ChildOrganics

Looking Forward, Looking Back

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:15:00 +0000

Welcome to the first edition of the Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival, hosted by Authentic Parenting and Mudpiemama!
In the month of January, we start afresh, a new year, new ideas. Hence, our participants have looked into the topic of “Birth and New Beginnings”. Take a look at the end of this post to find a list of links to the entries of the other participants.
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Looking back

How do you move forward after facing the loss of a child? This is a question I've wrestled with over the last few years. Whether it's loss through a miscarriage or infant loss it can paralyze your life. It's an experience that makes you stronger than you ever thought you could be- or wanted to be.

January is a tough month for me. This month Bella would have turned 6.This is also the month my youngest turns 3. It's a month filled with mixed feelings, emotional ups and downs.
Our family still experiences grief though she has been gone for over 4 years. We miss our Bella a great deal. We are able to talk about her with joy in our hearts. We talk about our memories of her and we can laugh as we remember. This is a welcome change.
Deciding to have another child after a loss can be very difficult. We had decided not to have any more children after Bella due to our chances of 1 in 4 of any of our future children having Walker Warburg Syndrome. We felt strongly we didn't want to go through all of the pain again. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans...
Surprises happen. One year after Bella's death (almost to the very day), we found out we were expecting another child, our hearts filled with joy, dread and lots of lots of questions. We had feelings of grief and hope all swirling around inside. Big Z was elated at the idea of being a big sister again. We had a very anxious pregnancy until our 20 week ultrasound when we were given the wonderful news of our baby boy being healthy and strong. This pregnancy and birth was a time of reflection, hopefulness and healing.
People have made thoughtless comments in regards to a new baby taking away our grief. It doesn't work that way, he doesn't replace Bella. We still mourn our Bella and grieve for her, a part of my heart will remain empty and broken until I'm with her again. However, having another baby has been the most lovely distraction from my grief you can ever imagine.

Looking forward

We move forward with our new life as a family without Bella. Having another child after our loss has given me deeper appreciation of my children and our life together. We make room for sadness and for joy.

 Visit Authentic Parenting and MudpieMama to find out how you can participate in the next Authentic Parenting Blog Carnival!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Becoming Intentional with My Time Valerie at Momma in Progress shares the beginning of her year-long journey toward more intentional living.
Alirik’s Birth Story: Sweet Surprise Lauren at Hobo Mama tells the sweet surprise unassisted home water birth story of her second child.
My Rebirth: An Honest Look Darcel at The Mahogany Way talks a little about some of the fear and insecurity she's felt over the years since starting her parenting journey and her blog.
Trusting My Body: Ailia’s Birth Story After a very challenging birth with her son, Dionna at Code Name: Mama was nervous about having another natural birth. But practicing relaxation techniques and birth affirmations proved to be just what she needed to have her perfect, peaceful, unassisted homebirth.
My Homeschool Philosophy Paige a Baby Dust Diaries shares her new year's resulution about homeschooling.
Yet Another Resolutions Post... Zen mummy's resolutions for a better 2012
Renewing Green Passions in the New Year Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction talks about renewing a passion for green living in the new year
Birthing and New Beginnings... And Better Mothering Sheila at A Living Family shares her first ever New Year's resolutions to be a more mindful, compassionate and respectful mother to her two-year old daughter after the recent birth of her son.
An Open Letter to MTV Regarding 16 and Pregnant Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama delivers a pointed message to MTV about how they misrepresent birth and parenthood on 16 and Pregnant.
Setting Intentions Megan at The Other Baby Blog shares another way to ring in the New Year.
Spencer's Birth Story Momma Jorje shares her family's story of birthing her son with Down syndrome.
Looking Forward, Looking Back Erica @ ChildOrganics shares how she is able to look back at the loss of their daughter and yet move forward with her family at the same time.
Unique unto Itself. Melissa of Vibrant Wanderings has chosen a word for her second child's birth: awareness.
The Unassisted Birth of The LIttle Buddha. Laura at Authentic Parenting shares the birth story of her new baby
Birthing and Resolutions: Keeping Good Things in Motion. MudpieMama shares her VBAC story and why she skipped making resolutions in the traditional way.
The Birth of a New Era by Mandy from Living Peacefully With Children

Oil Cleansing Method

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:40:00 +0000

Welcome to the January 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Experiments in Natural Family Living

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have reported on weeklong trials to make their lives a little greener and gentler. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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It seems only a few short years ago I was working in the mall behind the counter at an upscale make-up counter. I must admit I really enjoyed working there. It was like playing dress up everyday. I had fun playing with colors, doing make-overs and obsessing about skin care.
Now I look back at those years and the chemicals I was using on a daily basis and I shudder. I loved all the suds and bubbles to wash away all of my oil and dirt. My skin did look good, it was squeaky clean, but what damage did I do? Eek!
Over the years I have refined my daily skin care routine to be more eco-friendly by using organic, non-toxic products from reputable companies.I learned to do without the suds and bubbles. For the most part this has worked well, except for the fact that many of these products are quite expensive. Many of their ingredients are relatively simple to put together yourself. Could I do it?
When I was younger my skin was prone to breakouts, so I cleaned and exfoliated my skin pretty vigorously.I always had oily skin. I used all of the oil-free products. I had high hopes because as my oldest daughter starts to creep closer to those teenage years I thought it be fabulous if she could use a truly safe and natural way to keep her skin healthy. Wouldn't it have been wonderful to have learned a natural way to keep my skin healthy as a teenager?
I read about the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) on the Crunchy Betty website. I learned something. Like dissolves like. So oil is perfect to use to wash away oil. Hmm...
Now three children and many years later, my skin is on the dry side. It's like working with a whole new monster. I wondered if the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) would work for me. It sounded simple, but could it be too simple? Would all of the oil make my skin feel greasy and clog my pores? Would it meet the needs of my now dry skin?
There was only one way to find out. I was at the very end of my facial cleanser and moisturizer. So I figured there was no time like the present to try out the Oil Cleansing Method.
So here's what I did:

I started with organic extra virgin olive oil. I chose this oil simply because it was what I had in the house. Olive oil is full of anti-oxidants and vitamins, it's good for your body whether taken internally or externally. I filled my empty glass bottle from my previous cleanser 2/3 full with the organic olive oil.
I filled the last third of the bottle with castor oil.Choose a cold-pressed, hexane free oil. Castor oil is very nourishing for the skin and can help heal breakouts. It penetrates deep into the skin and works like many anti-aging products.
.I massaged about a tablespoon of the oil into my face in small circular movements. You can warm it up with your hands before applying to your face . Take your time using slight pressure to work the oil into your skin. This will remove make-up, dirt and oil. This part feels good, enjoy it, take your time.
Warm water is what you'll need next. Use a nice large cloth soaked in warm/hot water. Wring it out and place over your face. Ahh...this is my favorite part. I feel like I'm at the spa. The steam will open your pores. Let the cloth cool on your face. Gently wipe your skin clean from the oil, make-up and dirt. Repeat two or three times.
I then used a small amount of Coconut Oil or shea butter as a moisturizer. Depending on your skin, you may not feel the need to use additional moisturizer.
In the morning, just use warm water to steam clean your pores and moisturize if needed. No need for the oil to cleanse.

I wish I knew about the oil cleansing method much earlier. It is so simple, works wonders and I feel like I'm having a mini spa treatment each day. My skin didn't feel greasy and it didn't clog my pores.
In the very beginning it is possible to have a few breakouts while dirt blockages are being pushed from your pores. But then your skin quickly clears and you will have a lovely healthy glow to it. It started as an experiment, but now it's my daily routine, and I'm keeping it!.
The Oil Cleansing Method can easily be adapted to the needs of your skin. If your skin tends to be oily increase your ratio of castor oil, the drier your skin is then increase the olive oil. You can also experiment with different oils such as sunflower, jojoba and avocado oil to replace the olive oil. The castor oil is the essential part to success with this method.
I think this is a fabulous way to teach young girls ( and boys too!) to care for their skin. I've introduced this method to my daughter. She likes it because we do it together and she likes this spa time with mom. No need for artificial fragrances and toxic sudsing agents to poison their delicate skin. They can have fun with the process and make it their own. Essential oils can easily be added to this OCM for a lovely scent. Lavender or rose oil would smell lovely, don't you think?
No chemicals, all natural and organic skin care made from ingredients that you already have at home. What's even better than that is the result of healthy, glowing skin. I'm hooked!
Have you tried the Oil Cleansing Method? Tell me what you think!

Don't forget to ENTER our giveaway for a keepsake infant pearl bracelet, ends Saturday!

Photo by suzyq212

***

Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Make your own moisturizer! — Megan at boho mama whips up a winter skin-friendly moisturizer.
Cold Water Only — Brittany at The Pistachio Project talks about how you do not need hot water to wash laundry.
Family Cloth... Really?? — After lots of forethought and consideration, Momma Jorje finally decides to take the plunge with family cloth.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle : 5-5-5 Things A Day — Luschka from Diary of a First Child writes about decluttering her home in an attempt to create a gentler living space. She takes on a new project where she sets a goal of reducing, reusing and recycling every day.
Pros and cons of family cloth — Lauren at Hobo Mama would love to continue replacing paper products with family cloth … if she could only get over how damp she feels.
Craftily Parenting — Kellie at Our Mindful Life finds that crafting makes her a better parent.
Changes — Laura at Pug in the Kitchen couldn't choose just one area to experiment with, so she wrote a long post about all the fun changes initiated in her life!
Life without Internet: Not all it's Cracked up to Be — Adrienne at Mommying My Way tries to go a week without the Internet, only to realize a healthy dose of Internet usage really helps keep this stay-at-home mom connected.
My Progression to Raw Milk — Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling shares her natural parenting progression all the way to trying raw milk.
mama's new little friend. — Sarah at Bitty Bird tries a menstrual cup to "green her period," and is pleasantly surprised when she falls in love with the product!
Before you throw it out, try homemade laundry soap! — Jennifer at Practical OH Mommy shows visual proof that homemade laundry soap is cheaper, easier, and works better than the store-bought chemicals!
Oil, Oil, No Toil, No Trouble — K from Very Simple Secret talks about her foray into the oil-cleansing method.
I Need a Hobby — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro couldn't decide which experiment to run, so she did them all.
7 days of macrobiotics for a balanced family — The Stones make a [successful] attempt to release the "holiday junking" with 7 days of macrobiotic meals to balance their bodies and souls. Elisabeth at Manic Mrs. Stone includes an explanation of macrobiotics.
Chemical Free Beauty Challenge — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction turned to natural alternatives for her daily beauty and cleaning routine, with great results.
Greening my Armpits!? My Green Resolution — Shannon at The Artful Mama talks about how she decided to give up her traditional antiperspirant and make the switch over to crystal deodorants and definitely isn't looking back!
Going Raw (for a while) — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom shares her family's experience with raw food.
Do we get to eat gluten today? — Sheila at A Gift Universe has been trying to figure out if her son does better with or without gluten in his diet … but it's really hard to tell for sure.
Hippies Can Smell and Look Fabulous Too! — Arpita of Up, Down And Natural details her experience of going shampoo-free and overhauling her cosmetics to find the balance between feeling beautifully fabulous and honoring her inner hippie.
Our cupboards are full...but there's nothing to eat — Lucy at Dreaming Aloud takes on the challenge of chomping through the contents of her storecupboard rather than going shopping — but there's something that she just can't bring herself to do …
Elimination Experiment 3.0 — MudpieMama recounts the messy adventures of her baby daughter trying to be diaper free.
Family Cloth Trial — Amyables at Toddler in Tow talks about making and using family cloth wipes in the bathroom for the first time.
Taking a Hiatus — Amy at Peace 4 Parents shares how her experience of much less internet interaction affected her family and how it will change her approach in the future.
Trying Out the Menstrual Cup — Lindsey at an unschooling adventure ditches the tampons and gives menstrual cups a try.
Managing Food Waste in Our Home — Tired of the holiday waste, Robbie at Going Green Mama takes a weeklong focus on reducing food waste in her home, and learns some lessons that can take her through the new year.
Going Offline, Cloth Tissues, and Simplicity — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama muses over her time away from blogging and social networking. In addition, she shares her newfound love of cloth tissues and simplicity.

The Oil Cleansing Method — Erica at ChildOrganics explores an easy, organic and natural way to tackle skin care.
Experiments in Natural Family Living - Natural Toys! — Lani at Boobie Time enjoys the silence of natural toys and being more present with her son.
Discovering a New City and Organic Foods — Amy at A Secure Base describes her family's switch to and search for organic foods for one week.
My Experiment in Homemade Bread — Crunchy Con Mommy tried — and loved — baking her own homemade bread.
Menu Planning: Stop the Excuses — Gaby at Tmuffin stopped the excuses and started planning her weekly meals, drastically cutting her grocery budget and stress level and improving the quality of foods she fed her family.
My First Menstrual Cup — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children was pleasantly surprised with her first experience using a menstrual cup.
My Natural Beauty Regime — Christine at African Babies Don’t Cry shares the results of banishing cleanser and soaps from her bathroom, as well as a couple of natural homemade recipes that have worked well on her skin.
Unplugging and Creating a Rhythm: Our Experiment in Natural Family Living — Dionna at Code Name: Mama focused less on gadgets and spent more time with her family to create a healthy rhythm for the new year.
Experiments in Natural Family Living: 5 First Steps Toward Preparing for a Natural Birth — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama discusses how she tackled the pressing matter of how to begin preparing for a natural birth.
All you need is...vinegar! — Kristen at My Semi-Crunchy Life learns that one household product can replace all the cleaners in her cabinet.
Nope Nada Ixnay Negative Pass Decline — Zoie at TouchstoneZ finds out what shakes loose if she says, "YES!!" to anything anyone asks of her over the space of 10 days.
Reducing our exposure to toxins found in plastics — Syenna at Gently Parenting Twins throws out the melamine and BPA plastics which have been hanging around the kitchen for too long.
Duh! — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares how she began the process of helping her 2-year-old son stop physically acting out.
Experiments in Natural Parenting: Starting, Stopping, and Gaining Perspective — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings explains how pregnancy brain interfered with her attempts to complete an experiment, but how she gained some interesting perspective as she started and stopped several.
From Experiment to Lifestyle — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares her experience avoiding processed foods for a month, and deciding to make it a permanent lifestyle change.
From Disposable Paper to Reusable Cloth – AGAIN! — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle stops flushing trees down the toilet and switches to the softest ever butt-wiping material: cloth.
Extra! Extra! Water Heater Turned Down, Mom Doesn't Notice! — Thomasin at Propson Palingenesis finds an energy-saving experiment that's so easy she didn't even realize it was happening.
Worm Tea — CatholicMommy isn't sure how successful her worm bin will be, but she's having fun anyway.
Miles to Go ... — Rachael at The Variegated Life learns that when it comes to sleep debt, she's in real deep.
My Month With Water Kefir — Paige at Baby Dust Diaries experiments with a new fermented probiotic drink homemade in her own kitchen.
OMG Mom is Home... All Day Everyday: A Week-Long Experiment in Connecting — What a difference a week makes! Ana at Pandamoly is afforded a week off from work and takes the chance to reconnect and reattach with her 16-month-old son through an experiment in simply being there.
Creating Healthy Family Recipes — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares her experiment with healthy, gluten-free recipes and a chocolate muffin recipe that was created during the experiment.
Adventures in Alternative Haircare: No 'Poo — This guest post at Natural Parents Network from Amy at Anktangle chronicles a months-long journey into the world of no 'poo.
My Experiment in Natural Family Living: Natural Family Planning — Birth control options are seriously limited for those of us trying to live a little closer to the earth, so Mama Psalmist experiments with natural family planning.

Little Girls Pearls Giveaway-$55. value

noreply@blogger.com (IRK) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 19:12:00 +0000

The elegant pearl bracelet is a precious keepsake that features beautiful sterling silver accents.

* Genuine cultured freshwater pearls - approx. 4.5mm - 5.5mm

* Sterling silver daisy accents between pink pearls

* A fancy sterling silver accent after each third pearl

* Sturdy & flexible - strung on steel covered in soft white nylon

* Sturdy sterling silver lobster clasp

* Growth chain to be sure it will fit her as she grows

* Accent charms are available for personalizing her bracelet
What a wonderful way to commemorate the new baby's arrival than with a precious pearl baby bracelet. Little Girls' Pearls treasured keepsake baby jewelry is adorned with a sterling silver growth chain allowing the jewelry to grow with your little girl. Each baby jewelry piece is created sturdy so it will be around for generations to come. When your little girl has outgrown her precious baby jewelry, you can tuck it away for her wedding day. The baby jewelry can become baby-to-bride jewelry by simply asking her bridal florist to attach it inside her bridal bouquet using a new blue ribbon (something old, something new, something blue).

Thank you for your support of ChildOrganics. Let's celebrate with a giveaway.
This giveaway is for a beautiful bracelet for your darling from Little Girls Pearls valued at $55. USD. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. The giveaway will close on Saturday, January14th. This is my first giveaway using Rafflecopter. I hope it makes it easier for everyone, please let me know what you think of it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Blitz-Most Viewed 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 05:30:00 +0000

I am proud and honored to be a mentor with the Natural Parents Network (NPN), a community of natural-minded parents and parents-to-be where you will be informed, empowered, and inspired. When you visit the NPN’s website you can find articles and posts about Activism, Balance, Consistent Care, Ecological Responsibility, Family Safety, Feeding With Love, Gentle Discipline, Healthy Living, Holistic Health, Natural Learning, Nurturing Touch, Parenting Philosophies, Practical Home Help, Preparing for Parenting, Responding With Sensitivity, Safe Sleep, and so much more!

The volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to make NPN the outstanding resource it is also spend countless hours informing and inspiring others on their personal blogs. To close out 2011, the NPN volunteers have come together to provide you with some valuable reading material. Each volunteer has selected either their most viewed post of 2011 or their favorite post and shared the link here. Please take a few moments to visit each post. Our intention is to expand our reach as bloggers and informed parents and parents-to-be who are still growing as we move through our own journeys. Each volunteer has provided links to other social media sites where you can follow them as well.

We hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as we enjoyed writing them.
So here is my most viewed post from 2011, titled Attachment Parenting in the NICU.

I am proud and honored to be volunteer with the Natural Parents Network (NPN), a community of natural-minded parents and parents-to-be where you will be informed, empowered, and inspired. When you visit the NPN’s website you can find articles and posts about Activism, Balance, Consistent Care, Ecological Responsibility, Family Safety, Feeding With Love, Gentle Discipline, Healthy Living, Holistic Health, Natural Learning, Nurturing Touch, Parenting Philosophies, Practical Home Help, Preparing for Parenting, Responding With Sensitivity, Safe Sleep, and so much more!

The volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to make NPN the outstanding resource it is also spend countless hours informing and inspiring others on their personal blogs. To close out 2011, the NPN volunteers have come together to provide you with some valuable reading material. Each volunteer has selected either their most viewed post of 2011 or their favorite post and shared the link here. Please take a few moments to visit each post. Our intention is to expand our reach as bloggers and informed parents and parents-to-be who are still growing as we move through our own journeys. Each volunteer has provided links to other social media sites where you can follow them as well.

We hope you enjoy reading these posts as much as we enjoyed writing them. We are always looking for new volunteers so please, contact us if you are interested. Just a few hours per month can help other mamas in a huge way!

Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares her Christmas Cookie Swap Blog Hop, which is her fourth annual virtual cookie swap and most popular post of the year. Please stop by and link up your favorite holiday recipe until Dec. 31. You can find Farmer's Daughter on Facebook and Twitter.

Adrienne from Mommying My Way shares Fear vs. Faith, one of her favorite posts about how often living a life of faith can look like a life of fear, but the two are really quite different. You can also find Mommying My Way on Facebook.

Alicia of Lactation Narration retells the story of her oldest daughter's 5 years of nursing and weaning in her favorite post of 2011, The Weaning Party. You can find Lactation Narration on Facebook and Twitter.

Amy of Toddler In Tow shares Finding My Mommy-Zen, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, she shares her desire to balance her own self-esteem by choice in order to parent with peace and compassion. You can also find Toddler In Tow on Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter, and follow Amyables (Amy W.) on Google + and Ravelry.

Arpita of Up, Down, and Natural shares one of her most popular posts titled Reflections. This is a beautiful look at the type of mother she wants to be. You can find Up, Down, and Natural on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Charise of I Thought I Knew Mama shares Why Do Children Have More Food Allergies Than Ever Before?, her most viewed post of 2011. This post explains the shocking info that one unsuspecting mother discovered when she started researching why her daughter had a violent allergic reaction to eggs. This is a must read post for ensuring the health of your family. You can also find I Thought I Knew Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Stumbleupon.

Christine of African Babies Don’t Cry shares The Best First Food for Babies, one of her favourite posts of 2011. This well-researched post delves into the healthiest and most nutritious food to feed your baby. You can also find African Babies Don’t Cry on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

Cynthia of The Hippie Housewife shares Gentle Discipline for Toddlers, her most viewed post of 2011. This post describes five gentle discipline tools for parenting toddlers. You can also find The Hippie Housewife on Facebook, Google +, and Pinterest.

Darcel of The Mahogany Way shares how Babywearing Is A Way of Life one of her favorite post of 2011. This post showcases some beautiful woven wraps that she has purchased, traded, borrowed, and sold over the years. Darcel also talks about the benefits of babywearing from the newborn through toddler stage. You can also find Darcel{ The Mahogany Way} on Facebook, Twitter, Her Community for Mothers of Color, and Pinterest.

Dionna of Code Name Mama shares 50 Healthy Snack Ideas for Kids Plus Fun Serving Suggestions, her most viewed post of 2011. Most of these snacks are quick to fix and portable, so you can pack them to send with your child on play dates, at preschool, or to just have handy in the refrigerator for when your child wants to grab a bite to eat “all by himself.” You can find Dionna on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and YouTube.

Erica at ChildOrganics shares a post that is not only close to her heart, but also her most viewed post for 2011 titled Attachment Parenting in the NICU. This post shares her top 10 tips for parenting should you find yourself with a baby in the NICU. You can also find Erica on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Gretchen of That Mama Gretchen shares her personal experience of returning to work, expressing milk, and the ups and downs in between in her 2011 most viewed post, Mama's Milk. You can also find Gretchen on GFC, Blog Lovin', Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Isil of Smiling like Sunshine shares how to make an autumn tree using pumpkin seeds, her most popular post in 2011. This post features a lovely craft activity that you can do with your kids! You can also find Isil on Facebook and Twitter.

Jennifer of Hybrid Rasta Mama shares 80 Uses For Coconut Oil, her most viewed post of 2011. This comprehensive post provides background information on the benefits of coconut oil as well as outlines 80 uses for it. You can also find Hybrid Rasta Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.

Jennifer of True Confessions of a Real Mommy shares her most popular post of 2011, Weekly House Blessing (Otherwise Known as Cleaning Once a Week). This post outlines a once per week cleaning routine for busy moms. You can also find Jennifer on Twitter.

Joella, the mama behind Fine and Fair, shares An Unusual Gripe with Bebe Gluton, one of her most popular posts of 2011. In it, she discusses the controversy surrounding a "breastfeeding doll" and offers her take on the gender role implications of dolls in general. Fine and Fair can also be found on twitter and facebook.

Julia of A Little Bit of All of It shares the story of how her co-sleeping relationship ended with her daughter, her most viewed post of 2011. This post shows how her daughter transitioned to her own bed on her 2nd birthday and the emotions involved for her mom. You can also find A Little Bit of All of It on Facebook, Twitter, Google +, and Pinterest.

Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment shares True Blessings: White Noise and Grandparents, her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, Kat talks about how she maximizes getting sleep and how grateful and blessed she is to have her parents be so involved in helping and spending time with her kiddos.

Kelly of Becoming Crunchy shares That Cup Does What?, her most viewed post of 2011. This post is one of a series of reviews and information on switching to all natural menstrual products - having heard so many different options and recommendations, Kelly decided to give a whole bunch of them a try and pull all the reviews together in one week for anyone interested in making the switch. This post in particular covers the ins and outs of the Diva Cup. You can also find Becoming Crunchy on Facebook, Twitter, Google + and Pinterest.

Kristin of Intrepid Murmurings shares a popular post from 2011, something she and her husband made for their girls for Christmas, great for open-ended play and construction: Handmade Tree Blocks. You can also find Kristin on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest.

Lani of Boobie Time shares Helping a Fellow Breastfeeding Mom, her inspiration for starting to blog. This post discusses the importance of fellow moms supporting each other and some tips on having a successful breastfeeding relationship.

Laura at WaldenMommy: Life Behind the Red Front Door writes about finally entering "spring" when her child with special needs begins preschool. After battling post-partum mental illness (post tramatic stress disorder) after the preterm birth of her third child, she finally begins to feel healthy and whole again in "It's Fall, Ya'll-Again."

Lauren of Hobo Mama shares On not having an AP poster child, her (OK, second) most viewed post of 2011. Lauren's first child shook her certainty that attachment parenting meant babies never cried and toddlers grew independent — and that's all right, too. You can also find Hobo Mama on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Luschka of Diary of a First Child shares Lactivism, Breastfeeding, Bottlefeeding and Mothers at War, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This post discusses how the breastfeeding/bottle feeding debate causes a division between mothers, leading to the alienation of women and babies, while divisive companies prosper. You can also find Diary of a First Child on Facebook, and Twitter.

Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children shares how With Privilege Comes Responsibility, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This compelling post explains her strong felt desire to stand up for those less privileged. You can also find Living Peacefully with Children on Facebook.

Melissa of Vibrant Wanderings shares a Montessori-Inspired Checklist for Choosing Toys, her most popular post of 2011. The article outlines some important Montessori principles and how they relate to children's toys, translating that into some simple guiding principles. You can also find Melissa on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest.

Momma Jorje shares Amniocentesis - What is it *really* like?, one of her most viewed posts of 2011. This open and honest series offers not only the technical process of amniocentesis, but also the emotions involved in awaiting (and receiving) the procedure and a diagnosis. Momma Jorje can also be found on Facebook.

Moorea of MamaLady: Adventures in Queer Parenting shares Fluoride: Another Reason Breast Is Best, her favorite post of 2011. This post provides research on the harmful effects of fluoride in drinking water for babies and toddlers and ways to limit fluoride consumption in your home. You can also find MamaLady on Facebook and Twitter and her Parent Coaching Site.

Rachael at The Variegated Life is Calling the Muse in her most viewed post of 2011. In this post, she describes how she uses ritual to help her tap into her creative spirit. You can also find Rachael on Twitter and The Variegated Life on Facebook.

Rebekah and Chris from Liberated Family shares Using Cloth In a Disposable Society, their favorite post of 2011. This extensive post provides a lot of information regarding the varied uses of cloth as well as the many benefits. You can also find Liberated Family on Twitter.

Sarah at Parenting God's Children shares her most viewed post: Confessions of a Breastfeeding Advocate: I Couldn't. She confesses her struggles with breastfeeding her daughters, but shares why she'll continue the good fight. You can also find Sarah on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

Seonaid of The Practical Dilettante offers a science- and reverence-based meditation on The Living Earth, her most viewed post of 2011. This meditation was originally written for Earth Day, but it provides a way to reconnect with your place in the living breathing planet at any time of year. You can also find Seonaid on Facebook, Twitter, and Google +.

Shannon at Pineapples & Artichokes shares I Recommend (But Moira Likes This Book Too), her most viewed post of 2011. This post is a review of a wonderful book that talks about all the different ways that families can be made up, along with some of why this topic is so important to her family.

Sheryl at Little Snowflakes shares her experiences with tandem nursing in Tandem Nursing – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, her most viewed post of 2011. You can also find Sheryl on Twitter.

Stay tuned for some amazing posts from all of these tremendous bloggers in 2012!

Co-Sleeping with the Humanity Family Sleeper

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 05:30:00 +0000

Father's Lib (at 2:00 a.m.)

by Wally Bennett

Oh, how nice it would be,

If other dads could be like me.

While they're up and bottles pouring,

I'm in bed soundly snoring!

-That is, of course, if there is room.

At 1 a.m. Baby pops in,

Then a toddler kicks me in the shin.

Mommy's hanging off the edge,

Sister's on the other ledge.

Poor dad can't move or do a thing-

Except to buy a SUPER KING!

- taken from “The Family Bed” by Tine Thevenin

I quickly discovered with our oldest daughter over 10 years ago, that co-sleeping is a Mama's answer to a good night’s rest and continued successful breastfeeding. It fosters attachment and promotes long term security. Dr. Sarah Buckley among others believe the Humanity Family Sleeper is a product that can make co-sleeping even safer and easier, also calling it 'one of the best investments a new parent can make.'

So what is the Humanity Family Sleeper? It's an organic bed topper with an attached pillow which helps prevents roll offs or pushing your bed against the wall. We are going to discuss the use of the Humanity Organics family sleeper as an aid to successful bed sharing.

Let's start with the body/maternity pillow feature. As a pregnant mom you quickly learn your best friend for a good night's rest is your body pillow. The Humanity Organic family sleeper comes with a body pillow which is easy to unzip and separate from the generously sized pad. The pillow is made from an organic cotton sateen and filled with eco-friendly kapok, which is a natural tree fiber. The body pillow can be spot cleaned or the cover can be removed for easy cleaning in cold/warm water. Once the baby arrives the pillow is easily attached to the organic pad. The pad measures 36 inches wide by 58 inches long; which is a perfect size for mama and baby with no seams to irritate. The family sleeper is a high quality bed top sleeper made of 4 layers of the finest organic cotton flannel. There is no need to worry about waking up in a puddle of breastmilk or worry about a leaking diaper. The absorbent organic pad will protect your mattress. It is machine washable (cold/warm water to prevent shrinkage) and can be hung to dry or dried on low heat.

Like mentioned in the poem above, if you sleep with more than one child the Humanity Family Sleeper can really be helpful. Simply place the baby on the side with the bolster pillow and the older child on the other side of mom. Many families have commented that the Humanity Family Sleeper is easy to travel with and they like the idea of having their familiar sleeping environment with them. This makes bed time more relaxing when you're away from home. This pillow top sleeper has no toxic fumes and is made in the USA.

As if waking up snuggled next to your wee ones face wasn't enough, now there is a way to make co-sleeping safer, comfortable and more convenient with the use of the Humanity Family Sleeper.

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Thanks for reading a post in the Safe Cosleeping Blog Carnival. On Carnival day, please follow along on Twitter using the #CosleepCar hashtag.
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

***

Emotive Co-Sleeping Campaign - Miriam at Diary of an Unconscious Mother talks about her feelings on Milwaukee’s anti-cosleeping crusade and its latest advertising campaign.
Why Cosleeping has Always been the Right Choice for My Family - Patti at Jazzy Mama shares how lucky she feels to have the privilege of sleeping with her four children.
Cosleeping is a safe, natural and healthy solution parents need to feel good about. - See how Tilly at Silly Blatherings set up a side-car crib configuration to meet her and her families' needs.
Black and White: Race and the Cosleeping Wars - Moorea at Mama Lady: Adventures in Queer Parenting points out the problem of race, class and health when addressing co-sleeping deaths and calls to action better sleep education and breastfeeding support in underprivileged communities.
Reflections on Cosleeping - Jenny at I’m a Full Time Mummy shares her thoughts on cosleeping and pictures of her cosleeping beauties.
Cosleeping and Transitioning to Own Bed - Isil at Smiling Like Sunshine shares her experiences in moving beyond the family bed.
What Works for One Family - Momma Jorje shares why cosleeping is for her and why she feels it is the natural way to go. She also discusses the actual dangers and explores why it may not be for everyone.
Really High Beds, Co-Sleeping Safely, and the Humanity Family Sleeper - Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama gives a quick view of Jennifer’s bed-sharing journey and highlights the Humanity Family Sleeper, something Jennifer could not imagine bed-sharing without.
Crying in Our Family Bed - With such a sweet newborn, why has adding Ailia to the family bed made Dionna at Code Name: Mama cry?
Dear Mama: - Zoie at TouchstoneZ shares a letter from the viewpoint of her youngest son about cosleeping.
Cuddle up, Buttercup! - Nada of The MiniMOMist and her husband Michael have enjoyed cosleeping with their daughter Naomi almost since birth. Nada shares why the phrase "Cuddle up, Buttercup!" has such special significance to her.
Co-Sleeping With A Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler - Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling shares how co-sleeping calls us to trust our inner maternal wisdom and embrace the safety and comfort of the family bed.
Fear instead of Facts: An Opportunity Squandered in Milwaukee - Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction discusses Milwaukee’s missed opportunity to educate on safe cosleeping.
Cosleeping: A Mini-rant and a Lovely Picture - Siobhan at Res Ipsa Loquitor discusses her conversion to cosleeping and rants a little bit about the Milwaukee Health Department anti-cosleeping campaign.
Our Cosleeping Story - Adrienne at Mommying My Way shares her cosleeping story and the many bonus side effects of bedsharing.
Cosleeping can be safe and rewarding Christy at Mommy Outnumbered shares how her cosleeping experiences have been good for her family.
Adding one more to the family bed Lauren at Hobo Mama discusses the safety logistics of bed sharing with a new baby and a preschooler.
The Truth About Bedsharing - Dr. Sarah at Parenting Myths and Facts discusses the research into bedsharing and risk - and explains why it is so often misrepresented.
Cosleeping as a parenting survival tool - Melissa V. at Mothers of Change describes how she discovered cosleeping when her first baby was born. Melissa is the editor and a board member for the Canadian birth advocacy group, Mothers of Change.
Dear Delilah - Joella at Fine and Fair writes about her family bed and the process of finding the cosleeping arrangements that work best for her family.
CoSleeping ROCKS! - Melissa at White Noise talks about the evolution of cosleeping in her family.
Safe Sleep is a Choice - Tamara at Pea Wee Baby talks about safe sleep guidelines.
3 Babies Later: The Evolution of our Family Bed - Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment talks about how her family’s cosleeping arrangements evolved as her family grew.
Tender Moments - The Accidental Natural Mama discusses tender cosleeping moments.
Cosleeping Experiences - Lindsey at An Unschooling Adventure describes how she ended up co-sleeping with her daughter through necessity, despite having no knowledge of the risks involved and how to minimise them, and wishes more information were made available to help parents co-sleep safely.
The early days of bedsharing - Luschka at Diary of a First Child shares her early memories of bedsharing with her then new born and gets excited as she plans including their new arrival into their sleeping arrangements.
The Joys of Cosleeping in Pictures - Charise of I Thought I Knew Mama shares pictures of some of her favorite cosleeping moments.
Symbiotic Sleep - Mandy at Living Peacefully With Children discusses how the symbiotic cosleeping relationship benefits not only children but also parents.
Co-sleeping Barriers: What’s Stopping You? - Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares how she was almost prevented from gaining the benefits of co-sleeping her family currently enjoys.
Co-Sleeping with the Family Humanity Sleeper - Erica at ChildOrganics shares a way to make co-sleeping safe, comfortable and more convenient. Check out her post featuring the Humanity Organic Family Sleeper.
Why We Cosleep - That Mama Gretchen’s husband chimes in on why cosleeping is a benefit to their family.
Adding to the Family Bed - Darah at A Girl Named Gus writes about her co-sleeping journey and what happens when a second child comes along.

A big thank you to all of the Safe Cosleeping Blog Carnival participants!

Mindfully Managing the Mania

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 18:20:00 +0000

Welcome to the December Mindful Mama Carnival: Staying Mindful During the Holiday Season
This post was written for inclusion in the Mindful Mama Carnival hosted by Becoming Crunchy and TouchstoneZ. This month our participants
have shared how they stay mindful during the holiday season. Please read to
the end to find a list of links to the other carnival
participants.
***

We find this time of year incites "the gimmies". Are you familiar with "the gimmies"? I had experienced the gimmies before, but didn't know the name of it until the Berenstain Bears explained it to me.You know it's that feeling that kids (and adults,too) get when they want something, then something else..gimme this, gimme that! What's a Mama to do? Commercialism is at its height this time of year and "the gimmies" are sure to come a knockin'.

I'm more of a saver than a spender; my husband tends to be the one to spend more. However, I hate to pass up a good deal. So even this time of year can give me "the gimmes". Just because something is on sale, does that mean I need to buy it? I recently was part of a discussion on the difference between a "need" and a "want". It can get confusing this time of year for many. Just because something is a good deal, itdoesn't mean you have to over consume. Once again, balance comes into play. This is an excellent lesson for everyone in the family to learn.
Parents need to be on alert to all of the incoming advertisements bombarding their children from print and screen. Turning off the TV and recycling those toy catalogs are great ways to avoid the "gimme" trap. I read the suggestion of making a list of things you "want". Keep that list and if in 30 days it's something you still want, then consider purchasing it. This prevents impulse buying. Then do your research in deciding where you want to make this purchase. Choose to make a thoughtful decision, not a rushed one. It's also a great idea to have requirements for purchases that reflect the values of your family. For example, does your family value organic and fair trade practices? Is buying local or supporting small businesses important to you? If these reflect your family values, then staying away from the large, big box stores may be a good idea. There is no reason to tempt yourself and set yourself up for disapointment. If this is something important to your family then it makes sense to avoid going to the malls and stores that you don't want to support with your money. When buying gifts, be conscious in your decisions. Make lists, do your research and support companies and people that are in line with your values. By avoiding "the gimmies" and thinking through your purchases you should be able to mindfully manage the mania. You may also enjoy a post I wrote on Compassionate Consumerism. How do you manage the mania at your home?

***

Visit The Mindful Mama Homepage to find out how you can participate in the next Mindful Mama Carnival!

On Carnival day, please follow along on Twitter using the handy #MindMaCar hashtag. You can also subscribe to the Mindful Mama Twitter List and Mindful Mama Participant Feed.
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Enjoying Busy Times Moment by Moment Amy at Peace 4 Parents offers a handful of simple pointers to make the most of any busy season in your life.
Staying A Mindful Mama During The Holiday Season Terri at Eco-Crazy Mom shares her thoughts on being a mindful mama, while keeping your sanity throughout the holiday season..
Holiday Parenting: The Gift of Natural Play Moorea at MamaLady shares her holiday plan for mindfully spending time with children in her extended family.
The ABC's of Mindful Parenting Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama provides a comprehensive list of Mindful Parenting Resultions for 2012. In addition, she briefly reviews her mindful parenting journey for this past year.
The 123's of Mindful Parenting Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares part 3 of her Mindful Parenting series (Link will be live tomorrow, Dec 14).
Mindful Mama Guest Post from Hybrid Rasta Mama Zoie at TouchstoneZ is honored to share Part 2 of Jennifer's series on staying Mindful for the Holidays.
Saying No to Plastic Toys Nada at minimomist and her husband Michael, have certain rules when it comes to toys for their daughter Naomi. Here's how they deal with well-meaning gifts that don't quite work for their family.
Can you LOVE WHAT IS at Christmas? with so many expectations and no many people's needs to accomodate, Patti at Jazzy Mama has decided to simply accept what can't be changed and love whatever happens.
Minimal Temptation, Minimal Gifting Adrienne at Mommying My Way shares how not exposing herself to tempting purchases, as well as having fun family traditions, helps keep her Christmas list under control.
Choice And Consequence In Conscious Mindfulness Luschka at Diary of a First Child shares her realisation that consciously monitoring our thoughts have a powerful effect on our lives, regardless of circumstances or influences.
A Light in the Darkness Sylvia at MaMammalia writes about overcoming holiday blues through the miracle of motherhood.
Nature-Inspired Christmas Tree Kerry at City Kids Homeschooling describes how she and her children discovered the beauty and simplicity of a nature-inspired holiday tree.
Giving The Gift of Life Free Range Mama at My Healthy Green Family shares about teaching children how to look beyond the well-wrapped box and learn how to give. .
Can a collection of moments be more than the whole? Tat at Mum in search asks how do you turn a holiday from hell into a series of beautiful moments?
Flying Through the Holidays Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction discusses how a simple organizational plan has kept her holidays balanced.
Celebrating Advent week to week Lauren at Hobo Mama finds that counting down weeks instead of days helps children with the long wait.
5 Ways to Stay Mindful This Holiday Season Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares ideas and photos that help her stay mindful throughout the holidays.
Simplifying the Holidays Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children shares how simplifying the holidays has made them more special for her.
Mindfully Managing the Mania Erica at ChildOrganics fights against "the gimmes" and shares strategies for staying balanced during a time of year when it's easy to overindulge.
Six Ways to Enjoy the Holidays Without Losing Your Mindfulness Rachael at The Variegated Life shares tips on thinking less, planning less, doing less, and remembering.
The Gift of Presence Darcel at The Mahogany Way explains how important it is to be present for and with her family during the Holidays.
Mindfully meditating on celebrations Dionna at Code Name: Mama hosts this guest post from Child of the Nature Isle about desiring meaningful celebrations for the whole year.
What Does It Really Mean? Staying Mindful Through the Holiday Season Kelly at Becoming Crunchy talks about how she stays in touch with what the holiday season means for her and her family, in spite of all the temptations to do otherwise!

Play-Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:30:00 +0000

I really enjoyed the Hands on Play Challenge for this month. I learned that spending a small amount of time, at least 15 minutes, can really help build those connections through play with our kids. That's pretty valuable stuff!!

The Benefits of Bounce

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 23:28:00 +0000

Tigger had it right from the beginning. A bounce is a wonderful thing. Large buildings filled with inflatables are sprouting up left and right, do you have one near you? We gathered up the family and had a great time bouncing and laughing together. It may seem like simple fun, but there is much more to it.
Bouncing is beneficial to the immune system. Did you know that? I didn't, until recently. According to Dr. Morton Walker from Jumping For Health, jumping increases circulation, improves red blood cells, brings more oxygen to your tissues and can help relieve headaches, neck and back pain. These are benefits that any adult or child could appreciate.
The benefits don't stop there. Bouncing is great for children because it helps them improve their balance, coordination and timing. They can get more comfortable in their own skin, so to speak. Bouncing can help your child to be more confident and gain more control of his body. Bouncing not only helps the body physically but it's great emotionally. It's hard not to bounce and be smiling and giggling at the same time. Whether you are using a small rebounding trampoline, a large trampoline or going for the large inflatable bounce houses, get your bounce on, your body will thank you!
We are still enjoying theHands On Play Challenge this month hosted by Hands On As We Grow and The Imagination Tree. We hope you are playing along.

and the "Play" Goes On..

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:05:00 +0000

Have you been playing along this week? I posted earlier about the 30 day Hands On Play Challenge hosted by The Imagination Tree and Hands on As We Grow for the month of November. As busy parents it's easy to get distracted from our best intentions of focused play with our children each day. This is a great challenge that offers us some daily playing cues to keep our play interesting and exciting. I've really been enjoying it.
For the most part we've been following the cues, with a few changes here and there. The kids loved the island play and that has been requested a few times. We even played at Nanny's house and had her join in. Of course we were jumping over shark infested waters, ahh! I love the fact that we start with the idea of 15 minutes of uninterrupted play but it usually grows into a half an hour or more.

Sunday was about family game time. We have a lot of board games, but struggle using them because of the big age gap between our youngsters. So in playing a board game together a few adjustments in the rules comes to order . So in other words, we kind of make up some of our own rules so we can all have fun together.
I've found playing together early in the day works best. The kids are thrilled we started the day playing, they are less likely to be clingy for attention in the afternoon. It's also a good way to start the day enjoying the moment and not being caught up in to-do lists.

Many of these activities lend themselves to independent play time later in the day. Have you found that in your home? We really enjoyed the doodle challenge this week! We got giant pieces of paper and taped it to the floor.We all drew together. The kids then started to come up with ideas for dragons and castles, then a few dinosaurs and oddly enough a tea house, garbage truck and zoo were thrown in the mix. It was a great activity that was played with for the next 2 days. The kids loved it. We'll being doing this more often.
Then it was time for water play. It was a warm, sunny day here in TN yesterday. We took this as an opportunity to get outside and play. We headed to the creek and had boat races. Next time we'd like to make our own boats. This time we just grabbed a boat from our bath toys for Lil Z, and cut off the bottom of a box for Big Z's boat. They worked and we had fun cheering and using sticks to get them from being stuck. Afterwards the kids had a warm bath and some time for more water play. We used watercolors to paint the bathtub, and the kids painted themselves.

Play dough and sensory tubs were other playing cues for this week. Our play hostesses have some great recipes for home made play dough on their sites. Counting Coconuts is my favorite site for sensory tub ideas.
We made a simple recipe of 8 cups of flour and 1 cup of baby oil to make a sort of sandy dough (think moon sand). Use the cheap flour, no use in wasting your organic King Arthur on play dough. I had a few bottles of baby oil that needed to be used, so it helped clean up my bathroom clutter too, cool!

We made a whole day out of play today. We met friends and went to the local children's museum. It gave me some great ideas to use at home. Puppets, musical instruments, trains, dress up and playing rocket ship. Many of the play rooms at our museum are very simple. It goes to show that kids really just want to play and be creative. They don't need fancy new toys with bells and whistles. They really just want our undivided attention and focus for a portion of the day. What a great gift, don't you think?

Kitchen Adventures

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 05:15:00 +0000

Welcome to the November Carnival of Natural Parenting: Kids in the Kitchen
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how kids get involved in cooking and feeding. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

I love cooking and having fun in the kitchen with my kids. It is such an excellent venue for learning life skills. Safely learning how to use a knife is an excellent way for your child to develop fine motor skills. As they grow they can learn how to read by following recipes, how to do math my measuring and it's a perfect place to throw in some playful parenting. Working along with your kids in the kitchen really allows the child to become a lifelong learner and encourages them to make connections to things they are learning on their own.
Like most homeschooling families, we have a lot of "projects" scattered about the house, with most of them starting in the kitchen. We also cook a lot as a family. We are a self proclaimed family of "foodies". So a lot of our projects involve food. Our kids are adventurous eaters, they'll chow down everything from Sushi to Mali Kafta. Cooking in the kitchen with your kids is an excellent way to expose your children to healthy foods and help them develop healthy eating habits.
I thought I'd share just a few of our adventures via photos, Enjoy! What kind of kitchen adventures have you been into lately?
Check out some of our other kitchen adventures with quail eggs, and fried artichokes.

Look at that beauty! Yum!

A lot of measuring involved here.

You have to follow the instructions carefully.

This was a fun project. I may not have a green thumb, but we were successful with growing mushrooms. They grow quickly, so the kids were eager to check on them often. Mushrooms can often be expensive so this adventure can even save you some cash. The kids were eager to cook with them after growing them by themselves.

Homemade lip balm. Great gifts!

Oh yes we did, we made pizza for breakfast!

***

Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Baking & letting go — Cooking with kids can be a mess. Nadia at Red White & GREEN Mom is learning to relax, be patient, and have fun with the process.
Family feeding in Child of Mine — Lauren at Hobo Mama reviews Ellyn Satter's suggestions for appropriate feeding and points out where her family has problems following through.
Children with Knives! (And other Kitchen Tools) — Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy teaches her children how to safely use knives.
"Mommy, Can I Help?" — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment writes about how she lets her kiddos help out with cooking, despite her {sometimes} lack of patience!
Solids the Second Time Around — Sheryl at Little Snowflakes recounts her experiences introducing solids to her second child.
The Adventure of Toddler Tastebuds — The Accidental Natural Mama shares a few things that helped her daughter develop an adventurous palate.
A Tradition of Love — Kelly at Becoming Crunchy looks forward to sharing the kitchen traditions passed on from her mom and has already found several ways to involve baby in the kitchen.
The Very Best Classroom — Alicia C. at McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts reveals how her kitchen is more than a place to make food - it's a classroom!
Raising Little Chefs — Chef Mike guest posts on Natural Parents Network about how he went from a guy who couldn't cook to a chef who wanted to teach his boys to know how the food we love is made.
In the Kitchen with my kids — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine shares a delicious soup recipe that her kids love.
Papa, the Pancake Artist — Papa's making an incredible breakfast over at Our Mindful Life.
Kids won't eat salad? Try this one! — Tat at Mum in Search is sharing her children's favourite salad recipe.
Recipe For a Great Relationship — Cooking with kids is about feeding hearts as well as bellies, writes Hannah at Wild Parenting.
The Ritual of Mealtimes — Syenna at Gently Parenting Twins writes about the significance of mealtimes in her family’s daily rhythm.
Kid, Meet Food. Food, Kid. — Alburnet at What's Next? panicks about passing on her food "issues" to her offspring.
Growing Up in the Kitchen — Cassie at There's a Pickle in My Life shares how her son is growing up in the kitchen.
Harvesting Corn and History — From Kenna at School Garden Year: The kids in the school garden harvest their corn and learn how much history grows in their food.
My Guiding Principles for Teaching my Child about Food — Tree at Mom Grooves uses these guiding principles to give her daughter a love of good food and an understanding of nutrition as well as to empower her to make the best choices for her body.
Kitchen Control — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro writes about her struggles to relinquish control in the kitchen to her children.
Food — Emma at Your Fonder Heart lets her seven month old teach her how to feed a baby.
Kitchen Fun? — Adrienne at Mommying My Way questions how much fun she can have in a non-functional kitchen, while trying to remain positive about the blessings of cooking for her family.
Kitchen Adventures — Erica at ChildOrganics shares fun ways to connect with your kids in the kitchen.
Kids in the Kitchen: Finding the Right Tools — Melissa at Vibrant Wanderings shares some of her favorite child-sized kitchen gadgets and where to find them.
The Kitchen Classroom — Laura at Authentic Parenting knows that everything your kids want to learn is at the end of the ladle.
Kids in the Kitchen — Luschka from Diary of a First Child talks about the role of the kitchen in family communication and shares fun kitchen activities for the under two.
Our Kitchen is an Unschooling Classroom. — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle explores the many ways her kitchen has become a rich environment for learning.
Montessori-Inspired Food Preparation for Preschoolers — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares lots of resources for using Montessori food preparation activities for young children in the kitchen.
My Little Healthy Eater — Christine at African Babies Don't Cry shares her research on what is the best first food for babies, and includes a healthy and yummy breakfast recipe.
Two Boys and Papa in the Kitchen: Recipe for Disaster? — MudpieMama shares all about her fears, joys and discoveries when the boys and handsome hubby took over the kitchen.
Food choices, Food treats — Henrietta at Angel Wings and Herb Tea shares her family's relationship with food.
learning to eat — Catherine at learner mummy reflects on little M's first adventures with food.
The Night My 7-Year-Old Made Dinner — Melodie at Breastfeeding Moms Unite! shares how her 7-year-old daughter surprised everyone by turning what started as an idea to play restaurant into pulling off making supper for her family.
Cooking With a High-Needs Toddler — Sylvia at MaMammalia describes how Montessori-inspired activities and a bit of acceptance have helped her overcome hurdles in cooking while caring for a "high-needs" child.
Kids in the Kitchen – teaching healthy food choices — Brenna at Almost All The Truth shares her belief in the importance of getting kids into the kitchen using her favorite cookbook for kids to develop healthy food choices now and hopefully into the future.
Make Milk, Not War — Tamara at Tea for Three remembers the daily food fights as she struggled to feed a picky eater.
teaching baby birds about good food. — Sarah at Small Bird on Fire writes about the ways in which her family chooses to gently teach their son how to make wise food decisions.
5 Ways to Enhance Your Baby or Young Toddler's Relationship with Food — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares simple ways to give your child a healthy beginning to her lifelong relationship with food.
Toddler at the Table: 10 Creative Solutions — Moorea at Mamalady shares tips for preventing meal-time power struggles.
How My Child Takes Responsibility During His Mealtime... — Jenny @ I'm a full-time mummy shares how she teaches and encourages her 32 months old son on adopting good manners and responsibilities during his mealtimes...
Kids in the Kitchen: 6 Tips Plus a Recipe — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings shares six tips for overcoming some of the the difficulties of cooking with multiple young sous chefs, and a recipe they all can agree on!
How BLW has made me a better parent — Zoe at Mummykins shares how baby-led weaning has changed her approach to parenting.
My Budding Chef — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom is no cook but is happy that her daughter has shown an inclination and manages to whip up yummy goodies for their family.
Kids in the Kitchen: An Activity for Every Age — Gaby from Tmuffin describes how she keeps her kids busy in the kitchen, whether they are one week old or two years old.
The Phantastically Mutlipurposed Phyllo — Ana at Pandamoly shares how Phyllo is used to create enticing dishes at home! Anything can be made into a Struedel!
Kitchen Kids — Laura from A Pug in the Kitchen shares her children's most favorite recipe to make, experience and eat.
Independence vs. Connection in the Kitchen: won't you please get yourself your own snack already? — Lisa at Organic Baby Atlanta wishes her daughter would just go make a mess in the kitchen. But her daughter only wants to do it together.
Grandma Rose's Kitchen — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter reminisces about her childhood and dreams of filling her kitchen with people, love, noise, and messes.
Healthy Food Choices for Kids — Jorje offers one way to encourage children to make their own healthy food choices at MommaJorje.com.
Cooking food to thrive rather than survive — Phoebe at Little Tinker Tales is trying to foster a lifetime of good food habits by teaching her children about the importance of avoiding junk, cooking healthy meals, and learning about the whole food process.
Evolution of a self-led eater — Sheila at A Gift Universe shares the story of how her son grew from nursing around the clock to eating everything in sight, without her having to push.
10 Ways Tiny Helps In The Kitchen — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama explores the ways in which her toddler actively participates in kitchen-related activities.
The Complexity of Feeding a Child — Feeding children a healthy diet is no straight-forward task, but Lisa at My World Edenwild shares some general guidelines to help your child thrive.
Lactation Cookies — That Mama Gretchen shares a fun recipe that will benefit both mamas and babies!
50 of the Best Books, Websites, & Resources to Inspire Kids in the Kitchen — Need inspiration to get your kids in the kitchen? Dionna at Code Name: Mama rounds up some of the best books and websites that can serve as a source for ideas, recipes, and cooking with littles fun.
A 4-year-old's smoothie recipe — Jen at Grow With Graces and her son set out to make a smoothie without the usual ingredients. She let him improvise. See how it turned out.
Independent Food Preparation (My Toddler Can Do That?) — Megan at Montessori Moments shares simple ways for children to prepare their own healthy snacks.
Follow Your Gut — Amy at Anktangle shares her philosophy about intuitive eating, and how she's trying to foster her son's trust in his own inner wisdom when he feels hungry.
A TODDLER-STYLE LUNCH + RECIPE — Manic Mrs. Stone photographs how to have messy fun during lunchtime with a helpful toddler.

I Challenge you to play BETTER!

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:23:00 +0000

Things have been pretty quiet on the blog lately. We've been busy, busy, busy here enjoying family and vacationing. Now we're back home and settling back into our routines. Seems like a perfect time for a challenge, doesn't it?

You know I'm a big fan of Playful Parenting, so when I spotted the 30 Days to Hands on Play Challenge I knew I had to do it! I hope you'll join me. Anna from The Imagination Tree and Jamie from Hands On: As We Grow have come up with a challenge for each day to encourage you to get out of your old routine and get focused on playing with your kiddos. You'll be focused on play for an uninterrupted 15 minutes a day. They'll introduce you to new ideas and you'll have fun along the way.
So I'm a few days late joining, but I think I can catch up. I'll try to post my updates with the challenge at least once a week. The challenge for the first day is to write a mission statement for how you want to become more hands on with your children. Take note of what interests your kids, this will be helpful for future challenges.
Here's my mission statement:
I want to be more mindful when playing with my children. Look in their eyes, follow their lead. I'd like to include my husband in this challenge, and truly make it for the whole family. His work schedule has recently changed, and this will be a good way to start some positive play patterns in his routine.
Big Z loves to play with animals and recently has an interest in playing spy. Lil' Z LOVES trains, blocks and trucks.
Day 2 is all about building forts. Get involved with your wee ones, use blankets, chairs, boxes and most importantly your imagination. This is an easy one for us. We've already built a fort from our dining room chairs and blankets and a fort from a big old box this week. Lil' Z was over zealous in decorating the inside of his fort and decorated himself in the process.
Day 3 offers the challenge to get down on the floor and play blocks! We love wooden blocks and lego's around here. So they are usually sprawled across the floor at some point in the day.
Today is Day 4 and this is Island Day! Get your pillows or foam pieces and spread them across the floor. Now hop, jump or stretch to make your way across the room on these little "islands" you've created. Sounds like fun. Ok, my little one is saying "Come play with me!" Guess I better go!
Let the challenge BEGIN!

Playful Parenting - A book review

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:03:00 +0000

Welcome to the September Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Through Play

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama. This month our participants have shared how challenging discipline situations can be met with play. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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I was first introduced to the book Playful Parenting through Code Name Mama. She started an online book club and this was the first book up for discussion. I had the best of intentions to read the assigned portions each week and participate in the online discussion questions. I really did! My local library had the book, it was signed out and I would be next on the list. I finally checked out the book and dove in! It was so refreshing and enlightening to read. I had little post it notes sticking out of several pages with points that I wanted to write down and remember. Well, I don't know how it works at your house, but I rarely get time to myself to sit and read. I try to read before I fall asleep at night, but often I'll read a few pages and I'm ready to fall asleep. So the online book club started and ended without me. I was too slow. Here we are a year later I'm finally getting my thoughts about Playful Parenting down. This is one of those books that stays with you after you read it, I loved it! It's a true gem of a parenting book and I really feel any parent could benefit from reading it more than once.
One of the main ideas I took away from the book was learning to make those 'connections' with my kids on a daily basis. Dr. Cohen speaks about keeping our child's cup full. We can do this through making meaningful connections with our children. Playtime can boost our children's confidence and strengthen that parent-child bond and help us make these connections. The book is full of a lot of simple, yet sage advice for parents. He encourages parents to simply set aside playtime. Most parents know this is a lot easier said than done. The simple act of setting up some one on one time( start with 10-15 minutes) with your child can lead to connection, engagement and interaction. This is time where you follow the child's lead with no interruptions and give them your undivided attention. Playing with your children, really playing..wrestling, pillow fighting, following -their- lead kind of play can be beneficial in so many ways.
Dr. Cohen gives some simple steps that parents can take to make those connections on a daily basis. Making eye contact, cuddling, offering forgiveness, or a simple hug are simple ways we can take ourselves less seriously and make those connections. Parents and children alike often turn away from connection when they feel bad about themselves, we put ourselves in what Dr. Cohen calls the "tower of isolation."
This parenting job isn't easy, we're exhausted and grumpy after a long day. Making that simple connection with our kids can make a world of difference. He encourages us with simple strategies such as choosing time together on the couch instead of time out. This is a simple time to reconnect without a power struggle.
Issues such as sibling rivalry and discipline are also addressed. It's really a jam packed resource of valuable parenting strategies. It was a very easy to read book with lots of real life examples from children just like yours and mine. It really gives us some insight to some of our children's behavior. He really peeks into the lives of children. He gives us a glimpse of what our children's less than ideal behavior may really be trying to communicate with us. Did you know your child's behavior is a coded message?
I highly recommend this book to any parent. I also suggest after reading it you check out the online discussion over at Code Name Mama. Dr. Cohen is currently working on some new projects that are so exciting. He has a new book The Art of Roughhousing. He also has a Playful Parenting yahoo group and newsletter that are really inspiring. You can also find him on twitter.
Do you consider yourself a playful parent? Has playing helped release tense filled situations around your house? Do tell!!

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Visit Hobo Mama and Code Name: Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!

Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

(This list will be live and updated by afternoon September 13 with all the carnival links.)

On being a more playful parent — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine shares how the Playful Parenting book impacted her.
Parenting a toddler through play — Alicia at I Found My Feet lists some examples of how she uses play to parent through everyday tasks and challenges.
Splashing in Puddles — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares how she learned to get dirty and have fun with her little boy.
Say Please — Cassie at There's a Pickle in My Life explains how they taught their son manners by "play," showing that actions speak louder than words.
No Nanny Needed — Laura at Our Messy Messy Life wishes parenting through play was her only responsibility during the day.
I'll Run Away With Gypsies — Nikalee at Spotted Pandemonium maneuvers physical and emotional obstacles while spinning playful tales, jumping through hoops, and inspiring the kids to clean the living room.
A Promise To My Daughter — Lindsey at An Unschooling Adventure writes a poem for her daughter promising to use play instead of anger when facing difficult situations.
Parenting Through Play — Not Always Easy But Always Rewarding — Amy at Peace4Parents discusses how play hasn't always come easily to her, the power of appreciative observation, and how her family learns together through play.
Imagination Plays a Role in Our Parenting — Tree at Mom Grooves shares how parents can use play to set the foundation for communication and understanding.
A Box of Crayons — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction talks about how a simple box of crayons has become a wonderful parenting and teaching tool.
The Essential Art of Play — Ana at Pandamoly shares some of her favorite lessons available for young ones through play.
The Art of Distraction — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro shares a list of distracting alternatives to harsh punishments in tough parenting situations.
Grace and Courtesy Games at Home or School — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now has ideas for grace and courtesy games that help you encourage courteous behavior without reprimanding your child.
I am woman, hear me roar! — Mrs Green from Little Green Blog shares how one simple sound can diffuse an argument in an instant.
Getting Cooperation Through Play — Amyables at Toddler In Tow talks about respecting the worldview of a preschooler by using play to encourage connection and cooperation.
Playful Parenting = Extra Energy?? — Momma Jorje didn't think she had the energy for playful parenting. See what she was surprised to learn…
Dance Party Parenting — Laura from A Pug in the Kitchen learned how to be the parent her children need through play.
Wrestling Saved My Life — Wrestling is as vital to her son's well-being as babywearing once was, finds Hannah at Wild Parenting.
Parenting through play — By playing with her children, Tara from MUMmedia is given amazing opportunites to teach, train and equip her children for life.
Parenting Through Play Starts in Infancy — In a guest post at Natural Parents Network, Issa from LoveLiveGrow shares that though she only has a 3-month-old, playful parenting has already started.
Play Before Sleep — Adrienne at Mommying My Way writes about how playing and singing with her son before he falls asleep helps calm her frustrations that tend to arise at night.
Playful Parenting — Or 5 Lessons My Son Has Taught Me About Parenting Through Play — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama has learned to be a better parent by following her toddler's lead in play.
Hurry up! Hurry up! I mean it! Quack, quack, quack! — Kellie at Our Mindful Life leads a trail of ducklings
On the Road: Learning to Play — Seonaid at The Practical Dilettante discovers her inner adult through a summer of playing with her children.
Preventing Tantrums Through Play — Gaby at Tmuffin explains how she keeps her household happy by not taking things too seriously.
Carnival of Natural Parenting: Parenting Through Play — Lily, aka Witch Mom, redirects unwanted behavior in a toddler using games and play.
Exaggerating for effect — Lauren at Hobo Mama has learned how to ham it up.
Handling Big Emotions with Role Playing — Zoie at TouchstoneZ plays at tempering her parental frustrations while helping her children handle some big emotions
How To Herd Toddlers by Talking Pictorially — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama demonstrates how talking in pictures is a playful way to engage your young child in transitioning from one activity to the next.
Getting a Toddler to Go Where You Want…Playfully — Sylvia at MaMammalia describes how a game of hide-and-seek can be used to steer a wandering toddler in the direction of her choosing.
Playful Parenting: Chores That Do Themselves — Remember chores when you were a kid? If chores were this fun for Chante at My Natural Motherhood Journey, she wouldn't have needed any reminders!
Clown School Express: Playing away Fears — MudpieMama describes how she helped her boys confront their fears about starting kindergarten by playing with trains.
Practicing Playful Parenting — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle realizes that playfulness is the best way through the day and seeks more ways to practice it.
Today, Tomorrow and Every Day — Starr at Taking Time addresses her children in a letter sharing with them how improtant it is that they spend their childhood playing.
Learning Through Immersion — Luschka at Diary of a First Child shares how she helps her daughter develop naturally without focusing on teaching, but rather by immersing her in their family's way of life and making her an active part of her environment.
Play Here Now — Jessica at Instead of Institutions learns and relearns and tries to remember the value of play.
Play: A Wonderful Parenting Tool — Mamapoekie from Authentic Parenting offers a list of examples on how to use play in real-life parenting situations.
Playful Parenting — a Book Review — Erica at ChildOrganics shares simple yet sage advice from Dr. Cohen on how play can change your child's life.
Mock Threats: Turning Real Frustration into Playful Parenting — Threatening is not an effective discipline strategy, but Dionna at Code Name: Mama explains how parents can turn their frustration into playful moments by making "mock threats."
I'm Sick of Yelling — I Want to Play — Alicia at McCrenshaw's Newest Thoughts realizes she needs to change the way she's parenting and is forming a new plan.
Sing-along, Brush-along Songs — Shana at Tales of Minor Interest shares a few songs to make brushing her three-year-old's teeth more fun.
Monster Voice — Ever have those frustrating moments with your kid(s) when you just want to scream? Amy at Anktangle shares a silly strategy for getting through those difficult times.

Wordless Wednesday: New Sibling Bonding, a Look Back

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 04:43:00 +0000

Time goes by to quickly. I was thinking what a big girl my oldest was when her little brother was born, then I look at the pictures and think about how innocent and young she looks...

Sibling bonding was delayed a bit with our middle daughter, Bella. She was in the NICU for almost two months, but big sister was so THRILLED when she finally came home.Can you tell? Awww...look how young she is there!!

Meet Our Cow, Crema

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 04:43:00 +0000

Maybe the title is a bit misleading, we bought a cow share, not the entire cow. :-)Nevertheless, the kids love telling people they have a new pet and it's a cow! Here in the state of TN it is illegal to purchase raw milk for human consumption.So buying a share of a cow is a great solution. There are some pretty stiff penalties for farmers that break the law, they could even go to jail for selling you milk that hasn't been pasteurized. However, buying a share of a cow allows you to enter into an agreement with your local farmer, you pay a one time fee for your share of the cow. This usually runs between $25-$50. Then you pay a boarding fee monthly for the farmer to take care of the cow. In exchange you get your share of milk, cheese,etc. This fee will depend on the size of the share and how many shares you purchase. This process makes it all lovely and legal in the state of TN to consume raw milk.
We just discovered a farm a few miles from our house that was offering cow shares. We met Morel Bliss and toured Green Chin Farms. The kids were excited to meet 'Crema', she's a two year old Jersey that grazes daily on organically kept pastures. Isn't she cute? Morel was very open about showing us the farm and explaining the process she takes to insure the milk is kept clean and safe. I was excited to learn it is now legal in TN for Green Chin Farms to process the milk into cheeses, kefir, etc. This will come in handy when we are away on vacation, we can come home to some fresh cheese instead of sour milk.
Green Chin Farms will soon be offering goat shares. In exchange for your monthly boarding fees and one time share fee you'll be able to enjoy some chevre or feta each week.
Finding delicious healthy local foods is so exciting. It was awesome to find Green Chin Farms right up the road. They are so passionate about organic, sustainable farming. It makes me feel so good to support them and even better to feed their milk to my family. We also know 'Crema' is taken well care of, she is not in a feed lot in unsanitary conditions, but rather she is enjoying a leisurely life of grazing in the field.
Morel also shared with us that they are going to soon be putting in place the Joel Salatin method of moving the chickens behind Crema in the pasture. I was thrilled that I actually knew what that meant thanks to reading The Omnivore's Dilemma. I remember reading about that concept in the book and thinking how brilliant and simple it was to have the chickens follow the cows in the pasture a few days later. This enables the chickens to eat the worm larvae from the manure and help to distribute the manure across the field.

Why would I do this when I can buy milk at my local grocery store? I feel raw milk is more nutritious and tastes better than pasteurized milk. I feel good supporting local farmers for so many reasons. My kids can see the connection to our food and they know where their food comes from. I know I'm supporting my community and I can feel good knowing that our food is safe and untainted by large scale farming practices.
If you are local to the Knoxville area you may be interested in contacting Green Chin Farms. They do deliver to South Knoxville weekly. You can call Morel at 865-933-0855. If you live outside of the area and are interested in a raw milk share you can visit www.realmilk.com/ to find a farmer in your area. For more information about the benefits of raw milk and recipe ideas visit www.cheeseslave.com and www.gnowfglins.com. They are two of my favorite bloggers on the topic.
Your local farmers market is a great place to connect with local farmers in your area. That is where we first met Morel in the beginning of the season. Have you found some great local resources for food in your area? I'd love to hear about it.
This post is part of Simple Lives Thursday hosted in part by GNOWGLINS.

Apple Cupcake's by a Young Chef

noreply@blogger.com (IRK) — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 15:55:00 +0000

Here is our oldest making her cooking debut on YouTube. She's making Apple Poppyseed Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing. Delicious!!

Juice Plus Winner

noreply@blogger.com (IRK) — Sun, 19 Jun 2011 17:42:00 +0000

Congratulations Evelynn's Mom

June Giveaway #1- Juice Plus Chewables

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 01:31:00 +0000

Juice Plus has intrigued me for a few years now. It is a whole food supplement based on 17 different fruits, vegetables and grains, pure and simple. I had a few samples sent to me to see how the kids would enjoy it. Big Z loved them, she loved them so much, she ate all the samples before lil' Z got to try one. Now you can win a month supply of the Juice Plus chewables for children. It's pretty easy to enter.
Despite our best planning, it's hard for parents and children to get their recommended fruits and vegetables everyday. That's where Juice Plus comes in, to fill in the gaps. There is a lot of research to back up Juice Plus, I found it quite impressive. I also was pleased that Dr. Sears uses for his family and recommends to his patients. They also offer a 90-day money-back satisfaction guarantee if you aren't happy with a product in any way.
As a vegetarian, I was pleased to know they use fruit pectin, not gelatin, in the chewables. They also contain no artificial colors or flavors. Juice Plus also is diligent in testing their products for any herbicides and pesticides. They have high quality control standards, this was very important to me. They are labeled Kosher and NSF (National Sports Foundation) certified.
I'm very excited about the Children's Health Study program they offer. If an adult purchases the capsules, then a child between 4-19 can receive Juice Plus for free for up to 3 years. This puts Juice Plus at about $3. a day for a family of four. In exchange you'll need to fill out a brief survey with each shipment. Sounds like a great deal.

For the month of June, Cheris, our Juice Plus sponsor , is also donating 10% of all purchases to the victims of the Joplin, MO and Oklahoma. Also, for every 20 minute website review she does or 3-way call with her sponsor, she will donate a $1.

So what about the giveaway? You can win a months supply of the Juice Plus Children's chewables for your family. Leave a comment for each entry. Giveaway limited to North America (sorry).We'll pick a winner on Friday, June 17th. Here is how you can win:

1) Visit www.cherisfullerjuiceplus.com or call 1(866)871-2735 to speak with Cheris to learn more about Juice Plus. Tell us one thing that you like about Juice Plus.

2) Visit ChildOrganics on facebook and "like" us!

3) Follow us on Twitter @ChildOrganics, and tweet "Get your Fruit and Veggies Free @Childorganics June Juice Plus #giveaway http://tiny.cc/h59ol #win "

4) Subscribe to our RSS feed using a reader like GFC (see side bar).
5) Subscribe to blog posts via email (see side bar).
6) Tell your friends! Share this giveaway with 5 friends via email or post on your Facebook wall.

Remembering Bella

noreply@blogger.com (IRK) — Mon, 23 May 2011 01:23:00 +0000

Today is the fourth anniversary of losing our beautiful Bella to Walker Warburg Syndrome. Here is a video that was featured in the 2011 Neuro Film Festival "Remembering Bella."

The Beauty of Earth and Heavens

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Tue, 10 May 2011 04:45:00 +0000

Welcome to the May Carnival of Natural Parenting: Growing in the Outdoors
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared how they encourage their children to connect with nature and dig in the dirt. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
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Charlotte Mason strongly believed in spending time in nature. As part of our weekly nature study we spend time outside learning about what we find and taking notes and sketches in our nature journal.

I thought I'd share a few Charlotte Mason quotes in regards to nature study along with some photos we've taken of our recent nature studies. It's spring and new life is budding every where you look. It's the best time (achoo!) to get outside and learn about the world around us.

It's so easy as parents, especially parents who are also teachers, to feel like they need to teach all day long. I love the idea of allowing the children to take in what they can of God's creations all on their own.

We've recently had some closer than normal encounters with wildlife. Two weeks ago our dog started barking in the yard and would not stop. We noticed he had something on the ground that we was gently poking at with his paw. We went outside to discover an injured squirrel.

The squirrel grabbed onto a stick and we placed him in a box and took him inside. He was unable to move his back legs. We frantically started searching the internet trying to learn what to do next. It had rained very hard the night before, so the first thing we did was get him dry and warm. We found some great resources online that immediately sent us a list of steps to carry out when you first find an injured squirrel. This was a learning experience for all of us. We placed a hot water bottle inside a box, then covered it with a cloth diaper and placed the squirrel on the diaper.

We found a local wildlife rehabilitator. I called her on the phone and we drove the squirrel to her home, field trip! This lady was amazing! She had cages on her back porch of squirrels that were previously injured and were recovering. There were opossums, birds, owls, and a roly poly raccoon baby. She showed us the opossum babies that were rescued from inside their mother's pouch. There were nine of them! She explained that the opossum was the only marsupial in our area and it was also the mammal with the most teeth, 50 in all! She showed us another baby opossum that was just brought to her care, it died while we were there. It was too small to live without its mama. She also showed us baby birds that she needed to feed every half an hour. She is one busy woman!

My daughter also noticed some caterpillars on the porch, the lady said she could take all of those she wanted. Big Z was so excited to take a caterpillar home. That then led us to research more about caterpillars and what they eat, what kind of habitat they live it and identify our specific caterpillar. As for our squirrel friend, she thinks he was hit by a car. She was going to start him on steroids and give him an X-ray later in the day. If it was a small injury he'd be okay, if he broke his back, he'd be put to sleep.This clearly was not the home school day I had planned. However we also walked away from the day with more than I had originally hoped for. It was a win the whole way around.

Another spring time adventure happened when we were weeding the front corner of our yard. We have a picket fence that was being overtaken. I asked my husband to pull down all of the vines on the fence, he started then called our attention to a small robin's nest with three little blue eggs inside.

We clearly decided to leave the nest alone and leave the vines around it. Each day we've been able to take a small peek at the nest, they hatched the very next day. It has been amazing to watch how quickly they grow. We often would spend time in the yard working on the garden and see the mama and papa birdies flying around bringing worms to their babies. Yesterday the nest was empty. Another lesson learned in the beauty of earth and heavens.
Here are a few of my favorite Charlotte Mason quotes relating to Nature Study:

They must be let alone, left to themselves a great deal, to take in what they can of the beauty of earth and heavens.

(Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.44 )

This is all play to the children, but the mother is doing invaluable work; she is training their powers of observation and expression, increasing their vocabulary and their range of ideas by giving them the name and the uses of an object at the right moment,--when they ask, 'What is it?' and 'What is it for?' (Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.46-7 )

Children should be encouraged to watch, patiently and quietly, until they learn something of the habits and history of bee, ant, wasp, spider, hairy caterpillar, dragon-fly, and whatever of larger growth comes in their way. (Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.57

The Sense of Beauty comes from Early Contact with Nature. (Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.68 )

Nature Knowledge the most important for Young Children.--It would be well if we all persons in authority, parents and all who act for parents, could make up our minds that there is no sort of knowledge to be got in these early years so valuable to children as that which they get for themselves of the world they live in. Let them once get touch with Nature, and a habit is formed which will be a source of delight through life. We were all meant to be naturalists, each in his degree, and it is inexcusable to live in a world so full of the marvels of plant and animal life and to care for none of these things. (Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children, p.61)

But what about the wet days? The fact is, that rain, unless of the heaviest, does the children no harm at all if they are suitably clothed. (Vol 1, II, Out-Of-Door Life For The Children)

***Why not hang around some more? Subscribe to our RSS feed, join us on Facebook or find us on Twitter @ChildOrganics****

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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:

Get Out! — Momma Jorje gives reasons she doesn't think she gets outside enough and asks for your suggestions on making time for the outdoors.
How Does Your Garden Grow? — The ArtsyMama shares her love of nature photography.
We Go Outside — Amy at Peace 4 Parents describes her family's simple, experiential approach to encouraging appreciation of nature.
My Not-So-Green Thumb — Wolfmother confesses to her lack of gardening skills but expresses hope in learning alongside her son at Fabulous Mama Chronicles.
Enjoying Outdoors — Isil at Smiling like Sunshine describes how her children enjoy the nature.
Five Ideas to Encourage the Reluctant Junior Gardener — For the rare little ones who don't like to get their hands dirty, Dionna at Code Name: Mama offers tips for encouraging an early love of dirt (despite the mess).
Connecting to Nature — Mamapoekie shares how growing your own vegetable patch connects your child to nature and urges them to not take anything for granted.
The Farmer's Market Classroom — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction shares how the Farmer's Market has become her son's classroom.
Seeds — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment's hubby Ken shares his perspective on why gardening with their kiddos is so important . . . and enjoyable!
Toddlers in the Garden — Laura at A Pug in the Kitchen shares her excitement as she continues to introduce her toddler and new baby to the joys of fresh veggies, straight from the garden.
Nature's Weave — MJ at Wander Wonder Discover explains how nature weaves its way into our lives naturally, magnetically, experientially, and spiritually.
Becoming Green — Kristina at Hey Red celebrates and nurtures her daughter's blossoming love of the outdoors.
Little Gardener — Rosemary at Rosmarinus Officinalis looks forward to introducing her baby girl to gardening and exploring home grown foods for the first time.
Cultivating Abundance — You can never be poor if you have a garden! Lucy at Dreaming Aloud reflects on what she cultivates in her garden . . . and finds it's a lot more than seeds!
Growing in the Outdoors: Plants and People — Luschka at Diary of a First Child reflects on how she is growing while teaching her daughter to appreciate nature, the origins of food, and the many benefits of eating home-grown.
How Not to Grow — Anna at Wild Parenting discusses why growing vegetables fills her with fear.
Growing in the Outdoors — Lily at Witch Mom Blog talks about how connecting to the natural world is a matter of theology for her family and the ways that they do it.
A Garden Made of Straw — Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares tips on making a straw bale garden.
The Tradition of Gardening — Carrie at Love Notes Mama reflects on the gifts that come with the tradition of gardening.
Gardening Smells Like Home — Bethy at Bounce Me to the Moon hopes that her son will associate home grown food and lovely flowers with home.
The New Normal — Patti at Jazzy Mama writes about how she hopes that growing vegetables in a big city will become totally normal for her children's generation.
Outside, With You — Amy at Anktangle writes a letter to her son, a snapshot of a moment in the garden together.
Farmer Boy — Abbie at Farmer's Daughter shares how her son Joshua helps to grow and raise their family's food.
Growing Kids in the Garden — Lisa at Granola Catholic shares easy ways to get your kids involved in the garden.
Growing Food Without a Garden — Don't have a garden? "You can still grow food!" says Mrs Green of Little Green Blog. Whatever the size of your plot, she shows you how.
Growing Things — Liz at Garden Variety Mama shares her reasons for gardening with her kids, even though she has no idea what she's doing.
Moments — UK Mummy Blogger explains how the great outdoors provides a backdrop for her family to reconnect.
Condo Kid Turns Composter and Plastic Police — Jessica from Cloth Diapering Mama has discovered that her young son is a true earth lover despite living in a condo with no land to call their own.
Gardening with Baby — Sheila at A Gift Universe shows us how her garden and her son are growing.
Why to Choose Your Local Farmer's Market — Naturally Nena shares why she believes it's important to teach our children the value of local farmers.
Unfolding into Nature — At Crunchy-Chewy Mama, Jessica Claire shares her desire to cultivate a reverence for nature through gardening, buying local food, and just looking out the window.
Urban Gardening With Kids — Lauren at Hobo Mama shares her strategies for city gardening with little helpers — without a yard but with a whole lot of enthusiasm.
Mama Doesn't Garden — Laura at Our Messy Messy Life is glad her husband is there to instill the joys of gardening in their children, while all she has to do is sit back and eat homegrown tomato sandwiches.
Why We Make this Organic Garden Grow — Brenna at Almost All The Truth shares her reasons for gardening with her three small children.
5 Ways to Help Your Baby Develop a Love of the Natural World — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama believes it's never too early to foster a love of the natural world in your little one.
April Showers Bring May PRODUCE — Erika at NaMammaSte discusses her plans for raising a little gardener.
Growing Outside — Seonaid at The Practical Dilettante discovers how to get her kids outside after weeks of spring rain.
Eating Healthier — Chante at My Natural Motherhood Journey talks about how she learns to eat healthier and encourages her children to do the same.
The Beauty of Earth and Heavens — Inspired by Charlotte Mason, Erica at ChildOrganics discovers nature in her own front yard.
Seeing the Garden Through the Weeds — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro talks about the challenges of gardening with two small children.
Creating a Living Playhouse: Our Bean Teepee! — Kristin at Intrepid Murmurings shares how her family creates a living playhouse "bean teepee" and includes tips of how to involve kids in gardening projects.
Grooming a Tree-Hugger: Introducing the Outdoors — Ana at Pandamoly shares some of her planned strategies for making this spring and summer memorable and productive for her pre-toddler in the Outdoors.
Sowing Seeds of Life and Love — Suzannah at ShoutLaughLove celebrates the simple joys of baby chicks, community gardening, and a semi-charmed country life.
Experiencing Nature and Growing Plants Outdoors Without a Garden — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now shares some of her favorite ways her family discovered to fully experience nature wherever they lived.
Garden Day — Melissa at The New Mommy Files is thankful to be part of community of families, some of whom can even garden!
Teaching Garden Ettiquette to the Locusts — Tashmica from Mother Flippin' (guest posting at Natural Parents Network) allows her children to ravage her garden every year in the hopes of teaching them a greater lesson about how to treat the world.
Why I Play with Worms. — Megan of Megadoula, Megamom and Megatired shares why growing a garden and raising her children go hand in hand.

Compassionate Consumerism

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 12:38:00 +0000

Welcome to the April Carnival of Natural Parenting: Compassionate Advocacy
This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have shared how they advocate for healthy, gentle parenting choices compassionately. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.
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When I was fourteen I remember babysitting and working on weekends as a bus girl at a restaurant. This was the first time in my life that I had my very own money . This was the first time that I could decide where I wanted to spend my money. This was also around the same time that I became a vegetarian and opposed to the animal testing of cosmetics and other products. So I used my money to buy make-up from Beauty Without Cruelty. At that time I had to send for it in England. I couldn't stand the thought of my money going to support companies that were testing their products on animals. I also bought myself a t-shirt that read "Compassionate Consumer" in big green letters across the front and it had a hand drawn picture of animals escaping from the testing laboratories.
I still consider myself to be a compassionate consumer and hope to teach these values to my children. Today I am still very concerned about who or what my money is going to support. I am so thankful that it is easier to buy products that aren't tested on animals. My concerns now are more turned to the people who make the products that we consume. If you are buying products that are made in developed countries you pretty much know that for the most part the person was paid a standard living wage and treated with some amount of dignity. This is a problem in many developing countries. That's where Fair Trade comes in. Companies that are fair trade certified mean their workers were paid a living wage and promote sustainability. This is especially important for certain products such as rice, sugar and chocolate. These products are typically produced under less than ideal situations for the workers.
I try very hard to set a good example for spending money wisely. Big Z sees how we spend our money and I hope this will teach her to make wise decisions with her own money. I strongly believe in supporting local businesses and farmers and not supporting our local mega-mart. So we talk to our kids about buying products that are fair trade and about working conditions in underdeveloped countries. There was a show on Planet Green called "Blood, Sweat and T-shirts". It took you inside the sweatshops and let you see how most of our clothes are made, how rice workers are treated and how families are destroyed by these practices. I don't think fair trade is the solution to end these problems, but I do hope that by making wise choices with our money, that it will help my children at least think about where they'll spend their money.
We are getting ready for the farmers market to begin again, and I am so excited. Shopping at the farmers market presents an awesome opportunity to teach about compassionate consumerism. When we buy our veggies from farmers we know, that makes us feel good. We know our money is being put back into our community. We know when we buy our jewelry and handcrafted items directly from the person, we can feel good about that purchase. I tend to be a little more free with my money at the Farmers Market because when I buy local I am supporting families, not big business.
If you do eat meat, buying meat and dairy from farmers that you know makes you feel good about how the animals were treated. When you meet the farmers you can talk with them and even visit their farms. When I was buying milk from a farmer near my home, I got to meet the cow and see her grazing in the meadow. I loved what that taught my children. When visiting the farms, you can see the passion and care they treat their animals with, it's undeniable. You know you are making the compassionate choice when you support these small farms and say "NO!" to the CAFOs.
While I do not go to extreme lengths to ensure every purchase is fair trade, we do make a conscious effort about choosing where we spend our money for our family. I hope this encourages our children to think about their purchase power and make wise and compassionate choices.
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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon April 12 with all the carnival links.)

Natural Parenting Advocacy by Example — Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction uses her blog, Twitter and Facebook as her natural parenting soapbox.
You Catch More Flies With Honey — When it comes to natural parenting advice, Kate of The Guavalicious Life believes you catch more flies with honey.
— Patti at Jazzy Mama searches her heart for an appropriate response when she learns that someone she respects wants his baby to cry-it-out.
I Offer the Truth — Amy at Innate Wholeness shares the hard truths to inspire parents in making changes and fully appreciating the parenting experience.
Advocating or Just Opinionated? — Momma Jorje discusses how to draw the line between advocating compassionately and being just plain opinionated. It can be quite a fine line.
Compassionate Advocacy — Mamapoekie of Authentic Parenting writes about how to discuss topics you are passionate about with people who don't share your views.
Heiny Helpers: Sharing Cloth Love — Heiny Helpers is guest posting on Natural Parents Network to share how they are providing cloth diapers and cloth diapering support to low income families.
Struggling with Advocacy — April of McApril still struggles to determine how strongly she should advocate for her causes, but still loves to show her love for her parenting choices to those who would like to listen.
Compassionate Advocacy Through Blogging (AKA –Why I Blog) — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama shares how both blogging and day-to-day life give her opportunities to compassionately advocate for natural parenting practices.
A Letter to *Those* Parents — Zoie at TouchstoneZ shares how to write an informed yet respectful reply to those parents — you know, the ones who don't parent the way you do.
Why I Am Not A Homebirth Advocate — Olivia at Write About Birth is coming out: she is a homebirth mom, but not a homebirth advocate. One size does not fit all – but choice is something we can all advocate for!
Why I Open My Big Mouth — Wolfmother from Fabulous Mama Chronicles reflects on why she is passionate about sharing parenting resources.
Watching and Wearing — Laura at Our Messy Messy Life advocates the joys of babywearing simply by living life in a small college town.
Compassionate Advocacy . . . That's The Way I Do It — Amyables at Toddler in Tow describes how she's learned to forsake judgment and channel her social energy to spread the "good news" of natural parenting through interaction and shared experiences.
The quiet advocate — Lauren at Hobo Mama cringes when she thinks of the obnoxious way she used to berate people into seeing her point of view.
I Am the Change — Amanda at Let's Take the Metro describes a recent awakening where she realized exactly how to advocate for natural parenting.
Public Displays of Compassion — The Accidental Natural Mama recounts an emotional trip to the grocery store and the importance of staying calm and compassionate in the storm of toddler emotions.
I will not hide behind my persona — Suzi Leigh at Attached at the Boob discusses the benefits of being honest and compassionate on the internet.
Choosing My Words — Jenny at Chronicles of a Nursing Mom shares why she started her blog and why she continues to blog despite an increasingly hectic schedule.
Honour the Child :: Compassionate Advocacy in the Classroom — Lori at Beneath the Rowan Tree shares her experience of being a gentle and compassionate parent — with other people's children — as a classroom volunteer in her daughter's senior kindergarten room.
Inspired by the Great Divide (and Hoping to Inspire) — Rosemary at Rosmarinus Officinalis shares her thoughts on navigating the "great divide" through gently teaching and being teachable.
Introverted Advocacy — CatholicMommy at Working to be Worthy shares how she advocates for gentle parenting, even though she is about as introverted as one can be.
The Three R's of Effective and Gentle Advocacy — Ana at Pandamoly explains how "The Three R's" can yield consistent results and endless inspiration to those in need of some change.
Passionate and Compassionate: How do We do It? — Kelly at Becoming Crunchy shares the importance of understanding your motivation for advocacy.
Sharing the love — Isil at Smiling Like Sunshine talks about how she shares the love and spreads the word.
What Frank Said — Nada at miniMOMist has a good friend named Frank. She uses his famous saying to demonstrate how much natural parenting has benefited her and her family.
Baby Sling Carriers Make Great Compassionate Advocacy Tools — Chante at My Natural Motherhood Journey shared her babywearing knowledge — and her sling — with a new mom.
Everyday Superheroes — Who needs Superman when we have a community of compassionate advocates?! Dionna at Code Name: Mama believes that our community of gentle bloggers are the true superheroes.
Words of advice: compassionately advocating for my parenting choices — MrsH at Fleeting Moments waits to give advice until she's been asked, resulting in fewer advocacy moments but very high responsiveness from parents all over the spectrum of parenting approaches.
Peaceful Parenting — Peaceful parenting shows at Living Peacefully with Children with an atypical comment from a stranger.
Speaking for birth — Lucy at Dreaming Aloud soul-searches about how she can advocate for natural birth without causing offense.
Gentle is as Gentle Does — Laura at A Pug in the Kitchen shares how she is gently advocating her parenting style.
Walking on Air — Rachael at The Variegated Life wants you to know that she has no idea what she's doing — and it's a gift.
Parenting with my head, my heart, and my gut — Charise at I Thought I Knew Mama shares her thoughts on being a compassionate advocate of natural parenting as a blogger.
At Peace With the World — Megan at Ichigo Means Strawberry talks about being an advocate for peaceful parenting at 10,000 feet.
Putting a public face on "holistic" — Being public about her convictions is a must for Jessica at Crunchy-Chewy Mama, but it takes some delicacy.
Just Be; Just Do. — Amy at Anktangle believes strongly about her parenting methods, and also that the way to get people to take notice is to simply live her life and parent the best she knows how.
One Parent at a Time... — Kat at Loving {Almost} Every Moment believes that advocating for Natural Parenting is best accomplished by walking the walk.
Self-compassion — We're great at caring for and supporting others —from our kiddos to other mamas — but Lisa at Gems of Delight shares a post about treating ourselves with that same sense of compassion.
Using Montessori Principles to Advocate Natural Parenting — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now tells how she uses Montessori principles to be a compassionate advocate for natural parenting.
Advocacy? Me? — Seonaid at The Practical Dilettante discovers that by "just doing her thing," she may be advocating for natural parenting.
Feeding by Example — Mama Mo at Attached at the Nip shares her experience of being the first one of her generation to parent.
Compassionate Consumerism — Erica at ChildOrganics encourages her children to be compassionate consumers and discusses the benefits of buying local and fair trade products.
The Importance of Advocating Compassionately — Kristen at Adventures in Mommyhood acts as a compassionate advocate by sharing information with many in the hopes of reaching a few.
Some Thoughts on Gentle Discipline — Darcel at The Mahogany Way shares her thoughts and some tips on Gentle Discipline.
Compassionate Advocacy: Sharing Resources, Spreading the Love — Terri at Child of the Nature Isle shares how her passion for making natural choices in pregnancy, birth, and parenting have supported others in Dominica and beyond.
A journey to compassion and connection — Jessica at Instead of Institutions shares her journey from know-it-all to authentic advocacy.
Advocacy Through Openness, Respect, and Understanding — Melissa at The New Mommy Files describes her view on belief, and how it has shaped the way she advocates for gentle parenting choices.
Why I'm not an advocate for Natural Parenting — Mrs Green at Little Green Blog delivers the shocking news that, after 10 years of being a mum, she is NOT an advocate for natural parenting!
Carnival of Natural Parenting: Compassionate Advocacy — Even in the progressive SF Bay Area, Lily at Witch Mom finds she must defend some of her parenting choices.
A Tale of Four Milky Mamas — In this post The ArtsyMama shares how she has found ways to repay her childhood friend for the gift of milk.
don't tell me what to do — Pecky at benny and bex demonstrates compassionate advocacy through leading by example.

Project Simplify- You Pick, week #5

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 01:14:00 +0000

We've made it to the final week of the Project Simplify challenge. It has really made a difference in our home. So this week we got to pick our own hot spot. I chose our arts/crafts homeschooling area. The crayons, fabric scraps and glue sticks seem to have a mind of their own and were trying to take over. I had to take control and put them back in their right place. I really like to keep the space on top of the shelves cleared off, but that hasn't been working out so great. So I tackled the flat surfaces first then worked from there. The end results were awesome, I'm very pleased.
Thank you Simple Mom for hosting Project Simplify!!

Rice Wrapper Veggie Rolls

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 15:14:00 +0000

1 package of Rice Paper
Organic baby Spinach
Organic carrots
Sushi Ginger
Organic cheddar cheese
Organic apples
Sweet Chili Sauce

Start by dipping one piece of your rice paper into warm water. This will make the stiff rice paper sheet become soft and flexible. Place the rice paper on your work space, stack your fillings. I used baby Spinach, carrots and ginger as one combination. Go light on the ginger, a little bit goes a long way. For the other wraps I chose apples, cheddar cheese and spinach. Roll in the sides of the rice paper, then continue to roll for a complete wrap. Serve with Sweet Chili Sauce (find one without artificial colors) and Enjoy!

I found my organic spinach and carrots on markdown at the grocery store. Most stores carry organic versions of these products. This makes for a healthy and low cost snack. I recommend choosing organic for your dairy too.

The rice paper wrappers were purchased at an Asian market. They were pretty cheap and store for a very long time.
Both the kids gobbled them up and asked for more.
I'm sharing this recipe as part of a challenge of inventing an organic snack from Easy Organic Living on Baby Center. I"m also sharing it as part of Meatless Monday and Simple Lives Thursday.

Project Simplify- The Refrigerator and Pantry, week 4

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:59:00 +0000

I decided to tackle the refrigerator the day before grocery shopping. It seemed an ideal time because it was mostly cleared out. This made it easier to wipe down the shelves. It easy for me to neglect little spills and bits of stickiness left behind by jars. So it was nice to wipe everything and see it all nice and neat.

Last month we did the Eat From the Pantry Challenge. So we really worked on dwindling down our supplies in our food pantry. I've been slowly building them back up this month. So for the most part the pantry was organized, except for the spices. That shelf needed a lot of help. We found lots of spices that were well past their prime. It looks much better now.

Thanks again to Simple Mom for hosting Project Simplify. I'm really enjoying the challenges each week. We're more than half way through. One more week to go, are you on board?

Project Simplify-Kid's Toys, Week 3

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 01:57:00 +0000

Before

This week we were focusing on simplifying the kids toys. This is an area that needs constant attention. We tried to implement the rule that if you bring home something new, then something else needs to leave. However we haven't really been enforcing this. The stuffed animals keep multiplying, despite our best efforts. Big Z had a great attitude after the initial "Oh no!" when I revealed to her the hot spot for the week. She did an excellent job of purging over 3 bags of toys, animals and random items from her room and toy room. Great job, kid!

After

I was a little late grabbing my camera. These before photos are a few minutes after they pulled everything out to start sorting. Lil' Z wasn't of much help, but he did think it was a lot of fun to have all the toys spilled on the floor at the same time. We use two large shelves from Ikea in our school/toy/office room. As I've mentioned before, we don't have a lot of space for storage in our house. So these shelves come in very handy. We rotate between two Rubbermaid containers each week for toys for Lil' Z. This works well for him and keeps his interest. Then we have the other toys separated into baskets. One basket for small cars, one for trains and tracks, one for musical instruments, etc. We have a lot of games and puzzles then are put on the top left shelves, where only Mama and Daddy can reach. The very top of these shelves are used for storage. We have canning jars, a birthing ball, globe, and craft items in close reach for when they are needed. Yet not low enough for the kids to get into.
It was a pretty successful week. The kids enjoy their toys a lot more when they are organized and sorted. Thanks Simple Mom!

Project Simplify- Paper Clutter, week 2

noreply@blogger.com (Erica @ ChildOrganics) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:16:00 +0000

Tsh at Simple Mom sure has a knack for knowing which parts of my house need attention. How does she do that? It's good to know that I"m not the only one that struggles with paper clutter. Surprisingly this week was a lot easier and less time consuming than last week. My desk needed some work. I had a pile of magazines building up that needed some attention. I think that magazines are the hardest thing for me to deal with. I always think I'm going to go back and read the great ideas again, and I never do! So I spent some time this week going through old magazines, and ripping the pages with the great ideas out of the magazine and putting it aside in a folder. I can close the roll top on my desk now, lovely!

Home School desk- Before

Home School desk- After

For our anniversary this year my husband bought me a Nook Color. I LOVE it! I think it's going to be a great help in the paper clutter department. Books tend to pile up around here. It is so wonderful being able to have so many books in one devise. I still like the feel of paper, but this is a great solution for a lot of our home school books! Many of my favorite magazines are available in digital editions too. Controlling paper clutter is easier with paying bills online and now with reading using my Nook (thanks, Honey). The recycling bin is right by the back door, so we use that right away as we're going through the mail.

I've always struggled with what to do with the massive amounts of art work made by my kids. Each piece is handcrafted with lots of love just for me, I can't just toss it. So we've hung a small clothes line with small clothespins to display some of the their current works of art. As you can tell by my before picture, it can get out of hand. So now I take pictures of their artwork to save forever after it's been displayed for a fair amount of time. Then I feel better about recycling it. It's a great way to share the kid's masterpieces with family and friends too.