But then there’s me. This is the extent of what I know of wine: red? It goes with meat. And pasta? And it’ll give you a headache. White? Um, fish? I think?

So let’s just say that the consummate host or hostess gift? Not so good, coming from me. Now, if you want a good liquor? We’ll show up with some Grey Goose. And if it’s beer you prefer? Have that covered, too. But wine? No.

So last week, when I received a really lovely package from Peacock Republic, it occurred to me as I was opening it in front of my friends that I should encourage them to look away. Because I was not sharing.

The scent that wafted out? Delicious. Chai tea, lemongrass, lavender. The packaging? Infinitely chic. There is nothing more satisfying than having a gorgeous bottle of liquid soap next to your kitchen or bathroom sink. Really, seems a little nit-picky, but I want everything in my home to be gorgeous. Including my soap.

But… even better than gorgeous? It’s good for you. They use only good, clean ingredients. You know, ‘green.’ Nothing weird in this soap. And it’s luxurious. And it’s… the perfect hostess gift. And you don’t even have to wrap it. These little bars of heaven are wrapped up in the most lovely paper and ribbon. And I absolutely adore the paper: it has wildflower seeds embedded in it. Just drop the wrapper in a container of some sort with soil, and water. Pea and I? We’re doing some container ‘gardening’ with these little pieces of paper this weekend. And the bottles? Are beautifully designed.

The next time you go to someone’s home and want to take along a little something? Any one of these soaps would be a gracious hostess gift. Amidst all those bottles of wine on the counter, these soaps will stand out.

So, the bars of soap were promptly swiped by Pea, who put them in all of the bathtubs in the house. She then went back to all of the bathtubs that were not her bathtub, and took them back. I later found them lined up on the side of her tub. The kid knows what she likes, and she likes pretty things that smell good. I’d really like at least one of those bars back, but I have about as much luck of that happening as I do of my two friends returning the two bottles of liquid soap that they swiped.

The site promises more good things to come in the future. Like stuff for kids. I love stuff for kids.

And so, I am cleaning house. Making detailed lists of what we need. The necessities. And everything else? Not so important. No more buying just for the sake of buying. Really, how much stuff can one home acquire? We don’t need things to entertain ourselves. Entertainment can be found in our beautiful backyard. In the hand-crafted sandbox that my husband lovingly built for his girls with his own two hands. Or on the hiking trails just across the street from our home. Or at the duck pond down the road. Or on the tiny little swing-set hidden just above our home in a park that has breathtaking views of the mountains that we now call home.

And food? Well, as huge a role as it plays in our home, I’m finding the need to retool that, as well. Why should I buy popsicles at the store, filled with preservatives, when I can make my own watermelon slice pops? With my girls. In our kitchen. Using molds that Pea picked out herself. Charming, simple, delicious and family bonding at it’s best. Especially with Pea, as she’s getting older. She sincerely wants to be in the kitchen with me, helping out. Wearing her little apron that her Daddy brought back from Hamburg. Perched on her stool. Stirring, measuring, pouring into bowls. And making a mess. And while that mess would have stressed me to no end last week? This week? I’m letting it go. Really, what’s a little flour on the floor or melted mini chocolate chips stuck to the counter, when your daughter looks up at you as you put the popsicle molds into the freezer and says, “mommy, what are we making now?“

The premise behind the site is that each day, in two different categories (OneMommieGoodie and OneFoodieGoodie), the proprietors put up one product that they’ve carefully selected based on style and functionality, always with a hip bent to it. It’s boutique-type stuff, not what you’d find on your weekly trip to Target. Not that there’s anything wrong with that weekly trip to Target. It’s just that in my house, I’ve all been given up shopping trips that revolve around me having to get the girls into their car seats, messes of goldfish to be cleaned up in the backseat and stolen naps from the low hum of the car that will mess up bedtime. Not for me. No more. I’m into shopping at my computer, after the girls are down for the night. Any and everything I could possibly need is right there.

But back to OneGoodie, in addition to finding chic and clever products, the site also offers a discount. You know you’re getting a good deal. But the twist? The products for both categories are only up there and available for one day. 24 hours. Or less, depending on how quickly the item sells out. Which is why even though I was running out the door and was slightly nuts, I had to stop and order that pizza cutter. It’s similar to the motto behind antiquing: if you see it and you love it, you must buy it. Don’t think about it. Don’t sleep on it. Buy it. Because if you don’t? It will not be there tomorrow.

And today? I checked it out and in the “mommie” category? The answer to my prayers. Chalkboard decals that you can adhere to the wall and will presumably entertain your little ones for hours. And they don’t do any damage to the existing wall! I had personally been toying with the idea of painting one of the walls in the downstairs family room with chalkboard paint, but was having a hard time committing. Paint? A lot of work. And so… permanent. Unless you want to sprain your arm painting and repainting. And then I saw these decals, one set in the shape of animals and another in large circles, and I thought to myself, self? These decals are it. These little sticky things are what you’ve been dreaming of. And you didn’t even know it! And if you don’t have little kids? How about hanging one in your kitchen? For grocery items you need. Or in your mud-room, to scribble a quick reminder to your husband that it’s his turn to pick up the dry-cleaning. I’m placing my order as soon as I post this. I don’t want to miss out.

One note: while they do have a return policy, because items ship to you directly from the manufacturer, it’s kind of a strict one. Basically, if you don’t like what you ordered, pay it forward to a friend. Not a bad idea, I think. Share the wealth. Save the planet with less return shipping materials clogging up our landfills, right?

For a fresh twist on the old Martha Stewart standby, it’s a goodie thing…

But not before leaving the girls with a fantastic going-away gift. He spent Friday afternoon building the girls a sandbox. On wheels. With a cover, and everything. And it’s gorgeous.

Pretty awesome gift, right? Here are the girls in action:

Coco isn’t so sure about it just yet. Sand between her toes is new to her. But Pea? It’s the first thing she wants to do in the morning, and the last thing she wants to do at night. Play in her sandbox. We had a barbecue on Saturday evening with a few families, and it was pretty popular with all of the kids, children of varying ages.

That green pail in the sandbox is a new one. It came with a small rake, shovel and mold for building the ultimate sand castle. Not only is the entire set made with plastic milk bottles that are picked up on trash day outside of people’s homes, but this thing is completely indestructible. The handle is sturdy rope, the plastic is thick and strong. And no primary colors! I’m delighted with the purchase. It’s the perfect accent to their very stylish little sandbox.

We miss Daddy, already. But this sandbox, which provides hours and hours of outside entertainment, is a constant reminder of how much he loves his little girls.

Thanks, Daddy. And safe travels…

About a week ago, I thought that Coco might be coming down with an ear infection. She was grumpy, totally out of character for her, and she was tugging on her ears. So I took her in to see her doctor, and in the exam room, there was a bird mobile hanging above the table. And she was complete mesmerized by it. She stood in one spot the entire time we waited for the doctor, craned her little neck up and stared at it. And every time the air conditioning kicked on in the room, the birds would sway. And she’d look at me, look back at the mobile, point and excitedly speak gibberish. She was in love with it. And I realized then that she needed her very own mobile to hang over her crib.

So I came home and googled bird mobiles and I found one by Helen Ige that was what I had in mind. Kind of stylized. Aesthetically, it’s gorgeous. But I wanted to make sure I wasn’t missing anything, so I kept poking around. And I’ve been poking around now for that perfect bird mobile for the better part of a week, at this point. Nothing was grabbing me. And then, I found this bird mobile on the Haute Nature website. Which led me to Spool, where I found the a free downloadable patten for the little birds and the words, “all this birdie takes is two pieces of fabric and a needle and thread.” What? I don’t need to break out the sewing machine? I can just sit on a chair in the backyard while the girls are playing and sew these little birds? With my own hands? Well, this might just be the perfect project for me. Now, I can finally use Repro Depot, a site I’ve had bookmarked for years. Somehow, way back when, before I even had kids, I just knew I was going to need this site…

And so, a project is born…

There’s something about Independence Day that makes me think of picnics. I suppose the birth of our country marks, for me, the most patriotic of days and picnics? Seem so American and patriotic. And while we often take our meals outside into our yard, we rarely make a picnic the destination. But Pea, especially, is really into the idea of packing up her meal in a bag or a basket, grabbing a blanket and heading out. Somewhere. Anywhere.

Picnics from my own memories revolve around fried or barbecued chicken, potato salad, coleslaw and slices of watermelon. Not bad, but really? Chicken in a picnic basket on a hot summer day? Not so delicious. And anything sitting in mayonnaise? On a hot summer day? There goes my stomach.

I prefer finger foods, things that are easily eaten, won’t make a huge greasy mess on the front of your shirt and can literally be eaten on the run. Like when you’re chasing your Frisbee. Or your 15-month old, who is the ultimate social butterfly and makes herself at home on any and every blanket that other revelers might have laid out.

So, that being said, Port Canvas makes the most incredible bags for toting around plastic tubs of food to the park, the golf course, wherever it is that you might go to watch your Independence Day celebration. These bags are indestructible, and they just get better and better with age. I’m partial to the Windjammer and the Schooner models. Depending on how much you have to lug with you, you can upsize or downsize. And you can customize the bags with many options. And to me? They just scream out, “I’m a salty New Englander! I know how to have a grand old time outdoors, you old poop…” What I really mean to say here is that they make me think of my idol, the noble and crusty Kate the Great… Katharine Hepburn, circa “On Golden Pond.” Have you seen the movie? If so, you know what I’m talking about. And if you haven’t seen it? Add it to your Netflix list.

And now, what to fill the bag up with that’s going to appeal to the grown-ups in your group, as well as the kids?

The first item would have to be homemade lemonade. And to transport it? Use old jelly jars. Just place some ice cubes in the jar, pour in your lemonade (or limeade, for a twist on the classic) and then screw the lid back on tightly. Clever, right? Wish I could take credit for the idea, but I read about it in National Geographic’s Green Guide. I love that you can repurpose something so simple into something very stylish and useful.

Gorp is a staple in our home. It’s really just trail mix. But the great part about it is that you can prepare it to suit many ages and tastes. For Coco? No raisins. For Pea? M&M’s, please. And for the grown-ups? Throw in some little pieces of dark chocolate. And maybe some crystallized ginger. And no picnic would be complete without sandwiches. But they can be a little messy and have a tendency to get soggy by the time you are ready for them. Why not replace the bread with a whole wheat tortilla, stuff it full, roll it up, slice it and stick a toothpick in it to keep it in place? Easier to tote to the park, appealing to the kids and the adults, and the stuffing possibilities are endless. Personally, I like to use hummus as my starter base. Tasty, and the texture just keeps everything in place nicely. Toss in some shredded or thinly sliced veggies, or some good turkey slices, or both, and there you have it. Food on the run. And no picnic is complete without lemon bars (something so classic and American about these little squares of tart summer heaven).

As much as I love to cook and entertain, picnics are just not the place for me to go all out gourmet. Too messy. Too many details. And then there’s that one person, balancing an overflowing paper plate on their white pants… you know where this is headed, right? I’m usually that person, and the white pants become a lost cause. I’m always thinking of ways to spruce up this kind of a menu, but the truth of the matter is that it’s really about the ambience, the fresh air, rather than the food.

So now that Pea has discovered the joy of picnics, every item of food eaten in our home has to be eaten outside. She loves to grab a blanket from the linen closet or a large shawl from one of my dresser drawers, take her plate of whatever, and head out into the yard. She’s a smart one, too. She makes a beeline for the nearest tree. I’m seeing a theme for this summer: The Season of the Picnic.

It’s a very good read. The tabs are easy to follow and the whole vibe is just very stylish. There are great recommendations for products that run the gamut from beauty to home. And now that being green is so en vogue, I’m glad that there are folks out there that realize that people like me exist. People who want to do better by the environment, but don’t want to toss aside luxury and style to do so. In the past, green was always equated with crunchy for me. Hemp tote bags, Earth shoes, the odor of Patchouli wafting through the air… So not me.

The term these days is eco chic. Some people? Don’t like that. Because apparently designing a product that is earth-friendly but also looks stylish is going to encourage rampant consumerism. But I say, why does one have to cancel out the other? Why does is have to be an oxymoron? Why can’t you leave a lighter footprint on the earth, but do so with gorgeous boots on? Am I a hypocrite because while I enjoy buying my food at the local Farmer’s Market to support local farmers, I also load my family and our ski equipment into my husband’s giant SUV for a trip to the local ski resort? Maybe. But listen, I’m not trying to be anything other than what I am. I am a mom with two kids and two dogs who lives an active lifestyle in the mountains. That means a lot of driving to and from sporting activities, oftentimes with our dogs in the car. That means there’s a lot of gear that needs to be schlepped around with us. And sorry, but the kids? The dogs? The husband? The gear? It’s not going to fit into a Prius. And really? What kind of a goof would be crazy enough to tackle these snowy and treacherous mountains in a Prius? Not this goof. And anyway, my husband’s giant SUV? It’s nearly 12 years old! And we have no intention of getting rid of it. Not until it stops driving. We’re not signing a lease on a new car every two years. Doesn’t that count for something?

Also? I’m a consumer. In the great old American tradition. I buy stuff. I try to buy only the things that we need, and I’d like to pare down what we bring home. But I’m not going to stop shopping. I do prefer quality because in the end? I only want to buy something once. Does that make my attempts at living lighter on the earth any less vital then Miss Sustainable Everything? Because I want my reusable totes to look good?

So, call me a hypocrite if you like. But I’m not trying to change the world here. I’m just trying to do my best where I can do my best. I’m teaching my girls about the importance of shopping for food locally, when possible. And taking our own reusable tote bags to the grocery store. And throwing garbage in the trash, not out the car window. And carefully sorting our recycling every Sunday morning, to prepare it for pick-up on Monday morning. And I’m proud to say that Pea? She knows what material goes in which bin. It’s a start.

Oh, and those hemp tote bags? Just look at how chic the next generation of those old stand-bys has become. And those Earth shoes? I totally want a pair of these to get me through next winter. But the Patchouli? No, thanks. I’ll pass.

But I recently decided to give California Baby Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30 a try. It’s fragrance-free, which is essential for us, so that was the clencher. I had a really hard time finding a tube of it anywhere, let alone two tubes. I did finally find it, though, and my goodness, did we use those up quickly. The tubes were tiny. I suppose more so because I’m used to that good old huge pink bottle from the drugstore. The sunblock worked well, no sunburns. However, it was extremely thick and left a very shiny and whitish gleam on the girls. Not a good look. So when my stock ran out, I decided to try something else. Because while I don’t mind spending a little extra for something I absolutely love, and in general I adore California Baby products, the sunscreen just wasn’t for us.

And so, the search continued…

And then, I found it…

The greatest sunscreen ever…

Kiss My Face Sunspray Lotion. It’s SPF 30. Water-resistant. Fragrance-free. Oh, and it’s a pretty large 8-oz. bottle. And the price? It’s definitely right. And I love it. I’ve been using it on everyone. It sprays on, but you still have to rub it in. No problem there, because it has a really light and lovely consistency and it’s so very easy to spread and it does not leave a whitish cast on the skin. Pea doesn’t complain when I pull out the yellow bottle the way she has with other sun protection lotions in the past. It’s just not a 15-minute ordeal to get her covered. It’s spray, rub and out the door. I keep one by the back door, one in her bag that goes with her to camp and one in the girl’s bathroom so that we’re always covered. Get it? Always covered?

Oh, and if you decide to give it a try? And you can’t find any? Anywhere? Well, let’s just say that you’ll know who’s been there before you…

Me.

Among the brave vendors who made it out that day to share their hard work with us were the cutest set of 20-something boys I’ve ever seen, who had fresh lobster, flown in that morning, from Maine. Lobster! From Maine! And they were all decked out in their bright yellow Stingray bibs and their wading boots, all to set the stage, I’d imagine. And it worked. Mark my words when I say that lobster is on an upcoming menu in our household. It’s one of a small number of things that I’ve yet to introduce the girls to. I’m fairly picky about my seafood. It has to be fresh, which in landlocked Utah usually equates to flown in, which equals a lovely seafood restaurant, a pricy meal, and really, no place for children. And I take my children just about everywhere. But some places? Well, they are just sacred.

In addition to the lobster boys, the lamb guy was there. And if you are a carnivore, as I am (as hard as I’ve tried not to be), do I really need to tell you how incredible organic, grass-fed lamb is? It’s pretty amazing.

But that was really it. There was no produce. Not a single stand. Oh, save for the nice guy selling what I thought was insanely overpriced teeny-tiny bags of mesclun. We took the entire (albeit brief) outing as an opportunity to teach Pea about the importance of shopping locally, the benefits of eating locally. I don’t know how much she absorbed of her impromptu lesson, but she did ask if we could go back. Of course, I said yes. I think we’ll be there every Wednesday, until closing day.

Oh, and next time? I will be sure not to forget to bring my own earth-friendly shopping bags by Baggu. Because this trip out? Oops. I forgot them, and I felt a little out of place, having to ask vendors for one of those, ahem, plastic bags. That’s not going to happen again…

And then, I spent a sizable amount of money on four Sigg bottles. Two for each of the girls. I’d done all of my research and chose the smaller size as a sippy cup alternative for Coco and the middle size for Pea as an alternative to a bottle of water in her lunch sac at camp this summer. And the bottles arrived. And yes, they are gorgeous. And certainly, they are super-awesome for the environment. And while I appreciate beautiful things and definitely want to be gentler on Mother Earth, I also know that my youngest? She needs a fork-lift to raise that bottle to her lips. And Pea? While I like to think she’s a fairly mature preschooler, she’s still a kid. And kids drop stuff. And when a kid drops a Sigg cup with the flip-top cap? The cap snaps off, particularly when the cap is in the “open” position, which it would naturally be in if a child were using the cup for it’s intended purpose. Seriously, I’ve yet to meet a kid, a small kid, who puts a cap back on anything. If you have one of those, consider yourself quite fortunate. Because I do not. And so… I watched in slow motion as her Sigg cup tumbled out of my husband’s huge SUV and onto the pavement. And snap! Off with the cap!

I was devastated. How ridiculous is that? It’s a bottle. A bottle! But it was a pricy one. And I mourned the flip-top cap of that bottle the entire ride home. And then? Upon our arrival, my mother came into the kitchen and asked for a bottle to fill with water. She and her fiance were going on a hike. And I thought aha! She can use one of Pea’s Sigg bottles! Perfect! It’s not a total waste. And I filled it up with water, handed it to her and she left.

After a few minutes, I looked out a window in the front of the house, and what did I see? My mother, decanting the water from the toddler Sigg bottle into a plastic bottle. Uh… This cup is apparently too heavy even for a grown-up?

Well, after much digging around this morning, during Coco’s nap-time, you can imagine how pleasantly surprised I was to learn that Gerber is actually at the forefront, leading the pack of mass-produced baby product companies, in cleaning up the materials that they use to produce their myriad baby products. Gerber! Gerber equates to so reasonably priced in my household that I can literally buy three 2-packs of their cups for the price of 1 of those darned Sigg bottles that are resting quietly in a drawer in my kitchen, one of them sadly decapitated. I think they will be there for quite some time, mocking me in all of their self-righteous Swiss-engineered continuous-piece-of-aluminum smugness…

I’m sticking with these cups by Gerber, which you can find at your neighborhood grocery store, just as I did this morning. And these by Nuby, which you can find at your local Target. And if you have a younger baby in need of a cup with a handle? Check this one out, also by Nuby. I’ve learned my lesson from the Great Sigg Kid’s Bottle Fiasco of 2008. Look before you leap…