Heavenly Scents

We love our plants.  I'm not too handy with them, but I try.  About 4 years ago I planted a peony bush.  It grew slightly the first year, the second had a terrible frost, and the third year didn't do much better.  This year it is huge and absolutely beautiful.  Big, perfect, fragrant blooms.

I almost never cut blooms from my plants.  We have so much greenery outdoors that I feel guilty for taking away any of the beautiful blooms.  Well, the peonies are so heavy that they sort of begin to fall over, so I thought I should take a few.  You know, for the sake of the peonies.

Here they are in my kitchen.  They light up the room and scent it too!  Five blooms is all it took for this rather large vase.  I've had one of those blooms in there for days.  It's really amazing how long they last.  I used cool water with a little sugar.

I hope you have a lovely weekend!  We'll be spending ours with my sister-in-law.  The kids adore her and we're all very excited.  Hopefully I'll come back with some pictures to share.

Goodbye Spills

That says it all, right?  Not a drop!

As a mother to three children, the occasional spill is nothing new to me.  My daughter's need to shake her water out is.  She loves watching it drip out.  It makes an awful mess and it drives me nuts.

Well, NO more thanks to Tommee Tippee's Explora sippy cups.  These cups have really blown me away.  Though the plastics in these are BPA free, I wasn't expecting to love them so much.  I try to avoid plastics, but I wanted to give these a chance.  I'm honestly glad that I did.

I have never been a big fan of sippy cups, for many reasons.  They are typically hard to clean (valves and such), they are often hard to drink from (have you tried sucking from some of those things?), they are plastic and they drip.

With Tommee Tippee, I don't have any problems.  Not only will these cups NOT leak, they are very easy to drink from.  There is no sucking until nearly passing out and just getting a few drops.  (Can you tell I've tested out my kids' other cups?)

The valves are SUPER easy to clean.  They pop right out and then it comes apart in two easy to clean pieces.  No weird nooks or crannies that you can't get to.  When they are dry, pop them back together and then back into the lid.  Be sure to get the lid on the cup tight, or you will have leaks, but that's a no-brainer.

These cups are plastic, which is the only thing I'm not in love with, but the usability coupled with being BPA free totally makes it a non-issue.

My daughter loves the colors, especially her purple one.  She loves the lid on these too.  It is handy for keeping the spout clean while she romps around.

I highly recommend these cups.  I have some others that I like too, but if you need a cup that is child friendly and will not leak, this is your cup.  You can find them exclusively at Babies R Us/Toys R Us.

I would also like to mention their bottles.  We exclusively breastfeed, but the look of these bottles was something I wanted to try out.  Admittedly I didn't get to use them a lot.  I tried them out enough to see if my daughter wold take them.

The reason I was interested in these bottles was the shape, and that so many breastfeeding women need to pump for work, getting out, poor latch and various other reasons.  When my son was a baby, I used a bottle to help when his latch was bad.  We spent his first month of life pumping and nursing and bottle feeding.  Thankfully he learned to nurse after that!

I think that having a properly shaped bottle would have helped.  The shape of these bottles really appeals to me.  As you can see, they seem to more closely resemble that of a real breast/nipple.  I was a little leery, as I think latex feels more natural than silicone, but I was open to it.  The silicone in these is actually quite pliable, unlike others I've seen.  I was quite shocked when my baby girl accepted this bottle.  I've only once before tried a bottle on her, which she refused.

For some fun, Tommee Tippee has offered up an Explora sippy for your little one so that you can see how great this cup is for yourself.

----Update! We have a winner!----
The giveaway portion is over :) Thank you to everyone that participated!
Congratulations to Josefine! Enjoy!

Here's how to win!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Head over to Tommee Tippee and tell me what product you think you'd love.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow us and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Goodbye Spills!  Thanks to @tommeetippeeus and @EFFBlog http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow Tommee Tippee on twitter.  Let me know :)

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook, EFFBlog, Tommee Tippee 1 entry each

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends June 2nd (our Wedding anniversary!!!).  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review from Naturepedic for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Country Roads

Growing up I moved a round a lot.  Not much was constant.  My Nana always was, and still is.

There are times in life when you say to yourself, "I want to be like that.  I want people to know me and remember me, like that.  I want to touch a life in that way."  Well, that's my Nana.  She is a wonderful woman.  When I was in 3rd grade, my mother married her son and every year since, she has sent me cards.  Even when I was in my teen years and was to self-absorbed to care about anything else, she sent me cards.  I got a cards on birthdays and holidays.  She never missed.  She would include $5 usually.  Over the years, and especially now, I look forward to those cards.  It's amazing how much a card and $5 can mean to you.

In recent years I have been able to talk to her more over the telephone.  She has me on speed dial and checks in often.  I usually get to talk to her before she goes out for dinner.  She does so much.  She has a more active social life than I do!  It's always great to hear her upbeat voice on the other end of the line.  We catch up on how she's doing and what my kids are getting into now.

I haven't actually seen my Nana since I was a kid, maybe around 5th grade.  She lives about eight hours away and I've been wanting to see her.  This month, for her birthday, her family organized a get-together in West Virginia, which was more manageable for us with three children.  I was worried about how the girls would do, but I was excited to see my Nana :)  (They all did *great* on the drive, by the way.)

Here is baby G just before we got on the road.  She just ate and was conked!  Good thing too, we had a three hour drive ahead.

Here are L and E getting ready for the ride.  They each packed some snacks.  Sun Chips, granola bars and water.  They barely made it out of the driveway.  It's somewhat nuts how much kids eat! Oh and that dress on L, I made that!  It is one of my only shining sewing moments, so I'm happy to share.

So off we went, deep into the mountains of West Virginia.  It's something like entering another world.  The scenery is amazing.  The mountains are SO high.  Our son was amazed and it was so special getting to see him experience seeing such beauty.  Our girls slept most of the drive, which was great.  We wanted them ready for some fun!

Eventually we arrived and were greeted by a beautiful park and surrounding golf courses.  We spent the afternoon playing at the playground with Nana's daughter and great-granddaughter.  Eventually Nana joined us (after her long trip) and we went to a cabin to spend some time with Nana and the rest of her family.

Meet my Nana :)  Baby G was quite impressed.  The other two did great too, especially considering they had never met my Nana.  We talk about her often, so I think that helps.  L was actually a little possessive when Nana's other great-granddaughter called her "My Nana".  It was adorable.  I think Nana had a great time too :)  She is having another great-grandchild any day now.  I'm thrilled for her.

It was wonderful seeing everyone, but the day drew to and end and we had to go.  After another three hour drive we were home and relaxing.  Special thanks to my husband for all of his mad driving skills!

So what's the point of all of this?  Well, for starters I would like to start sharing a bit more about me, with you.  I hope that's alright :)

Also, people like my Nana inspire me.  I want to be a good person because of people like her.  It's why I blog.  It influences my parenting, my eco-friendly lifestyle decisions and more.  I'm not always right, and others might have different opinions, but I try and I hope that it helps.

Be good to people.  The smallest things may make the biggest impact.  I know :)

Who has touched your life?  Or what event (no matter how small) turned on a light for you?

Wow what a weekend.

I know it's only late Saturday, but it feels like it should be late Sunday.

We have been so busy, but it's all very good.  Our gardens are weed free!  I can't believe how many tree sprouts there were.  Some of our weeds were crazy tall, like 'no need to bend over' tall.  Yikes!

Sadly, for them, they had to go, but one lucky sprig was moved to carry on and bless our 5 year old.  Our son has a "garden" of his own.  It's really a dirt pile, but he is always rounding up weeds, sticks and moss to make his garden beautiful.

While we were weeding, my husband had to pull a pretty good sized tree starter from right next to our garage.  It's probably two feet tall, maybe more.  He's straight and covered in leaves.  It's a beautiful little tree and it now lives in our son's dirt pile... err garden :)  E couldn't be happier.  He spent much of this afternoon watching over it.

How many diapers do I need?

I see this question a lot. The answer is that it depends on how often you wash your diapers.

Here are some basic guidelines for bare minimum stashes, and would likely need washed every other day (a little more if you're lucky!).  These are a great start if you're working with a budget.

Newborn Phase
3 dozen diapers

This could be:
3 dozen prefolds, 4-6 covers and a couple of snappis (least expensive option)
3 dozen fitteds and 4-6 covers (I personally *love* fitteds for the newborn stage)
3 dozen all-in-ones or pockets (I wouldn't recommend this as their legs are often so skinny and you may get leaks)
or any combination of the above

3 months and up
2 dozen

This could be:
2 dozen prefolds & 3-4 covers (least expensive option)
2 dozen fitteds & 3-4 covers
2 dozen AIOs or pockets (I do recommend these for this stage.  They absorb a lot and work well now.  I personally love my AIOs and they are daddy friendly.)
or any combination of the above

Once your baby gets older, you may find that a few more would be handy, or that you can go a little longer between washes.

My personal preference on stash size.

Newborn Phase
4 dozen newborn diapers
I would do 3.5 dozen fitteds, 6 AIOs(for on the go or for husband), 4 Thristies size 1 Duo covers & a few wool soakers.

Depending on what was cute, I might bump it up to 5 dozen.  There are some adorable fitteds and they're so easy to use in this phase.

3 mos and up
3-4 dozen diapers
I would do 2 dozen AIOs (because I love them), 1 dozen One-Size pockets for nights and naps and then some fun fitteds, 3-4 Thirsties size 2 Duo covers and some interlock wool.

Again, I might bump up a few more diapers.  Sometimes you run into one you want to try or that is just too cute to pass up.  Who doesn't like to splurge a little on cute stuff from time to time?

Special note for those with more than one in diapers at the same time.
When I had two girls in diapers, the above guides aren't quite right because I found that I did laundry A LOT more.  With one in diapers, I do laundry every 4, sometimes 5 days.  With two in diapers, I did laundry about every other day.  If I did it on the 3rd day it was pushing it on being too full, and sometimes it was.

With two in diapers you could easily do 1/3-1/2 less diapers per child.

What is your stash or dream stash?  Do you feel like you have enough?  Too much?

I will make a difference.

That's what the shirt of that adorable little baby to the left says, and that's what we hope to do.

That sweet baby's name is Sam. He is 5 months old and on April 13, 2010 he was diagnosed with Stage 4 High Risk Neuroblastoma. He is now having his second chemotherapy treatment.

As you can imagine, the doctor bills will be a great expense to his family. We want to help out with that! Please check out the Benefit Auction for Baby Sam & Family! The auction will start May 20th and end May 28th, with new items being added throughout the week.

Don't miss this great opportunity to make a difference!
All proceeds will go directly to help Sam!

If you would like to help spread the word, feel free to copy this post or grab the Donate button for you own site.  The code is to your left.

Thank you!

Salad, hold the pesticides please!

I'm *this close* to singing from my rooftop!

A new Harvard study focuses on the effects of Organophosphates (a type of pesticide commonly used on produce).  These pesticides are toxic to the nervous system and that's how they kill pests.  The thinking now (really?  just now?) is that 'ta da!!!' it can effect us too.  They have established a link between these neurotoxins and ADHD.  Makes sense right?!  They can't say for certain that there is a direct cause/effect and that more testing is needed, but it's a start.

The research thus far seems to suggest that the effects are more pronounced in children with their developing brains and generally smaller bodies/systems.  This study was done by testing the urine of more than 1,100 children ages 8-15.

"Children with higher-than-average levels of the most commonly detected byproduct -- found in roughly 6 in 10 kids -- were nearly twice as likely to have ADHD.  "It's not a small effect.  This is 100 percent more risk," says the lead author of the study, Maryse Bouchard, Ph.D."1

From what I understand, there is nothing known yet to say that stopping the consumption of pesticides will reverse the effects or allow for healing.  However, buying organic and local are now being suggested as a means to avoid these sort of toxins and the effects.

I encourage you to check out these sources for a more information:
1 CNN
2 NBC

As mentioned in these stories, organic and/or local produce is being recommended.  Local produce with pesticides is considered to be lower in pesticide load than store bought produce.

These articles also mention being sure to wash your produce well.  I would like to revisit a site I have mentioned before.  http://www.foodnews.org/

"The Shopper's Guide to Pesticides ranks pesticide contamination for 50 popular fruits and vegetables. The 49 fruits and vegetables analyzed in the guide are the top 49 most consumed fruits and vegetables, as reported by the USDA, with a minimum of 100 pesticide tests between 2000 and 2009. Nearly all the studies on which the guide is based tested produce after it had been rinsed or peeled."  You can read more about their testing and results here.

I buy organic produce.  It can be more expensive, but I find that buying what's on sale makes it very affordable.  I can often buy organic produce for less than what it costs to buy non-organic by simply purchasing what is on sale at the time.

If you need something that is not on sale or simply cannot find it in organic, try out the EWG guide to the cleanest (and dirtiest) fruits and vegetables, ranked by pesticide load.  You can view the full list here.

Round up!

I want to thank you so much for spending the week with me.  This event has been so much fun and I'm thrilled to be sharing it with you.

I would like to end this week with something special for you, courtesy of Kokomele.

Her handmade jewelry is beautiful and unique.  So much time and effort is put into each piece.  Her passion is designing and creating one of a kind sterling silver wire wrapped pieces of jewelry. She especially loves creating bracelets through custom designs.  Her love of creation began as a side hobby to keep herself occupied as she and her new husband into life together. It soon ballooned into a much larger undertaking as friends and family were requesting hand made pieces for each holiday and birthday, and of course as gifts for other friends.  She is hoping to start offering custom PMC charms and individual pieces in the Spring of 2011.  All pieces are one of a kind (unless otherwise specified) and will not be re-created without permission.

One lucky reader will win this beautiful bracelet.  See details below.

And for easy reference, here are the items featured this week:

HAPPYBABY Organic Baby Foods
YoBaby Organic Baby Foods
ERGObaby Organic Baby Carrier
Children's Orchard, buy used!
Raising Baby Green, by Dr. Greene
Feeding Baby Green, by Dr. Greene
Green by DE Diaper Bag
Sleepy Wrap Organic wrap style carrier.
Angel Baby Kit by Earth Mama Angel Baby
Thirsties diapers, wipes & wash
Artsy Fartsy Foo Foo Hemp Diaper Inserts & Milk Maids nursing pads
Solana Swaddle Wrap
BabyBond Nursing Cover
Medela Nursing Tank
Ty and Lumi Organics Baby Bedding
Organic Crib Mattress by Naturepedic

I would like to offer a special 'Thanks' to all of the companies involved this week.  Your companies, practices, products and participation is how I am able to continue to learn and a share with others.  You make a difference and I am happy to be able to help with that.

Here's how to win the beautiful bracelet above!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Head over to Kokomele (check out her gallery too) and tell me what piece you like best.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow us and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Happy Mother's Day (Day 6!) from @EFFBlog & @kokomele http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook EFFBlog

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends May 31st.  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was NOT provided product to review for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Sleep Well Little One

When we had our first son, I never considered that his mattress could cause him harm.  I didn't know that traditional baby mattresses were toxic. 

Most crib mattresses are covered in a PVC/Vinyl coating which is now known for containing harmful phthalates and emitting harmful VOCs.  This is commonly referred to as offgassing.  The interior of the matresses are often no better.  Most contain petroleum product foams and chemical flame retardants that also release harmful VOCs.  When you consider how much babies sleep, this is all quite frightening.  I encourage you to read more about this.  I would also like to note that they are recommended by Healthy Child Healthy World (who I adore).

When I heard about Naturepedic I was more than intrigued.  I wanted to try see one of these mattresses in action.  I contacted them and they were happy to be a part of this event.  I am more thrilled to include them though!

When the mattress arrived I was immediately in love.  I received the seamless design No-Compromise Organic Cotton Ultra with Dual Firmness.  I love the seamless design.  It fits snug into my daughter's crib (turned day bed!)  She loves it.  The seamless model offers a more hygienic design than the traditional design with decorative trim.  This mattress also offers dual firmness,  one side is slightly firm for infants, the other slightly soft for toddlers.  It will provide your child with a more natural, healthy and comfortable sleep environment

My daughter calls it her new bed and the first few times she took a nap in it, I had to join her.  She wanted her Mommy and I was happy to be there.  Thankfully her bed it quite sturdy.  I fell more in love with the mattress.  It is so comfortable and there are no weird chemical smells like with other mattresses.  I want one of these for our queen bed.  We purchased a mattress a few years ago and I'm just not a fan of it.  It's not comfortable at all.  I wish I had known about Naturepedic then.  If this interests you as well, have a look at their larger mattresses.

I love this mattress and highly recommend it.  It is, by far, the best crib mattress that I have ever seen.  Naturepedic wants your baby to sleep safely too.

Here's how to win!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Head over to Naturepedic and give me one reason why you should choose organic.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow us and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Happy Mother's Day (Day 5!) from @EFFBlog & @naturepedic http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook, EFFBlog, Naturepedic 1 entry each

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends May 31st.  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review from Naturepedic for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Give your baby your very best!

When our son (our oldest) was on the way my mother encouraged me to breastfeed.  I remember her nursing my youngest brother, so the idea was not foreign to me.  I think most of me was just mortified that my mother was talking about my breasts.  I told her I wasn't sure and made any excuse not to talk about it.

Then he was born.  He was perfect and amazing and couldn't imagine giving him any less than my very best.  I nursed... and it was hard.  He had a terrible latch and I was so uncomfortable.  I wanted to do it right which seemed to make things harder most of the time.  I ended up pumping and feeding and trying to nurse for more than a month.  Finally one beautiful day he got it and we never looked back.

Breastfeeding your baby is an amazing experience and it's largely possible because of amazing support and understanding.  I hope that today's package can help someone with that :)

I am currently nursing our third baby.  You'd think by now I would be much more comfortable with myself.  Sadly I'm not.  I am shy and easily embarassed.

Nursing covers have become quite popular, so I decided to get one.  The first one I got was the type that covers up baby.  None of my babies have been a fan of being covered while eating.  I can't say I blame them.  When I saw the covers offered by BabyBond I was very interested.  They generously sent me the Couture to try out and offered up one for an event too.  As you can see (to the left) it does not cover baby.  It covers you.  This cover rolls up very small and can easily be tossed into a purse or diaper bag.  It also had directions printed right on it (hidden near the shoulder), which is really handy, especially if you store it away for another baby or pass it on to a friend.  If you would like a BabyBond cover, head over to their site and be sure to use code effblog to get 25% off!

I think my absolute favorite nursing must-have is my Artsy Fartsy Foo Foo hemp nursing pads.  I have talked about them before, but these babies are seriously amazing.  I've used several brands of disposable pads.  I wasn't fond of any and I hated spending so much on boxes of them every few weeks, not to mention the waste.  Then I tried Milk Maids.  They were fabulous.  They were thin and didn't show through all of my clothes like the others.  They absorb plenty for me and I save a ton.  If you'd like to get some of these check out her shop on the 5th and 20th of each month.  Be quick though, when she stocks they fly!

As a nursing mother convenience is key, but so is comfort.  A good nursing bra is great, but who wants more layers?  Less is more with nursing tank tops!  I was recently able to try out a fantastic one put out by Medela.  It is super comfortable.  I have a larger chest and actually find this to be much more supportive than others I have tried.  It does not have a traditional shelf in it, but some extra layers and crossovers that provide support.  The lace detail also makes it nice for layering.  It comes in black and white.  I got it in black, but I think the white would be great for the upcoming summer months.

As you sit down to snuggle up and nurse your baby, something you should consider is organic blankets and bedding.  Your baby spends 60% of its first year sleeping in bedding. Your baby’s skin is thinner and more porous than an adult’s skin, which ensures your baby is even more vulnerable to all of the toxic chemicals found in traditional materials.

There are all sorts of beautiful organic items, but some of my favorite designs come from Ty and Lumi Organics.  Their fabrics are sourced, designed and made locally in the Vancouver Lower Mainland. Their new line of prints are exclusive to Ty and Lumi Organics.  That is what I love most.  Their pieces are truly special and not something that you'd see just anywhere.  You can spot my baby snuggled up in her blanket in the nursing picture up top.  The blanket is beautifully made and the fabric is so soft and gentle.  It washed up great after my daughter spilled her cup on it too.

I love blankets and this one has quickly made it's way into my favorites.  It is so soft and I just adore the pattern.  I can picture buying these as a gift for a special baby :)

One great help in child nutrition is Feeding Baby Green, a book by Dr.Greene.  It helps you start giving your baby great nutrition even before he's born.  Then baby is born, there is some great information on breastfeeding.  For example, did you know that: "Immediately after birth, babies' sense of smell is far more powerful than our own.  They can perform a feat that we cannot: by smell alone, they an select the breast milk unique to their mothers." This is in comparison to an adult trying to discern between two.  To me, that speaks volumes.

Later in the book it talks about introducing foods, what foods are best and how to help your child continue with a love for healthy foods.  There is even a great chart in the back to help you document what foods you try.  It looks like fun!

Now it's your chance to win todays items :)  The winner of this day will win a baby friendly nursing cover from BabyBond, my favorite Milk Maids from Artsy Fartsy Foo Foo, a super comfy nursing cami from Medela, a beautiful boutique style blanket from Ty and Lumi Organics, and a copy of Feeding Baby Green, courtesy of Wiley Publishers.

Here's how to win!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Tell me what your mother means to you, or what you hope to mean to your child.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow us and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Happy Mother's Day from @EFFBlog @DrGreene @babybond @medela_US @tyandlumi_jill @tyandlumi_wendy & AFFF http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook, EFFBlog, DrGreene, BabyBond, Medela, Ty and Lumi 1 entry each

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends May 31st.  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review from Wiley Publishers (book), Medela, Ty and Lumi, & BabyBond for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Snuggle Your Baby

One of my absolute favorite things to do is wear my children.  Our son is too old, but our girls are still completely wearable.  The first carrier I ever bought was a wrap.  This was about 2 years ago when our oldest daughter was born premature (but this is not limited to premature babies!).  When our daughter was born early an amazing nurse gave me a book to read about kangaroo care.  It turned my world upside down and inside out in the most beautiful way.  If you are a parent, want to be or know someone who is (yes, I mean everyone), I believe you should read this book.

Wearing your baby is a blessing in so many ways.  One of my favorite carriers is the Sleepy Wrap Organic.  It is so soft, supportive and I just love the bit of stretch it offers.  It fits tight to my baby and I just adore it.  I wrote about it back in January and I believe that it is a must for all new babies!  I am thrilled to have their participation in this event :)

This wrap is the one I go to.  It fits beautifully without the guesswork involved with some others.  I love it and think you will too.

Being closer to baby also means being careful about what's on your body.  Mainstream body product are full of terrible chemicals.  I was recently introduced to Earth Mama Angel Baby.  They carry all sorts of amazing organic items for mom and baby.  I am personally in LOVE with their body care products.  I have been using their Angel Baby Kit on the kids (love the wash and bottom balm especially!) and the Happy Mama Body Wash on myself (and baby when she joins me).  The scents are gentle and heavenly and I am at ease knowing that they are completely safe.

I love running a hot bath and sinking into it.  Their body washes are so gentle, both in use and scent.  My baby girl loves joining me.  I'll sit with my kneed propped to make a perfect little seat for her, cover her with a wet washcloth (like a little blanket) and gently scrub her with the foaming wash.  It is very relaxing and a great chance to bond.

Earth Mama Angel Baby is a great business and I am so happy to have the opportunity to work with them and help spread the word of their company.

Another company that I adore is Thirsties.  They are a small (but growing!) cloth diaper company committed to greener parenting and eco-friendly solutions, not to mention 100% USA made quality! Their diapers are made by work at home mothers near their Canyon City warehouse.

I love cloth diapering and I have talked about Thirsties on more than one occasion.  I encourage you to read more about cloth diapering if you haven't already.  It's so much easier than you might think!  Not to mention much more effective (ooh the blowouts we had long ago when we used disposables!).  It is also easier on the wallet and planet :)


To get you started on your cloth diapering adventure, Thirsties has generously offered up a Duo Diaper, a pack of their Fab Wipes (and yes, they are fab!), a bottle of their Booty Luster wipe spray, AND!!!  a combo back of their Pre-Wash and Super Wash!

Because I love natural fibers I have to include Artsy Fartsy Foo Foo Hemp Diaper Inserts!  These things rock.  I use them in all of my pocket diapers and in my overnight diapering solution.  I have tried other hemp insets and none compare.  Be sure to pick some of these up on the 5th and 20th of each month, but be fast!  When she stocks her store, they sell out super quick.

After baby has been washed up and diapered it's likely time for a nibble and nap.  Swaddling your baby is a great way to help them feel secure and sleep soundly, but not all blankets are created equal.  My kids hate getting hot and many swaddling blankets are simply too warm.  That's why I love my Organic Solana Swaddle Wrap.  I've mentioned them before, and I'm happy to be doing so again.

I remember when I used my wrap for the first time.  My daughter slept more soundly than he had in weeks.  At the time she wanted held, even for naps.  While I enjoy holding her, with two other children, nap time is generally a time I need to do things with my other babies.  This is one of my favorite blankets, even when not swaddling because it's so light that I don't have to worry about my baby girl getting too hot while she naps.


Are you ready to try out these amazing items?  The winner of this day will win an Sleepy Wrap Organic, Angel Baby Kit, huge gift set from Thirsties, amazing hemp inserts from Artsy Fartsy Foo Foo and a beautiful sheer, organic swaddle wrap from Solana.

Here's how to win!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Tell me what green thing you love most that relates to parenting, or which you look forward to most.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow us and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Happy Mother's Day (Day 3!) from @EFFBlog @SleepyWrap @MAMAMELINDA Thirsties AFFF & Solana http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook, EFFBlog, Sleepy Wrap, Earth Mama Angel Baby, Thirsties 1 entry each

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends May 31st.  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review from EMAB or this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Be Fashionably Green

When I started looking for products for this guide I wanted to help replace some of the things that we normally buy that just aren't as Earth friendly.  Doing that doesn't always mean that it has to be new.  After all, isn't one of the easiest ways to be green to Reuse?

With that in mind I approached Children's Orchard.  Children's Orchard is America's Finest resale/retail boutiques, featuring brand-name, top quality, gently used and new kid's clothing, toys, furniture, equipment, books and accessories! 

They pay cash for your kid's gently used clothing, toys, furniture and accessories. Selling Your Items at Children's Orchard is as easy as 1... 2... 3

Children's orchard has offered a $25 gift card for you to go buy some gently used, but totally adorable children's items.  Shop online or find the store one nearest you by using the locator on their main page.

Dr.Greene, a pediatrician, along with an indispensable team of pediatric and health experts offer medical expertise, parental experience and a focus on healthy living.  In Raising Baby Green, Dr.Greene teams up with a consumer health reporter and an author of parenting books to give parents eco-friendly options for pregnancy, birth, and parenting. Everything from choosing the best diapers to selecting nontoxic nursery paint and organic baby food is offered along with commonsense advice about diaper rash and food allergies.

This book is truly a great reference.  It includes lots of great, easy to follow tips on creating a green and healthy lifestyle for you and your little one.  Everything from pregnancy to nursery decorating, from food to washing up.  This book offers steps in bite sized bits.  You can easily pick and choose what works for you every step of the way.

Before you head out with your baby, you need something fabulous to tote your new book and goodies in.  That's where Danielle Elizabeth Designs comes in.  She makes absolutely beautiful (and versatile) diaper bags!  Even better, she has a line call Green by DE.  They are made from organic cotton and are simply amazing.  The detail in these bags is beautiful.  Beautifully ined compartments, feet to keep from scuffing up your bag, hidden magnetic closures, adorable matching changing pad and more.

I've been toting this bag around and I just love it.  The strap is comfortable.  The bag so light and completely fashionable.  I love the fabrics and all of the pockets (there are 8!)  They are the perfect size too.  Great for my baby girls toys to look adorable hitching along.

Now it's your chance to win today's items :)  The winner of this day will win a Children's Orchard Gift Card, a copy of Raising Baby Green compliments of Wiley Publishers and an amazing organic diaper bag by Danielle Elizabeth Designs.

Here's how to win!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Tell me what living green means to you.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow me and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet:"Happy Mother's Day (Day 2!) from @EFFBlog @childorchard @DanielleElizabe & @DrGreene http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook, EFFBlog, DrGreene, Children's Orchard, Danielle Elizabeth 1 entry each

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends May 31st.  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review from Wiley Publishers (book) & bag from Danielle Elizabeth for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

I love being a mother and I congratulate all that are or will be :)  Being a parent is the most amazing thing in the world, though it is not without it's troubles.  They are worth it though :)

In honor of you, I have put together one amazing event!  It's a list of some of my favorite baby (and baby related) items.  Things that make being a parent a little easier, a little more fun and are green too!

We have great packages all week long.  I hope that you find this gift guide useful and perhaps discover a few things that you were previously unaware of.  These items make great additions to registries, shower gifts and just as something special for you and baby.  Without further delay, here - for you is our Mother's Day Baby Must-Haves Gift Guide!

When my oldest daughter started on solids she got ahold of some puffs and fell head over heels in love with them.  Me?  Not so much.  They weren't organic and I just wasn't thrilled, until I found HAPPYBABY Organic Puffs.  They come in Apple, Banana and Greens.  Much to my surprise my daughter LOVED the Greens flavor!  I've heard that most do!

With my love for these puffs in mind, I approached HAPPYBABY about introducing them to you.  I was sent an assortment of foods to try and let me tell you, they do not dissapoint!

The first things we tried out were the Salmon Stix and Veggie Tots.  YUM!  I wanted to eat them all myself, though I limited myself to a taste and let my kids enjoy the rest.  They smelled amazing and tasted just as great.  Everything was amazing.  I am actually trying to get a store to carry their things locally.

They also have a new book out called HAPPYBABY: The Organic Guide to Baby's First 24 Months  This book is amazing and is a must read.  While reading it I was thrilled with the usefulness and unbiased view at making your own foods vs buying their products.  Big points to them for that from me!

HAPPYBABY has offered a great Make-Your-Own Gift Basket for this event.

• Organic cotton bib or t-shirt
• 1 canister of HAPPYBELLIES first cereals:  brown rice, oatmeal or multi-grain
  
• 1 mixed case of HAPPYBABYPUFFS & HAPPYBABY Melts
• 3 free trial coupons for HAPPYBABY frozen meals or HAPPYBITES toddler meals
• Organic cotton HAPPYMAMA or HAPPYPAPA t-shirt

In addition to this great HAPPYBABY package, their partner YoBaby (who is another favorite of mine) would like to offer some free trial coupons and an Eric Carle Growth Chart.  A big thanks to them for joining in!

To tote around your baby, who is all chubbied up from eating all sorts of yummy foods you *must* have an ERGObaby Organic Carrier!  I wrote about my love for ERGO a while back, and I'll tell it to anyone who will listen.

We are definitely an ERGObaby family here.  I love the ERGO.  It is so easy to use.  I can throw it on in an instant and it's great for taking to the store because either one of us can wear it.  My husband loves it.  He wouldn't go near the wrap styles, and I can't say I blame him.  I love them, but they really aren't manly in any shape or form.  Check out my husband wearing baby G.  He does this often.  He's been spotted making dinner with her no, doing paperwork, whatever it takes!  He's a great Daddy

My two older kids even have their very own ERGO doll carriers!  These bad boys are built to last.  They're made out of the same sturdy fabrics as the full sized ERGOs.  My kids love them and I'm thrilled to be able to share the message of babywearing with them.

Now it's your chance to win todays items :)  The winner of this day will win a HAPPYBABY Gift Basket, YoBaby trail coupons, growth chart and an amazing ERGObaby Organic Carrier.

Here's how to win!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry in order to have it counted.

This entry is mandatory! If you do not do this, your other entries will not count!

Tell me what parenting is to you.  Include your email address (if it's not on your profile) and the words "Live Green" somewhere in your comment.

Want more entries?

*Follow us and tweet this giveaway! Please tweet, "Happy Mother's Day (Day 1!) from @EFFBlog @ERGObaby @Stonyfield & @happybabyfood http://bit.ly/1jtGb1 #giveaway" Leave a comment with a link to your status. Tweet daily for more entries!

*Follow the blog and post letting me know that you are :)

*Join our new email newsletter for notices on special events coming up for the blog.

*Put the our Blog Button on your blog sidebar or web page. Leave a link!

*Like us on Facebook, EFFBlog, HAPPYBABY, ERGObaby, YoBaby 1 entry each

*Post about this giveaway on your blog or other social media (message boards, Facebook, etc!). Leave a comment with a link.

and as always, Good Luck and Enjoy!

US Only. Giveaway ends May 31st.  I'll use random.org to pick a winner. I will email the winner. If I do not hear back within 48 hours a new winner will be picked.

FCC Disclaimer: I was provided product to review from HAPPYBABY for this giveaway. No money or other perks were given. All reviews are my own and honest opinions. For more information about this blog please look here. For giveaway guidelines please look here.

Lanolizing Wool

I love wool and I've talked about it in some detail before. In that post I talk about how to lanolize wool, but I felt that photos along with further instruction may be helpful.

Let's talk details first.  In the post I did before I talked about two means of lanolizing and washing.  DIY (Baby Wash & Lanolin) and Wool Wash with Lanolin.  Both work, but I find that a true wool wash with lanolin works better and is of course easier.  Not to mention I've never ended up with it all over my counter tops (hot water, soap, lanolin & shaking can evidently sometimes lead to minor messy explosions).

Over the last few months I have been trying out Sudz n Dudz products from Emmaya Naturals.  I *love* them  Their wool wash never leaves my longies feeling greasy and it lasts.  I have been using it all winter and have only washed my wool a few times (I use wool daily).  Their soaps are amazing and the scents heavenly.

They carry all sorts of wool care products.   Liquid lanolin, wool wash bars, spray lanolin and more.

Below, I am explaining how to wash/lanolize your wool with a wool wash.  The same method can be applied to a homemade wash.  If you choose not to use a well made wash, be careful!  You need to make sure that the wash and lanolin is very well mixed and keep an eye on it.  If not, you can end up with lanolin spots.  If you get a spot, I have had great luck getting them out by carefully running warm water through them.  Just be very careful.

Before you start to lanolize your wool, see if they need washed (if they have been worn, they do).  If there is any soiling from solids, lightly rinse then scrub (gently) with wool was (a bar is super handy for this) and tepid water to remove the solids.

1) Fill a basin (bowl, sink, etc.) with lukewarm water (be sure to put enough water in to cover your wool). Put a tablespoon or so of wool wash in. Swish around a little to evenly distribute.  Notice that the water will get a little cloudy.

2) Lay wool on the water and gently push it into the water. Move it around gently to saturate it. I like to turn my wool inside out at this point. Gently swish it around again.  (I like to do steps 1 & 2 twice, the first time is to rinse away dirties (drain & refill basin), the second for long lasting lanolin protection.)

3) Continue step 2 until all of your wool is under water.  Be careful to watch for any colors that might bleed.  If they will bleed, put them in another container (see right)  Let them sit for 20-30 minutes.

4) Leaving the wool in the sink, drain the water.  I like to do this so that the lanolin can sink down onto and through the wool (or so I tell myself).

5) Gently press the water out. DO NOT WRING!

6) There are two methods that you can use to get more water out to prepare for drying.  1) Lay it on a towel and roll it up to get out excess water. or 2) My preferred method.  Use the spin cycle on your washing machine.  Spin only!  No water, no agitation, just spin.  Works great and will not harm your wool!

7) Lay to dry.  I prefer to use a drying rack like this.  It folds up super thin and I stash it in our broom closet.  If you remove the excess water with a towel this part can take a couple of days if it's a thicker item.  If you use the spin cycle on your washer, they'll be dry overnight (or sooner!)

That's it!  When they are all dry put them on your little one and enjoy their natural diaper covering awesomeness.