Progressive Pioneer

Giveaway: EC Wear

I'm nuts about baby leg warmers!  Of course, they're adorable whether or not you EC, but for quick on and off the potty and diaper changes, leg warmers are indispensible.  I put Vivi on the potty when she wakes up, after she nurses and whenever she seems like she has to to go, so pants are kind of inconvenient.  But when I have her in leg warmers it's such a cinch.  You don't even have to take them off, which is especially nice in the winter.

EC Wear is offering a beautiful pair of handknit baby leg warmers for this weekend's giveaway!   Here's a little about the leg warmers.

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EC Wear has discovered these adorable baby legwarmers which are perfect for elimination communication.  Soft and comfortable, these stretch knit legwarmers won't leave red marks on your baby's thighs.  Made in two sizes-- the standard 12" and a special 6" size to fit during your baby's first year without falling down!   

Each KD Baby legwarmer has a thumb hole so they can be worn as fingerless gloves or armwarmers for children and adults alike!  Durable construction --the same design, materials, and manufacturing processes used for KD Dance's line of professional dance wear. 

You can enter to win by leaving a comment below!  You can gain SIX additional entries in the following ways, but remember to leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add PP to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only) 3) become a friend (1st timers) 4) add a button (1st timers) 5) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 6) on facebook.  Good luck!

Congratulations to Christie, who said, "Requested to be a friend in FB :)"

The Friday Make and Do

Do something with this!  I came across it while looking for something to sole the bottom of Sam's Satch and Sol slippers because he insists on wearing them outside.  I think I'm going to go with some latex for the slippers, but I can think of a million other things to do with that Sugru goo... 

I'm kind of on a shoemaking kick lately so here's a great tutorial (I even posted another shoe tutorial in a make and do not so long ago!); I haven't tried making my own yet, but I would feel so dang self-sufficient if I did!  Has anyone ever made their own shoes?  I will be so impressed! 

This colder weather is the perfect time for some inside projects.  How about digging out that digital shoebox of old photos and turning them into something you'll actually look at?  I finally put our wedding photos into an album for Clay's birthday and it's been so fun to flip through.

Photo by Aubrey Trinnaman
Try these yummy riccotta cheese gnocchi.  I love everything Mark Bittman does and his simple approach to cooking.  Make a marble roller coaster!  They have something like this with magnetic pipes stuck to a metal sheet at the local children's museum and it's so fun.

Have a cozy, creative weekend!

Family Portrait/Baby Announcement/(Christmas Card?)

I love watching Clay work, whether in wood or paint.  He recently finished a commissioned portrait of a family in California.  It makes me smile every time I see it. 

The fun thing is that he's sending a digital image along with the original and they're going to print a bunch for baby announcements!  How great is that? 

I love that our wedding announcement is now a framed portrait on our wall; it's such a beautiful way to preserve that moment in time. 

If I could wrangle a little time out of Clay I'd try to convince him to do an updated family portrait (since there are now four of us!) that we could print small cards of to send out as Christmas cards (um, and also baby announcements since we haven't quite gotten around to that either...). 

I love how happy this painting is!  The new baby's name, weight and birthdate will be painted on a separate piece of paper and then digitally added to the pink ribbon for the one they print for baby announcements.  Then he'll either leave the ribbon plain or paint their family name on it for the actual painting that will be framed. 

If you're looking for a special Christmas present this year, perhaps a family portrait is just the thing!

New Traditions

Inspired by the Hundred Dollar Holiday, I started thinking about how I'd like our holidays to be this year, and in subsequent years.  Having a relatively young family, our traditions are still in the process of being built and solidified.  But even if your kids are older, I think you can still change things up a bit, especially if it brings more peace and meaning to your holidays.  Here are a few things we plan on doing to celebrate Christmas:

A Week of Candlelight:  I have such fond memories of power outtages when I was a kid.  They weren't an uncommon event in rural Maine and were always a cause for some excitement.  We'd pull out the oil lamps, flashlights and boardgames, build up a roaring fire and enjoy each other's company and an early bedtime.  I hope to recreate that peaceful feeling by turning off the lights as the sun sets and lighting candles and oil lamps for the week preceding Christmas.  No computers, no TV, just books, puzzles, boardgames, snuggles, and of course, the ever-elusive early bedtime. 

A More Meaningful Advent Calendar: Last year I made a reusable advent calendar with an activity tucked into each pocket.  This year I plan to add to it by incorporating the Christmas story.  It will be a way to remind us each day of why we celebrate Christmas and a way to sort of take the journey along with Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus.  Each day, along with the holiday activity, there will be a note or scripture to read starting with Mary's visit from the angel and culminating with the birth of the Savior.  So, perhaps one day we might pull a slip of paper from the pocket that reads, "Mary and Joseph were on their way to Bethlehem on a donkey.  Joseph likely walked while Mary rode as she was so very pregnant.  Let's do something today to make another person feel good like Joseph did; let's bring Christmas cookies to a neighbor."  Or something like that, I'll work out the details in a few weeks:)

Traditional Christmas Eve Dinner: Rather than a traditional American dinner, I'd really love to have a simple, Israeli meal that will remind us of what Mary and Joseph might have eaten on the eve of their son's birth.  Perhaps we'll even spread a blanket on the floor.  And, of course, it will be eaten by candlelight.  From what I've read, I think the meal might include an herb salad, lentils and beans, dried pears, pomegranites, dried figs, dried apples mixed with toasted sesame, flat bread with vinegar, and honeycomb for dessert.

Some fun traditions we're continuing are the handmade sibling gift exchange and the making of Tomten.  This year I'm hoping to also make a soft nativity set.  I've always wanted one that was child-friendly so the kids can really engage with it, but I've never seen one that was just right.  So, perhaps this is the year it will finally be made. 

What fun traditions are you looking forward to?

Costumes

The fabric scraps are flying; we're knee deep in faux fur!  Ah, the week before Halloween.  I love dressing up and making costumes, and luckily I married someone who gets equally excited about it. 
Clay is in charge of making Sam's costume and I'm in charge of Vivian's.  Sam picked out what he wants to be, so we're making Vivian a co-ordinating outfit.  Can you guess what they're dressing up as? 

We'll have the big reveal next Monday after Halloween...

Giveaway: Dress Me Up

Here's a fun giveaway for anyone with a new babe or anyone who knows anyone with a new babe (that pretty much includes everyone, right?).  Tressa, who owns Dress Me Up, is giving away two Teething Babe sets.  Vivian loves her little Rabbit from Dress Me Up, and I imagine, will be equally enamored with the teething bon bon we've got just waiting for her first tooth to make its appearance. (By the way, Tressa just opened up an etsy shop with some really charming vintage-style wool Christmas stockings!)

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Dress Me Up is a small, independent toy company located in Victoria British Columbia, Canada. We specialize in handmade, natural, organic cotton soft toys, eco-teethers and baby linens for young children. Our collection is designed by company owner and crafter, Tressa Brotsky, and brought to life by Tressa and her small team of local crafts-mamas. Each of our organic cotton soft toys, Teething Bonbons® and baby linens are meticulously crafted in small batches, ensuring confidence and loads of good energy in every aspect of creation and production.

As a designer passionate about environmental stewardship, Tressa chooses organic and sustainable materials, designing and creating naturally-inspired products with years of well-loved use in mind. Our ECOCERT certified organic cotton is USA sourced, and our lamb’s wool stuffing is from a small farm in Alberta, Canada - the oldest operating woolen mill in western Canada! We think of materials sourced from closer to home as ‘slow organics’ – encouraging a smaller production footprint and neighbourly business relationships. Tressa Brotsky is a mother, visual arts honours graduate, and child & youth advocate. She gets soOoo excited about encouraging creative play and growing imaginations! Tressa has been working with textiles her whole life, and loves to make soft fun happen for little people. Designing and creating her organic cotton toy collection gives shape and form to Tressa’s vision of environmental responsibility, and invites you and your little ones to simple, natural, delightful play!

If you're in the US or Canada you can enter to win by leaving a comment below!  You can gain SIX additional entries in the following ways, but remember to leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add PP to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only) 3) become a friend (1st timers) 4) add a button (1st timers) 5) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 6) on facebook.  Good luck!

Congratulations to Emily, who said, "my baby would love that....she chews on everything!"

The Friday Make and Do

1. Have a hot date with your spouse.

2. Sleep in late and snuggle with your sweet baby, while she tells you (in baby language) all about her dreams.

3.  Decide you might as well take the rest of the weekend off to play.

Done, done and done!  Sorry for the lack of real Make and Do post; Clay and I went out for Pho last night and left the kids with our sister-in-law.  It was our first date since Vivian's arrival!  We need to do that more often.  But late nights and later mornings make for no make and do, so I'll come up with a good one for next week!

Hope you have a fun, lazy weekend with your loved ones!

Book Review: Hundred Dollar Holiday

This is the second time I've taken this book out of the library, but the first time I've read it.  I always take out stacks and stacks with such grand intentions, but end up only being able to read a fraction of what I check out.  I'm so glad I took another stab at this one though.  It's super short; I just curled up with it last night after the kids went to bed and read it cover to cover.  It's more of a glorified pamphlet, but that's okay, it doesn't need to be any longer than it is.  The ideas are simple, but so important. 

Bill McKibben writes about the idea of a simplified, pared down, more focused holiday season from several angles; environmental impact, personal fulfillment and finding joy.  He argues that the Christmas holiday has always been a social construct, and gives an interesting short history to prove his point.  Whether the social salve between landowners and serfs that was wassailing, the pasting over of pagan traditions with a new holiday, or the corporate-induced consumption frenzy that is our holiday today, all incarnations of Christmas have ultimately come about because of the social and economic climate of the day.  So, he argues, why not recreate Christmas to more aptly meet our current needs?  The needs he thinks we should address as a society are the need for stillness and quiet, more time and less stuff, and communion with the Divine.  He suggests that rather than amping up for the holidays with a frenzy of parties, decorating, and shopping, that we slow down, stay home more, spend less money and spend more time with loved ones. 

Although it's simple, the book is really worth a read.  If you feel the pull of so many "shoulds" around the holidays and find them more stress-inducing than joy-producing, check out his book.  I felt like it gave me permission to buck tradition and create more of our own traditions that have more meaning for our family.  Each year we've made more things by hand and spent less, while adding new traditions to our young family.  I'm so excited about the upcoming holidays and the way we plan to spend them.  Next week I'll share some of the ideas I have for some fun and meaningful traditions that we're planning on weaving into our family holidays.

The Only Reason I Get Anything Done

You know those days where you feel like you can't get out of your own way?  Dishes pile up faster than you can wash them.  You walk into a room only to forget what you came in for.  You're still in your pajamas at 10am.  And noon.  Okay, and maybe you never actually get out of your pajamas.  Those days seem to happen more when you have a two month old and a two year old. 

I have absolutely no idea what I would do without my wrap.  What do people do that don't use baby carriers?  I mean, seriously, I couldn't possibly get a thing done without packing Viv into the Moby and plugging along through my daily duties.  My normally peaceful and charming girl has been somewhat of a grump these last few days and it's amazing how cuddling her into the wrap and just walking a few laps around the house can instantly turn a miserable, howling babe back into the sweet, little snuggler I love.

I always go back to my observation while living in Guatemala, that I so rarely heard babies cry there.  And I also rarely saw a baby lying down by itself; they're always being carried, whether by moms, siblings, aunts, cousins...  It's funny how I'll often try myriad other things: bouncing, singing, distraction etc. before I put her in her Moby where she instantly calms down and I wonder, "Why didn't I try that first?"  It must remind them of the womb, being all snuggled in like that, warm and close to your heart beat and the rise and fall of your breath, lulled by the sway of your step.  And I must admit, I love having her so close, her tiny body all curled up close, her silky soft head near enough to kiss.  It really is the perfect arrangement for both of us.  Though sometimes on those all-day-pajama-days I wish someone would carry me around like that!

Giveaway: Juice Beauty

Here's a fun giveaway to jumpstart the holidays.  Two readers will each win a Hydrate Your Holiday Kit!  Here, in their own words, is what Juice Beauty is all about:

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Juice Beauty is leading the prestige organic movement in the United States and we’re expanding rapidly worldwide.  Our mission is to have the highest efficacy, yet authentically organic beauty products in the world. 

Juice Beauty uses alpha lipoic acid, coenzyme Q10, DMAE, peptides, fat soluble Vitamin C and essential fatty acids for optimum age-defying results validated by clinical studies that have shown an 85% reduction in free radical skin cell damage.

Our patent-pending, antioxidant-rich, 100% organic juice base brings our total organic content up to 98%. Every drop feeds your skin with powerful antioxidants and polyphenols, essential vitamins, vital phytonutrients and age-defying hydroxy acids. 

Juice Beauty products contain no parabens, petroleum, propylene or butylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfates, pesticides, phthalates, artificial dyes or synthetic fragrances.

You can enter to win by leaving a comment below!  You can gain SIX additional entries in the following ways, but remember to leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add PP to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only) 3) become a friend (1st timers) 4) add a button (1st timers) 5) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 6) on facebook.  Good luck!

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Congratulations to Katie, who said, "Green apple mask sounds yummy!" AND tiny twist creative, who said, "what a lovely giveaway. Thanks! :-)"

 

The Friday Make and Do

This would make quite the weekend project, but how about building a basement root cellar?  My dream house totally has one of these (and a cheese cave...). 
Try a new spin on rice pudding; Canelle et Vanille has a delicious-looking quinoa pudding (and her blog is worth a visit simply because it's gorgeous).
Try this rad idea for making your own stamps.
Make a crown for your little Harvest King or Queen.
Have a wonderful weekend!

Book Review: One Morning in Maine

There are some nights where I try to talk Sam into a bedtime story like the Very Hungry Caterpillar, or something of similar brevity.  But tonight he requested One Morning in Maine and I was perfectly in the mood to oblige.  Vivian was asleep, the dishes were done and I hadn't had a whole lot of quiet time with my boy.  So, we snuggled down to get lost in memories of our birth place.  Clay and Vivian were both born here in Utah, but Sam and I can lay claim to Maine and, I believe, feel a special yearning for it.  I usually try to visit each summer, but with Vivian's arrival this past summer, I missed my annual pilgrimage.  I've been feeling particularly homesick, so it was a treat to revisit, if only in a book, the fond memories and feelings that thoughts and stories of Maine evoke.

One Morning in Maine is long and leisurely, the kind of book you can't hurry through, but must take at its own pace, much like life in Maine.  You learn to take Mother Nature and her many surprises in stride when you live in Maine.  You learn to savor the beautiful moments and roll with the punches such as overnight ice storms, wind-downed trees, and multi-day power outages.  But in this giving in, there's a liberation that I miss while living here in a less dominant landscape with quicker access to all things technological, civilized and purchase-able.  It's the same feeling I get on the rare ocassion I borrow Clay's beat up pickup; I stick to the slow lane because I'm forced to, and knowing that I have no other option and can't rush, I simply enjoy and savor the ride. 

One Morning in Maine is about an island girl's trip into town with her dad.  They dig clams in the morning for the mom to make clam chowder for lunch, they take their boat across the harbor to buy milk and groceries, but must row as the outboard motor is broken.  In town they chat with the mechanic and listen to old codgers' jokes and enjoy a leisurely ice cream cone.  There's nothing monumental about the story, but there's joy in the every day tasks, a celebration of the mundane.  It's such a peaceful book and I love slowing down at the end of the day to share it with Sam.

Preparing for Winter with Homemade Remedies

This winter I'm going to start dosing my boys with herbal remedies at the first sign of a sniffle!  Clay and Sam always pick up the same germs; if one of them has something I know it's only a matter of days before the other one's got it too.  But now I'm prepared!

I ordered some powdered herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs and made this anti-viral, anti-bacterial blend to be used for all sorts of things.  Even though I ordered the smallest amount it still made a ton!  I need to find some friends to split it with.  I made about half a mason jar full of the pills so we'll have plenty on hand and I may make a tincture in glycerin as well.  I feel so safe and empowered knowing that I can make things to take care of my family.  And, as often happens when I learn to do something new, I think, "Well for heaven's sake, this is so easy!  Why haven't I been doing this all along?!"

I love, love, LOVE this little gadget!  You just put in the capsules, pour your herbal mixture in and tamp it down, then snap on the top and pop out these perfect little pills!  So satisfying, and SO easy!  And I think it was only $15 or something.  Seriously, why did I ever buy pills at the store?

The wonderful thing is that I know exactly what went into these; no filler, just packed tight with fresh, organic herbs.  The recipe I used was so simple too.  It's just equal parts echinacea, ginger, goldenseal and licorice root.  You can totally do this!

I had such a nice time making these.  Sam was napping (a rare treat these days) and Vivian was sitting in her bouncy seat, happily supervising my work.  The afternoon sun was coming through the window as I sat quietly filling and refilling the machine as my stash of capsules grew.  I'm so excited about how easy this was and I can't wait to try some different recipes.

Mama Son Date

Sam and I went on our first Mama son date, and our first outing just the two of us since Vivian was born.  We have a children's theatre here in Salt Lake that does performances geared towards younger kids.  Right now they're performing an adaptation of the book Ferdinand the Bull, which happens to be one of my childhood favorites. 

So Sam and I got dressed up and combed our hair and headed out for an afternoon on the town.  It was such a treat to do something just with Sam.  And I loved being able to take him to a show that appealed to him as well as to me.  He, of course, was riveted.  It was his first live show and I could tell it just knocked his socks off.  The theater is only a few rows deep and the floor in the middle is the stage, so everyone is right there with the action.  We sat on the front row and at times we could've reached out and touched the actors.

I really enjoyed the stylish, minimalist way they did the scenery.  It very much called to mind the illustrations in the book.  The floor was painted green with a pattern of stylized flowers stamped across it.  I was also really impressed with how well the actors portrayed animals.  The woman who played Ferdinand's mom was especially good; I found myself marveling at how well she channeled a mama cow vibe.  The whole show was very professional, very artfully done.  I found myself being so appreciate that people put such effort into art that's geared toward children.  Of course children should be exposed to the real thing, not just silly, saccharine children's entertainment, but this is not always so easy to find.  We're so lucky to have it right here, practically in our backyard.  And it's only a hair more expensive than going to the movies; totally do-able.

Something wonderful about the Children's Theatre is that the audience is so much more involved.  No one thinks twice when a little voice calls out "Oh no!  A bumble bee!" as Ferdinand is about to plant his rear end square on one.  And rather than a frown, Sam got a friendly wink from an actress waiting near us for her cue, when he loudly whispered "Mom, look at that girl!"  During intermission children took to the stage and ran around wildly chasing their shadows and dancing in the lights.  There was such a wonderful feeling of exhuberant creativity.

The Children's Theatre has a really exciting lineup through winter and fall; Sherlock Holmes, The Emperor's New Clothes, Cats...  I can't wait for our next date!

And I Thought it Couldn't Be Done...

Every time I've attempted 100% whole wheat tortillas in the past, I've ended up with whole wheat crackers instead.  Tasty, but not exactly what I was aiming for.  These tortillas were the first thing I've made with my new sourdough starter, which I've had so much fun raising.  Is that the right term?  Brewing?  Cultivating?  It is sort of like a pet; I do have to feed it twice a day after all, so I suppose raising is an appropriate term.  Anyway, I built it up the night before and then started on my tortillas the next morning!

One thing that will take some getting used to is that you can't just whip something up when the mood strikes.  I had to build up my starter the previous day, mix the ingredients in the morning and then let it sit all day so it would be ready to cook up by dinner time.  But it was worth the wait.

The thing about whole wheat tortillas is that they make the meal so much heartier.  I usually eat several burritos when we use store bought ones, but with these just one fills me right up.  And the taste is so much more complex.  Usually I hardly notice the wrapping; when you eat a burrito, it's all about the filling.  But with these the tortilla carried its own against the tasty beans and salsa. 

But the thing that really won me over was the wrapability!  That's right, the ability to wrap.  These tortillas are actually soft and pliable, unlike others I've made that crumble or crack when you try to roll anything up in them.  They were best hot off the grill, but have even stayed quite tasty and soft after a couple days in the fridge.  I'm completely sold and so happy to have found a recipe for tortillas that's worth repeating!

After the tortillas, encouraged by the smashing success, I tried a chocolate sourdough cake. Hooray!  More culinary triumph!  I'm not one to enjoy overly sweet desserts.  Pretty much anything pre-made is too sweet for me.  This cake was perfect.  It only had 1/2 cup of sucanat in the cake and some maple syrup in the frosting.  With only a modest amount of sweetener, the other flavors were able to shine through: the nutty wheat, the tang of the sourdough, the bite of the chocolate...  Oh, and the chocolate coconut frosting!!  Yum!  It was just coconut cream, chocolate powder and maple syrup and it was so divine!  I love simple frostings like this.  Another favorite is cream cheese and honey.  There's a recipe for spice cake on the site I haven't tried yet; it just might be the perfect vehicle for some cream cheese frosting...

Giveaway: Magpie Patterns

I'm already thinking about Christmas and Magpie Patterns is the perfect spot to get inspired for a handmade holiday!  The pictures below are all things you can make from patterns or books in the shop.  This weekend you can win a $30 gift certificate toward anything that catches your eye!  And don't miss the coupon code, good for a discount on anything this whole week!

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Magpie Patterns is an online pattern boutique intended to inspire you to start another craft project. We sell knitting, sewing, crochet and embroidery patterns by some of the most creative and talented independent designers. This month is the shop’s one year anniversary and to celebrate we’re offering Progressive Pioneer readers 15% off their entire purchase from now until October 16th. Use the coupon code Pioneer15 to get your discount. Go ahead, start something new!

You can enter to win by leaving a comment below!  You can gain SIX additional entries in the following ways, but remember to leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add PP to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only) 3) become a friend (1st timers) 4) add a button (1st timers) 5) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 6) on facebook.  Good luck!

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Congratulations to Jolena Ashman, who said, "What cute stuff!"

The Friday Make and Do

Go for a loooong walk.  When was the last time you just walked and walked, the walk itself being more important than wherever you were going?  There's something so result-focused and agenda-driven about adult life; do you ever miss that childhood feeling of simply being in the present moment with no thought for what's coming next?  I love this time of year, not too hot, not too cold, but just right for long walks, stopping to admire the leaves and tiny things.  Take your kids along; they'll help remind you what it's all about.

Create something lovely with colored leaves.  You can preserve them with glycerin, though I haven't tried it.  My mom and I used to press them between sheets of wax paper with a hot iron and hang them in the window.

Write someone a letter, a real letter, on pretty paper with careful handwriting.  Maybe some notes or drawings in the margin and something pressed between the pages?  *sigh* I love a good, handwritten letter. We've been eating a LOT of delicata squash lately.  We had some very generous plants in our garden this year.  One of my favorite ways is with black beans and rice.  So simple and so delicious.  Give it a try, or cook up autumn's star veggie in your own favorite recipe; it's kind of hard to go wrong with squash in my opinion!

Hope you have a beautiful, cozy, autumn weekend!

Baby Yoga

This is a guest post from Stephanie of Mama and Baby Love that didn't make it up during my blogging "maternity leave," but I thought I'd share it today.  Sam and I have been doing a little yoga from the Yoga Today site lately.  He'll do the poses on his own little yoga mat right next to me for the first fifteen minutes or so.  Then it's off to play, or to climb on Warrior I Mama to make the pose extra challenging.  Viv hasn't gotten in on the action yet, but doesn't this look like a fun way to start?

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Going to a mama-baby yoga class is great.  But what if you don't have a baby yoga class in your area?  How do you get started?  First, learn a little yoga from a book, DVD, or my blog.  Don't try to learn all the poses at once.  Take a look at one pose and try it out.  Once you have that one down, take a look at another and try to incorporate that into your yoga routine.  Just one step at a time. Baby steps, for baby yoga!

Second, instead of trying to find a time to "do" yoga, incorporate it into your baby's playtime on the floor, or as you go about your day.  You can do Toes to the Nose, while you are changing a diaper, Moon Toe while you are nursing, or you can do Down Dog when you are potty training and need to wipe a tiny bum!

Third, the only thing you need is you and your baby.  No mats, no supplies, nothing.  All you need is for baby to be in comfortable clothing.  All that really means is no jeans, or long dresses.  You can do baby yoga anytime of the day, though I would wait about 10 or 15 minutes after eating.  Another time you don't want to do yoga, is if your baby has a fever or is sick.  Just like you shouldn't exercise when you are fighting a cold, so your body spends its in energy in rejuvenation. 
Lastly, just do it!  Make a commitment to a few yoga poses a day with your child.  Even it’s just a couple of deep breaths.

I love doing yoga with my daughter because no matter how busy our day is, I can always carve out time to do yoga with her and instantly reconnect with her.

The Bigger, Better Bib

Posting that picture of Sam eating his baked oatmeal in his big, plaid bib reminded that I wanted to tell you about it!  Sam had some great bibs that worked for awhile when he was small.  But as he outgrew his bibs, he didn't necessarily outgrow his need for them.  And bibs that only hit mid-chest do little to minimize the effects of enthusiastic toddler eating.  

And so, it was off to the scrap pile to see if we couldn't make something more suitable.

The fun thing about making things yourself is that you can make them perfectly suited to your own needs.  I measured Sam's neck to get the fit just right and used a dish towel to figure out just how much area we needed to cover.  I wanted ample coverage, and no chance of food sliding straight down the front and into his lap.  So, we designed a bib that also functions as a place mat.  From his neck all the way across his high chair tray, he's now covered in a waterproof and easy-to-wipe-off, extra large bib.

All I really did was make a rectangle with a circle on top (I trimmed the top corners of the rectangle though).  Piece. of. cake.  The material was that same outdoor picnic cloth I used for the cloth ziploc bags.  I folded it over (so both sides were the waterproof material), cut out the shape and then stitched the sides together.  Because I was in a hurry I just left them like that.  But, were you so inclined, you could make them much neater by folding them under and then sewing, or adding some sort of bias tape or something.  But, it does the job it was designed for beautifully.  No more chunks of soggy oatmeal in Sam's lap and it's a snap to run it under the faucet or wipe it off with a sponge.  And Sam, that little sweetheart, has said several times, "This is a really nice bib, Mom!"  He feels so special 
when I make stuff for him.  And so, I will continue to do so for as long as he likes:)

Comfort Food

This past weekend was the semi-annual conference for our church.  It's a worldwide thing where speakers talk about all sorts of things from personal spirituality to raising a family, and people from Ghana to San Francisco watch the broadcast.  We watched it streaming on our computer at home.  With two little ones, staying at home in our PJs was the sanest and comfiest option.

In college my roommates and I had a tradition of having a potluck breakfast and inviting all our friends and neighbors over for one of the morning sessions.  We always made my roommate's grandma's breakfast casserole and assigned things like fruit, bagels, OJ etc. to other people to bring.  Then we all sat around in our pajamas and ate breakfast while listening to the speakers.

In a nostalgic moment I decided to make this baked oatmeal recipe I found on Bloom.  I changed it up a little, and if I do it again I think I'll add about a half a cup or so of water since I used whole, rolled oats rather than quick oats like the recipe called for.  But it was tasty and satisfying and filled the house with a delicious cinnamon-y smell.  I do so love traditions, perhaps this baked oatmeal will have to become our traditional conference breakfast.  Sam, our resident oatmeal-a-holic gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up, or rather, he consumed the entire bowl almost without pausing for breath, which I took to mean that he really, really liked it.  

FYI: My adapted version is in my Plan to Eat account if you're on there and want to check it out.

Giveaway: Modern Organic Fabrics

We've got another giveaway from Modern Organic Fabrics this weekend.  She's offering a $25 gift certificate good for anything in her shop.  I've got some of this owl fabric destined to be something for Sam and this bunny fabric for Vivian.  I'm not exactly sure what I'll make for them; what would you made with such rad fabric?

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Hi, this is Melanie, owner of Modern Organic Fabrics, where I'm on a quest for organic cotton fabrics that are not-necessarily beige in color. In addition to being certified organic, the fabrics I stock are fresh and modern or pretty and fun in a large variety of colors. You can also find some wonderful sewing patterns as well, including Ottobre Design. You can enter to win by leaving a comment below!  You can gain SIX additional entries in the following ways, but remember to leave an ADDITIONAL COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.  1) add PP to your blog roll (1st timers only) 2) become a fan on facebook (1st timers only) 3) become a friend (1st timers) 4) add a button (1st timers) 5) mention the giveaway on your blog, or 6) on facebook.  Good luck!

Congratulations to Amanda, who said, "so much more than beige!"

The Friday Make and Do

We had so much fun making those felted balls, we might just try felted soap next!  Wouldn't these make fun Christmas gifts for neighbors and friends too?

Have you got a bazillion green tomatoes left in your garden?  Me too!  Last year we pulled up the plants before the last frost date and hung them in the garage, where amazingly, they continued to ripen.  But maybe some green tomato recipes this year?

If you're planning to make Halloween costumes this year, now's the time to start planning!  Sam wants to be a spider and Clay has already sketched out a design and started sewing; I'll be putting together a bee costume for Viv.  We only have a short while where they'll let us coordinate their costumes:)  

Have a fun weekend!