Halloween, already? Not exactly, but National Costume Swap day is less than three weeks away and we wanted to be sure to give our readers ample time to prepare. In years past, we seem to announce the event just after it occurs, or maybe the day before. Not this year!

On Saturday, October 8th, families across the nation will trade old costumes in for new trick-or-treat wear. It’s green, it’s free, and it’s a great way to connect with local families. And the truth is, no matter how adorable our children look in their baby bumblebee costumes, they can usually only wear them once. Why not share them with someone else?

Green Halloween has a directory so that you can find the swap in your area, or get one started. The site is run by the illustrious mother-dauther team of Lynn Colwell and Corey Colwell-Lipson who also co-authored Celebrate Green. We love their work on Green Halloween and are excited to see how National Costume Swap day is growing each year.

Are you planning on dressing up your babe this October? What are your costume concepts? You may want to think outside the box and use some of our rather creative (and odd) ideas for baby’s Halloween ensemble this year. —or better yet, head to the National Costume Swap near you!

Happy Fourth of July! It’s a great day to reflect on what independence means to our family. Making choices to reduce, reuse and recycle may make us feel good, but there are heaps of other benefits to consider.

This thrifty, green lifestyle leads brings financial freedom as we save by buying less and purchasing secondhand items. That allows for economic offsetting, or the ability to splurge on the things that really matter to us. Maybe for your crowd it’s organic strawberries, an Ergo carrier, or a weekend camping trip, but making conscious choices about consumption opens up options. Buying less stuff also provides us the independence of extra space (with less to trip over!) as we tend to our babies.

My ultimate independence dream would be to live off the grid. Who knows? Maybe in a few decades (or less) it will be more possible than it seems right now. What are the aspects of green living that lead to independence in your household?

Earth Day is approaching–time to renew my vows to the planet. I’m going to keep it simple this Earth Day, and make just two eco-resolutions:

1. Waste less food—or NO food
2. Stop buying items encased in plastic packaging

If these pledges sound vaguely familiar, it may be because they functioned as my New Year’s Resolutions as well.

How will you save the world this Earth Day?

Two decades ago, when Rebecca and I were frugal college friends, we experienced a rare snowstorm. Thrilled to be able to enjoy the change of season, but too cheap to buy a large plastic disk we’d never use again, we went to a thrift store and bought two vinyl garment bags. While it seemed like sheer genius (we’d just unzip the zipper, tuck our legs inside, and fly down the hill!), it actually was a total flop.

Still, I love the idea of creative sledding and have seen many solutions while perched at the top of a nearby hill on a snowy day. They all involved recycling something that people already had in their garages.

• Lids from large plastic Rubbermaid storage tubs.
• Inflated inner tubes (works in summer or winter!)
• Squares of plastic tarp
• Laundry basket
• Plastic garbage can lids
• Kiddy pool (load up the whole family in this one!)
• Cardboard (apparently you can slid on cardboard on the grass in the summer too!)

Of course, you could just pick up a used sled from a local thrift store, but if you have just one or two days of snow per year like we do in the Pacific Northwest, I’m not sure it’s worth storing it. I also happen to love the adventure of repurposing something and laughing hysterically when it doesn’t work out–which is what Rebecca and I did twenty years ago!

Valentine’s Day means chocolate, romance, and roses.  Wait.  That was before parenting!  Now it involves sleeplessness, breastfeeding, spit up, and cloth diaper changes.  Today I’m thinking of all of you with sincere endearment as you bravely slog your way through the challenges of early parenting.

Although those exhilarating and exhausting first months as a mother aren’t exactly romantic, they are infused with a love like no other.  You may not be treated to a violin serenade, but you will get gooey kisses, cuddles, and toothless grins.  If you are lucky enough to squeeze in a date or even a truffle, kudos to you!  You deserve every bit of love sent in your direction today.

On this green hued holiday, the best gifts won’t come in boxes or cellophane.  The divine offerings of free babysitting, the opportunity to nap, and maybe even the chance to sit in a hot tub for ten minutes are ultimately the most thoughtful.  If none of those things happen today, I hope you can be grateful to join this wonderful and difficult profession of motherhood.  Caress your babe’s silky cheek, smell the top of her head, and savor the moments that will fly by in a haze.  Now that my babies are four and nearly two, I miss those early, oxytocin-infused days.  Enjoy!

We love Celebrate Green, a website (and book) written by a mother-daughter team who bring eco-friendly values to every holiday.  Read their Valentine’s Day Post if you’re looking for a last minute idea for your child.  Here’s a hint: make your chocolate gifts more about quality than quantity.

Here at Greenbabyguide.com, we’re celebrating our fourth Valentine’s Day and we have a wealth of vintage posts to help you celebrate love with a green tinge.  DIY Paper Heart Valentines are simple and lovely and our Eco-friendly Valentine Baby Gift Ideas would be great picks for any tiny bundle of love.

If you’re short on time, consider Last Minute Homemade Valentine’s Day Cards for your preschooler’s class.  Those who are willing to have fun making a huge mess will enjoy having baby make Potato Print Valentines.

Indulge your sweet tooth by making Nutritious Valentine’s Day Brownies or try mixing some of your homemade sweet potato purees into some Baby Food Brownies.  (Don’t worry!  They’re for you, not the baby.)

Best of all, celebrate your relationship by planning a Simple, Frugal Valentine’s Day Date. Are you too exhausted for any romantic effort?  You’re not alone!  We know how it is to have Valentine’s Day with A New Baby. On one hand having a newborn is sheer bliss.  On the other hand, conflict and exhaustion.  (And those two states can shift back and forth on an hourly basis.)

Wherever you are in your parenting journey, I wish you rest. (And maybe a bit of chocolate.)  Do you have any plans this Valentine’s Day?

These Valentines are more interesting than a heart-shaped box of waxy chocolates–and they’re better for the planet, too.

Greenfire 3 Pack Lavender Sandalwood Vanilla All Natural Massage Oil Candles, fragranced with essential oils

$25

The tins are even recyclable!

The Lorax Project by Dr. Seuss Eco-friendly 24 Valentines

$1.49

These bookmark valentines are perfect for a child’s whole class.

8 Organic Chocolate Bars, Tea-infused, in Organza Bag

$29.90

Organic tea-infused chocolate!

Lettuce Mesclun Valentine Certified Organic Seed

$2.39

What could be eco-friendlier—or more romantic—than some organic Valentine lettuce?

Come back later this week for some DIY Valentine gift ideas!

If you’re in a last minute panic and can’t imagine lugging your children through crowded shops, our vintage posts can save the day!

These fast and easy gingerbread cookies taste great and handle beautifully.  Although people always seem to be impressed by the mysterious qualities of gingerbread, you’ll have a batch whipped up in no time flat.  (There’s no refrigeration required.)

You can involve your children with making DIY: salt dough ornaments.  You can also use the dough for their little handprints if you want a great gift idea for grandparents.

Simple homemade play-dough is a great stocking stuffer or holiday craft to keep your kids busy while you tuck presents under the tree.

If you have a big chunk of unexpected time, you can whip up some DIY fabric holiday gift bags.  Give a set away as a gift or make one for your own crew.  We’ve used the set my mother made for our family nearly four decades and I now have a set of my own.  It makes wrapping presents incredibly easy and eliminates those scrapes of wrapping paper that litter your floor after those gifts have been opened.

What are you doing in the next week?  Are you taking any steps (even small ones) to make your holiday green this year?

Joy went over our top holiday crafts for kids a couple weeks ago. That post contains classics like how to make a proper paper snowflake and homemade baked Christmas ornaments. Yesterday Audrey and I spent a couple hours decorating construction paper trees and gingerbread men—a highly recommended activity for the preschool set. We also gathered branches and leaves and tied them onto a paper plate ring to make a simple wreath. Even really young children could enjoy gathering the supplies for that one, though I suppose if you live in a snow-encrusted area, that might prove difficult.

What are your favorite holiday crafts?