Mom'sGreenGuide: Our Green Vacation

Free Day At Disney!!!

To me, Going Green means so much more than just buying all natural products and eating organic foods. It means giving back to nature to keep us healthy. We need our trees and plants to supply the oxygen we breathe. We need our animals and our insects for our food supply. I know we don't eat bugs but they are responsible for pollination and all that other grand stuff they do.

What better way to give back than to garden whether it be vegetables or flowers? We planted our first vegetable garden last year. Gardening is definitely a learning experience. We went a little overboard on the tomato plants and ended up with a tomato garden. We decided against the use of pesticides or synthetic fertilizers because I wanted the girls to be able to go pick and eat without concern.

I'm happy we planted our first vegetable garden and experienced the overly abundant tomato crop because we learn from our mistakes. This spring, when we plant again, we will have a better plan. Children learn so much more than we realize and perfection isn't necessary in order to enjoy themselves.

While the girls were home for winter break from school, I kept noticing a commercial flashing over the television screen, which is unusual for me because I don't watch that much TV. "Give a Day. Get a Day!" stuck in my brain although I kept forgetting to investigate this opportunity online.

During a conversation with a friend, who was planning her families' 2010 vacation, that commercial flashed through my mind again. I decided to check it out. It turns out that in exchange for a day of volunteering in our own community, our family of four, will get a free day ticket to Disney World. WOW!!!

Now, we are registered to spend a Saturday helping build a community garden. My kids are quite young so we were limited in our volunteer choices, but this gardening idea is perfect. Both girls are fascinated with plants. As a matter of fact, the youngest must work for the houseplant watering police because if I miss one, she always knows it. I have been sworn to not murder any more of our houseplants. With her help, I think I can oblige.

Me and the girls are looking forward to the community garden project. Husband, well, is not, but he is willing to appease us and go along. If you are interested in learning more, check out the following link:

http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/index?name=Give-A-Day-Get-A-Disney-Day.

Maybe we will see each other while vacationing at Disney! Woohoo!!!