Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day 2010!
I thought I would share a little Earth Day fodder...
*If you're a OC local head on over to the etnies company store and buy a pair of shoes.
Why? (you're thinking)
The answer:

Decline a bag or bring your own reusable one and get 10% off!!

I had the chance to visit etnies about 6 months ago and I can honestly tell you that the founder/owner, Pierre Andre Senizergues, of etnies has a passion for the environment that is infectious! My favorite quote from Pierre that day was,

"We can make a bamboo shoe, but if the process of making the shoe still generates the some carbon emissions, what's the point?"

WOW! I had never thought about that! When we buy organic, we assume the factory making it is Green. That may not be the case!! etnies switched factories and was able to decrease 20% of their carbon emissions! Check out their Eco-Audit here. It will make you proud to buy the shoes! Plus they are really cute.
See:

*You all know I'm big on saving. I really believe every penny counts!! Show your kiddos with Pennies for the Planet that even one person donating one penny can make a big difference for the environment.

Funding from this year's Pennies for the Planet program will protect endangered coastlines, including:
~Safeguarding Louisiana coastal marshes and helping to support the scientists and volunteers restoring them
~Protecting nesting shore birds like the Western Snowy Plover that live on California's sea shores, and
~Restoring Florida's Panther Island to improve the water quality and habitat for endangered Florida panthers, wood storks, and gopher tortoises.
This program is geared for school age kiddos (starting with 2nd grade) but I'm sure you can still donate. You probably won't qualify for the prizes... BUT it's not about the prizes anyway... it's about teaching your kiddos that they can have a positive impact on the environment! Visit Pennies for the Planet for all the info!

etnies

I was invited along with a lot of other bloggers to the etnies hub for a tour of their Sole Technology Institute and to learn about the launch of the latest addition to the etnies brand... Grow with Me toddler shoes!

It was fun.

Wanna read about it?

No. (you're thinking)

You'll get to see how Hot Hubby dressed our children like vagabonds AND how Eli was kind of a pill with the super nice owner AND how Cora was dripping green boogers on everything AND how I always seem to look like an idiot AND a picture of me in Jr High AND Eli's year of wearing etnies AND some cool other stuff about the shoes.

See I told you you'd want to read on!

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Hot Hubby took a family day off work, so he had the kiddos while I headed on over to the etnies Corporate office aka Sole Technology Institute (Which happens to be right across the street from my Joann Fabrics... I may or may not have taken a detour there to get stuff for this).

I pull up and see this awesome place: (building designed by the amazing owner!!)

Then the bloggers got to chat and pretty much snoop around the office. Who doesn't love a good snoop!?! My favorite thing was a huge company timeline display. See the online version here.

We walked on over to the Sole Technology Institute.

It's a Biomechanics Skate Lab.

You read that right folks "biomechanics!" The one and only biomechanics lab out there.

Yes.

Really.

The ONLY one.
They brought in a skater kid who jumped down some huge stairs in a funny suit, landed on a special impact mat, while being recorded at all angles by computer cameras. All the information they compile gets... um... computed? Then someone smart makes better shoes.

(Those are totally the technical terms... ha!)

See for yourself...

They do all sorts of durability tests for the shoes. The ollie machine below simulates an ollie over 2,000 times to see if the shoe will last. After a new shoe is tested in the lab they give them to local skaters for a street test. etnies has a great blog, check it out here. After our lesson we got to ask questions. I asked about the baby shoes but mostly I just wanted to tell them how much I like the Velcro kids shoes (those things are the best!).
Per the suggestion of my friend Marcy, I carry a few Eli's Lids around for gifts...
During the Q & A the owner and passion behind etnies, Pierre Andre Seinzeruges, mentioned that he has a 14 month old son. So, I thought I would give him some Lids. Of course, I felt like a total idiot. It went way better than the Ralphie May incident. In fact, he seemed to like them. (Dear Pierre, If you steal my idea for practical/stylish Lids for infants that fit for up to 4 years I may or may not egg your building. Warmly, KN)

On our walk back to the office for lunch I heard someone screaming "Mommy"... it was MY someone. Hot Hubby had picked Eli up from preschool and cruised over to to see if I was done.

I was, and they let the whole fam-damily stay for lunch.Hot Hubby is good at a lot of things... dressing the children ISN'T one of them. Eli's shirt was just a tad too small with holes in it. Cora had an orange bow, green dress and pale pink crocs on... so much for them being instantly asked to be etnies models... ha!

Lunch was AWESOME! Catered by a local favorite Jay's Catering! And the cupcakes from Frosted Cupcakery were to-die-for!! (Dear Frosted Folks, I know a great cupcake gal, Kristen, from Meringue Bake Shop. You should be her friend. Kisses, KN)

Hot Hubby did get one thing right when dressing Eli. He remembered to put on his etnies... probably because they are one of Eli's only pair of shoes. They were hand-me-downs from our good friends. Don't tell the etnies folks, but Eli has been wearing those same shoes for over a year.

What you don't believe me!?!?!

See for yourself! This picture was taken October 9th, 2008 on a family walk... Because that picture of Cora is horrible, I must show proof of her cuteness as a baby...

Now, here is a pic of Eli in the same shoes on November 11th, 2009 (He was the star of the day at preschool).Proof that the shoes REALLY are durable... and that I'm not very good at fitting shoes on my kiddos.

But I did wear this kick a&$ flannel vest for my 8th grade picture in 1994.

What? You don't believe me!?!?

See...
Why do I love this picture so much!?!?

Dear Folks at etnies,Thanks for an awesome day... even though Eli acted like a snot and Cora got boogers all over your nice office (probably infested with the flu... which we got the following week). Especially, thank you (Don, Brenda & Ashton) for staying after to chat about my lil' ole' business AND for the chance to shop it the company store. We love our new etnies (we needed them) and have sported them proudly since we got em'. (I even wore my new tee in my latest She's Crafty Video!)Much Thanks,
KN
Dear Readers,Buy anything from the etnies online store from now to December 4th and get $10 off for every $40 you spend AND free shipping!!! Enter the coupon code: ETNIES FAMILY while checking out!!Hug,
KN

etnies has cupcakes and stickers...

Yesterday I met some people who love your children's feet
MORE than you do!!

etnies!

But more on that later... for now I'll do a quick Wordless Wednesday from our day and share with you a fun (free) photo editing site I just found...

Below are these pix

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after a few clicks at BeFunky.

The free service is kinda slow and has a watermark you have to crop (or photoshop) out of the top left.

You can upgrade if you are that impatient. I haven't paid yet and I was still able to have some fun.

See...