Hobo Mama Reviews

10% off the Tea Collection spring 2012 clothing line!

2012-02-16T15:20:00.000-08:00

You know I love me some Tea Collection. Spring is right around the corner, and Tea Collection has put together the most enchanting Spring 2012 Collection designed and influenced by the island of Bali.

Shop the new collection now and take advantage of Tea Collection's 10% off coupon (no minimum required) with promo code SS12SAS valid through 3/31/12:

Take 10% off your total purchase
(no minimum required)
with promo code SS12SAS!
Expires 3/31/12.

Although I love the entire collection, below are a few stunners:

For girls, I absolutely adore the Dancing Fern Dress. The colors and design make this the perfect dress for a school picture or a casual family gathering.

Boys will love the Monkey King Tee inspired by the Ramayana Monkey Chant dance in Bali.

Who could resist a baby in a Lotus Batik Romper? Tea Collection clothing is both stylish and child-friendly in terms of comfort and washability.

Feeling left out, mamas? Don't despair. Tea Collection has even designed a Bali collection for women. I love the Artisan Ikat Tunic. It's lightweight and goes perfect with a pair of jeans.

Be sure to check out the entire Bali Collection. Happy Shopping!

Disclosure: Tea Collection links are affiliate links,
and this is an affiliate post.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Umi Shoes: Free shipping & free returns on any order!

2012-02-15T04:57:00.000-08:00

Free Shipping on ANY order at UmiShoes.com!

Take 15% off any purchase at UmiShoes.com plus free shipping and returns! Use code Link15 at checkout!

Save 10% on your order at UmiShoes.com! Use code umi10.

Disclosure: Umi Shoes links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Valentine's Day coupons at Robeez

2012-02-14T16:56:00.000-08:00

Get some adorable baby shoes at Robeez with these Valentine's Day deals:

Share the love this Valentine's Day with 20% off orders of $50 or more with code LOVE20 at Robeez.com

Share the love this Valentine's Day with 25% off orders of $75 or more with code LOVE25 at Robeez.com

Both expire today, Feb. 14, so shop now!

Disclosure: Robeez links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Free Valentine's deals + Planet Wise giveaway ending!

2012-02-14T12:21:00.000-08:00

Hurry and enter the giveaway for a Planet Wise Hanging Wet/Dry Bag $30 ARV {2.14; Cont. US/Can}. This fabulous contest ends TONIGHT!

You can get FREE Bamboobies nursing pads in honor of Valentine's Day. You must pay only the shipping of $3.96 to the U.S. or Canada.

The regular price of Bamboobies is $8.50 plus s/h, so this is a nice way to try them out!

I have a pair and love how discreet they are in a bra, and I never had any problems with leaks (after leaking through previous pads I had)!

To celebrate Valentine's Day and Get the Dough Out (of politics) and the 5th anniversary of Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream flavor (this sounds silly, but I can't believe it's been five years!), participating Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shops are giving away a free cone of Americone Dream from 5-8 p.m.

Want to make this a family or hot-date movie night? Redbox is offering a free movie rental code. You have to like them on Facebook and send the code to your friends.

Did you forget to send your Valentines to the grandparents in time? Go to Hallmark's Smilebox to send a free e-card with your kids' photos!

The free account has ads, and you can upgrade to an ad-free version that allows some extra features. I'm fine with the ads, though, and it's a same-day way to mail those greetings!

Leave any other deals you know about in the comments, and enjoy!

Disclosure: I am not affiliated with any of these companies
except for the giveaway sponsor.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Giveaway: Earth Mama Angel Baby Postpartum Care — 2 Winners $55 ARV {3.4; US}

2012-02-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

This is a joint giveaway with Code Name: Mama, Hobo Mama, and Natural Parents Network. I'm posting it here at Hobo Mama Reviews as well. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries.

This is a combined giveaway of two gifts from Earth Mama Angel Baby: our first-prize winner wiill receive the Mama's Postpartum Recovery Essentials Bundle, a $49 set; a second-prize winner will receive the Postpartum Bath Herbs from the bundle, available for $5.95. Two lucky readers will win one gift each, making this giveaway's total value $55!

Earth Angel Mama Baby's postpartum products are gentle and organic herbal blends that help soothe you back into health after a birth.

From our reviewer, Dionna at Code Name: Mama:

About Earth Mama Angel Baby

Earth Mama Angel Baby's (EMAB) beliefs about pregnancy and birth will resonate with my readers - they are guided by a "sincere faith in the natural process of birthing babies." Their products are created to support mamas and babies naturally with nature's gifts. EMAB uses "the highest-quality, certified-organic or organically grown herbs and oils for our teas, bath herbs, gentle handmade soaps, salves, lotions and massage oils. [Their] products are 100% toxin-free, cruelty-free, vegan, and free from all artificial preservatives, fragrances and dyes." EMAB does everything it can to "honor the earth and her valuable resources…. [They] use only eco-friendly recyclable or reused/reusable packaging and packing materials." They have even won an award from the Business Recycling Award Group for their green practices.

What does all that mean for you? It means that Earth Mama Angel Baby is committed to creating products that are good for you and your baby. I happen to know one of the mamas who works with EMAB - Alicia of The Soft Landing - and I am confident that she and the rest of EMAB are genuinely passionate about mamas and babies!

Postpartum Recovery Essentials Bundle

"Mama’s Postpartum Recovery Essentials safely and naturally addresses all the unpleasantries a new mama might be experiencing, like prenatal and postpartum hemorrhoids, episiotomies, cramping, postpartum vaginal swelling and bruising."

The bundle includes Mama Bottom Balm, New Mama Bottom Spray, Postpartum Bath Herbs, Happy Mama Spray, and Monthly Comfort Tea. I felt so pampered with these products!

Mama Bottom Balm

Of everything included in the bundle, this was my absolute favorite. Admittedly, Ailia's birth was pretty easy on my body. I had no tears and only minor bruising and skid marks. For those of you who have it worse (and I remember how bad it can be from my extensive bruising, swelling and skid marks with Kieran!), the balm helps everything: prenatal and postpartum hemorrhoids, postpartum vaginal swelling and bruising, episiotomies. My postpartum pain was made infinitely better when I used the Mama Bottom Balm. It soothes and cools your nether regions and promotes healing.

Mama Bottom Balm contains an organic olive oil base infused with healing organic herbs - St. Johns wort, yarrow, Witch hazel, Calendula, Shea butter, and more. You can keep it in the fridge for added coolness and relief.

Mama Bottom Balm should be on every expectant mama's must have list!

New Mama Bottom Spray

The bottom spray is also soothing, but it is a much lighter version of the balm. The spray is made with all-natural ingredients, including astringent witch hazel, antibacterial lavender, and cooling peppermint pure essential oils. I kept it on my toilet and sprayed it on each time I used the bathroom.

Bonus - both the spray and the balm should also work on diaper rash for little ones!

Postpartum Bath Herbs

Here's a tip: give yourself a day or two after birth, then put a kid's floatie on the bottom of the tub, run some hot water, and throw in one or two of EMAB's bath herb pads. Climb in, sit back, and say ahhhhhhh.

"100% Organic Postpartum Bath Herbs is a soothing, comforting blend includes salts, oatmeal and organic herbs that have historically been used to support postpartum women. Wound-healing, styptic and antibacterial herbs and salts help reduce swelling and speed healing of vaginal soreness, episiotomy and perineal bruising. Great for both prenatal and postpartum hemorrhoids too."

Happy Mama Spray

Happy Mama Spray is a light, refreshing spray that will surely be a hit to both pregnant and new mamas, as well as their little ones. The blend includes lime and ginger pure essential oils, and "there are no chemical fixatives to make the fragrance last an artificially long time." That means you can put a spritz on your wrist (or your toddler's) for a quick pick-me-up and inhale without worrying about artificial ingredients.

I've often used this spray to freshen up our bedroom and sheets - it makes climbing under the covers that much more enjoyable.

Monthly Comfort Tea

This tea's "100% Organic and Certified Kosher blend [was] created to jumpstart recovery immediately after childbirth, and for "that time of the month" when hormones are raging and your uterus and you could use some extra care!"

The flavor is delicious! It contains, Cinnamon bark, Lemon Balm, Nettles, Alfalfa, and Ginger. The combination is made to both help ease cramping and chase away the baby blues.

Take some of this into that bathtub for a little slice of heaven.

A Few More Thoughts on the Postpartum Recovery Essentials Bundle

Ailia's birth was much easier on me physically than Kieran's birth, and the same was true for my postpartum period. I'm sure part of that was because of the differences in their births - Ailia's labor and delivery were at home (Kieran's was at a birth center with a medically-minded midwife); my labor was shorter with Ailia, and I felt better prepared; Kieran ended up spending 5 days in the NICU, Ailia has been at home from the beginning. But another difference was that with Kieran, I did not have the benefit of any of the natural herbs and oils found in the EMAB products. The balm, spray, and bath herbs helped me heal faster, and the Happy Mama Spray and tea helped me emotionally. (Well, the placenta smoothies also played a big role!)

This set would make a wonderful gift for any expectant mama, but if your budget is more limited, I'd highly suggest the Mama Bottom Balm.

From our reviewer, Lauren at Hobo Mama:

I received the Postpartum Bath Herbs to try, just before the birth of my second son, Alrik.

After the birth of my firstborn, Mikko, I felt very tender down there, both physically and emotionally, even though I hadn't sustained much damage. I knew I wanted to have sitz bath herbs on hand, because soaking in a warm, herb-steeped tub every day with newborn Mikko helped heal me in both aspects. I believed the warm water and gentle herbal concoction the midwives had recommended sped blood flow to the tender area, and knowing I was doing something helped reassure me that everything would knit back together in time. (It did.)

With Alrik's pregnancy, I was a little frantic when his birth was approaching and I didn't have any herbs ready for postpartum use. Earth Mama Angel Baby to the rescue!

These pads were really interesting. I had thought you'd just use them in the bath, and you could — but the directions actually recommend putting them right against your skin. I liked that thought, having the beneficial herbs making direct contact, so my sister-in-law helped brew some up for me in the first few days after the birth.

Once again, I didn't have extensive damage, but I did have one unfortunately jagged tear that required stitching. Plus, everything just felt a bit out of place for awhile, so I was glad to have time to rest and heal.

You steep the herbal pads like you would tea bags, and then you can either use them slightly cooled, or freeze them to give your bottom even more of an "ahh" sensation.

The organic, herbal ingredients were all that my midwife would have suggested, in one easy purchase:

Sea salt, Avena sativa (organic oatmeal) kernel meal, Achillea millefolium (organic yarrow) flower, Hamamelis virginiana (organic witch hazel) leaf, Plantago major (organic plantain) leaf, Calendula officinalis (organic calendula) flowers

My one complaint was that the pads are very delicate, particularly once they've been steeped. I tried to reuse one that had been in my underpants by tossing it into the bath, and it immediately burst apart. That was all right — there's nothing wrong with an herb-strewn bath (except for the cleanup). You have to be extremely gentle not to burst the pads when handling them, so warn any postpartum helpers.

Other than that, I enjoyed them a lot and liked the convenience of bundled and beneficial herbs in pad form.

BUY IT!

You can order the Postpartum Recovery Essentials Bundle, or any of EMAB's pampering products at their website. You can also find EMAB products on Amazon.

Besides postpartum care, Earth Mama Angel Baby also offers lines of products for pregnancy, breastfeeding, and baby, to pamper yourself and your little ones in all stages of birth and babyhood.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win one of these two prizes from Earth Mama Angel Baby, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below.

One winner will receive the Postpartum Recovery Essentials Bundle; a second winner will receive the Postpartum Bath Herbs. Contest is open to UNITED STATES mailing addresses only.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Link to one product you would like to try from Earth Mama Angel Baby. You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on this blog post.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. If on Blogger, you can enter it like this to foil spambots: mail {at} naturalparentsnetwork {dot} com

This is a joint giveaway with Code Name: Mama, Hobo Mama, and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy all three sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest closes March 4, 2012 at 11.59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Disclosure: Our reviewers received sample products for review purposes.
Amazon links and some Earth Mama Angel Baby links are affiliate links.
We try to seek out only products we think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If we don't like a product, we won't be recommending it to you.
See our full disclosure policy here.

_________________________

Information About Our Reviewers:

Dionna Ford, Author of Code Name: Mama

Dionna is a lawyer turned work at home mama of two amazing kids, Kieran and Ailia. You can normally find Dionna over at Code Name: Mama where she shares information, resources, and her thoughts on natural parenting and life with little ones. She is passionate about issues regarding attachment parenting, breastfeeding (particularly breastfeeding beyond infancy), RIC, and gentle discipline. Dionna also co-founded NursingFreedom.org (a site dedicated to normalizing breastfeeding), is a regular contributor on API Speaks (the blog sponsored by Attachment Parenting International), and co-hosts the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting.

Lauren Wayne, Author of Hobo Mama

Lauren works and writes at home with her husband, Crackerdog Sam, their preschool son, Mikko, and hobo baby Alrik. At Hobo Mama, Lauren blogs about natural and attachment parenting, breastfeeding, babywearing, cloth diapering, green living, and more. Lauren offers reviews and giveaways of natural parenting products at Hobo Mama Reviews and gives a behind-the scenes look at blogging and novel writing at LaurenWayne.com. Lauren co-hosts the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting and has been featured on Eco Baby Steps, Knickernappies, NursingFreedom.org, Catapult Magazine, and BlogHer.

NPN giveaway ends TODAY: Until the Light of Morning CD and Panel $52 ARV {1.18; US/Can}

2012-01-18T04:49:00.000-08:00

Essie Jain is offering Natural Parents Network readers a giveaway of Until the Light of Morning CD and Art Panel, a value of $52.

The giveaway ends today, January 18, and is open to the U.S. and Canada.

This record is made for every parent and every baby (and anyone else) who needs to rest and head off into the land of sleep. A perfect panel for a nursery wall, the artwork is a dreamlike creation by Iker Spozio.

From our reviewer, Laura at WaldenMommy: Life Behind the Red Front Door:

As a parent, I know how hard it can be to find calm, soothing music that both parents and babies love. …

I wish I had had Essie Jain’s lullaby album, “Until the Light of Morning.” Her CD is a collection of eight original, soothing tracks, meant to be played at night, or anytime baby needs to relax and sleep. Inspired by friends who, like me, needed something new to listen to, her music “is designed to unwind itself as it goes along, as the music becomes softer and more relaxed, eventually becoming as instrumental as the heart beat.”

Read more and enter to win at the giveaway post TODAY!

Disclosure: The reviewer received sample products for review.
I help coordinate giveaways at Natural Parents Network.
See NPN's full disclosure policy here.

Giveaway ends TODAY: $100 Tea Collection Children's Clothing GC {1.18; US}

2012-01-18T01:10:00.000-08:00

Tea Collection is offering my readers a giveaway of a $100 Gift Certificate.

The giveaway ends today, January 18, and is open to the U.S. only.

Tea Collection offers high-quality, modern children's clothes that are internationally inspired, wearable, and unique.

I'm a little bit drooly when it comes to Tea Collection children's clothing. I admired them from afar for a couple years before finally getting my greedy paws on some pieces. I entered giveaways like this (but didn't win, sigh). I was nearly giddy when Tea offered to let me do a review and giveaway of their precious boys' clothing. (Clothes for girls, women, and babies are also available.)

…

My first impression of the stripe and polo jersey shirts was "Oh! Sooo soft." I kept reaching out to rub Mikko's tummy and hug Alrik tight as they were wearing their shirts!

The material felt substantial and comfortable, just the way quality children's clothes should feel.

Read more and enter to win at the giveaway post TODAY!

Disclosure: I received sample products for review.
Tea Collection links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Giveaway: Planet Wise Hanging Wet/Dry Bag $30 ARV {2.14; Cont. US/Can}

2012-01-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

This is a joint giveaway with Hobo Mama and Natural Parents Network. I'm also cross-posting it here at Hobo Mama Reviews. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory main entry and optional bonus entries.

Planet Wise is offering our readers a giveaway of a Hanging Wet/Dry Bag.

The Hanging Wet/Dry Bag is the perfect portable solution for a selection of both dry and wet cloth diapers, clothes, towels, or swimsuits. One side is a zippered waterproof bag for wet or dirty items, and the other is a dry zippered pouch. It can hold 20-24 cloth diapers, and the handles make it portable and easy to hang over a doorknob or hook.

I was so excited to get to review the Planet Wise Hanging Wet/Dry Bag. I'd seen their products before — they have an assortment of wet bags in different sizes and configurations, and in lots of attractive fabric choices. But the hanging style that was for both wet and dry items? So appealing.

We mostly use a diaper service, and we have a service-rented pail for our prefolds to go in. However, every week we have some undersupply and need to wash some of our own diapers. I wanted something that could hold a few days' worth of cloth diapers and conveniently hang from our bathroom doorknob.

Features

I've been very pleased with the Planet Wise bag. The first thing you notice is the vibrant print in a quality cotton. Mine is Daisy Dream. I love all the prints they offer — you're sure to find one that fits your style and decor.

The Hanging Wet/Dry Bag is divided into two zippered sections. The "wet" section is completely waterproofed with a PVC-free, hidden-seam, sealed liner.

The waterproof "wet" side of the bag, for dirty or wet cloth diapers, clothing, towels, swimsuits, etc. The lining color coordinates with the print and is PVC-free.

I realize this is kind of a pointless picture, but I wanted to show that I tested out the wet section thoroughly by just pouring some water in there straight. After all, if I'm going to be hanging this bag over my bedroom carpet with a whole load of sopping diapers inside, I want to make sure it doesn't leak! I swished the water around and even squeezed the bag for good measure: Not a drop came out. The dry side stayed completely dry.

The "dry" section is just a normal, zippered pouch in the featured fabric. At first I was thinking it looked sort of insubstantial, but now that I've used it to store dry items, I've found it's quite capacious and sturdy. The zippers, by the way, are lead-free and coordinate with the bags, and they lock tight when zipped so they won't open by themselves (but are easy for you to open).

The dry side is ideal for storing fresh and unused cloth diapers, clothing, towels, and so forth. They will be kept completely separate and dry from the wet items.

Use and Care

I've been using this Hanging Wet/Dry Bag for seven months now, and it still looks gorgeous and functions just as I'd hoped. It's obviously very well constructed, from quality materials. I hang it from our bathroom doorknob and use it for (now) two primary functions: holding our dry and unused family cloth (don't knock it till you've tried it) and holding our wet cloth diapers, family cloth, cloth menstrual pads, particularly dirty clothing courtesy of my kids — anything I don't want to put into our regular laundry pile but do want to remember to clean, pronto!

It works perfectly. Even with the zipper open, there's very little odor that emerges from the wet side (none at all for peed-on items, a potential temporary smell for particularly stinky things), and the dry items on their own side stay dry and easily accessible. I haven't had any problems with mildewing, which is also due to the fact that I wash those items pretty quickly, but it's nice to know that the lining is antimicrobial and, in my experience, leaving the zipper open seems to allow some airflow to cut down on any odors or festering.

When it comes time for laundry day, I can either shake out the items from the wet side or, if it's time for a good wash, shake out the items plus toss the bag itself into the machine. The bag can be machine laundered at any temperature and machine dried, with no damage to the bag or dye transfer to other clothing, which is great when you know for a fact there's been some rank stuff stored inside it.

The cloth of the bag dries fairly quickly in the dryer. The waterproof area sometimes retains moisture, which is to be expected, but I just flip it all back into place and hang the bag up to use again. It hasn't been a problem.

The bag is a very roomy 16.5" x 27". (Realize that this is not a bag that would fit in a diaper bag; it's its own entity.) It holds about two or three days of dirty diapers comfortably, depending on whether they're of a bulkier or more streamlined sort, and that's about how often I want to wash them, anyway. Planet Wise suggests it can hold 20-24 diapers total, though I can imagine it would be rather squishy at that point. I haven't pushed it to its limits in that respect.

I've seen a friend traveling with the Hanging Wet/Dry Bag, and I think it must be brilliant for that use. (I think it's even more brilliant for me in particular not to travel with young kids…) You can put your dry diapers/clothes on the dry side, then transfer them to the wet as they become dirty. You can hang the bag from the doorknob of whatever room you're staying in so it's always conveniently accessible, then pick it up by the handles when it's time to move on.

It would also work really well as a beach, gym, or swim bag. Even if your swimsuits or towels are dripping wet, they won't leak all over as you carry the bag back home.

About Planet Wise

Planet Wise is a family company, run by mama Nicki Maynard and her husband, Jesse. Planet Wise offers many sizes and styles of wet bags, diapering and breastfeeding accessories, reusable snack bags, and the Best Bottom Diapers system. The company prioritizes being environmentally and socially conscious.

They've sourced as many USA-made materials as possible and made sure that they meet the highest safety standards, and their products are all manufactured in a local, women-owned facility. Employees are encouraged to prioritize family time through flexible schedules and bringing young children to work. All the products are reusable and have been designed to replace disposable items which help to reduce waste that ends up in the landfills.

BUY IT!

You can purchase Planet Wise wet bags, wet/dry bags, reusable snack bags, and cloth diapering and breastfeeding accessories online at PlanetWiseInc.com or at other stores locally and online using the international store locator.

Wet bags start at $9.50 for the small size. The Hanging Wet/Dry Bag is $29.99.

You can also check out the Best Bottom diapering system at BestBottomDiapers.com. It features snap-in inserts with a colorful PUL shell.

Some of my favorite Planet Wise items I'd love to try:

Mini Wet/Dry Bag — perfect for bringing cloth menstrual pads on the go or using as a travel pouch for cosmetics and personal care items.
Clear Snack Bags — reusable and see-through! The quart size is the approved one for U.S. airplane travel.
Shoulder Wet/Dry Bag — talk about a chic diaper bag! Functional, too, since it holds both fresh and dirty dipes in separate compartments.
Cloth Wipes and Pouch — I love the look of these colorful and sustainable flannel wipes, for diapering, hankies, and family cloth.

So many fun things! I'd also love to get a second hanging bag for downstairs, and some smaller wet bags to use in our diaper bag (or one of the wet/dry totes to replace it entirely!).

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a Planet Wise Hanging Wet/Dry Bag in your choice of fabric print, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below.

Contest is open to continental United States and Canadian addresses only.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Planet Wise's website and tell us one other item you would love! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on the blog post.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. If on Blogger, you can enter it like this to foil spambots: mail {at} naturalparentsnetwork {dot} com

This is a joint giveaway with Hobo Mama and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest closes February 14, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Disclosure: Some links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Giveaway ends TOMORROW: EasyLunchboxes Bento Lunch Box Set $22 ARV {1.11; US/Can}

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

No matter what you put in them, you'll know you're giving your family the benefit of your healthy, homemade meals — and saving money to boot! You're also creating less waste by opting for a reusable lunch container over plastic baggies, and portioning out your own family-size foods and leftovers over store-bought single-serve items.

Read more and enter to win at the giveaway post TODAY!

Disclosure: I received a product in a giveaway win.
EasyLunchboxes links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Huge sale at Tea Collection for kids' clothes: Take an extra 25% off!

2012-01-06T02:10:00.000-08:00

What better way to ring in the New Year than with a great sale? It's Tea Collection's Semi-Annual Sale, offering stylish, modern kids' clothes at 50% off or more.

Plus, till January 8 only, Tea Collection is offering an EXTRA 25% off already marked-down clothes with promo code 25OFFSALE. This extra savings is good while supplies last.

Promo Code: 25OFFSALE
Offer: 25% Off Sale Items
Expires: 1/8/12 at 11:59 p.m. PST

Remember, I'm hosting a Tea Collection giveaway right now worth $100, so enter that too while you're at it, and read my raves for Tea Collection's fabulous, kid-friendly clothes. They have options for babies, boys, girls, and women, too!

Here are some of my favorites that are on sale:

Tea Collection Wildflower Mini Dress - $28.50
Retail Price: $38.50
You Save: $10.00

Tea Collection Flor de Papel Wrap Dress - $21.50
Retail Price: $31.50
You Save: $10.00

Tea Collection Alebrije Layered Tee - $24.50
Retail Price: $34.50
You Save: $10.00

Tea Collection Ernesto Stripe Romper - $28.50
Retail Price: $38.50
You Save: $10.00

Tea Collection Chiapas Tunic Dress - $68.50
Retail Price: $78.50
You Save: $10.00

Now's the best time to shop Tea Collection and save on cool clothes for your kids. Happy New Year!

Disclosure: Tea Collection links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

NPN Giveaway: Custom Nursing Necklace from Monkey Mama Necklaces $19 ARV {1.3, Worldwide}

2011-12-28T07:00:00.000-08:00

Monkey Mama Necklaces is offering NPN readers a giveaway of a custom nursing necklace, a value of $19.

Monkey Mama nursing necklaces are made with beautiful, fairly traded, and nontoxic handmade resin beads. This sophisticated and safe jewelry is perfect for busting twiddling while feeding babies or toddlers.

From our reviewer, Jenn at Monkey Butt Junction:

The brilliance of the Monkey Mama necklaces is the "twiddle busters" - the beads that little fingers can turn and fiddle with while they nurse or snuggle. My son was immediately drawn to the big, colorful beads and immediately took to the task of turning them, examining them, and, well, "twiddling" them.

Read more and enter to win at Natural Parents Network!

Disclosure: I help coordinate giveaways at NPN.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
See my full disclosure policy here.

75% off $75 at BabyLegs!

2011-12-21T03:50:00.000-08:00

Holy moly! Can you believe this deal? That's 75% OFF, not 25% off, as your mind might trick you into thinking.

All you have to do is put $75 or more into your cart. Then pop in the discount code — JOLLY75 — and your order will be only 1/4 of what it once was ($18.75 if you had exactly $75 to start with).

After the discount, if your order is at least $30 (aim for $120 original in that case), then you get free shipping. If not, shipping is just $3.95 flat rate.

I just bought 10 pairs of BabyLegs leg warmers for $3 each! I'm going to stash them away for baby gifts. Yea!

Details:

What: 75% off $75 or more sale
Sale: Customer must have $75 in merchandise BEFORE discount for code to apply. FREE Shipping on orders $30 or more after discount. Need it by Christmas? Order by 12:00pm PST on 12/21 for 2-Day or 12/22 for Overnight.
When: Starts 12/20/11 and ends 12/28/11
Coupon code: JOLLY75
Where: www.BabyLegs.com

I love BabyLegs for keeping little legs warm when my baby's pants hike up while babywearing and for a convenient diaper changing or EC outfit (tee or onesie + BabyLegs around the house). My little guy will be crawling any day now, so they also pad the knees. Also, they're dang cute!

The one thing I'll warn you about is to HURRY. So many of the items are already out of stock. They're obviously clearing out the old merchandise, so rush in now to get some good ones before they're all gone!

Disclosure: BabyLegs links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

NPN Giveaway: The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution $17 ARV {12.26; Worldwide}

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth Pantley is offering NPN readers a giveaway of The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution, a value of $17.

From our reviewer, Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama:

Parenting expert Elizabeth Pantley is back with her newest book, The No-Cry Picky Eater Solution. This book is designed to provide parents with ways to get their children of all ages to eat a healthy, balanced diet as often as possible without battles, threats, or tears. Elizabeth draws ideas from her readers around the world for getting children to eat nutritious food. She then had hundreds of parents test the ideas, so you can trust that one of these solutions that fits your situation best will work for you too. With Elizabeth's advice, you can help your fussy eater have nutritious meals and bring peace back to the dining table.

Read more and enter to win at Natural Parents Network!

Disclosure: I help coordinate giveaways at NPN.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Buy Poetry of a Hobo Mama — last day for free shipping by Christmas!

2011-12-19T17:54:00.000-08:00

My book of parenting poetry, Poetry of a Hobo Mama: The First Three Years, would make a thoughtful holiday gift for a fellow mama. Today is the last day for FREE Super-Saver Shipping if you order the book on Amazon — you can have it shipped directly to your lucky recipient.

I compiled all my parenting-related poetry, from my first pregnancy and miscarriage, then Mikko's story from conception through pregnancy through the newborn phase and all the way up to toddlerhood.

If you're a fan of attachment-style parenting, you'll enjoy reading poems written for your experience: breastfeeding, babywearing, cosleeping, gentle discipline, and more. And if you're a fan of truth in parenting, you'll appreciate my honesty as I detail the highs and the lows of three years of getting used to this roller coaster ride.

Plus, it has a pretty nursing-in-public cover, no? (I'm all about judging books by their covers…)

You want a million copies? Great!

It's set up everywhere for your browsing and buying ease.

Poetry of a Hobo Mama is available on Amazon.com for $11.99 and eligible for FREE Super Saver Shipping on U.S. orders over $25.

The Kindle version (DRM-free for you ebook-o-philes) is up for $9.99. It's also available at Amazon UK for £7.15, Amazon Canada for $11.54, Amazon Germany for €8,99, etc.

And if you want a DEAL, I've got a personal discount code set up at my CreateSpace store (CreateSpace is the print-on-demand publisher¹ printing the book):

Save 20% off the cover price at CreateSpace
with coupon code SAP84AYJ
(limited time only)

This is my Hobo Mama exclusive, set up just for you! It brings the price down to $9.59.²

This code works only at CreateSpace (unfortunately I have no options to offer discounts on Amazon), and you do have to pay shipping. I've found the cheapest shipping doesn't take as long as they threaten, so I would go with that, personally! (Of course, it wouldn't get to you by Christmas, but if you're not picky.)

One book to the U.S. is $3.61 economy shipping (or, at any rate, that's what it is for me). If you buy, say, 3 copies, the shipping increases only to $4.04, so you save on multiple purchases if you wanted to buy a couple extra copies for baby shower or new parent gifts.

CreateSpace will ship internationally as well, though you can't see any shipping rates till you're in the checkout.

I've even set it up so that libraries can order a copy, though I imagine you'd have to put in a request or three!

If you want a free, autographed copy, contact me about setting up a blog review.

But what's in it for you?

Glad you asked! For some samples of the fabulousness contained therein, take a gander:

First of all, I've signed up for Search Inside The Book with Amazon.com, so you can browse a few sample pages as well as enter search terms to see more. (Just click on the cover image on Amazon.com to start your look-see.)

Secondly, there are several examples contained on my sites already:

And here's a bonus one for ya, written just for the book:

Hobo Baby

I sling my baby like a bindle on my back,
tramping along the tracks
countless feet have worn before.

We collect the hand-me-downs,
and we gather food as we find it,
and we bed down when it suits.

We walk in all weather,
and bum a ride when luck smiles,
learning our secret language
and pointing out signs along the way.

Hand in my hair,
babble in my ear,
the wind our lullaby
and the summer sun a blanket.

Down where the trains thunder past
and my baby laughs.

I hope you enjoy reading these poems as much as I enjoyed writing them!

Eternal smoochies to Sam
for designing the cover and
photographing Mikko and me in the first place!

Disclosure: Amazon links are affiliate links.
I get a tiny amount of money if you buy my book new from anywhere.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
See my full disclosure policy here.

1 When you order a copy from Amazon or the CreateSpace store, CreateSpace prints one right then and there from their stored digital files. This means the shipping (for non-Kindle purchases) takes a bit longer, fyi. See more on how to set this up for your own books at LaurenWayne.com: "Self-publishing your personal writing."^↩
2 Assuming I'm doing the math right. I'm an English major, after all. That's why I do pretentious things like self-publish poetry books.^↩

Where to find free Christmas music

2011-12-19T17:18:00.000-08:00

I'm a fan of nonstop holiday music from Thanksgiving on, especially when I can get it for free! Here are some of the resources I'm using this year. Enjoy it for the rest of the season, and then rest easy in the knowledge that you'll have a sizable stash for next year as well!

Amazon MP3s

Amazon is once more sponsoring its 25 Days of Free, for a new free holiday mp3 every day in December through Christmas. They vary in style and quality, so read reviews if you're a beggar who's also a chooser. When it's free, I tend to download first and ask questions later.

You can also run a search for "free Christmas music" and come across whole downloadable sampler albums as well as individual tracks. Here are a few with decent reviews:

If you like the sound of a free album or track, look down under "Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought" for other ideas. Some of them aren't holiday-specific, but that doesn't matter in the long run.

iTunes Store MP3s

If you're an iTunes user, the iTunes Store also regularly has free downloads available. Not all of them are holiday-themed, but some are right now. Scroll to the bottom where it says "Free On iTunes."

Pandora radio stations

I'm loving Pandora again this year for making custom holiday mix stations (available to U.S. listeners only for royalty reasons). So far, I have two stations — one that's more mellow, and one that's more varied and includes songs that all my family members like.

To get your personalized holiday station started on Pandora, click on "Create a New Station" and enter an artist you like who has a holiday album (or the album itself or a song from it). Make sure you scroll down to click on the entry that says "(Holiday)" after the artist's name, e.g. "Over the Rhine (Holiday)." That way, it should give you just holiday music that's like the artist or album you put in. Once you've created your station, you can click on "Options" to rename it (e.g., "Upbeat Holiday"), and "Add Variety" is perfect for adding in other musicians and styles you're interested in hearing. Then click "thumbs up" or "thumbs down" as Pandora plays songs for you; this feedback will let the system know what to offer you in the future.

Here are a few more Pandora tips. I've had problems when I've agreed to Pandora's suggestions for similar artists — and then realized I've added non-holiday music to my music station. Even if you like the songs, be ruthless about thumbs-downing any non-holiday music if you want to keep your station purely holiday. But see below for more information about thumbs-down limits. You can also go in to "Options" --> "Edit Station Details" to permanently delete seed songs or inaccurate thumbs-up/thumbs-down ratings.

With the free account, you need to interact at least once an hour or it turns off. This is pretty easy to do. Just "thumbs up" the songs you like. Be a little more cautious about using the "thumbs down" for songs you don't like — definitely do it (so you don't have to hear songs and styles you don't want!), but be aware that you get only six max an hour and twelve max a day. This includes skipping a song by pushing the forward arrow. To conserve your thumbs-downs/skips, you can let a song play out before selecting "thumbs down." I'll do that if I don't particularly dislike the song but feel like it doesn't fit the style of station I'm trying to build, such as non-holiday songs on a holiday channel.

You also get only 40 hours free listening per month — which is hard to reach unless you repeatedly forget you have Pandora on, unheard, in the background. So, when you're done listening, hit "pause" or close the window entirely. You can see how many hours you have left by clicking "Account" next to your login address at the top of your listening window.

You can play your Pandora station for other listeners by hooking up some external speakers to your computer. This could be nice for a holiday party, even though there are occasional ads.

I've also downloaded the free Pandora app for my smart phone that links to your online account. I can then plug my phone into my car's speakers and listen as we drive. It's like having my own holiday radio station playing all the songs I like! There are just a couple issues with listening in the car and/or on the phone app:

First of all, it's too dangerous to be using the thumbs-up and thumbs-down actions while you're driving. But you'll be tempted. Oh, so sorely tempted. Resist.
Secondly, the app is more limited than the regular online version. You can't rate songs that have stopped playing, whereas online you can scroll back through recently played songs to work your magic. For the safety reasons I referenced above, having this feature would be really nice for the smart phone app, because you could then do all your rating after you'd parked. I also don't see any way to add variety, which bothered me when I had just created a new station and it kept playing a very limited selection of songs. So I recommend getting your stations well established at home before taking them on the road.

Favorite holiday albums

Here's a selection of some of the holiday music I've discovered recently or loved for years. First I'll share my thoughts on how to access said music in a frugal manner:

Check your library to see if the CD is available. Unfortunately, at this point in the game, most holiday albums will be checked out throughout the Christmas season. Do not despair. Get in line, and be cheerful when your album gets into your hands in January (or March, or whenever everyone else gives up). Copy the songs you like to a special holiday folder on your computer, and enjoy having new music ready to go for the next season! If your library does not carry a particular favorite, this is also the time to put in a purchase suggestion. Check the FAQs on your library's site or ask a librarian how to do this.
See if family members or friends have albums to loan you. Often they'll want to share, especially if you suggest a (temporary or permanent) swap of both your favorites.
Look for online deals for mp3 downloads. Sometimes you'll get lucky and can find something completely free. We scored some last Christmas off Amazon, but I forget what the occasion was; it might have been a reward for spending a certain amount, and I don't know if they'll repeat it. I like checking RetailMeNot for current coupon codes and whether they're working for people.
If you must spend money, it's almost always cheaper to download the album as an mp3 bundle than to purchase the CD (plus pay shipping) or buy all the mp3s individually. You can also preview the songs (such as on the Amazon album page or at the artist's site) to see if you even like the whole album or just want a couple of the songs.
Particularly for smaller artists, don't count it a defeat to spend money on good music. If you can afford it, think of it as a donation to the cause of art. Artists might receive more of the proceeds if you order directly from their sites, so check the prices and deals there as well. If you want to send a CD as a gift, just so you know, the Free Super Saver Shipping deadline for U.S. Christmas delivery is today, Monday, December 19.

New & sweet

Allison Crowe: Tidings, which you can listen to for free at the artist's site (discovered last year via Common Places).
Mindy Smith: My Holiday, a little bit country and a lot folk.
Sixpence None the Richer: The Dawn of Grace, and the soloist Leigh Nash's album, Wishing For This. Leigh Nash's voice is a love-it/hate-it proposition. I think it's quirky-charming. You can download the single "O Holy Night" for free to see what you think.

Over the Rhine: Darkest Night of the Year and Snow Angels. You can stream quite a number of songs for free on the band's site; scroll down to the Record Player.
City on a Hill: It's Christmas Time, a variety of Christian artists singing thoughtful songs.

Jewel: Joy: A Holiday Collection — Her voice is so beautiful on this album. You can hear her classical training shining through.
Rebecca St. James: Christmas. This one's a little more rocking than most of my Christmas albums.
Barlowgirl: Home for Christmas, because I'm a fan of harmony.

Barenaked Ladies: Barenaked for the Holidays, with a version of "Jingle Bells" that never fails to crack me up.
Sara Groves: O Holy Night — a couple of the songs are only 69 cents to download if you want to try them out
Sarah McLachlan: Wintersong

Corinne May: The Gift
This Warm December: A Brushfire Holiday Vol. 1
Rosie Thomas: A Very Rosie Christmas (A plus: I don't think the baby on the cover's actually nursing, but the woman's holding him in a breastfeeding position, which makes me smile)

Nicole C. Mullen: Christmas in Black & White, soulful.
Shawn Colvin: Holiday Songs And Lullabies, perfect for a silent night for your babes.
Jaci Velasquez: Christmas, a fun one.

Straight No Chaser: Holiday Spirits, if you're an a capella fan like I am.
Sufjan Stevens: Songs for Christmas, and you can get free tunes at his site.
Mary Chapin Carpenter: Come Darkness Come Light: Twelve Songs of Christmas, warm and melodic.

Susie Tallman: A Child's Christmas, Holiday Songs & Carols, for the kids.
Michael Card: The Promise, quiet and devotional.
Melissa Etheridge: A New Thought For Christmas

I also love the singer Jennifer Knapp. She doesn't have a Christmas album (yet), but I just found out you can download a free mp3 of "What Child Is This?" by signing up for her newsletter. I also have her song "Sing, Mary, Sing" in my holiday rotation.

Old & loved

Christmas Night: Carols of the Nativity, my favorite John Rutter album. Great for atmospheric choral background music at a Christmas party, fyi.
Anonymous 4: Wolcum Yule: Celtic and British Songs and Carols — despite the group's somewhat edgy sounding name, this is an a capella women's quartet that sings very old-time songs, often in old-time languages. Breathtakingly gorgeous.
First Call: Beyond December — this one's kind of hard to find, but I'm always surprised more people don't love it. Maybe it's because there was kind of a scandal with the group, yadda yadda, and one of the trio left soon after, but I love the blending of voices and the unique holiday songs. The song "Carol" makes me very happy and I wish I could sing it at church with my parents some year, but I had no luck finding the sheet music anywhere. Hey, I see the used version of the songbook on Amazon is now down from $25.00 from $64.40 last year. Maybe I'll wait and see what it drops to by next year…

Loreena McKennitt: A Winter Garden: Five Songs for the Season, To Drive the Cold Winter Away, and Midwinter Night's Dream, haunting and evocative.

Amy Grant: The first Christmas album I ever owned (on cassette tape!) was the aptly named A Christmas Album, and Amy just keeps popping out pleasant holiday albums with a mix of familiar tunes and a few touching additions. At last count, here are the other options: Home for Christmas, Christmas to Remember, and The Christmas Collection (a greatest-hits album and might be a good place to start, but contains some new songs as well).

Peter, Paul & Mary: Holiday Celebration — the definition of a fun Christmas album.
A Prairie Home Christmas: With Garrison Keillor & Hundreds of Friends & Acquaintances — my mom's going to be so psyched I included this.
Barbra Streisand: A Christmas Album, because it brings back good memories of listening to the record (yes, record!!!), because it also has a great version of "Jingle Bells," and because my mom says you always need at least one Jewish Christmas album. I've decided that's an ecumenical truth I can get behind.

Bring it with you

Once you have your music collected, there are two new ways to organize and store it, and potentially bring it along to winter shindigs or on long, snowy road trips to Grandma's house.

Google Music

Discover, buy and share music, wherever you want, whenever you want. … Keep all your music in one place. Anything you get from Android Market is automatically stored in your Google Music library and you can add up to 20,000 of your own songs -- all for free.

Pretty sweet.

Amazon Cloud Drive

You get 5 GB of free online storage (paid upgrades available) and unlimited access from any computer. Music you download from Amazon doesn't count toward your upload limit. So far, there's no smartphone app available (that I know of), but it can't be far behind, right?

What are your favorite holiday albums — or ways to score good deals on them?

Disclosure: Amazon & iTunes links are affiliate links,
though not, surprisingly, Pandora links,
despite the big smoochy-smooch I gave them.
See my full disclosure policy here.
This is edited from a previous version at Hobo Mama.

1 day left for FREE Super Saver Shipping at Amazon!

2011-12-18T17:07:00.000-08:00

Got some last-minute holiday gifts to buy? If you want your presents to arrive by Christmas, you can still order at Amazon.com — but hurry!

Shipping deadlines:

Monday, December 19:

FREE Super Saver Shipping (on $25 or more, restrictions apply): Last day to order
Standard Shipping: Last full day to order

Wednesday, December 21:

Two-Day Shipping (FREE with Amazon Prime): Order as late as 8 p.m. PST (varies by item)
One-Day Shipping: Last full day to order

Thursday, December 22:

One-Day Shipping: Order as late as 4:30 p.m. PST (varies by item)

Saturday, December 24:

Local Express Delivery: While available (select cities, varies by item)

Sunday, December 25:

Christmas Day: E-mail and printable gift cards can be sent immediately, at any time

Gift ideas:

Newborn:

Baby:

Toddler:

Preschooler:

Child:

Tween/Teen:

New Mama:

Parents:

Remember, at Amazon you can ship directly to your recipient. You can even include gift wrapping on many items for an additional charge. And the familiar box will be gift wrap in itself!

Disclosure: Amazon links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
See my full disclosure policy here.

NPN Giveaway: LuSa Organics Set — ends TOMORROW — $37 ARV {12.19; US/Can}

2011-12-18T09:00:00.000-08:00

This is a giveaway of an incredible set of mama care products by LuSa Organics: Mama Massage Oil ($8.75), Belly Balm ($9.75), Cranky Pants Essential Oil Blend ($9.10), Lullaby Soap ($5.50), and Herbal Lip Balm ($3.35). One lucky reader will receive all five products, making this giveaway's total value $36.45!

From our reviewer, Dionna at Code Name: Mama:

Simply put, I am in love with every single product Rachel sent to me for review. And an added bonus? The 49 products available for review at the EWG Skin Deep Cosmetics Database all score in the 0-2 range. That's a good thing.

Read more and enter to win at Natural Parents Network!

Disclosure: I help coordinate giveaways at NPN.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Giveaway: Tea Collection Children's Clothing $100 GC {1.18; US}

2011-12-18T05:00:00.000-08:00

This is a joint giveaway with Hobo Mama and Natural Parents Network. I'm cross-posting it here at Hobo Mama Reviews as well. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory main entry and optional bonus entries.

Tea Collection is offering our readers a giveaway of a $100 Gift Certificate.

Tea Collection offers high-quality, modern children's clothes that are internationally inspired, wearable, and unique.

I'm a little bit drooly when it comes to Tea Collection children's clothing. I admired them from afar for a couple years before finally getting my greedy paws on some pieces. I entered giveaways like this (but didn't win, sigh). I was nearly giddy when Tea offered to let me do a review and giveaway of their precious boys' clothing. (Clothes for girls, women, and babies are also available.)

Tea Collection: The Story

Tea Collection picks a particular global region to inspire the clothing line each year: from Japan to West Africa to Hungary. Right now it's Modern Mexico, and I love the south-of-the-border details. The inspiration often turns toward the graphic and the colorful, lending a stylistic and unique touch to your kids' clothes you don't usually find.

The tagline for Tea is "for little citizens of the world." I admire the "fusion of worldwide cultures and modern design," as the About page puts it.

Decorate the Kids: Get Colorful

Let me admit that I'm not a little green when I look at the girls' clothing that Tea offers. As with most children's clothing, it's even cuter. But, I have two boys, and fortunately, Tea has got them covered with delectable options as well.

One thing that often depresses me about boys' clothing is how drab it can be. Tea says no way to boring and came through with not one but two purple shirts for my four-year-old! Mikko loves purple, and it's incredibly hard to find boys' shirts in that color. Yea for Tea!

Matchy Matchy: Range of Children's Sizes

Even better? Mikko loves to match clothing with his new little brother, Alrik, who's six months old. I figure that agreeableness won't last forever, so I try to indulge it as I can. Unfortunately, Mikko wears a size 6 or 7 now, and Alrik is still in baby sizes, of course. This makes finding coordinating clothing very challenging.

Tea to the rescue! Nearly all of the clothing options at Tea Collection start at baby sizes (a Small is 6-12 months) and go up through children's sizes, most up to a size 12. Yup, you could get a baby a romper, big sister a coordinating shirt, and even bigger sister the same one! I can't tell you how excited this makes me.

(They also have newborn size clothing for smaller babies, beginning at 0-3 months up through 6-9 months.)

Our Clothing: Sized Right

Here's what we received, all told:

Diego Stripe Tee for the little guy (size Small) and the big one (size 7)
Fuerte Polo in Amethyst in Medium and 7
Fiesta Plaid Shirt just for Mikko, in 7, as an additional shot of purple
Surplus Playwear Pants in Cliff just for Alrik, in a Medium

I chose our sizing based on the Size Chart and was quite pleased at the fit. Just for reference, Alrik is about 17 pounds right now, and Mikko is (gasp) 50 pounds.

Size Small is 15-22 pounds, and Medium is 22-27 — I chose a Medium for the short-sleeve polo shirt, since likely Alrik will be wearing that more in the spring and summer. I didn't feel that either shirt looked way too big on him, probably because of the nice elasticity, but there's thankfully plenty of room to grow. The pants were a little snug over his cloth diaper, but not a problem once we wiggled them on. Since they were in the larger size, they needed to be rolled up, but I actually like it when baby pants are too long, because then they still cover the legs when they get hiked up during babywearing.

Size 7 is 51-61 pounds according to the chart, and indeed, it looks like Mikko has a little room to grow, but the shirts aren't comically large on him. He's tall for his age, but not at a seven-year-old's height, so I worried about the length of everything — they're definitely longer than the toddler sizes he's been growing out of, but I think that will work in his favor as he continues to sprout up, considering he has such a long torso.

My recommendation is to take the Sizing Chart at its word, but don't be scared to size up if you want to get more seasons of wear out of these adorable clothes!

The Clothing: The Look, the Feel, the Wear and Tear

My first impression of the stripe and polo jersey shirts was "Oh! Sooo soft." I kept reaching out to rub Mikko's tummy and hug Alrik tight as they were wearing their shirts!

The material felt substantial and comfortable, just the way quality children's clothes should feel.

I haven't had much chance to do a lot of wash and wear on the new clothes, but I do have some Tea baby shirts and rompers that I bought for Alrik when he was born. Despite needing to be washed frequently, as baby clothes always are, they've held up magnificently to machine washing and drying and are clearly in good shape to be handed down.

I even love the little red "Tea" tags on the back of each item.

The only problem I've encountered is two little holes in the front of Alrik's Diego shirt. I'm confident that we did not put them there, because I noticed them when he was wearing it for the first time and within the first hour. (We're not in the habit of pinning medals to our baby's chest…) I've just contacted the Tea representative about it to make sure it's not a quality-control thing and will update this post as I find out more.

Holiday Looks for Stylish Kids

I'll leave you with some more photos of our kids wearing their new duds to trim the tree and enjoy our cookie decorating party.

If only he knew how many people want to do just that to his own cheeks!

BUY IT!

You can purchase Tea Collection baby, children's, and women's clothing online at TeaCollection.com or locally using the Store Locator. There are several children's boutiques near me that carry the line, so you can drool over the selection in person. This also means you can "shop local" for the holidays.

Tea frequently offers sales, so stay in touch (the Bonus Entries below will tell you how). You can get 10% off your first order simply by signing up for the newsletter.

TeaCollection.com currently ships only to the United States. However, you can find local stores in several international areas.

Today and tomorrow, you can receive 3-day shipping for the price of ground (FREE on orders over $150, $7 on everything else). Use code 3DAYYAY. Hurry with those holiday orders — ends 12/19 at 11:59pm PT!

Some of my favorites among Tea's current collection:

Pinata Stripe Dress — love the vibrant colors!
Ticking Stripe Pant — could this be any cooler for boys?
Art To Go Deluxe Set — a perfect gift for your little artist
Little Citizens Pajamas for Christmas Eve snuggles and Christmas morning lounging

If it's too late for you to give the gift of Tea Collection by Christmas, consider a Tea Collection e-Gift Certificate — much appreciated by any parent!

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a $100 gift certificate to Tea Collection, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below.

Contest is open to United States addresses only.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit Tea Collection's website and tell us one item you would pick if you win! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on the blog post.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. If on Blogger, you can enter it like this to foil spambots: mail {at} naturalparentsnetwork {dot} com

This is a joint giveaway with Hobo Mama and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Contest closes January 18, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Disclosure: I received the products specified for review.
Some Tea Collection links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Giveaway: EasyLunchboxes Waste-Free Lunch Box Set $22 ARV {1.11; US/Can}

2011-12-11T10:00:00.000-08:00

This is a joint giveaway with Hobo Mama and Natural Parents Network. I am cross-posting it also at Hobo Mama Reviews. You may enter at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory main entry and optional bonus entries.

EasyLunchboxes is offering our readers a giveaway of a Bento Lunch Box System: a container set and one cooler lunch bag (winner chooses color), a value of $21.90.

This system is a sustainable and eco-friendly way to carry meals and snacks on the go! EasyLunchboxes are the perfect solution for packing lunches and snacks for school, preschool, daycare, work, playdates, family outings, or any time you need to bring your own healthy meal — without a lot of waste.

Get a jump on your New Year's resolution to stop brown bagging it or paying too much for lunch out, and enter to win one of these fun and environmentally conscious bento lunch box sets!

We actually won a set of EasyLunchboxes in a giveaway (so I'm here to tell you it can be done!), and Mikko was excited to immediately put them to use for picnics and snacks out. Since Mikko was three at the time and in only a half-day preschool twice a week, and since Sam and I worked exclusively from home, we didn't need them for traditional purposes perhaps, but they still came in handy, and do even more so now.

Sam now works part of the time from an outside office and has to bring his own sustenance since there's no other possibility within walking distance. We also take turns bringing our (now) two boys out for excursions, and it works well to bring along healthy and kid-approved food to eat.

I can see EasyLunchboxes being ideal for whenever you or someone in your family would otherwise pack a meal or eat out:

School lunches
Preschool or daycare snacks and meals
Allergy-friendly foods
Playdates
Running errands
Working in an office

The containers are so much better quality than those disposable brands (read bento bloggers' unsolicited opinions here!) – a very sturdy polypropylene. Each is subdivided into three compartments, so you can get your bento on.

We don't get all that fancy — here are some crackers, hummus to dip, and some yummy cheese slices.

But other people have gotten way creative, as seen from fan bento lunch pics on the EasyLunchboxes site:

I like that the compartments separate the meal or snack components, giving you options for making fun combinations (and forgoing gross ones!).

No matter what you put in them, you'll know you're giving your family the benefit of your healthy, homemade meals — and saving money to boot! You're also creating less waste by opting for a reusable lunch container over plastic baggies, and portioning out your own family-size foods and leftovers over store-bought single-serve items.

While the containers are not watertight (to allow for ease of opening by little hands), we've had no problems storing things like hummus, salsa, and other (not-too-runny) dips inside, as long as we carry the containers in the cooler bag. This means that, unlike with reusable fabric baggies, EasyLunchbox containers can hold wet food items (dip, fruit, yogurt, etc.) without a problem — and cleanup is a snap in the dishwasher! There aren't any funky crevices for food detritus to hide.

I also like how fragile food items are kept safe by the hard-sided container. Chips and crackers stay whole. Sandwiches and breads don't get squished.

The site warns that eventually the hard containers will crack and need replacing. Ours haven't worn out yet, in the year we've been using them, but it's worth mentioning that they're not intended to last forever, so have an extra set on hand if you use them frequently.

The cooler bag keeps items — well, cool! It also helps protect from spills, and you can machine wash it on the gentle cycle if food goes astray. Again, unlike with fabric baggies I've also tried, the EasyLunchbox system has the advantage of keeping foods fresher: Fruit and veggies stay crisp longer; chips, cookies, breads, and crackers don't get stale as quickly. This means you can pack lunches further in advance, which is a big plus.

The cooler bag can fit up to three containers at once, but it's unlikely that a single person would need to eat three containers in an outing! In that case, you can put one or two in, and fill the rest of the space with a drink, napkin, ice pack, cup of yogurt, utensils, and love note. (Yes, that's mandatory.)

Here's one little boy who's happy about being able to have a good snack on the go!

More About EasyLunchboxes

You can find out a lot of information about the EasyLunchbox system at the FAQ page. Here are some essential highlights:

EasyLunchbox containers are made from BPA-free, FDA-approved, food-safe polypropylene (#5). Our containers are much sturdier and last quite a bit longer than flimsy reusable/disposable containers. Click HERE for a comparison. At $13.95 for four, this comes to only $3.48 a container. Used every day, this is a great value for many months of use. As with all hard plastics, cracking may eventually occur. Our soft-sided cooler bags will protect the containers and help prevent breakage.

The containers don't "snap" closed or seal tightly, to make it possible for children to use them easily. The cooler bag keeps them upright, or you can put an elastic around the container to keep it shut in a backpack.

If you want to put something runny like yogurt in one of the compartments, first cover it with a square of waxed paper before closing up the lid. For truly liquid items like soup or dipping sauce, use a tightly sealing cup inside the container, or a separate leak-proof container placed in the cooler bag.

The containers are dishwasher- and microwave-safe and non-leaching, and the cooler bag can be machine washed on delicate.

The materials are FDA approved and safe for food and kids. EasyLunchbox products contain NO lead, vinyl, PVC, phthalates, or bisphenol A (BPA).

I also love that the company is mama-run, by the very personable Kelly Lester. It's a treat getting to know her on Facebook and Twitter and through her blog! (Connect with her in the Bonus Entries below.)

BUY IT!

You can purchase EasyLunchboxes containers and coolers online at EasyLunchboxes.com.

The four-container set costs $13.95. The containers measure approximately 9x6x2 inches. The lids are not tight-fitting so that young children can open them easily on their own. This means the containers are not leakproof, so buy the upright cooler bag to go along!

A zippered cooler bag costs $7.95 and comes in a variety of colors. Up to three containers fit in a cooler, or you can put in one or two containers and leave room for an ice pack, drink, fruit, and extra snack. The cooler is machine washable on the gentle cycle in cold water.

EasyLunchboxes ships internationally.

You can also buy EasyLunchboxes on Amazon, where they qualify for Free Super-Saver Shipping. EasyLunchboxes are the #1 best seller in the category "lunch boxes" on Amazon.com!

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win an EasyLunchboxes container and cooler set, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below.

Contest is open to United States & Canadian addresses only.

MANDATORY ENTRY: Visit EasyLunchboxes.com and tell us something you like about the products! You must enter your name and email address in the Rafflecopter entry system for your entry to count, after leaving a comment on the blog post.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries. If on Blogger, you can enter it like this to foil spambots: mail {at} naturalparentsnetwork {dot} com

This is a joint giveaway with Hobo Mama and Natural Parents Network. You may enter at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy both sites!

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Just click "Click for instructions" for guidance and then "I did this" — any comments or extra information such as URLs can be entered into the "Extra Info" box. Give it a try or visit the Rafflecopter tutorial, and email or leave a comment if you have any questions!

Contest closes January 11, 2012, at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time.

Disclosure: I received a product as a giveaway win.
Amazon and EasyLunchbox links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

Holiday savings at Robeez baby shoes!

2011-12-01T04:52:00.000-08:00

Our favorite baby shoes are Robeez. Robeez shoes make great holiday gifts for babies and toddlers!

Shop the cute styles now:

Save up to 40% on baby shoes & apparel at Robeez.com!

FREE Standard Shipping on 2+ pairs of footwear or apparel on Robeez.com -

Find the right shoe for your baby with Robeez's trusted fotwear innovations!

Ends TONIGHT = Back to the Roots Mushroom Garden giveaway {11.30; US}

2011-11-30T03:06:00.000-08:00

Last day to enter my Back to the Roots Mushroom Garden giveaway!

Giveaway ends tonight, November 30, and is open to US only. Easy Rafflecopter entry form.

This would make a unique, interactive, and ultimately delicious holiday present!

35% off the Baby Signing Time bundle!

2011-11-29T03:56:00.000-08:00

These were Mikko's favorite DVDs for a long time, and I look forward to using them again with Alrik!

Holiday Specials!!

For a limited time only our customers can save 35% on our Best Selling, full-collection bundle. This offer is valid until December 5th. This is our lowest price yet. Don't miss out, Shop NOW!

For A Limited Time Only, Save 25% on EVERYTHING at BabySigningTime.com!

Disclosure: BabySigningTime.com links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.

40% off at UmiShoes.com!

2011-11-28T04:50:00.000-08:00

I love these adorable handmade shoes for babies and toddlers!

Cyber Monday! Take 40% off Select Styles at Umi Shoes! Use code Cyber11.

Take 15% off any purchase at UmiShoes.com plus free shipping and returns! Use code Link15 at checkout!

Free Shipping on ANY order at UmiShoes.com!

Cyber Monday steals at BabyLegs!

2011-11-28T03:14:00.000-08:00

BabyLegs make diaper changing, ECing, and potty learning a breeze while keeping the breezes off your kids' kneezes. I love them and have an appallingly large collection. Join me!

What: Cyber Monday Sale
Sale: BabyLegs is doing Cyber Packs again this year! We'll have SuperSoft (always a fave), newborn, classics, and more! 3-pair packs starting at $10!
When: Monday, November 28, 2011, at 12:01am EST
Where: www.BabyLegs.com
Become a fan: www.facebook.com/babylegs
Become a VIP: www.babylegs.com/VIP/ VIPs also get FREE shipping on Cyber Packs!

Free shipping at Highlights — today only!

2011-11-28T03:06:00.000-08:00

These High Five and Highlights magazine and books are some of Mikko's absolute favorite things to work on! Highlights has levels of magazines and activity books tailored to preschoolers and elementary-age kids. These puzzle books and other fun activities would make an appreciated and educational holiday gift for any young child!

Free Shipping on Merchandise ALL day Cyber Monday until 11:59pm at Highlights! Only Valid 11.28

Get Hidden Pictures 2011- only $9.98 for each 4-Book Set plus S/H at Highlights.

Disclosure: Highlights links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
If I don't like a product, I won't be recommending it to you.
See my full disclosure policy here.