PLASTIC-FREE WITH S'WELL BOTTLES

 

It has become my mission to rid our family of plastic in all its forms. The child-friendly melamine dishes were replaced with bamboo, plastic cups were replaced by glass, storage containers were replaced with glass or stainless steel and drinking bottles with any trace of plastic were replaced by stainless steel.

A S'well bottle is a must in our family. Made from non-leaching and non-toxic 18/8 stainless steel, these fun bottles come in three sizes (9oz, 17oz and 25oz, which holds a bottle of wine!) and keep your drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. And, the kiddos love to pick their favourite designs.

You can feel good about supporting this company too. S'well has teamed up with the U.S. Fund for UNICEF to provide good, clean drinking water to children around the world.

Next on my plastic-free mission is helping Little Bean say goodbye to her pacifiers, which she so loving calls her 'soo-soos'. This will be tough ... for us all.

BOOK CLUB: STONE MATTRESS BY MARGARET ATWOOD

My most recent read with my book club was Stone Mattress by Margaret Atwood. It is a collection of nine stories, three of which are related and one of which is a treat for Atwood readers as it is a sequel to her novel The Robber Bride. The stories are unusual and thought-provoking with the expertly crafted characters I so love to meet in Atwood's fiction. Aging is a theme that ties the majority of the stories together, creating a slightly darker undertone.

This was a pivotal read for my book club (since moving to Bermuda our pub time has morphed to FaceTime). At the start of our club, one bookclubber, who shall remain nameless, was steadfast in the rule that we never read a Margaret Atwood book. He was not a fan like me. It took me a decade, but finally we cracked the spine of an Atwood. The second rule of our club is that we never read an author twice, so this was the chance for Atwood to charm him with her delightful storytelling.

In the end, only two of three book club members praised the book. Atwood is a polarizing author with equal fans to critics, and I was unable to change my fellow bookclubber's opinion. At least he didn't despise the book, giving it instead a so-so rating.

I highly recommend it, but then again, I have been known to praise every Atwood book I read.

CURRENTLY LOVING: THIS DRESS

This shirt dress by Everlane has quickly become my favourite summer travel dress. It's a simple dress that can be worn with sandals or runners, and with a sweatshirt or light sweater, you're ready for warm or cool weather (or those air-conditioned planes and trains). It even has pockets, a most coveted detail when travelling!

CURRENTLY LOVING: THESE EARRINGS

These beautifully-designed earrings are my new favourite. I discovered the jewellery line Enamel Copenhagen on our family trip to Denmark this past Spring, and was instantly drawn to the clean designs and use of metals mixed with colour. I've been wearing the gold and ivory combination day in, day out ever since.