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Green Halloween
  • Don't toss the guts!  Separate the seeds to roast in the oven on 250 for 15-30 minutes until lightly golden.  (Try adding your favorite spices for you own gourmet treat!)
  • Nobody wants to be "that guy" that gives out one stinking Tootsie Roll, but you don't have to give out your wallet, either.  You are not responsible to filling every kids bag, limit the amount of treats you give.
  • Candy alternatives:  fake jewelry, spider rings, organic individually wrapped dried fruits, barrettes, stickers, tattoos, crayons, friendship bracelets, coins, etc.  (Be aware of the plastics you purchase for some of your treats.  Avoid #'s 3, 6, & 7.)
  • Organize a costume swap with friends and neighbors.  This can save you a ton of cash while you are reusing!
  • Do you NEED to buy the matching candy bucket for the costume?  No.  I remember using shopping bags and pillowcases.  This is reducing & reusing all at the same time!
  • Compost Jack.  Decomposing produce in landfills is a major source of methane in our air.
  • Donate old costumes to resale shops or better yet, purchase used costumes from resale shops!

Cash For Clunkers

I wanted to thank you all SO much for all of your generosity.  I couldn't believe all of the offers I received for your old DVD players, thank you so much!!  As soon as I hooked it up the kids couldn't wait to watch the Legend of Tooth Kingdom.  It's part of the Colgate Bright Smiles Bright Futures Campaign. 

 
 

Enforcing Bedtime Improves Kids' Health
-click to read article on cnn.com

Halloween Ideas
-click to get very cool ideas for snacks, decorations, and crafts on familyfun.com

What Your Kindergartner's Teacher Wants From Her Students
-click here to read an article written by 5 kindergarten teachers about their expectations

What Do You Think?!

I would love to hear your thoughts on the new format for the e-newsletter!  Did it go to your spam folder?  Were all the images visible?  Do you want to see other topics?  Thanks in advance!
 Important Dates:

Wednesday October 7 - Picture Day (Creekside)
Thursday October 8 - Picture Day (Lakewood Falls)
Monday October 12 - No School (Columbus Day)
Tuesday October 13 - No School (Teacher Institute)
Friday October 31 - Costume Party!


Halloween Party!

Our annual Halloween Party is scheduled for Friday October 30Th.  All kids scheduled to attend that day are invited.  As usual, I will limit the number of sweets offered (if any). 

Activities: 

I will fix a batch of my world famous witches brew, we'll do themed crafts and projects, pumpkin decorating, and finally we'll end the day with our neighborhood costume parade!

(This is the pumpkin we carved last year.)

 

"Keep Me Home If..."


Please click here to download the PDF version of this handout.  Feel free to print it for your own reference.  I will also have one posted by the front door.

Green Up for Cold Weather

Our house has always been VERY cold upstairs.  Last year we decided not only to shrink wrap the windows (you know what I mean) but to follow all of the energy saving advice and seal the windows.  It cost me under $10 to purchase some clear silicone gel and took about 30 minutes to seal every window in our house (except that weird inaccessible window on the second floor).  Honestly, I didn't pay much attention to the gas bill, but Jeremy and I both noticed a distinct improvement with the upstairs temperature.


Real Vampires in Your Home



According to a Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory study, as much as 10% of total household electricity [38 KB PDF] is used to power electronics while they are turned off! This is the equivalent of 18 average power plants’ production used 24/7 for this “standby energy.”  Unbelievably, this waste is increasing!

According to The Economist the worst offenders are probably your:

  • TiVo, cable box or satellite system
  • Internet connection
  • CD player, stereo system
  • Television
  • DVD/VCR  
Other offenders may include your power adapters and chargers, computer and monitor, cell phone, microwave, video game system, coffee maker, or anything with a remote control, clock or little red light.

So, what’s a mere mortal to do? Well, don’t just turn your electrical appliances off, UNPLUG them. Especially if you are going to be gone for any length of time.  Or, you can purchase a "smart strip".
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Plainfield, IL 60544

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