Make your own Halloween Swap Day

Did you know there is a National Halloween Costume Swap day?  It was this past Saturday, on Oct 8th.  If you are like me and surprised that it’s already the second week of October, you were not thinking of Halloween over Columbus Day weekend.

I suggest making your own Costume Swap Day.  Talk with your neighbors, play groups and co-workers.  There are sure to be many costumes that are from years past that have only been used once.  Make a party out of the swap and bring a variety of costumes and/or props that may help complete some else’s DIY costume.

If you want to learn more about eco-friendly Halloween ideas, get updates and more from GreenHalloween.org. They have a Twitter party coming up this Thursday night with a lot of great prizes.

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Cloth diaper drying day

I think today is the last day I will be able to dry my cloth diapers outside.  They always come back so much fresher when they dry in the sun instead of the dryer.  Not only is it a great cost and energy saving option, but they brighten up better after being outside.  Although it takes longer, it’s totally worth it in my opinion.  New England weather just doesn’t cooperate with drying cloth diapers outside past September.

Has anyone dried their diapers in cold weather?

**updated~ after spending the time letting the diapers dry in the sun, I actually forgot to bring them inside at night.  It rained of course, so the very absorbent diapers then needed two hours in the dryer to fully dry.  Such is our life with two littles that distract me from finishing my to-do list!

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How-to book sales with Amazon

In my quest to clear out the clutter in our home this year, books have been top of my list.  I have been reselling my books on Amazon for over a year and have made a nice dent in my book collection.

I sat down tonight to list another 20 books which will hopefully find a new home.  I can’t compete with the big vendors that sell books for $0.01, but I try to price the books fairly based on their condition.
Are you interested in reselling your books?  I suggest gathering a small group of books to start and test the waters.
1. Enter your first book into Amazon’s search page, then look on the far right where it says “have one to sell?”
2. You will then be prompted to answer a couple of easy questions, like the condition of the book, how many you have to sell, and also the price.  I want to move my products so I price them on the low side, but will enough cushion to cover the shipping fee if I think it will be more than $3.99.
3. When a book sells, you will get two emails confirming this action.  You will then log into your seller’s account to get the shipping address.  Promptly mail the book to the consumer, then log back into your account to confirm the shipment which will then trigger payment to your own bank account.  This is a super simple process which I have been very happy with over the past year.

Here is a listing of my current inventory, please let me know if you have any questions about any of the listings or the process.  I have also resold a jewelry box and SodaStream flavorings on Amazon so there is a vast opportunity to send your stuff to a new home instead of the trash.

Besides books, what have you had success with at reselling?  Any plans to do so in the coming season?
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A natural boo-boo remedy

As the summer comes to a close, I’m on a mission to be better organized and prepared for anything on the playground this year. I’ve started a small bag that holds bandaids, neosporin, antibacterial gel, elastics, tissues, wipes and Tylenol. I’m also adding Topricin to the bag.
Topricin offers a “junior” pain reliever formula to help treat bug bites, bumps, bruises and other childlike boo-boos. The cream is a patented homeopathic pain reliever that contains a combination of biomedicines. It is believed that the medicine stimulates the body’s natural healing ability. We have tried the Topricin Junior on bug bites and it seems to alleviate some of the inflammation faster than usual.
My personal favorite is their Foot Cream, which I have been applying nightly. I carry my little guy in a Baby Bjorn and the extra 20 pounds on my feet are causing some pain. The foot cream is helping them get some much needed relief. There is a pleasant cooling sensation, far from the overpowering smell of most foot creams.

Want to win a handy supply of Topricin? Here is a contest that just started…

Contest overview:
Submit a photo of your travels with one of the Topricin Pain Relief and Healing
Cream formulas to be entered to win!

The Grand prizewinner will receive a year’s worth of Topricin – one 4-ounce jar
delivered every month (actual cash value $299.40).

The Second Prize winner will receive a “4 The Family” Gift Basket,” which includes: one 2-ounce tube Topricin, two 4-ounce jars Topricin, one 2-ounce tube Topricin Foot Therapy Cream, one 1.5-ounce tube Topricin Junior and a free 30 day supply of Topricin’s companion product -Glucosamine Plus and Free Topricin Samples too (actual cash value $145.95).

Three Third Prize winners will receive the Topricin Trio set of all three Topricin formulas: 2-ounce tube Classic Topricin, 2-ounce tube Topricin Foot Therapy Cream and 1.5-ounce tube Topricin Junior (actual cash value $49.93).

Hurry – the ‘Where in the World is Topricin’ contest ends October 15, 2011. Winners will be announced on the Topricin Web site on October 21, 2011.

Entry rules:
Send photo and caption along with your name, address, phone number and email address to: ‘Where in the World is Topricin,’ Topical BioMedics, Inc., P.O. Box 494, Rhinebeck, NY 12572.

Or attach photo to an email with your name, address, and phone number to marketing@topricalbiomedics.com.

Entries must be postmarked no later than October 15, 2011 and there is one entry per person.

Good luck!

Disclosure: I was provided Topricin samples for review. It did not influence my opinions shared here.

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A time to renew


September and Back-to-School season has always been an exciting time for me, both as a student and now as a mother. It is a fun time to start fresh after the dog days of summer. I always loved new school supplies as a kid, and it’s the same way now. Give me an empty notebook and my eyes will light up at the possibilities.
Now I am a mother to two great little kids. We don’t have any stake in back to school season this year as we are all home together. However, I still feel a pull towards renewing goals and a quest for learning something new. Here is where my head is as we start the wonderful month of September.

1. Spend more time on my blog cultivating a resource for the latest in recycled products, upcycled crafts, and beneficial product reviews.
2. Clean out our basement. Learn to manage a mix Craigslist, EBay or Freecycle. Less clutter will free us from spending time spent searching for things in those dark corners.
3. Come up with a resource list of activities for both our two and a half year old and our seven month old. Winter is coming and I want to have a plan.
4. Menu plan. I love to cook, I just want to get better organized this season. Maybe this will be the time to try Freezer Cooking.
5. Streamline my Twitter feed. I got this suggestion from Tsh at SimpleMom’s podcast.

I share this here as feel more accountable once it’s in print. If you have success stories for any of these similar goals, I would love to hear them. Or share what your fall goals may be. Thanks for reading and sharing your ideas as well.

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The Importance of the Lunch Box

As back-to-school season is upon us, I love all the ads for crisp new school supplies. One thing that should be on all Mom’s list is a lunchbox. When we are able to send our kids to school with healthy meals, we give them a better chance to succeed in school. The more I learn about the additives and chemicals added to processed food, the more strongly I feel about making my own food for my family.
Here is my list of ingredients I try to avoid when possible:
-high fructose corn syrup
-food dyes
-non-organic dairy
-trans fat
-added sugars (ever read the ingredient list on some kids applesauce?!)

We use lunch boxes that give us room for a freeze pack to keep organic milk cold, fruit fresh and veggies crisp. Here is an option from California Innovations for the princess lover in your family. I like that it has the Microban lining to help minimize germs. I wipe mine down with Seventh Generation wipes to keep it fresh. You can find these fun totes at Target and other major retailers. They also have Cars for the little guys.

Here are some additional back-to-school lunch suggestions from EWG.
Skip processed meats — sliced lunch meats, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, sausage and the like — even though they’re easy to stick in a lunchbox.

Avoid meats treated with antibiotics or hormones (look for a “no” message on the label or buy organic).

Stick with chicken and turkey; they’re low-impact and low-fat.

Try alternative proteins such as hummus, nuts and whole grains.

What will you put in your kids lunch box that they love?
For more styles of the California Innovations website, please visit: www.californiainnovations.com

Disclosure: I was provided a lunch cooler for review, it in no way influenced my opinions here.

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Real Food Snacks for Real Foodies

Our summer has been filled with beach days, picnics, play dates and more.  We are rarely home and often pack lunch and snacks to eat outside.  As a mom with two littles at home with me, I need snacks that can keep a two year old happy while I nurse a baby and I need options to keep me satiated since I’m always hungry!
Lately it’s been too hot to bake our own granola bars, which is our usual snack.We are all a little bored with buying cereal bars from Whole Foods or Trader Joes.  I was psyched to be introduced to Navitas Naturals Power Snacks.  Finally a snack that is not just healthy, but it includes superfoods that are sustainably-cultivated.  These yummy treats are organic, raw and vegan.  (Since my little guy doesn’t like when I have dairy these days, they are also breastfeeding approved.)  I tried both the Cacao Goji  flavor and the Citrus Chia option…hands down the chocolaty one is my favorite, and my husband’s.  The Citrus flavor is more “figgy” than citrusy.  The serving size is 3 nuggets of goodness, which is fairly substantial as they are very rich and filling.
In addition to the Power Snacks, Navitas Naturals offers a great variety of superfruits like Mulberries, Goldenberries and also a powerful Trailmix.  This is not your granola and chocolate chip kind of trail mix.. This is more like an explosion of flavor in your mouth that you haven’t encountered before.  You keep eating it because each bite is just a little different than the last.
I will say the Goldenberries are quite potent.  It offers a zing of flavor that could help wake you up around 3pm to get through the afternoon.  Yet my little friend Tucker who is 1.5 years old ate them without blinking an eye.  I think he is going to be an adventurous eater…
To learn more about Navitas Naturals, please visit their website.  As Back-to-School season is around the corner, this could be a new option of snacks for both kids and parents alike.
Enjoy,
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Navitas Naturals Organic Goji Berry, Cacao Nibs And Raw Cashews Trail Mix Trail Power, 16-Ounce Bag
Navitas Naturals Cacao Nibs Sweetened, 8-Ounce
Disclosure: I was provide Navitas Natural’s products to review.  This in no way influenced my opinions shared here.  They especially didn’t influence Tucker who thoroughly enjoyed his Goldenberries. 🙂

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Meal time meltdowns conquered

We have entered that fun phase of feeding our baby his first foods. It is wonderful to watch his expressions, but not as much to listen to his sister grumble during feeding time. We found a very cute and fun solution.


The Modern Twist Kidz alphabet placemat is a welcomed addition to our table. It is keeping our two year old occupied while I get some whole grain oatmeal into a very hungry mouth. The dry erase markers are coming off cleanly, even when I don’t get to wash it off for a couple of days. It has also washed out of clothes, since my little girl seems to draw everywhere when she gets her hands on coloring utensils. Other favorite thing is that it packs easily into a diaper bag and could help when you go out to dinner and need some distractions.

From the maker’s of this placemat…”Made from silky food-grade, hand silk-screened silicone, the mats won’t crease or rip. The mats are ideal for travel and mealtime activities and they feature creative, playful designs that will amuse and inspire little tikes. For parents who live a design-inspired lifestyle, the simple, clean design provides optimal functionality with a minimalist aesthetic. Nurturing the inner artist in every child, the mats are doodle-friendly with the use of washable or dry erase markers so kids can color and color again. All Modern-twist products are free of BPA, latex + chemicals, and perfect for an eco-friendly home.”
The Kidz Placemats retail for $18 individually or for $27 as a Kidz Box (one placemat & set of 6 markers). www.modern-twist.com

What do you do with your toddler when you are feeding a baby?

Disclosure: I was provided product to review for this post. It in no way influenced my opinions shared here.

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Slow summer tea


Sun Tea is always a favorite during the summer. I love that is doesn’t require any energy, beyond my own.

Fill glass pitcher with water.
Add four tea bags. (I like making decaf ice tea so I can drink it in the afternoon)
Place a couple of lemon slices on top.
Let steep in the sun for at least three hours, or until strong enough for your taste.
I also cover the pitcher with plastic wrap so no creepy crawlers spoil my fun.


What is your favorite summer drink?

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What’s Eating Your Child?

What's Eating Your Child?: The Hidden Connection Between Food and Your Child's Well-BeingEver since my daughter started eating solid food, I find myself reading more and more about nutrition.  The latest on my bookshelf is What’s Eating Your Child? This is not your everyday nutrition book, as it’s written by a dietitian and mom who uses nutritional solutions to common ailments.  Kelly Dorfman. Dorfman explores the many connections between food and common childhood ailments like attention problems, insomnia, eczema, and ear infections.  After a long winter of reoccurring ear infections, I skipped to that chapter first.
My daughter suffered three ear infections this past winter. Once one cleared up, another one took its place.  The constant antibiotics took a toll on her tummy and gave her the worst diaper rash I have ever seen.  I was personally interested in Dorfman’s take on how to avoid this miserable situation.  Her research indicated that many children with ear infections experienced relief when they greatly reduced their daily dairy intake.  My daughter hasn’t found a cheese she doesn’t like so this resonated with me.  I’m hoping we have turned a corner with the better weather, but I feel better prepared if we run into the same issue next winter.  In the book I also learned how important it is for young children to have clear hearing capabilities as any impairment at this stage can have life long consequences.
Throughout the book, Dorfman provides a list of questions you can ask yourself if your child is dealing with a childhood ailment.  Depending on the answers, there is a list of suggested actions.  As a mother of three, Dorfman’s writing is very honest and easy to understand for any mom looking for a possible natural remedy to treat a variety of challenges.

The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick - And What We Can Do About It [Hardcover]Looking for more childhood nutritional reads… I loved the book, The Unhealthy Truth, by Robyn O’Brien, which delves into the challenging world of food allergies and why they are becoming more common.  After reading this book, I became even more wary about all the hormones, pesticides and artificial ingredients that have been approved for our food system in this country, but banned in others. After reading this book, I haven’t looked at a food label again the same way.  ( I read them ALL the time too, which has really slowed down my grocery shopping trips.)
Feeding Baby Green: The Earth Friendly Program for Healthy, Safe Nutrition During Pregnancy, Childhood, and Beyond

I also recently read Feeding Baby Green, by Dr Alan Greene.  I am nursing a four month old and feeding a two year old so this is a great book for anyone in a similar situation.  After reading about starting baby on solids, I think I’ll take a different approach with baby #2 and skip the white rice cereal and stick with whole grains and real food….bananas, avocados, etc.  We try to avoid processed foods for the rest of the family, so my plan is include baby in this goal as well.

Got a favorite book about childhood nutrition?  Please share it in the comments, thanks!

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