Thursday, September 27, 2007

kid nation

this is my kids favorite show on tv right now. here is a link where you can watch a clip if you are not familiar: http://www.cbs.com/primetime/kid_nation/
basically a large group of kids with ages ranging from 8-15 are set free in an abandoned ghost town and it is up to them to work together to make their new little villiage work. it reminds me of frontier house (do you remember this from pbs?) but with kids! it is really cool to see them working together and making plans and problem solving so everything runs smoothly. it is also fun to hear my own kids talk about what they would have done in the same situation. so far the kid nation kids are doing great~ they cook, do laundry, pump and carry their water, clean the outhouses, and even butcher chickens! riley and niko have already asked me to sign them up for next season~

Monday, September 24, 2007

wordless wednesday~ birth art



playing catch up...

i have been horrible about blogging lately. no good reason for it, i have just been busy with other things. for instance Raverly has sucked up a huge lot of my spare and not-so-spare time. i was invited to join Raverly a month ago as a beta tester and quickly poked around then left it alone for 3 weeks. this weekend i finally did some serious browsing and oh, my... it is fiber lover's heaven!! fun stuff, that Raverly!
here is a cute photo of esme' i took yesterday as we were on our way out the door to pick up her big sister. yes, i really did take her out of the house dressed like this. the more kids you have the less these things matter to you. i was just happy to find that she had 2 shoes on, and the fact that they are on the right feet is a huge bonus!
she told me the other day that she wishes her hair was pink! she is a colorful girl... kind of like the love child of cyndi lauper and punky brewster...
and i actually completed a knitting project recently!! i knitted the giving pixie hat for harper. it is knit with malabrigo in the VAA colorway. i have a pair of pants on the needles in the same yarn.
would you just look at that sweet little face! another reason my blog has been neglected... i spend most of my days kissing those lovely cheeks, and getting my fair share of wet, slobbery kisses in return, and loving every second of it!



Sunday, September 16, 2007

thank you! i needed that!

this started out as just one of those days... not really a bad day, but not a great day either. i was in the other room sorting laudry and esme' was hanging out in the living room with harper playing with her new inflatable toys she won at the Hyde Park Street Fair yesterday (no doubt made in china *big sigh*)
apparently after a few attempts she succesfully inflated the little fish. she ran into the room where i was and exclaimed "mama, i know how to blow things up now! i am an expert!"
and you know what, she is an expert. an expert at brightening up my day and bringing a smile to my face! thank you esme' i needed that!



Saturday, September 15, 2007

only in a home with a small child...

would you find this:


three french fries dipped into a container of special sauce and placed in the refrigerator for tomorrow. i am not sure how they will taste, but i don't dare throw them away, because she will no doubt look for them as soon as she wakes up. *sigh* adventures of motherhood!

Monday, September 03, 2007

back to school

we had a fun, busy summer, but it has officially come to an end. the big kids went back to school last week ,and i started pre k lessons with esme' a few days ago. she loves it and wants to do lessons and projects all day, every day... even saturday and sunday! i guess i should be happy that she is so excited about learning! niko was excited about going back to school. she is a 6th grader this year so she is a big kid on campus! riley, not so excited. he was happy to see all his friends, but he was not ready for summer vacation to be over~ see his back to school pic... doesn't he look overjoyed?!

we were in such a rush the first morning they went back that i didn't get a picture of niko! here is a pic of here carrying harper in the babyhawk mai tai later that evening.

he was fussy and i was cooking dinner so she carried him until he fell asleep.

and while all the big kids are busy learning at school harper is busy trying to get this rolling over thing mastered. if he could just figure out how to get that arm out of the way... then maybe he could pull his own diaper up so mama would quit taking embarrassing pictures for her blog!

back to school shoes...

steph at adventures in babywearing has a great giveaway going on right now! head over and enter for your chance to win a $50 gift certificate to Vincent's Shoes! good luck!

Thursday, August 30, 2007

the most gorgeous bag EVER!

and it could be yours! visit musings of a housewife before friday at noon to check it out and for your chance to WIN!

Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Friday, August 24, 2007

Lifeline


listen to Ben Harper's new album: http://music.msn.com/music/ListeningBooth

available next week!!

win a pink dyson!!

okay, you all know a pink vaccum would make housework so much more fun! well, maybe not fun, but it would be cool just the same! visit mod*moms blog and leave a comment before october 1st for your chance to win a pink dyson! good luck!

Nestle' Boycott

we are nestle' boycotters, as difficult as it is to boycott a company so large, but we try. i decided to post the article below to explain our reasons in doing so. we are breastfeeding advocates, but above all we are advocates for the people targeted by this massive company's unethical practices.
so, if you feel inspired please join us in our efforts and boycott nestle'... or as my witty son calls them, nasty!


Boycott Nestle and help save lives. Please feel free to copy this article into email, for forwarding.


Nestle promotes artificial infant feeding around the world, breaking a World Health Organization (WHO) code of marketing. Nestle makes a profit while others count the cost.
* WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund say that reversing the decline in breastfeeding could SAVE 1.5 MILLION LIVES EVERY YEAR. Millions more infants become seriously ill because they are not breastfed. * Where supplies of water are unsafe and conditions unsterile, a bottle-fed baby is up to 25 times more likely to die as a result of diarrhea. Expensive formula (often costing more than half the entire family income) impoverishes people who are already poor. Milk is often watered down to make it go further, thus adding the extra risk of malnutrition. * A breastfed child is less likely to suffer from gastroenteritis, respiratory and ear infections, diabetes, pneumonia, polio, allergies and other illnesses. Bottle baby disease is the name given to the deadly combination of diarrhea, dehydration and malnutrition, which is the result of unsafe bottle-feeding. * Breastfeeding is the best start in life for a child - but Nestlé's baby food marketing puts profits before health. * Baby Milk Action coordinates the 18 country international Nestle boycott, focusing on Nestle because it controls about 40% of the world market in baby milks and uses its influence to undermine controls on marketing activities. Monitoring shows Nestle to be the largest single source of violations worldwide. The Boycott is supported in the UK by over 100 church, health and consumer groups, over 90 businesses 80 student unions, 17 local authorities, 12 trade unions, 74 politicians and political parties and many celebrities. * Nestle has been warned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) not to repeat claims made in the 1996 anti-boycott advertisement.
Nestle takes notice of sales figures - by boycotting Nestle, you can help stop these unnecessary deaths.

What you can do
1. Don't buy any Nestle products. If the company you work for provides Nestle products in Vending machines or in the staff canteen, make sure whoever is responsible is aware - see further down this message for a list of Nestle brands, print it out and take it shopping with you.
2. Email this message in your own words:
"I understand that Nestle baby milk substitutes contribute to the unnecessary death of 1.5 million infant deaths per year, I therefore pledge to do my best not to buy any Nestle products. I shall continue my boycott until independent monitoring demonstrates that Nestle no longer unethically advertises or promotes breastmilk substitutes."
Use this page to send email to Nestle.
3. Forward this message to all your colleagues and friends by email, and tell others who don't have email access.

The above information has been taken from the Baby Milk Action website.
Contact Baby Milk action for information on how you can join and contribute to their campaign.
Email: info@babymilkaction.org
Tel:(01223 464420 Fax:(01223)464417

NESTLE UK PRODUCT LIST (not guaranteed complete) NESCAFE Gold Blend * Blend 37 * Alta Rica * Cap Colombie * Cappuccino * Decaff * Fine Blend DAIRY PRODUCTS Carnation * Chambourcy * Fussells * Ideal * Milkmaid * Tip-Top * Bonjour * Chamby * Creme Vienna * Darlky * Flanby * Fulcreem Custard * Hippopota * Jacky * Le Grande * Nouvelle * Robot Also Sealtest and Haagendaas Icecream. CONFECTIONERY AND SNACKS Kit Kat * Maverick * Rowntree * Aero * After Eights * Lyons Maid Ice Cream * Nestle Ice Cream * Polo * Smarties * Lion Bar * Baci chocolate * Blue Riband * Breakaway * Cabana * Caramac * Caramel Wafer * Cello * Creamola * Dairy Crunch * Drifter * Eclipse * Good News * Festival * Fizzy Jerkz * Fruit Pastilles * Fox's Glacier Mints * Henri Nestle Collection * Jellytots * Karima * Lion Bar * Matchmakers * Milky Bar * Montego * Munchies * Novo * Quality Street * Rolo * RPC * Savana * Secret * Toffee Crisp * Toffo * Tooty Frooties * Walnut Whip * Weekend * Willy Wonka * Yorkie SEASONINGS British Shoyu * British vinegars * Cook-in-the Pot * Dufrais * Sarsons vinegar MINERAL WATER Perrier * Ashbourne * Contrexeville * Buxton * Vittel * Vittelloise OTHER DRINKS Milo * Build-up * Caro * Elevenses * Flo-Mix * Libby's C Drinks * Mix-O-Choc * Moonshine * Nescore * Nesfit * Nesquick * Slender * Superquick * Um Bongo PROCESSED MEALS Findus * Buitoni pasta and canned foods * Crosse & Blackwell * Maggi * Alphabetti * Bonne Cuisine * Dish of the Day * Eskimo * Four Seasons * Healthy Balance * Lean Cuisine * Pasta Choice * Rice & Things * Scrunchies * Waistline SPREADS & PICKLES Branston Pickle * Gales Honey * Holgates Honey * Pan Yan * Sun-Pat * Tartex * Vessen pate CEREALS Shredded Wheat * Shreddies * Cheerios * Cinnamon Toast Crunch * Cocoa Puffs * Crisp Rice * Energen low cal wheatflakes * Force * Golden Grahams * Honey Nut Cheerios * Luck Charms * Team * Robertson's cornflakes * Sunny Jim * Wheatflakes * Golden Nuggets COSMETICS L'Oreal * Lancome * Claudel PET FOODS Spiller's * Friskies * Go-Cat * Go-Dog CONTACT LENS CARE Alcon *

Notes: 1. UNICEF reviews contaminants: The possibility of breastmilk contamination has recently been portrayed in alarmist headlines by the media. A UNICEF paper 'Breastfeeding and Environmental Contamination' reviews the evidence. The superiority of breastmilk, despite the presence of small quantities of chemicals is affirmed. One study cited estimates that 'about three days of life expectancy would be lost because of cancer attributable to contaminant exposure through breastmilk. In contrast the decrease life expectancy from not breastfeeding was about 70 days'
2. Exclusive breastfeeding recommended for 'around 6 months': This is one of the conclusions of a WHO. report reviewing existing scientific knowledge about complimentary feeding in developing countries. The report states that 'full-term infants with appropriate weight for gestational age should be exclusively breastfed until about 6 months of age' and that 'children should continue to be breastfed for up to 2 years of age or beyond'
3. The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk substitutes was adopted by the World Health Assembly in 1981. It aims to protect all mothers and babies from aggressive company practices and to ensure that they receive accurate information. It bans all promotion of baby milks and other breastmilk substitutes.

changes in the air!

The big kids are getting ready to go back to school Monday. They are sad and excited and nervous all at the same time! When they are in school we are going to start pre-k homeschooling with Esme'. So while we were at the store buying supplies for Riley and Niko she got a few supplies of her own which she loved! Gosh, it just blows me away that she will be ready to go off to school next year! Where did the time go??


Another change around here is Fall is in the air! It is getting darker earlier, cooler in the evenings, and all my favorite TV shows are advertising their new seasons (okay, I have like 2 favorite shows, but it still so exciting!). Autumn is my very favorite season! So to get ready for the weather I have picked up my Baby Wearer Poncho once again. My goal is to have this done by the end of September, which seemed
so far away, but is now right around the corner. So here is my progress~ that big hole is the kangaroo pounch for baby to peek out of!

I also knitted this little set for a trade I did with Jessi from BratSacks Babywear. I got Harper an adorable little backpack with a lion on it... I figure it is never too early to make them carry their own stuff!

The wool wasn't quite as thick as I would have liked ( I should have doubled it up) so I lined the hat with some super soft fleece. This is the Giving Pixie pattern from Little Turtle Knits. Very cute... Harper is going to need one of these too!

And, last but not least, I knitted these cute little pants for Harper. They were originally going to be stocked for our congo's grand opening but I wasn't 100% happy with the gusset. And they happen to fit Harper perfectly so we kept them! They are actually a tiny bit long so they will fit all Winter... fingers crossed!

As you can see he was thrilled to have his picture taken in them! It was bedtime~ he was cranky! Hey, we're not called the Mom and Pop-razzi for nothin'!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

harvest time!!

here is a sneak peek at some of the goodies i stocked for Majestic's grand opening tomorrow morning! hand dyed yarn, a wool fruit and veggies play set, and the premier of my recycled sweater Sleepy Baby Soakers! i also have some peppermint pail dust and diaper balm listed. we will have free for shipping lotteries throughout the day! come check us out!



we will be stocking every other week and each stocking will have a fun theme, so visit us often!

wordless wednesday! in honor of world breastfeeding week...