I don’t really know how it happened, but I kind of like football. I have even turned on a game or two while I was alone and watched it.

Now I can’t fathom the endless hours the average male spends watching the talking heads on SportsCenter rant on loudly about whatever it is they are ranting about today. (They are so loud and shrill that I can’t ever actually listen to the words they are saying.) And I just nod and respond positively as my husband outlines all of the amazing new recruits who just signed the Oregon this week.

Those of you who knew me growing up (or even in my 20s) would be shocked to see me now. I’m wearing a Packers shirt. And I have more Ducks shirts than any one person needs. (I even have a few Blazers shirts, which will serve me well as I spend Valentine’s Day at a Blazers game. By choice. I was the one who found out about the awesome deal for credit union members — we get to go into the stadium early and go down on the court during warm-ups. As someone who will likely never feel the need to spend the type of money required for courtside seats, I figured this my only shot to get down there.)

So, how did my husband convert me from someone who disdains sports to someone who enjoys a good game? Fan Day. I have always looked down on football players for their special treatment, exorbitant paychecks, and sometimes lack of marketable skills. (Seriously, does every failed football play sell insurance?) But when we went to Fan Day and met every single player on the team, I had faces to attach to the names. That human element was always missing, even with the jocks I went to school with. In high school, the cool kids were in their element, cheating off the smart kids, walking smoothly down the hall as the crowds parted for them, and never worrying about whether they would be invited to the hot party that weekend. (I never was, but I think it was because I never let anyone know that I would be interested in a high school drinking fest.)

But at Fan Day, these kids were individuals. Some of them reveled in the attention. Others enjoyed the interactions with the kids, but were nervous around the adults seeking autographs. And still others were shy around everyone. I still have fond memories of Dennis Dixon signing my football and chatting with me. And Jeremiah Johnson‘s outgoing attitude — seriously, he made conversation with every person who came up to him — and kick-ass earrings. Ra’Shon Harris‘s sunny smile and kind way with the kids who attended Fan Day. I was shocked when LaGarrette Blount clocked that player in the Boise State game because he seemed so quiet and well-mannered when I met him. I even think fondly of the running backs coach, Gary Campbell, because he was impressed that I got every single player and coach autograph on my poster one year. He even called Nick Aliotti, the defensive coordinator, over to see it.

This sounds like a lot of name dropping, and it is. But it proves the point that every moment of these fan events made a lasting impression on me.

Sports teams talk a lot about how they need to market more to women, and they have focused on making the clothes better. They have succeeded — the women’s offerings at the college and professional levels are great. But, we are more than just clothes. Get the players (the ones who can be trusted around women, that is) out in special fan events. Include activities that draw women. We need the face time, the human connection, to get really attached to a team. I follow the ex-Ducks through the NFL because I met them, even for a few brief seconds, during those autograph sessions. Next year, my son will meet them, too because he will be old enough to pose for pictures and play with the ball.

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In Fred Meyer stores this month, there have been salesmen demonstrating the joys of the Euro-Clean cleaning cloths, mops, and dusters. So I bought a set.

The sales pitch is that the cloths were created to clean and sanitize in hospitals without using chemicals. They are supposed to remove 99.9% of germs, viruses, and bacteria when used damp.

I haven’t tested the germ claims, but so far, they are great for cleaning.

We have an insane amount of dust in our house — two big dogs bring it a lot of dirt. The duster has done a good job removing it from electronics and furniture.

The cleaning cloth does a great job removing the steam and grunge from the bathroom mirror, and the mop has tackled the mud on our floors (this is also courtesy of the dogs).

If you are looking for a microfiber cleaning system, Euro-Clean might be a good fir for you. You can pick them up at Fred Meyer or online.

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When you think about a kid’s birthday party, I’m sure your mind reels at the thought of the character-themed throwaway decorations, expensive trips to the pizza parlor, and piles of wrapping paper.

Today, Lisa from The Party Works shares some ideas to help you throw a more environmentally responsible party and save money in the process.

4 Ways to Reduce the Carbon Footprint of Your Child’s Birthday Party

My daughter turned seven last month, and we threw her an entirely green and organic birthday party. It definitely required a little more effort than an ordinary party would, but it was worth it. The organic, fair-trade chocolate cake was a hit, and so were the re-usable Mario party supplies that we were able to donate to Goodwill after the party. The kids played outside for the majority of the party, so we even saved some energy by having all of the lights off in the house most of the time. If we hadn’t planned ahead to ensure that we threw a green party, I honestly don’t think we would have been able to pull it off.

If you’re interested in reducing the carbon footprint of your child’s next birthday party, here are some tips to help you out:

1. Send invitations via email and request that the party guests do not bring wrapped presents. You can put all of the presents brought to the party in a large gift bag that you can later recycle or re-use at future celebrations. The kids at the birthday party will gladly let your son or daughter know which present they brought, so there’s no need for gift tags either.
2. Find some organic cake recipes online. If you decide to make a chocolate cake, I highly recommend ordering some fair-trade chocolate and using it to make your cake. You can combine the fair-trade chocolate with organic flour, olive oil, and organic castor sugar to make your own cake mix. If you want to make a vegan cake, you can substitute applesauce for the eggs in your cake recipe. My daughter absolutely loves the subtle hint of applesauce in the baked goods I make for her.
3. Set up activities outside, weather permitting. For instance, you could set up a gardening station, hula-hoop station, face painting station, and hopscotch station. The kids could go from station to station, so they wouldn’t get bored doing one thing. You could also set up a schedule of games. The party could start with capture the flag, and then transition to tag, and end with a relaxing game of Simon Says. It’s healthy for the kids to play outside, and it’s good for the earth to not use up energy in the house during the party.
4. Get some cloth goody bags, and avoid stuffing them with tiny plastic toys. At specialty toyshops, you’ll probably be able to find wooden tops and other small wooden and cloth toys that are environmentally friendly.

So, go paperless, bake a delicious organic cake, and let the kids soak up some rays!

Lisa is a guest blogger from The Party Works who writes about parenting on a budget, early childhood education, and marriage.

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