful for this weekend?