Blog
April 03, 2014
We are honored and thrilled that three of our favorite designing mamas agreed to submit designs for our latest Design Contest! All three mamas have amazing style, taste and love of life! We're so proud to be working with them. Take a moment to get to know the lovely ladies behind the designs.
Kristina meltzer of 100 Layer Cakelet
Kristina's blog 100 Layer Cake and it's latest incarnation for families, 100 Layer Cakelet are the go-to spots for beautiful and inspiring ideas for weddings, kids' parties and family fun. This multi-talented mama is a freelance graphic designer, backyard farmer, cookbook reader, project starter, and has two gorgeous little boys. We look forward to her daily dose of beauty in everyday things and her easy, lovely California style.
We love working
March 05, 2014
My baby is teething.
You know, that sounds pretty innocuous. Like he's just knawing at stuff sometimes, chewing on one of those little ring things – or maybe a frozen carrot – and letting those little buds of teeth push through.
And that's a far cry from what is actually happening.
What is actually happening is night screaming – and I'm talking the back arching, kicking everything in sight, screeching, red in the face, full-on HOWLING. Coupled with this is the relentless – and I do mean relentless – all night nursing.
And like “teething”, “nursing” sounds pretty innocuous. Baby tethered to mama, all gentle and in soft focus like the pictures that urge us Mamas to nurse our little ones.
And that's not what's happening.
What is actually happening is he chomps down on my nipple and PULLS it with his entire body while he kicks me in the stomach, pokes his finger directly in my eye, nose and does a thorough mouth examination while he's at it.
It's as if one type of inflicted
February 12, 2014
We're still deep in cold & flu season and it's still important to stay healthy during this season of sniffles and seemingly constant coughs. Are you overwhelmed by the amount of Tylenol and antibiotics you take every year? Read on for some holistic tips on thriving through cold and flu season…
1. Wear a scarf
Grandma was right! It is crucial to cover your neck, especially the back of your neck and the occipital ridge. There is a saying in Traditional Chinese Medicine, “wind is the leader of a thousand diseases.” Cover your neck (and head too, when it’s really cold) so the wind doesn’t whisk pathogens into the body via the acupuncture points along the back of the neck and head. Even during summer, it’s important to keep our necks covered and away from drafts when we are constantly in and out of air conditioning.
2. Get Acupuncture
It is especially important to get acupuncture at the change
February 11, 2014
Easy peasy last-minute Valentine's Day project for the kids: Mason Jar Lantern. What? It's February already?! Did we not just open gifts and countdown to midnight?! Where is this year going? Time to act like you have your act together and surprise the kids with a Valentine's Day project that you probably have the supplies for already. Let them think it was planned.
- Mason jar(s)
- Tissue paper cut into one inch squares (in a bowl)
- 50/50 glue/water mixture
January 30, 2014
Dear new mom and mom-to-be,
You're not going to be perfect. Not ever.
And that's ok because you are the perfect mom for your child.
I don't mean that no matter what you are the perfect mom, because you can screw it up. In some ways, I promise, you will, but as long as you're not burning your child with cigarettes, starving them, beating them, or neglecting them, then you are the perfect, flawed mom for your child. The sooner you accept that, the sooner you'll be able to live in the enjoyment of being a parent.
It is very, very possible (as in rather likely) that at some point after having your baby you may find yourself thinking you've made the most terrible mistake of your life. Television, movies, and social media like to portray having a new baby as this sweet, warm, fuzzy time of bliss or a hilarious string of out of control buffoonery and don't get me wrong, it can be all those things. The hilarity will be there, you just may not find it so funny when you're the one living
January 15, 2014
Hi Moms! Autumn here from Tailored Fitness back this week to help us tackle our next trouble spot, the Butt, with a baby-wearing workout you’ll love. If you missed our first post about how to tone the tummy, you can check it out here.
There are 3 changes that occur during pregnancy that affect our backsides:
Weight gain
It is completely normal to gain weight in places other than your belly during pregnancy. It’s part of the way your body makes sure you have enough nourishment for the growing baby. You may have noticed that as your front was getting larger (aka: breasts and belly) that your backside was getting larger too (aka: your butt). I like to think of it as the good Lord’s way of making sure we don’t fall over!
Loss of muscle tone
Towards the end of pregnancy, the weight of your
January 01, 2014
Happy New Year Moms! Now that the family is gone, Christmas cookies are eaten, and presents are all opened, you are probably settling back into your normal life as a mom. If you are like most people, you are probably thinking about the new year and how you’d like to make it even better than last year. One of the areas you might like to improve in the New Year is your health. Let’s face it: as a mom, caring for yourself usually takes last place. You make sure your kids’ needs are met, take care of your spouse, and after that, if there’s time, you take care of you. Sadly this often leaves us moms disappointed…with how our clothes fit, with how often we get to exercise, and with our lack of energy.
Let’s make this year different! To be the best moms we can be, we must take care of ourselves. The good news is that by carving out just 20 minutes a day you can make some big changes this year! Over the next 3 weeks, we are going to tackle the top 3 trouble spots for moms: tummy, butt,
December 13, 2013
Whether it's Spring Break, Summer or the holidays, travel with baby can be hectic, with crowded airports and frazzled nerves. But a flying with a baby during the busy times like the holidays doesn’t have to be stressful, according to MiniTime.com, the family travel website that provides parents with travel recommendations based on the ages of their kids. Here are MiniTime’s top tips for stress-free holiday air travel with a baby:
Consider an alternate airport.
Not only can it be significantly cheaper to fly in and out of a regional airport within a short drive of a major hub, but smaller airports tend to offer a more pleasant experience anyway, with fewer crowds, shorter lines and cheaper parking.
Grab the first flight out.
You can greatly reduce your chances of getting delayed if you book a morning take-off.
December 10, 2013
Traveling with children can be a fairly daunting task, a friend once told me it could be compared to swimming in a pool of sand. You just don't get very far, very quickly. Just like so many other things in life change when you become a mom, so does the way you travel. Gone were the days of one carry on, you now have to pack spare outfits, bottles, toys and so much more. My son Atticus and I make a pretty nice travel duo. We have flown around the country together, and in under 2 years racked up 87,000 miles together. Not too shabby for a tot that up until recently did not know how to zip his sweater. I'd love to say we have traveled to foreign lands, but MommyCon keeps us pretty busy domestically, and we have kept our travel to seventeen contiguous US states. When we travel I try to keep things concise and efficient. I learned long ago that some comforts of home should just be left behind, and in hopes of
November 22, 2013
We're walking through a tunnel of coastal tea trees. The end of the tunnel is black, until sunlight pokes through, leaving the silhouette of a big wallaby, furiously jumping straight towards me. A second passes as both the wallaby and I realise what the two-headed creature we're facing is. When I do, I grab my camera out of my Ergo pocket, but it's already too late: the wallaby and her joey have jumped off our hiking path, into the bush.
We are spending a month in Australia, where my husband is working. The children and I are enjoying all of Melbourne's wildlife, zoos and child-friendly museums, the superb coffee, cakes and ethnic vegetarian food, and meeting up with friends from various places and phases in our lives. I feel right