Photo by MarksandSparks

My daughter is a light sleeper. Around 6:45 a.m. every morning, I’m inevitably lying in bed wishing I could catch a few more winks (if only I didn’t have to pee). Instead, I tend to hold onto the last few moments of silent stillness and curse the sun for rising. My bladder can wait. I think.     

Some days it’s easier to wake up than others (with a smile on my face). Take last Monday, for example. I was sluggish. It was dark and rainy outside. I felt unmotivated to go out, but we had somewhere to be. I was in the mood for popcorn and a movie and lounging in my pajamas. It was one of those days.

Parenting isn’t a part time job. From my experience I can’t just check out when I’m not in the mood for discovering a new day- the /ch/ sound, the number 9, the phrase “oh yeah.” The old saying goes: Fake it till you make it. That’s what I did.

I shuffled into the kitchen with my well-rested toddler, bright-eyed and eager to play. I switched on the iPod, turned up the volume to Disco Inferno, and at 7:30 a.m. we had an all-out dance party. Tambourines, rhythm sticks, and shakers. We started off the day laughing, and the music was just enough to give me the boost I needed to feel awake and alive.  

I’ve started to think that this might be a fun ritual for kids before heading off to school. It’s a naturally energizing shared experience and everyone feels good. Sit down with your kids to make a playlist. Then, on a dark and dreary Monday morning, crank up the music. And don’t be afraid to show off those old dance moves. Your kids will laugh and love you for it!  

What are mornings like in your house?  Would music make a difference?  What songs would be a must-have on your family’s playlist? 

**This post is a part of the Moms’ 30 Minute Blog Challenge at Steady Mom**

It’s not unusual for me to be spent by 4:30 in the afternoon. So, this weekend I found a fun toddler craft from Here We Are Together (via The Crafty Crow) It’s simple, cheap, and kept my daughter busy for a whole 45 minutes (which is unheard of). 

1. Gather supplies: Elmer’s glue, construction/colored paper, a few different spices from your pantry, paintbrush (optional). I used red pepper flakes, rosemary, celery seed, and poppy seeds. This is a great way to clear your kitchen of outdated spices that should have been tossed years ago. 

2. Apply Glue: Dribble glue on the construction paper or encourage your child to make paint strokes on the paper with glue.  

3. Sprinkle Spices! It’s that simple. My daughter made three of these pictures and kept asking for more. This activity appeals to a child’s sense of touch, sight, and even taste if he/she is adventurous!  Plus, the mess is mom-friendly and can be easily cleaned up with a vacuum! 

Ta Da! Time flies when you’re having fun!

**This post is a part of the Moms’ 30 Minute Blog Challenge at Steady Mom**

This holiday season, if you’ve made a commitment to buying from a eco-conscious company that cares, then you’ll go WILD over Wild Dill! Wild Dill’s products nurture curiosity and wonder for everything that is natural and wild. Now that’s something we can all feel good about!  They carry only natural, organic, fair trade, made in the USA/Europe, or recycled clothing, toys, bedding and furniture for babies and toddlers.

Wild Dill offers a wonderful collection of toys made in the USA, including three of my favorite manufacturers, Green Toys, Maple Landmark, and Roy Toy.

Lately, my daughter has been playing with the ImagiPLAY African Safari.  It is constructed fairly in Asia and is made with plantation grown, chemical free rubberwood (a renewable and sustainable resource), and child safe paints. Just as their name suggests, ImagiPLAY’s toys inspire the imagination. Here’s how:

One of my daughter’s favorite books is Hug, by Jez Alborough. It’s an award-winning picture book about a chimp named Bobo, who is searching throughout the jungle for a hug. What’s so cool is that my daughter has started to act out this story using the African Safari pieces.  It’s so much fun to see her make the literature connections and to engage in dramatic play.

I need to tell you about a couple of other items at Wild Dill that I’m loving, in part because I’m so happy to support the makers of these products:  

Kenana Knitter Critters are hand-knitted by a group of women crafters in the Great Rift Valley of Kenya. These items are made from locally grown hand-spun sheep wool and dyed with all natural plants from their garden. When you purchase one of these delightful fair trade animals and dolls, you directly impact the income, status, and life of these Kenyan women and their families.

Pastel Toys are “special toys by special people.” They are made by a non-denominational, non-profit community of developmentally disabled adults in Western Galilee. I have no doubt that you will love these high quality collectible toys made of all natural materials and lead-free, water-based pastel paints. What talent!

Wild Dill also carries bamboo fabric, soy fiber, fair trade and organic clothing, bedding, toys, and gifts. Read HERE about why organic, fair, and natural matters. 

And now . . .for the giveaway! Wild Dill has generously offered one turnitupmom reader a $35 gift certificate for anything in their store! Here’s how to win: 

1.  Visit Wild Dill, and then leave a comment on this post, telling me what you’d like to purchase with your gift certificate. 

2.  If you’d like to earn extra entries, you can Facebook, twitter, or blog about Wild Dill and this giveaway. Then come back and, in a separate comment, tell me how you’ve spread the word!

On Friday, October 30th, 8 p.m. EST, one winner will be randomly selected by Random.org. You must be a U.S. resident (18+) to enter. Good luck!

Congratulations, #8, Amanda! I hope your kids love their new puzzles! 

Photo by lindsayshaver

While browsing in Gymboree yesterday, I noticed a sparse selection of holiday dresses for little girls, so I approached the manager: “Are you expecting to get more stock before Christmas?”

“Oh, no,” she apologized, sorry to break the news. “You’ve gotta get in here early.” Like before Halloween early? Are you kidding me? I’m still coping with the fact that it’s time to put away my flip flops.

I guess it’s also time to start holiday shopping. Many of you know how I feel about the toy industry. With this in mind, I wanted to share some of my favorite toy makers (all toys are made in the USA):

1. Green Toys:

What I love about Green Toys is that this California-based company uses recycled milk containers as the main ingredient in their toys. That’s right! Recycled plastic milk jugs are reprocessed into clean fresh plastic (or HDPE) to create a line of classic children’s toys that includes trucks, tool sets, and kitchen accessories. 

2. Maple Landmark Woodcraft:

This is a wonderful resource for award-winning wooden toys and gifts crafted right in Vermont. They use the best local materials from native species- rock maple, pine, and cherry. I love the NameTrains Wooden Railway System, the Made By Me toys that nurture creativity and construction, and the socially responsible Schoolhouse Naturals line.  

3. Elves and Angels:

This true family-owned and operated business from Maine manufactures children’s kitchens, castles, dollhouses, and playstands.  Head Elf David Smalley has been hard at work for 20 years creating timeless wooden classics that can be passed down from generation to generation.  Santa will be bringing my daughter one of these kitchens for Christmas! You can check them out at Nova Natural. 

4. Roy Toy:

Remember Lincoln Logs? Take a trip down memory lane with the Original Roy Toy Building Sets, crafted from pine trees grown in the U.S. These building sets encourage coordination and imaginative play, and they provide endless fun for kids of all ages.

5. Keva Planks:

These maple wooden planks are guaranteed to nurture the scientist and artist in all of us.  All pieces are the same, so when you are finished, it’s easy clean-up!  You’ll be amazed by the original masterpieces that children construct right on the family room coffee table. Constructing with Keva Planks is a great family fun night activity . . .and the destruction is part of the fun! 

6. Beka:

Beka’s Minnesota-made natural wood products are eco-friendly and simple. Aside from wonderful wooden toys and blocks, Beka offers puppet theatres, tables, easels, and more for the home and classroom! If you have a budding artist, storyteller, or architect, Beka is one-stop shopping.

Okay, I could go on and on. Please join me in supporting our U.S. toy manufacturers this holiday season. Transportation accounts for a big portion of our greenhouse gas emissions, and when we eliminate shipping from overseas, we’re contributing to a happier, healthier planet.  Happy Shopping!  Happy Earth!

Which U.S. toy manufacturers are your favorite? Please share! 

Photo by Michael Headrick Photography

I’m beat. We had a mealtime meltdown tonight. For a few minutes, my toddler was beside herself, virtually inconsolable. Then, suddenly, like the flip of a switch, she was eager to eat the turkey burger that she had just blatantly rejected. Once my daughter settled back into her highchair, my husband took one look at her and smiled, “Welcome Back.” 

Was she just “off” tonight, or is this a new phase?  Somebody please tell me it’s the former.  

For the most part, I’ve been pleased with my daughter’s eating habits. It’s something that I’ve diligently worked on from the start, and it’s certainly come with rewards; I have a happy, healthy, generally adventurous eater. These past few weeks, however, she’s proven more challenging. She has refused old favorites and seems to be exercising her will and voice. I find myself annoyed and frustrated: Who is this child and can somebody please return mine? It’s hard not to take it personally when your toddler is throwing homemade Chicken Parmesan overboard.  

Leave it to Dr. Sears to shed some light on a complicated developmental issue. In his article, 17 Tips for Pleasing the Picky Eater, he reaffirms parents about this challenging phase: 

For young children, what and how much they are willing to eat may vary daily. This capriciousness is due in large part to their ambivalence about independence, and eating is an area where they can act out this confusion. So don’t be surprised if your child eats a heaping plateful of food one day and practically nothing the next, adores broccoli on Tuesday and refuses it on Thursday, wants to feed herself at one meal and be totally catered to at another. As a parent in our practice said, “The only thing consistent about toddler feeding is inconsistency.” 

Aside from a lot of deep breaths (SERENITY NOW), there are a few strategies that seem to be carrying me through this picky period, and I wanted to share them with you:

Food Frenzy

1. Dip and Dunk. Get creative. My daughter loves hummus and pesto. Those have been two of our go-to dips when we’re eating chicken or fish. She won’t eat them plain, but either of those dips usually do the trick. Some kids love ketchup, mustard, yogurt, even pureed fruits. Let them dip and dunk!

2. More Cheese Please! Thank God for cheese. It makes everything taste better: spinach, broccoli, beans, hamburgers.  

3. Put it on a Cracker. Last week, I made a delicious Spinach Gratin and my daughter wouldn’t touch it (Mind you, in the past, it’s been a hit!). Once I offered it on her favorite whole wheat crackers, she was open to the idea. Crackers are often a great way to get the veggies down.  

4. Serve a 3-Course Meal. If I put a veggie, meat, and fruit on my daughter’s plate at all once, she’ll only eat the fruit. I always start with the least desirable food and finish with the most desirable food.  This way she is eating the least desirable food when she is the most hungry.

Mind Games

1. It’s probably NOT about the food. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that my sweet little toddler is exercising her will or asserting her independence. It wasn’t that long ago that she was completely reliant on me for everything. Knowing this helps me to approach mealtime with perspective and to avoid a power struggle or hurt feelings.  

2. Keep Your Cool. Your toddler is watching you- your every move and reaction. Don’t get angry. Be matter of fact: I see you don’t want peas tonight. That’s fine. Then, remove them fast before it’s raining peas. Tomorrow night offer them again, maybe with an enticing dip. 

3. Choose Your Words Wisely. My daughter is pickier right now, but I’m not going to tell her that. If I tell her that she’s picky, she’s likely to live up to that expectation. I think a lot of parenting is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Stay positive and roll with it. The experts say this inconsistency is just a phase, so don’t give it more power than that.  

4. Don’t Be a Short Order Cook. I usually have a few options for dinner that include a veggie, protein/meat, and fruit. That’s it. Bribery doesn’t work for me (If you eat this, then you get this.) As much as it pains me to let my child go to bed hungry, I feel that it’s the most logical consequence for choosing not to eat. It’s her choice.  

At the end of the day, I think it’s important to have a flexible game plan that you can live with, one that’s congruent with your belief system. What is working for you right now, or what has worked in the past?  

Happy Monday! Today I’m psyched to share a little bit about the lovely, talented Kristen Sutcliffe of New House Project. Kristen has a passion for crafting, and she’s always making things in her home. (This is not the point where you beat yourself up for not being the crafty-type. I won’t if you won’t.) In fact, her Jumping Cup Handmade Toy was recently featured on Bloesem Kids. 

I’d like to invite you to visit Kristen’s Etsy shop, where she uses local and re-purposed materials for many of her shop items. Her latest addition to the shop is a collection of soft and sweet 6″ x 6″ art pieces with vintage fabric appliqued and hand-stitched onto thick canvas. Kristen recently hung a small collection of wall art in her daughter’s bedroom. What I love is that this simple decorative collage adds warmth and happiness to the home.  

You can also find some beautiful vintage ribbon in her shop, like the pink and green floral embroidered ones pictured below. 

And now for my favorite part: Kristen is sharing her talent right here with us today! She has generously offered to give away a toddler apron to one lucky turnitupmom reader. Kristen’s aprons are handmade from vintage re-purposed fabric. If you have a toddler who likes to paint, cook, or make a mess (I think that covers all of them), then this one’s for you! Here’s how to win: 

1.  Explore Kristen’s Etsy shop, New House Project, and then leave a comment on this post, telling me which apron you would like to win.  

2.  If you’d like to earn extra entries, you can Facebook, twitter, or blog about New House Project and this giveaway. Then come back and, in a separate comment, tell me how you’ve spread the word!

On Monday, October 19th, 8 p.m. EST, one winner will be randomly selected by Random.org. You must be a U.S. resident (18+) to enter. Good luck!

Congratulations to #50, Sarah C! 

Photo by Bikes by the Sea

The following post was inspired by Finding the Balance of Mind and Body at Home @ Simple Mom. 

I love biking. I love how I can glide down a moderate hill, pierce the air, and feel free.  When I’m riding, even if it’s just around the block, my face softens and all the tension and ridiculousness of the day fades away. I’m not a serious biker; I do it for the timeless fun and nostalgia. 

When I first learned to ride, I was awkward and hesitant (and wishing I was in the back of a tandem beach cruiser).  Everything needed to be in sync- steering, pedaling, posture, weight distribution- and while I’d master one thing, I’d lose another. Inevitably, I’d wobble and fall.  

I think it’s safe to say that most of us struggle to find balance.  If you don’t, I applaud you. But if you’re anything like me, an all-or-nothing type, then losing your balance is commonplace. Your career is fulfilling but your home is in disarray.  Your relationships are deep and meaningful but you’re struggling to stay afloat financially. We hear it all the time: “Life is a journey. Enjoy the ride.” Well, that’s assuming that you’re on the bike.  But when you’ve fallen off, how do you pick yourself back up and move forward?

The Wheel of Life (printable pdf) is an excellent tool to assess where you are right now and where you want to be.  I would invite you to join me in completing this exercise:

• Imagine that the center point of the circle is the least desirable place to be and that the outside of the circle is the most desirable place.  
• For each category listed on the lines (you may wish to change or add some categories based on your values), mark a dot on the line that indicates where you are right now.  The closer you place your dot to the perimeter of the circle, the more content you are with this aspect of your life.
• When you have drawn a dot on each line, connect the dots.  How does your wheel look?  Which dots are closest to the center? Where is your wheel most warped? Most importantly, could you ride on it? 

Ultimately, the Wheel of Life exercise helps to identify those areas of your life that need attention.  Right now, mine are physical activity (I created this category), home environment, and spirituality.  Once you have identified these areas, what 3 specific things are you going to do to improve these areas of your life? Now here’s the hard part: Go do them!

Falling is a part of life. It’s normal and healthy. Adjusting and picking ourselves up is normal and healthy too. My hope is that this post gives you the push to do what you need to do in order to have the life that you want to have. Enjoy the ride!

The Wheel of Life was taken from the Business Management forms at Sohnen-Moe Associates. 

Photo by jenny downing

. . .the moment when you first wake up in the morning is the most wonderful of the twenty-four hours. No matter how weary or dreary you may feel, you possess the certainty that . . .absolutely anything may happen.

-Monica Baldwin, English writer

Photo by Rennett Stowe

My husband recently emailed me the link to a New York Times op-ed entitled Facebook Exodus.  With it, he wrote in jest: “Maybe we are on the cutting edge of cool . . . it seems the coolest may be leaving Facebook. And we never even joined.”  

Yes, I’m one of those; I’ve resisted Facebook.  And yes, I’ve taken some heat for it.  At times, my ambivalence has left me feeling guilty (when my family posts pictures), but not guilty enough to add this online social network to my to-do list.  I’m already pulled in too many directions, and like many of you, I’m struggling to find the balance between connecting and disconnecting.  It’s just too easy to crack open my laptop and to have the world at my fingertips: Oh, I’ll just check this one thing. This one blog. This one online shop. This one . . . An hour later, I’m kicking myself for not having opened a book, the same one I’ve been trying to finish since July. 

This isn’t about Facebook. It’s about knowing where to draw the line and asking: Is how I’m choosing to spend my time really what I want?  

I am not suggesting that we completely unplug. Most of us wouldn’t want that. Instead, we’d like to reclaim the wasted hours. The bottom line is this: There are only 24 hours in a day, and last I checked, God isn’t adding an extra hour. Our challenge is to strike a balance that we can live with and to use our time well. We text, we tweet, we friend, we google, we even send virtual drinks. Let’s face it, we’re tweeting what’s for dinner, and we’ve invited Big Brother to sit at the table.  Is this really what we want?

I am so excited to share a fabulous line of modern wall decor from Petit Collage with you!  Founder Lorena Siminovich is a San Fransisco based artist, designer, and illustrator.  Lorena’s extensive career as an art director has earned her international praise from clients like Anthropologie, Pottery Barn Kids, and Habitat UK. Each of Petit Collage’s modern goods is handcrafted in America and produced in a sustainable manner.

If you love modern with a vintage flair, then you’ve come to the right place!  I couldn’t help but smile when I spotted these whimsical home accents.  You absolutely must check out the limited edition, one-of-a-kind paper collages created on eco-friendly maple plywood.  Each collage is designed with found, vintage, and painted papers from around the world.  They are guaranteed to add a touch of fresh and fun to any room in your home.

Petit Collage has been highlighted in the press for stylish, green nursery decor. If you are looking to go organic and to design a space for your baby with a clean, modern look, then you will love these bamboo mobiles. This Bird Trio would add natural beauty to a kitchen or bedroom as well.  

Petit Collage is the source for modern, decorative wall art, including affordable prints on wood, growth charts, canvas prints, and posters.  And Lorena has generously offered to give away an alphabet poster (valued at $50) to one turnitupmom reader!  They are available in three different color schemes and are printed on 100% recycled paper.  Here’s how to enter: 

1. Visit Petit Collage and choose your favorite alphabet poster. 

2. Sign up for their mailing list.  This will allow you to receive updates about new products or collage styles. (This list is private and will never be shared.) Send an email to: orders(at)petitcollage(dot)com.  

3. In the subject line write, “turnitup giveaway”.  In the message, choose your favorite poster! 

4. Cross your fingers that YOU were the 15th person to sign up for their mailing list!  The 15th person wins!!

This giveaway will continue until we have a winner, but I have an inkling that it won’t take long.  Good luck!