I’m back home from my trip to Mexico and back into my much too busy routine. I don’t have any shopping challenges to report, however I am uncomfortable with my very comfortable life.

There is one thing I’ve been thinking about, and that’s how this challenge will affect my kids. I’m trying to teach them that materialism is not good, while the life lessons they’re learning in our society are sending the opposite, and quite powerful message that materialism is very good. Last night we sat out on our rickety old trampoline (in the rain) and talked about what we’re passionate about. My boys are 9 and 10 years old, so the discussion itself was a bit of a challenge. 

I decided to give them each a summer project. The project will allow me to teach them some of my design skills, while teaching them to help people and encourage others to do the same. They are both to choose a topic, do a journalistic photo shoot and create a video. They will have to storyboard it and blog during the process. Honestly, they’re viewing it as summer homework. Hopefully they won’t see it that way once we get into it. I’m such an abusive parent! LOL

Cole is doing his project on The New U.S. Army, a new non-violent army. Joe is doing his with a comic book style superhero named God’s Host. And me? I will be helping them and doing the 8 million other things I have in my head. This morning I’m looking for a homeless retreat in Dallas and planning a new type of recycling program. Yes, there’s much to do in this world… shopping is not on the list.