Live A Little - Love Kittens

I know I've already mentioned the impact of pets on personal happiness, but something happened last week that made it pertinent again. I attended a conference on social media for non-profits at the Kansas Humane Society. It was really great but I brought home a souvenir. Well, two, actually. I mean, who could resist these things?!

We're not settled on names yet. Bob figures they have to grow into them. Roo wants to call them Bella and Lucky. Jasper suggests, uh, Jasper and Captain Cat. I'm trying really hard not to give them lame-o Game of Thrones-themed names, although the scrappy tortoiseshell kitten is totally Arya. What we all agree on, though, is that they've brought a kittenish giddiness to our lives. 

I'm not suggesting everyone needs to go out and get kittens every time they need a pick-me-up (though it would probably work!) but having a reminder to take a step back from everyday life and just be playful once in a while is true feline wisdom we can all learn from.

Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.

Live a Little - Somebody to Love

I didn't grow up with pets or animals, in general, but I've come to think that they are an important part of life. My first kitty, Piewackett, was a stray I found in my parking garage in college. When she died last year, she left a huge hole in my heart, even though we still have four cats, a basset hound, two dwarf frogs and a turtle… each of them is a part of the family, in their own special way. I love watching Roo and Jasper with our pets, to see the individual relationships they have with each critter. All of the animals want to sleep in Jasper's bed, for example. It's kind of funny. Stella will probably become his sleeping buddy, once she outgrows her pesky chewing habit. We adopted her at the Kansas Humane Society and we'll probably get our next pet from there, as well, whenever that time comes. Roo's been begging for a hamster and Bob wants a goat, both of which I have seen up for adoption at KHS on occasion.

Purebred animals are pretty and all, but I think rescue pets know you saved them by bringing them into your family. Besides, there are way too many bad breeders and puppy/kitty mills out there. And so many unwanted pets. If you're thinking about welcoming a pet into your life, I'd definitely encourage you to check out your local animal shelter for a soulmate.

awesome rescue pets poster by little friends of printmaking

I've learned so much from all of the pets I've been lucky to share time with, however short. This week, I'd love to hear about how your pets enrich your life, past or present.

Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.

Live A Little - Handle With Care

Getting a box full of goodies designed specifically for you is a great to brighten your day. There's nothing better than a good care package, whether you're making one for a friend or receiving one yourself. I've always loved grab bags and remnant racks, so the recent surge in subscription-based curated sites has been fun to watch. I see spending a few dollars for a monthly surprise as an investment in happiness. For this week's Live a Little Monday, I thought I'd spotlight some of my favorite, in the hopes of inspiring you to make one or gift one to yourself.


And I'm finally going to mail the care package that I've been meaning to ship to my friend Kathleen before her younger son was born. Which means it's been sitting in my office for almost a year. Part of my new Live a Little attitude is to own up to and deal with my shortcomings. Like excessive tardiness, for starters.


Hands-down, my favorite care package to date has been The Box from EcoSalon. While on the higher range of the price spectrum ($99, plus a $30 s/h fee), it is impeccably curated and filled with eco-friendly products that are also full-sized. Plus you know in advance what you'll be getting, which might seem like cheating a bit, but it is also reassuring to know the basic contents are things you will love. There are several different varieties available to suit your interests, including Conscious Food, Mom/Baby, Travel, Entertainment and Health/Beauty. I ordered the Fashion Box with some holiday money I received this year and believe me when I tell you, I was not remotely disappointed with my purchase. There was not a stinker in that box! Here's a photo of the goods, unpacked:

Eco by Modo sunglasses made of recycled plastic and steel
P.S. – I Made This… DIY project book
Tote from VivaTerra made of recycled leather
Roux Maison Laundry Detergent full-sized, in lavender
$50 Gift Certificate to Soleone plus 25% off promotional code
$50 Gift Certificate to Future:Standard ethical clothing and accessories
United by Blue Shark Fin T-Shirt
AB Designs Upcycled Earrings made from recycled bike tubes *my FAVORITE!*
Fisherman’s Daughter Headband made from organic cotton
Wildlife Works’ Mraba Scarf consumer-powered conservation
PACT stripey socks made of organic cotton

I will definitely order the next Fashion Box when it's released. I wish I had some extra cash this month, I'd scoop up another one- there's a special deal right now when you buy the Health/Beauty Box, they'll throw in the Entertainment Box free! I'm dying to try the Kahina Skincare Eye Serum from the former and watch the 23 Feet DVD from the latter…


What do you like to give or receive?



Share your Live a Little suggestions with the Skimbaco community every Monday by adding the link to your Live a Little blog post in the InLinkz widget below. Rules: Link either to Skimbacolifestyle.com OR grab the InLinkz code for your blog post – or do both! If you post the widget in your blog post, please add the rules as well.

Live a Little: Go Off the Grid

This past week was the kids' spring break and we spent half of it in the car, driving to and from the Florida Keys. Road trips are not one of my favorite things, especially when they last days instead of hours. I grew up in Hawaii, remember? You can pretty much drive around the entire island of Oahu in three hours! I get restless on the open road.

Especially when I am disconnected from the interwebz. That's kind of embarrassing to admit. Our resort had some poky and then non-existent internet service. Which gave me more time to spend watching the kids splash around at the beach instead of running through emails.

True, I came home to over 6000 messages in my inbox. But it was totally worth it. Try it sometime. Live a little. In the real world.

Share your Live a Little ideas every Monday:

Live a Little: New Weekly Series

I was excited when my good friend Katja asked me to join her weekly blog carnival about living our lives to the very fullest. What a great way to remember to celebrate the awesomeness of the everyday! Of course, this week I am overloaded with too many chores and errands, as usual, so I don't feel particularly celebratory. What should I write about? 

How about the importance of trying something new? Or maybe trying something new, again?

I took a bellydancing class a million years ago when I was in college in Austin. I sucked at it. My punk rock aesthetic did not mesh with the hippieness of  the instructor and I felt clumsy and ugly and lame. Those are my old brass zils pictured. I need to find the other pair because I've recently taken bellydance up again, this time with lessons from my friends Tanya and Marta who are awesome female entrepreneurs as well as being hot badass chicks. They're teaching me about American Tribal Style bellydance, which fuses traditional and cabaret moves with a much more unorthodox attitude. I love it.

I still suck but at least I'm having fun.

Try something you failed at a long time ago. You might be surprised what happens next!