Last chances to pick up the Healthy Living ebook bundle for just $29!  ($300 value) 
To see the full listing of ebook included, check out my first post here

What’s Included in the Sale?

When you purchase the Healthy Living eBook collection, you will get instant access to each of the 34 eBooks listed below. 

PLUS $49 of FREE Bonuses

Each Healthy Living eBook Bundle comes with $49 of FREE Bonuses from several of our favorite healthy living companies. Offers include a variety package from Redmond Trading ($21 Value), a FREE 3-Month subscription to Plan to Eat ($15 Value), and a FREE Sourdough Starter or Traditional Buttermilk Starter from Cultures for Health ($13 Value). Click here for more details

PLUS get entered to win one of 3 Great Prizes

Each person who purchases a Healthy Living eBook bundle is automatically entered to win any one of the following 1 Excalibur 9-Tray Dehydrator1 Omega VRT350 Masticating Juicer, or a R1 Royal Berkey Water Filtration System (Click here for more details). 

Click here to purchase your Healthy Living eBook collection (with FREE bonuses) today!

Please note: This collection is only available from 8 a.m. EST on October 29th to 8 a.m. EST on November 2nd. EXTENDED!! Last day to buy the ebook bundle is Monday, Nov 5th at 8 p.m. EST.


 


Simple Food (for Fall) is the first to read on my list, then probably Real Fast Food.  How about you?

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The rules about car seats changed from the time I had my first child to when I had my second. The new recommendation is for children under two years old to remain rear facing for two years, not just one.  It isn’t a law, but our precious toddlers are more than five times safer riding rear facing in a car seat. (Source)  Graco has come out with the first car seat to grow with your child from four pounds to 40 pounds. It’s the Graco SnugRide Click Connect 40, only available at Babies R Us currently.

I was lucky enough to attend a fun party to learn more about this new car seat. My friend Charlene was our host and we got to have a little mommy time at MiniLuxe in Wellesley, MA.  What’s not to love when you get to learn about car seat safety while getting a manicure and enjoying nibbles from AltaStrada.

Our little guy has been rear facing and really doesn’t know any different. He can see his big sister facing front, but he doesn’t seem to mind. He started off in the Graco SafeRide car seat, which is the larger version of the prior SnugRide bucket seat.  When we got the new car seat sized to him in the house, he was delighted to climb in. It was cozy, but he was comfortable.  It was the easiest car seat strap adjustment we have made in our history as parents. My husband is the one in charge of this task and I was surprised how fast he tweaked it to fit our 21 month old.

 The base of the bucket seat installed easily with the Latch belts into our Ford Escape.  We have him on the passenger side and the front seat is moved up about 2” from it’s farthest distance from the dashboard.  We slid the recline position to the largest setting to give the little guy more leg room. Can I say how much I LOVE the kick board feature?! Finally the back seat of my car won’t get ruined. Great update in my opinion.

We reviewed the Moonstruck pattern, which is the gender neutral option. Mena is the floral pink option for those of you who know what you need!  The retail is $219.99 at Babies R Us.  There is also a new stroller that will work with updated car seat to replace the Snap n Go. I’m rather attached to how easy it was to put the bucket seat on the Snap n Go so I plan to get the new stroller.

The only disappointment I had with the car seat is the top hood doesn’t adjust as easily as my old Graco car seat. It only goes up halfway and I did love how I could pull it further over to shield the babies from the sun (or rain) when I needed to.  I did pass that info along to Graco.

I’ll leave you with a fun fact I learned at the Graco Safety website…kids in Sweden stay rear facing till they are 4, and there are nearly zero auto related injuries to kids under 4.  Food for thought.
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The Graco SnugRide® Click Connect™ 40 – the first and only newborn to two-year infant car seat that actually grows with your baby from four pounds all the way up to 40 pounds. The car seat is designed for a parent on the go. The infant car seat can be easily removed from the base and used as a carrier when the infant is small, providing portability and convenience so you can easily move your infant in and out of the car without disturbing them.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently made the recommendation to keep all children in rear-facing car seats until the age of 2. Graco set out to make this product so parents can keep infants rear facing longer while still keeping them comfortable.
This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Graco. The opinions and text are all mine.

Over the past few years, I’ve started reading more ebooks. Cookbooks, parenting, and simple living ebooks are the ones I typically buy. Less clutter, but very useful information. I have the Plan It, Don’t Panic, Easy.Homemade, and Healthy Snacks To Go.  So many others are now available in the great bundle of healthy living eBooks. For 5 days only, 27 prominent Healthy Living authors have joined together to bundle 34 of their most popular eBooks, valued at just over $300, for the incredibly low price of $29.  Even if you like just a few books on the list, this is a huge deal when you add in the freebies.
That’s only $0.87 per book to gain inspiration, encouragement, and the practical resources you need for your own healthy lifestyle.  Plus, receive $49 of additional FREE Bonuses, and be entered to win one of 3 great prizes.

What’s Included in the Sale?

When you purchase the Healthy Living eBook collection, you will get instant access to each of the 34 eBooks listed below.

PLUS $49 of FREE Bonuses

Each Healthy Living eBook Bundle comes with $49 of FREE Bonuses from several of our favorite healthy living companies. Offers include a variety package from Redmond Trading ($21 Value), a FREE 3-Month subscription to Plan to Eat ($15 Value), and a FREE Sourdough Starter or Traditional Buttermilk Starter from Cultures for Health ($13 Value). Click here for more details.

PLUS get entered to win one of 3 Great Prizes

Each person who purchases a Healthy Living eBook bundle is automatically entered to win any one of the following 1 Excalibur 9-Tray Dehydrator, 1 Omega VRT350 Masticating Juicer, or a R1 Royal Berkey Water Filtration System (Click here for more details).

Click here to purchase your Healthy Living eBook collection (with FREE bonuses) today!

Please note: This collection is only available from 8 a.m. EST on October 29th to 8 a.m. EST on November 2nd. There will be no late sales offered.

Real Food Meals for the Whole Family

Have Your Fruits… and Veggies, Too! by Laura Coppinger @ Heavenly Homemakers ($5.95)
Real {Fast} Food by Trina Holden @ Trina Holden ($6)
20 Minute Meals by Leigh Ann Dutton @ Intentional by Grace ($4.99)
Real Food… Real Easy by various bloggers @ The Humbled Homemaker ($9.95)

Baking, Snacks and Desserts

Smart Sweets by Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship ($8.95)
Healthy Snacks To Go by Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship ($8.95)
Sourdough A to Z by Wardee Harmon @ GNOWFGLINS ($20)

Homemade “Everything” (Condiments, Pantry Basics, etc.)

Restocking the Pantry by Kresha Faber @ Nourishing Joy ($7.99)
Easy. Homemade. by Mandi Ehman @ Life Your Way ($3.99)

Grain Free and Paleo/Primal Eating

Grain Free Meal Plan Cookbook by Cara Faus @ Health, Home & Happiness ($18)
Toadally Primal Smoothies by Todd @ Primal Toad ($9.95)
Simple Food {for spring} by Shannon @ Nourishing Days ($10)
Simple Food {for winter} by Shannon @ Nourishing Days ($10)
Well Fed (Paleo Recipes) by Melissa Joulwan @ The Clothes Make The Girl ($14.95)

Saving Money on Real Food

Real Food on a Real Budget by Stephanie Langford @ Keeper of the Home ($18.99)
Plan It, Don’t Panic by Stephanie Langford @ Keeper of the Home ($4.99)
Don’t Compost It, Cook It by April Patel @ An Apple a Day Wisdom ($2.99)

Skincare and Beauty

My Buttered Life (Baby edition) by Renee Harris @ Hard Lotion ($5)
My Buttered Life (Gift edition) by Renee Harris @ Hard Lotion ($5)
My Buttered Life (Summer edition) by Renee Harris @ Hard Lotion ($5)
Simple Scrubs to Make and Give by Stacy Karen @ A Delightful Home ($3.99)
Food on Your Face for Acne and Oily Skin by Leslie @ Crunchy Betty ($7.99)
Holistic Mama’s Guide to Homemade Skincare by Roxanne King @ The Holistic Mama ($19)

Homesteading, Gardening and Preserving

Your Custom Homestead by Jill Winger @ The Prairie Homestead ($4.99)
Guide to Gardening and Preserving by Laura Coppinger @ Heavenly Homemakers ($7.95)
Apartment Gardening by Jami Leigh @ Young Wife’s Guide ($2.99)

Healthy Lifestyle

Simple Living by Lorilee Lippincott @ Loving Simple Living ($2.99)
Herbal Nurturing by Michele Augur @ Frugal Granola ($8.95)
Simple Natural Health by Nina Nelson @ Shalom Mama ($17)
Healthy Homemaking by Stephanie Langford @ Keeper of the Home ($12.95)
Music: An Essential Ingredient for Life by Resound School of Music ($6.99)

Pregnancy and Babies

Breast to Bib by Kate Tietje @ Modern Alternative Pregnancy ($8.95)
Healthy Pregnancy Super Foods by Kate Tietje @ Modern Alternative Pregnancy ($8.95)
Unbound Birth by Jenny Yarborough @ The Southern Institute ($4.99)  

PLUS, You will receive FREE Bonuses from these awesome Healthy Living companies…

$21.00 of incredible natural products from “Earthpaste” “Real Salt” and “Redmond Clay” products for FREE. Your choice of a FREE sourdough starter, or a FREE traditional buttermilk starter from Cultures for Health ($12.99 value) Your choice of: a FREE 3-Month Subscription or 30% off a One Year Subscription. Plan to Eat is a simple online menu planner that organizes your recipes and creates your grocery list for you. ($15.00 value)

 

PLUS, You will also be entered to win one of the following 3 awesome prizes…

9-Tray Excalibur Dehydrator with Timer ($349.95 Value)
  Omega Vert VRT350 Masticating Juicer($379.99 Value)
Royal Berkey Water Filtration System from LPC Survival ($289.00 Value)     
(wouldn’t these make a great holiday gift!)

  This collection is only available from 8 a.m. EST on October 29th to 8 a.m. EST on November 2nd. There will be no late sales offered.

Happy reading!

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Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. A small portion of sales helps support this site. Opinions shared are my own.

This little hurricane thing is throwing my meal planning off this week.  I don’t want to buy too much in case we do lose power, nor do I want to be cooped up without enough healthy meals on hand. The grocery stores were already crazy busy on Friday so I don’t think we should attempt them today. We have plenty of water and emergency supplies so I’m sure we will do just fine.

Today was the very last day of the Needham Farmers Market for the season. I am so happy with the success of the market in its first season and hopeful we can grow and move to town common next year. If you live locally, I would appreciate your support signing our petition to move to a larger location.

ic The Weather Channel

Sunday~ Pepperoni Pasta Bake and salad from the garden. Dinner was delicious!
Monday~ Chili in the slow cooker if the power doesn’t go out! Plus I bought Jalapeño Corn Bread from Big Sky Bakery at the farmers market to enjoy on the side.
Tuesday~ Braised Chicken with Mushrooms, Oven Baked Polenta and Peas.  Recipe is a favorite from the Everyday Foodcookbook which is one of my well-loved favorites.
Wednesday~ Happy Halloween! Mummy pizzas for the littles plus some leftovers.
Thursday~ Grilled Swordfish from the farmers market. Either salad on the side or will pick up a fresh veggie.
Friday~ Pizza with Trader Joe’s dough. Love everyone’s comments on the FB page about your pizza night. I may just make it from scratch soon and try this recipe from American’s Test Kitchen.

Stay safe in the storm! I’m hopeful I can still bake tomorrow and make some granola and muffins.

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Over the past few months, I have had a number of offline friends ask me questions about how to add text to their pictures, make their Facebook cover pictures into a collage and also which photo apps I use on my iPhone. I figured a number of my online friends may have the same questions so here is a list of resources that I use regularly.

Picmonkey
This site is the brain child the designers of the now defunct Picnic photo editing site. I have come to love how easy it is to use for editing a photo and adding text or watermarks. It is a free service and you don’t need to register for anything. Upload a picture and just play around. Changing your exposure is a huge help, especially for those of us with older iPhones without a flash.  What didn’t look good originally can suddenly be an awesome shot once you tweak some settings. Picmonkey also has fun holiday embellishments as in the photo above.

This is also my go to place to make a collage online.  I made a Facebook cover collage for my blog’s Facebook page over the summer and still love how it came out.  You choose make a collage from the home page, then upload some pictures you want to play with, then choose a layout.  For the Facebook cover collage, there are a  number of choices under the Facebook cover tab.  You can use this for either a brand page, or your own personal page.

Facebook cover collage made with Picmonkey

Ribbet
The other option is Ribbet, and this looks more like what Picnik was.  I like it but have had issues with it’s speed occasionally.  It does offer some cool filters, similar to what Instagram can do for your photos.

Same process to upload a photo then start editing.  There are more editing options on this site, including more text choices.  You can still do watermarks for your pictures, or add captions if you are then adding the pictures to a scrapbook. You can also save your picture right to Facebook once you connect the two.

In terms of the iPhone, here is the list of apps I use in order of their importance to me.
-Camera + (good editing options for on the go. I now use this, then upload to Instagram.)
-Instagram
-Hipstamatic
-Turbo Collage (this is what I typically use to make a collage and then upload to Instagram.)
-PicStitch
-Pixlr-o-matic

What is your favorite editing tool or iPhone/Droid camera app?

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It’s finally soup season around here.  The air is chilly and it’s (sadly) getting dark early in the evening. Now is the time for warm and hearty soup.

Here are my favorite recipes I’ve posted here…
Slow Cooker Tomato Soup
Sausage, Bean and Spinach Soup
Slow Cooker Beef Chili
Basque Fish Soup

Got a favorite recipe post? Share it in the recipe round-up below!

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Happy Monday! Hope everyone had a great weekend.  I spent most of mine volunteering (with lots of friends) at the Parent Talk Sale. Super fun event and so wonderful to see clothes and toys go to a second (or third!) home.  Sunday we hosted post-church donuts and coffee with four generations of family members. Then I processed another batch of tomato sauce and bagged chopped chives to freeze for the winter.

This week’s meal plan is a little light as we want to clear out the fridge and our evening schedules are a bit up in the air.  One thing I’ve learned is that even if my husband is away for the night, I can’t do too many leftover or breakfast dinners. One night is fine, but we need to get back to a well-balanced dinner so everyone feels good and stays healthy.

Here is the plan for this week…
Sunday~ Steak Tips, Sautéed Snow Peas (from the garden!) and Whole Wheat Couscous. (Corn was processed and frozen instead. See, lots of improvisation this week!)
Monday~ Out to dinner with friends after dance class
Tuesday~ Whole Chicken in the Ninja. This was so well received we are doing it again. Peas and eggs noodles on the side.
Wednesday~ Using the leftover chicken for quesadillas. Mexican rice on the side.
Thursday~ Chick pea chili in the slow cooker.
Friday~ Pizza
Saturday~ Pumpkin Carving Party at friend’s house…will need to make dessert!

What are you making this week?  Do you make a weekly meal plan?

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Today I was part of a blogging group that was the first to see the new Container Store at the North Shore mall in Peabody, MA. It is the 58th store for the well loved chain and only the third in the Boston area. I am a huge fan of the Container Store already and was delighted to be a part of their grand opening weekend. The grand opening is extra special because 10% of weekend sales will be donated to the Boston Children’s Museum.

Audrey Robertson, a 15 year employee from the corporate office in Dallas, greeted us and took the time to explain the company’s message.  It surprised me to hear that the “employee” comes first.  I’ve always received such good customer service there so I expected it to be “customer” first.  As I learned, if the employee is happy and loyal to the company, it will show in their customer service.  Plus, people really want to work for the Container Store. They have so many applicants that only 3% are accepted on average.  This commitment to the store and the products certainly has shown in my past experiences there.

Here is an album of pictures from the shiny new store. It even smells like a new store.  There was a wall of glass mason jars that was drool worthy.  I always feel motivated when I leave the store, filled with visions of a better organized closet and kitchen drawers.


If you head to the new store this weekend, the first 100 people to check in on Facebook will receive a $10 gift card to spark some shopping.

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I’m sharing a guest post today from my friend Anna Hackman of Green Talk. I met Anna at Blogher this year and I’m so impressed with her answers to the many eco-friendly questions parents face today. Recently, the issue of arsenic and rice has come to light as “worrisome.” Anna started a petition last February asking the FDA and EU to institute strict guidelines when it comes to arsenic levels in rice. Today she is sharing why we need to be concerned as a consumer, and certainly as a parent offering young children infant rice cereal and baby formulas with brown rice syrup.


Arsenic and Rice. A Deadly Combination.


Arsenic in rice is back in the news again. The latest report is from Consumer Reports’ study that revealed dangerous levels in both rice and products containing rice. The Consumer Reports study joins a long list of several prior studies, which includes the recent Dartmouth study

Despite all the studies, the FDA and the European Union have failed to act. This inaction prompted a petition calling on the FDA and EU to regulate arsenic in rice and by-products. We are all at risk. It is  not simply a baby, gluten free or ethnic food issue, because its byproduct is in many foods. 

How did Arsenic get into rice in the first place? Arsenic is a naturally occurring element in the soil. However, inorganic arsenic is found in the soils that were contaminated by arsenic based pesticides and fertilizers, industrial districts or mining areas, municipal waste, or contaminated water.


Eighty percent of the rice is grown in the US is from the south central area on lands that were previously sprayed with arsenic pesticide to reduce cotton boll weevils. In addition, arsenic laden manure has been used as fertilizer. Arsenic remains in the soil. Due to the nature of how rice is grown in flooded waters, it sucks up the arsenic from the soil. 

What is the danger? According to the EPA, the ingestion of inorganic arsenic can lead to cancer of the skin, bladder, liver, and lung. There are no studies of low levels long term arsenic exposure in food; however studies relating to low level arsenic exposure in water have shown increased likelihood of diabetes 2 and poorer neuropsychological functioning.

According to Michael Harbut, M.D., chief of the environmental cancer program at Karmanos Institute in Detroit, he suspects “there is an awful lot of chronic, low-level arsenic poisoning going on that’s never properly diagnosed.”

Why should YOU be concerned? You might be thinking, “I don’t eat rice so I can’t be affected.” Not true, since many products contain rice and its by products. Look for rice flour, brown rice syrup, and simply rice in the crackers, cereal, cereal bars, baby food, gluten free food, energy bars, and energy drinks just for starters. Worse yet, babies eat a lot of rice products such as cereals and needless to say, they are more sensitive to chemicals like arsenic. 

Does it affect all rice? No. However, 80% of all rice grown in the US comes from areas where inorganic arsenic is an issue. However, this takes some legwork to know which rice products are safer than others. And It doesn’t matter if you only eat organic rice since arsenic is already in the soil before rice is planted.

What can you do to reduce Arsenic level? Consumer Reports recommends certain guidelines to limit your rice intake. But simply, wash your rice first and cook it in 6 parts water to 1 part rice. Read here for more tips, different grains to source, and how agricultural changes can reduce the problem. 

But we need to change regulation by urging FDA to change the standard. Sign the petition asking for regulation. We should not have to agonize over the ingredients so that we don’t exceed the daily rice limitations recommended by Consumer Reports. And please share the petition with your friends and family (ten per day) right on the petition page. You can also share on Facebook, Twitter, and email. It takes a village.

Anna Hackman is the organizer of the Change.org arsenic in rice petition and thanks everyone who signs and
gets the word out about the petition. She is also a sustainability consultant, co-founder of the Green Sisterhood, editor of Green Talk, a green living and business blog, and obsessed gardener. But her most important job is being a mom of four boys.

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My first attempt at aerial yoga

Have you tried aerial yoga? Have you even heard of it? When I was offered the chance to test it out at a TD Bank sponsored event at the South Boston Yoga Studio, I jumped at it.

I received a new yoga outfit from Minawear for the special event. Each piece is made from hemp, a sustainable fabric choice. I choose the clam digger pant with silk trim, plus the three strap tank.  I didn’t want my outfit to be fussy if I was going to be hanging upside down.

South Boston Aerial Yoga Studio

We walked into a yoga studio filled with what looked like silk drapes hanging from the ceiling. Now I knew I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. Our instructor talked us through how to get into the silk harnesses. It was easier and more comfortable than I expected. The harness was wide enough to stretch across your entire body lengthwise. Once I was inside this dark cocoon, I didn’t want to get out.

photo courtesy of TD Bank

Alas, then the real workout started. Up, down, sideways and upside down. It was a test of both flexibility and strength. The reason why TD Bank sponsored a yoga event is they feel their company’s message of “flexibility and openness” is in sync with the same message as yoga. They don’t have typical bank hours and they have tons of different banking options for everyone. (Plus they are the first carbon neutral bank!)

The Fortuitous Housewife loved inversions

Would I do aerial yoga again? Yes. It was a good workout and my arms felt it the next day. What I liked best was the challenge of following directions throughout the class. I had to pay attention during each move so I didn’t end up on my head. I was totally in the moment and not thinking about my to-do list on the other side. A regular yoga practice doesn’t always do this for me.
There are limited areas to practice aerial yoga but it is growing in popularity. I suggest checking out a class to see if it’s right for you.

The Minawear outfit worked out great during the class. I may have to get myself the full length pants because they are just that soft and comfortable. They washed well and they don’t have that same smell that gets into my synthetic athletic clothes.

What do you think? Will aerial yoga be the next big thing in yoga?

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Disclosure: I attended the yoga event courtesy of TD Bank. I also received the Minawear outfit for review. All opinions expressed here are my own.