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 tskdesign

Picture, for a moment, the perfect summer day: sunny, 80 degrees, low humidity, a cool breeze. Where I live, these days are unexpected gifts (My ruthless, curly hair can attest to that.) While the modern convenience of air conditioning serves its purpose, nothing beats opening up the windows and inviting in the fresh air.

In the Northeast, September may very well be one of the best months to enjoy the fresh air without breaking a sweat from a walk to the mailbox which, for me, is about ten feet. Below are some ideas for making the most of the outdoors with your children without changing your daily schedule, routines, or activities.

1. Dine al Fresco: Much of our food originates from the soil or from animals that graze in “open” spaces.  For me, it feels good to eat in the natural environment and connect to the earth, the source of good food.  So, change things up a bit and serve breakfast outside.  Call me a romantic, but fresh air stirs my blood and awakens my senses.  What a great way to start the day!  

2. Drive with the Windows Down: Whenever I roll down the car windows, my daughter instinctively waves her arms and legs and lets out this giggly, contagious laugh. “Weeee!” I exclaim from the front seat, for a little extra rollercoaster effect. As the wind whips in one window and out another, it ushers in an energy that invigorates the soul. In fact, I can’t not sing when I feel so alive.  And sometimes that’s just what you need when you’re running the same old errands, day after day.  

3. Snack with a Story: Many small children eat a mid-morning snack.  This is a great opportunity for storytime. Grab your favorite books, a snack, and a blanket and recline in the shade or the sun (for a little vitamin D).  Not only are you enjoying the fresh air, but you are teaching your child that reading is fun, relaxing, and worthy of a special time and space.  

4. Hang Your Laundry Under the Sun: Many moms do at least one load of laundry a day.  I will admit, I am not one of those moms.  I do, however, have a clothesline.  Bring your wet clothes outside and hang them on a clothesline, letting little ones help out with an otherwise tedious chore.  Breathe in clean, fresh air and smell the grass as your clothes soak up these good smells.  

5. Shop at an Outdoors Farmers’ Market: Support your local economy by buying fresh food from family farmers.  This sure beats another trip to an overcrowded supermarket, where fruits have traveled from Brazil. I love the idea of nourishing my body with food from my own “backyard.”  Indulge your senses in the fresh smells of ripe produce, grass-fed meats, local wines, cheeses, and more!  Visit LocalHarvest to find a farmers’ market near you.  

6. Play Outside: You have all winter to play indoors.  So step outside and let your creative juices flow! Grab some sidewalk chalk and reconnect with your inner artist.  Or if you have a swingset, swing high alongside your child and let your imagination soar: Remember swinging over alligator infested lagoons? As you feel the wind blow past, pretend that you’re flying free.  Let go of your obligations and breathe in sheer fun.   

7. Get Moving!: My daughter typically wakes up from her nap around 3:00, at which time I’m suffering from sleepiness (if I haven’t napped too).  This is my cue to get up and get out.  It’s hard to fit in exercise with kids. Grab the stroller, double stroller, or bikes (if the kids are older), and head outside for a nice brisk walk or jog.  Pay attention to your breath.  Notice colors and textures.  Feel yourself awaken and your soul open up to possibility.  

8. Turn Off the TV: Trade a televised sporting event for the real deal!  Again, go local!  On a Saturday afternoon, pile the kids in the minivan and support your local high school athletics program.  It’s cheap, fun, and gets everyone outdoors for some fresh air.  This is a great opportunity to expose small children to healthy competition, spirit, and team work.  Plus, there’s usually plenty of space for them to run around!

11. Choose the Farthest Spot: When most people enter a parking lot, they naturally look for a spot closest to their destination.  What if we parked farther away?  Would it hurt to walk the extra 50 yards? Parking lots are often spaces of tension.  Avoid the madness and enjoy the walk.  Breathe in peace, breathe out frustration.  

10. Fire Up the Grill: I love the smell of charcoal on a warm summer night.  I associate it with family barbecues, lightning bugs, citronella candles, and watermelon.  Why heat up the kitchen when the outside temperature is mild and only calls for a sweatshirt?  My feeling is this: Take advantage of the grill for as long as you can, and hold onto those memories of summer.  

Do you remember those McDonald’s styrofoam packages?  The ones that kept the lettuce and tomato cold and the burger and cheese hot on your McDLT?  Though my husband insists they did away with styrofoam in the early 80s, it took McD’s until 1990 to begin phasing out their styrofoam packaging (after activists spent three years bombarding mailboxes at corporate headquarters with used packaging).

During the anti-styrofoam movement, I remember writing letters to this fast food giant, pleading with them to choose biodegradeable packaging.  There was an urgency in my tone; we were destroying the ozone layer, and styrofoam was, in part, to blame. 

At the same, I slid into my seat at the lunch table every day with a Hawaiian Punch juice box, an Italian hoagie wrapped in aluminum foil, a Frito-Lay chip snack pack, individually-wrapped Halloween or Easter candy, and maybe a piece of fruit.  My brown lunch bag was so choc full of c-r-a-p that my mom double-bagged it with a plastic baggie and a twist tie. (We should have owned stock in Reynolds and Glad.)  I was the envy of the lunch table. I also generated a shameful amount of trash.  But, at least it wasn’t “bad” trash. 

I took me a while before I started to realize that trash is trash.  And in truth, it’s taken me thirty years to feel uneasy about tossing Ziploc baggies.  I truly believe that many Americans have good intentions to protect our earth and go “green,” although I use this term loosely.  If we take an honest inventory of our actions, there’s an incongruity between what we say and believe (or say we believe) and what we actually do.  I’m just as guilty as my neighbor.  

Every year, parents send their kids off to school with brown-bag lunches and snack packs, individually-wrapped meals and desserts, juice boxes, disposable silverware, straws, and napkins, baggies, etc. According to the EPA, each child who brings a brown-bag lunch to school every day will generate 67 pounds of waste by the end of the school year – that’s 18,760 pounds of lunch waste for an average-sized school.

We, as parents, have the perfect opportunity to model environmental consciousness by packing waste-free lunches (or at least taking a step in that direction).  According to Sandra Ann Harris, Founder and CEO of ECOlunchbox, an eco-friendly company based in the San Francisco Bay Area, here is what you need to pack a waste-free lunch:

1. A Reusable Fabric Lunch Bag. While most major retail stores carry plastic/vinyl lunchboxes, studies suggest that their manufacturing threatens our health and environment.  ECOlunchbags are a beautiful back-to-basics solution for kids ages 3 to 103 who would like adopt sustainable, healthy, waste-free lunch habits.  

ECOlunchbags are 100% cotton, machine washable bags, which can be converted from shoulder bag to sling bag to backpack to hip pack.  Each fully-reversible lunchbag is sewn from fabrics that are hand block printed by artisans in India.  This company is directly connected with the artisans and the sewing shop in Bombay that makes the bags.  This is a fair trade project. 

2. Cloth Napkins. Each ECOlunchbag comes with 3 matching napkins, measuring 16 inches by 12 inches. They are designed for use as placemats or napkins. 

3. Reusable Containers. ECOlunchbox believes that non-leaching, stainless steel food containers are best. They come in two styles and are lead free and dishwasher safe. First, the oval lunchbox measures 6 1/2 inches long by 5 inches wide and 2 inches tall. It fits two halves of a sandwich stacked with room for sides.  It also contains a stainless steel cup (3 1/2″ diameter) with a no-leak, BPA-free plastic lid for wet items. 

Second, the retangular 3-in-1 lunchbox is great for packing a child’s lunch, which typically contains three items: a sandwich and two side dishes. Most children prefer their foods served separately, so this 2-layer stainless steel food container with upstairs inner box is a perfect fit. When closed, the lunchbox measures 4 inches wide, 5 1/2 inches long and 2 3/4 inches high. The small inner box, which contains 1/2 cup of wet foods, is good for applesauce, cut fruit and salads. (Please note: ECOlunchbox has chosen not to use any plastic or other gaskets in the pressure-fitting lid of these boxes, so they are not 100% leak proof.)

4. Bamboo Reusable Utensils.  The EcoKidSpork is made out of sustainably grown bamboo and is designed for small hands. The utensil is 5 inches long, sized ideally for children age 5 and younger.  The EcoSpork is a fun and healthy 3.5 inch alternative to disposables.  You can toss it in your lunchbag, backpack, purse, or wherever.

We can’t do everything, but we can all do something to green our world. Sandra has generously offered to give away an ECOlunchbag (with matching napkins) to one turnitupmom reader.  It is 100% plastic free, waste free, lead free, BPA free, PVC free, vinyl free, and sweatshop free.  All you need to do is supply the lunch!  

To enter, please leave a comment below with one thing that your family is doing to reduce mealtime waste.

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

On Monday, August 31, 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, #54, Mandy! You’re our ECOlunchbag winner!

Although we’re a nation of consumers, many Americans today are finding small ways to use less electricity. For instance, while we now enjoy the convenience of modern appliances like a clothes dryer, there seems to be a movement back to good ‘ol air drying.  Why?  Because we want to do our part.  It’s a result of our increased eco-consciousness and efforts to change our patterns of consumption.  We owe this to our children.  

I’ve heard people say: “You’re either part of the problem or part of the solution.”  Organizations such as Project Laundry List advocate for simple lifestyle modifications, such as using a clothesline or drying rack, to conserve energy.  See their Top Ten Reasons to Air Dry Your Clothes.  

Did you know that many Homeowners’ Associations have banned clotheslines? All houses should look just so- just the same.  That’s too bad, and frankly, un-American. (Believe it or not, you can petition the government about energy independence and your Right to Dry.) For me, clotheslines are inherently nostalgic and beautiful.  Bathing suits, tablecloths, whites wavering in the wind. They tell the story of who we are.  

So last week, I hung a clothesline across my backyard.  There is something meditative about taking care of household chores amidst the sights and sounds of nature.  While I wasn’t exactly singing “Just whistle while you work” with the bluejays, I felt like I was stepping back in time.  It connected me to my grandmother, and her mother, and her mother.  These women never knew of modern luxuries. Many hung their Sunday best on a shared clothesline between tenement buildings in NYC. Others pinned underwear (and you can bet they weren’t g-strings) to a line in their own backyard.  They had no other option; it was a way of life.  Yet, this spirit of resourcefulness and industriousness arguably brought neighbors together and fostered a sense of community. People were out and about, taking care of business, chatting through windows and over fences.  All this, thanks to the clothesline.  I’m a bit jealous.  

Perhaps it’s time to get back to basics.  It doesn’t seem like much, but it all adds up.  While I’m not dangling my bras out there, it feels good to be a part of the solution.

Last Saturday, we hopped in the big bad Subaru and headed out to the “country” for some strawberry pickin’. It started out like this: Daddy lead the way to an untouched patch of ripe, juicy strawberries. Two little feet followed close behind.

Then, we parked ourselves in a section of one aisle (notice the overalls are blue and white). We squatted down and inspected the berries, plucking the bright juicy fruits from their vines and plopping them into our basket. Well, sort of.

Note to self: Ripe strawberries are unwrapped candies to a toddler. Delayed gratification has no place in a field of fresh fruit.

The brim of her hat says, “Life is Good.” I mean, really, does it get any better than this?

Click HERE for a pick-your-own farm near you! Some even follow organic farming methods.

• Peaches
• Apples
• Sweet Bell Peppers
• Celery
• Nectarines
• Strawberries
• Cherries
• Lettuce
• Imported Grapes
• Pears