Make Love Not War & Happy Children

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Today is International Day of Peace!

At this very moment, UN peacekeepers around the world are risking their lives in the name of peace.

These men and women in blue helmets – more than 100,000 in total, making them the second largest deployed military in the world – can be found in 16 of the world’s most dangerous conflict areas.

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Teething Tales and To Do’s!

My precious darling is STILL teething! It’s been 6 wks!!!

And today, my tooth hurts! I’m due for a dental appointment that I keep putting off- the dreaded ROOT CANAL. Yes, that’d me! *sigh*

I can’t put it off any longer. I need to get it over with. I’m actually really comfortable at the dentist. It helps that Dr. Li is really nice I’ve been going to him since I was 8 years old. He’s a great guy. I was once part of the “no-cavity” club but those days are long gone. O’well!

Today, I have so much do I don’t even know where to begin! Yikes. Tristan is at my parents and I should be utilizing my time wisely (this counts).

Like a bad mommy,  I missed Clark’s 4 month appt. last week… I completely forget to write it down on my calendar. Oopsie. They sent me a letter threatnening to charge me $50 buckaroo’s! Garsh. It was one of those things I had totally thought about to but never confirmed my suspicions.

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Eco Holiday Giveaway, Book- The Diaper Free Baby *CLOSED*

I found a great read at the library a few backs. The Diaper Free Baby, The Natural Toilet Training Alternative by Christine Gross-Loh. A must read for you any of you who’ve considered or are willing to try what is known as elimination communication or E.C. Immediately, when I saw the words “Diaper Free” I knew it was a book for me. Just after I had Tristan, I heard about E.C. and thought it was an incredible way to potty train your child or as some like to call it potty learning!

The book outlines what E.C. is and how it is beneficial. Elimination communication does not have to begin in the newborn stage but it’s obviously the best place to start! There are two chapters that cover middle infancy and one for toddlers. Applying the E.C. method with your newborn could yield fantastic results- a one year old that is potty trained! Now, wouldn’t that be a saving grace.

I’m really hoping to start this method with Tristan. I’m really inspired by this alternative and can’t wait to see the results both with my toddler Tristan and Clark- my baby to be! In case, you don’t know what E.C. is-it is a gentle way of potty training your child through cues, signals, timing, and intuition to address an infants excretive needs partially or completely avoiding diapers. Basically, you’re helping your infant become in tune with his or her body.

Going diaper free and watching my sons using the potty at an early age would be phenomenal.

I’m preparing to start this method with my 19 mos. old son- whom I’d like to be potty taught by the time his baby bro, Clark arrives! Think of all the diapers you’d save from going to a landfill by attempting this process.  If I could have Clark potty taught on or before his first birthday…I think I’d be on cloud nine. Wouldn’t you be?

It’s a very informative book and I highly recommend it to anyone who’s thinking a little greenier or thinking about going diaperless. Think of all the money you’d save without diapers and you’d also be saving the earth too! It’s and interesting read and a common practice in 75 other countries. In fact, one study states that 50 percent of the world’s children are toilet trained by age one!!! Here in the United States the average age is 3 yrs. old. 

“Believe it or not, your child was not born wanting to go to the bathroom in a diaper. Like other mammals, human babies are born with the instinct not to soil themselves”

Learning to identify and respond to my childs potty needs just makes sense to me. You’ll find motivational stories and testimonials throughout every chapter.  The author is a mother of three -and each one had an individual path but were all E.C.’d! I’m very eager to get started!

 WIN IT NOW! All you have to do is visit The Diaper Free Baby  site and leave me a comment telling me where the author resides.

Be sure to leave me a valid email address with your entry.

INCREASE YOUR CHANCES: There are THREE ways to earn extra entries!!! - PLEASE,  make sure to leave a separate comment for each extra entry.

• Copy & Paste the Recycle Your Day holiday button on your blog!
• Twitter This, or Stumble giveaway. Don’t forget to leave your Twitter name!!
• Subscribe to RYD feed and confirm subscription- only applies to new subscribers.

GIVEAWAY ENDS- Saturday, Dec 6, 2008 Winner will be announced on the 7th! Winner will have 3 days to claim their prize otherwise prize will be forfeited and re-draw will occur!

U.S. ENTRIES ONLY, PLEASE!

Good luck!   :)

*** We have a winner and the book goes to Michelle R.! Congrats, Michelle!

Thank you to all who entered and are entering the giveaways!

 Remember, you can only win once during the Eco-Holiday Giveaways!  

Motrin’s new ad raises big STINK, for a good reason too!

Motrin has a new ad running on their website…have you seen it??? Take a moment to before you read on!

In case you don’t feel like clicking away just yet…

Here’s the ad word for word:

I mean in theory it’s a great idea.

And who knows what else they’ve come up with. Wear your baby on your side, your front, go hands free.

Supposedly, it’s a real bonding experience.

They say that babies carried close to the bod tend to cry less than others.

But what about me? Do moms that wear their babies cry more than those who don’t?

I sure do!

These things put a ton of strain on your back, your neck, your shoulders. Did I mention your back?!

I mean, I’ll put up with the pain because it’s a good kind of pain; it’s for my kid.

Plus, it totally makes me look like an official mom.

And so if I look tired and crazy, people will understand why.

This ad has moms furious- not just babywearing mama’s but mother’s in general too. The ad has a very sarcastic tone, wouldn’t you agree? It’s condenscending and demeaning toward mother’s. Since when did babywearing become a fashion statement or trendy? Since when did babywearing become such a problem that moms were getting neck, back and shoulder pain… I mean c’mon Motrin (Johnson and Johnson)! What the heck were you thinking??? I’m not even sure the person (s) who came up with this ad was thinking- AT ALL. Why did they have to single out a group in this message? The message could’ve have been done more tastefully and with tact. Instead, they chose to MOCK us! How ridiculous. The fact that Motrin mentions the word “supposedly” like baby wearing isn’t a REAL bonding experience is completely unnerving to mother’s. They obviously don’t know our real pain. The message is outright condescending and the target market they chose was in poor judgement. This message was not only offensive but it’s misleading. It makes it sound like babywearing is a painful experience. When in fact, it’s quite the opposite. I LOVE wearing my baby and cannot wait to wear my baby to be! It has been my saving grace on numerous occassions- in the grocery store, around the house and at numerous public events! Wearing my baby close is something I chose because I enjoy it. I’ve never had back, neck or shoulder pain from it and if I did- I wouldn’t take Motrin- I’d stop wearing it! The more I think about this ad- the more worked up I get. It’s completely disrespectful on soooo many levels. Baby wearing mama’s is a large demographic. Motrin fails to see this.

While on twitter last night, this large demographic of woman were raising a big STINK- and for a DAMN GOOD REASON. Motrin stinks for allowing such a video to air on the web!! Motrin has clearly lost the trust of many moms since viewing or reading this ugly campaign commercial. They don’t realize how big social media is but will very soon! Us moms are uniting and helping to spread the word about this awful and disgusting commercial! Shame, shame, on you MOTRIN.

If this ad angers/bothers you in any way, make sure you let Motrin know how upset you are about this commercial by sending them an email or visit The Crunchy Domestic Goddess site and find out other alternatives to getting the message out there. They’re are a slew of other mom’s who’ve blogged about this also- you can find and read their posts here and here!

Katja Presnal at Ladybug Landings  put together a great video after last night’s hot and heavy discussion of the Motrin ignorance titled Motrin Makes Moms Mad! It’s a powerful message to Motrin- you’ll get to see my tweets as well as many other moms who were distraught by this ad and  pic of myself carrying Tristan in the Ergo Baby Carrier!  If you get a chance click on their link and you’ll find a pic of my husband wearing Tristan on their testimonials page but make sure to scroll down a bit.

On top of it all it’s International Babywearing Week (Nov. 12-18)!!! I find this to be so ironic!!! So, ladies put on your babies and wear them happily. Maybe even send Motrin a photo of how happy you really are wearing your baby!!!

What about you? Did you take offense to this ad, share your thoughts?

UPDATE AS OF 11/17/08

Boy, it didn’t take long for Motrin to find out they were in trouble…they’ve already taken the commercial off their site. Woot! Apparantly, you can find advertisements of this commercial in magazines that went out for publishing…one example is  the Real Simple mag…I have no idea what other magazines have the advertisement as well- I found out about Real Simple at the Mothering Forum at mothering.com! In any case, I decided to embed the video so you can watch it here!!! GAH…..can’t get the video to embed…so click on the You Tube link to watch! Darn….!!!

 watch?v=BmykFKjNpdY

Doing the Chicken Dance or Umm…Rooster Dance!

 

A few weeks ago on Twitter, I mentioned that we found out two of the four hens- Patsy and Tiny are roosters! We’ve raised them since they were chicks so they was no telling until they started to Cock a Doodle and fight in our yard. It wasn’t just in the mornings either. It would be morning, afternoon and night! It drove us crazy for a few weeks. Finally, one day last week, I decided to call the woman we bought them from.  We paid $5- for them, so, I figured it wouldn’t be that big of deal to ask her to take them back. I told her that we did not want roosters and that when we purchased them she assured us that they were female. Initially, I drove to her home and spoke with her daughter about the situation and her daughter relayed that they would not have any chicks ready for a few weeks. I proceeded to tell her we were in no hurry to have two more hens and that we wouldn’t mind waiting a few weeks for chicks. She was very polite and told me that she’d come over the same day and pick up the roosters. We live on the same street so she didn’t have to drive very far.

She was over in a flash and came in our yard carrying an empty cage for the roosters and one with two hens. Fast forward and half hour before really quick- I just wanted to mention that I did attempt to catch the roosters but that was NOT going to happen. First of all, they started flying everywhere and I had no idea you had to catch them by the legs until I spoke with them. I was a little terrified and that’s when I decided to call her. Otherwise, I would of just shown up with the roosters at her door. Okay, so she’s in my driveway now and I then ask her about the hens and she replies ” I decided to give you some out of my stash!” I’m thinking alright- I’m cool with that- I guess. She and her daughter capture the roosters and let the new hens in with Henrietta and Dixie. It was at that point that I realized the hens did not look like they were in great condition. They didn’t appear to be healthy. I did not say anything and let them leave.

Later, when my husband arrived home (I called him after they left to let him know my feelings) we inspected the chickens further. We both noticed right away that the one hen had diarrhea and was looking quite ill- it’s bottom was covered in it. The other chicken was a bit unhealthy looking. We decided to ride it out and see what may come. A week later (yesterday), I took it upon myself to call the “chicken lady” and have her come get the hens. She jokingly stated “ Oh no, don’t tell me they’re roosters”. I proceeded to tell her what was wrong and she acted like she knew nothing of it- of course! But, she was acting quite calm and just said she’d be over shortly to retrieve them. Instead her daughter and a friend showed up at the gates in 5 minutes or less and picked them up! Off they went. I think Henrietta and Dixie were happy to see them go. I really didn’t want them to get sick- they’ve been great hens. At the start of summer they were laying eggs like crazy about 2 a day from each. I’ve learned that in the winter they slow their egg laying. At the start of fall, it was like clockwork we only get about 1 a day. We haven’t figured out who stopped laying but one of them did. We often let them out into the yard to wander and look for bugs and worms and till the dirt for us in some areas! It’s great.

Tristan loves to go every morning and feed them and check for eggs. He always crouches down and points to one and says “egg”! It’s really cute. When my neice and nephew come over they love to watch them and my neice will go and retrieve eggs if she see’s one or two! She always asks about them. Kids really find them to be fascinating. I’m happy that Tristan has the opportunity to grow up with chickens and horses. He loves em’ both.  When Spring time comes back around we’re planning to get a goat and 2 more chickens for the kids- that sounds so weird to say (pregnant now)! We’ll get a goat that can be milked so we can live more sustainably and our kids can enjoy the benefits of goat milk. Tristan loves goat milk- he loves mama’s milk better but that’s another story- LOL!

In any case, chickens are fun and easy to care for. The cost of their food is about $25 dollars a month! Not bad. Their really low maintance and their fun to watch when you let them run free and do their thing. The eggs are delicious and sometimes we’ll get a double yolker! That’s really cool. We haven’t bought a carton of eggs since they started laying! So, it helps out financially.

Visit my bloggy friend The Crunchy Domestic Goddess- she blogged about how raising animals- chickens specifically can help teach your child where our food comes from.

Don’t forget to come back here and tell me what you think!

How about you? Do you have any chickens? What do you know about them as far as laying eggs seasonally? Are you planning to get chickens? What advice do you have about chickens???? Please share your thoughts.

Disney, Go Green Campaign!

If you haven’t already heard CHEJ- The Center for Health, Environment & Justice has launched a Disney Go Green Campaign. The purpose of the campaign, is to help convince Disney to start using green cleaning products at their parks, hotels, and and restaurants- where children and workers face a great deal of exposure to toxics! The Animal Kingdom of Disney has already started using green cleaners but it is the only facility doing so. While animals are precious too- so are our children!!! Over 80 very toxic cleaners are being used where visiting children bathe, play and eat to this day! Let’s help spread the world and make eco history with Disney. The campaign, is focusing on raising awareness of green cleaning options and start pushing the corporate world toward them. Florida has already started a community,  why not, get one started here in California.  Afterall, it is the home of Disneyland/Hotel and California Adventure!

Our children matter and if we can get Disney to start going green- imagine the companies they could have an influence on! Making the switch to green cleaning products could make them a leader in the amusement park/tourism and hotel industry.

Get Goofy to Smarten Up! Here’s how you can help:

• Send an e-mail to Disney (takes 2 minutes)
• Tell your family and friends!
• Join in the fun! Download or order materials to hand out at Earth Day or other events and help spread the word.
• Write your own letter to Disney, or have children write letters to them.

Write to:

Jerry Montgomery
Senior Vice President
Conservation & Environmental Sustainability
The Walt Disney Company
PO Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

I want to enjoy the Magic Kingdom as well as take my children there knowing that it’s a cleaner and greener place! Moms and Dad’s don’t want to worry about taking their kids to toxic environments. So, Disney if you’re reading this- please make the change! Parents have enought to worry these days with all the toxic chemicals toys are being made out of and not to mention, all the necessary items needed for their livelihood!!! It’s up to us to put the word out there and fight for what’s right- which is a non-toxic environment for our children and the planet! Please, Disney make eco-history and become a leader in the green cleaning movement! No more toxic cleaners!!!!

Okay, mom’s and dad’s how do you feel knowing that Disney is using toxic cleaners???

Kee-Ka Organic Sock Review

Traditional cotton contains many chemicals. About 25% of the world’s insectides are used in cotton crops!! Seven of the most common pesticides used are “known, probable, or likely” to be human caricinogens according to the EPA, and may cause other health risks. Which is why choosing organic is a great alternative! There’s no worry of harmful chemicals entering your system. Especially, when it comes to our children…us mom’s don’t want to worry. Why worry, when you can have great organic cotton clothing for your baby or toddler from Kee-Ka, “Gifts that matter”. Kee-Ka is an online boutique carrying a wide range of eco-chic apparel and gifts. When I first came across Kee-Ka I was thrilled….and even more thrilled to review the new sock gift sets for my son! The sock set are for your baby boy or girl.

What I really love about the socks is the texture. They’re so, so soft- even after a few washes. I also like the great colors and when worn they look so cute on. The fit is nicely snug and the colors are vibrant. Their dyeing process meets organic certification because Kee-Ka only uses low-impact fiber-reactive dyes. Low-impact dyes create 70%, less waste-water runoff and therefore lowers the impact on the environment.   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               Besides, the organic cotton being very soft and the dyes used to color them are less harming to the environment…the box they came is made out of recycled paper. Wait! It get’s better!! Their signature boxes are also designed so that you can easily drop them in the mail to your favorite baby! How cool would that be? On top of that, they’ll even tell you how much postage is needed. What more could you ask for in an eco company like Kee-Ka!

You can learn a lot by supporting Kee- Ka!!

The following information was obtained from their website…

Where does your cotton come from?
We source our organic cotton in Turkey and India.

Where are your products made?
Most of our products are made in Northern Israel (with the cotton coming from Turkey). Certain products such as our hooded towels and bedding are made in India.

Who makes your products?
In India our products are made by a cooperative of farmers. The cooperative is certified fair-trade. In Israel, our products are made by a great team of minority women that are paid fair-wage.

What am I supporting when buying Kee-Ka?
In addition to supporting sustainable and environmentally friendly production associated with buying organic cotton, you’re also supporting a cooperative of farmers in India, a group of minority women in Northern Israel that sew our product, and an amazing team in Brooklyn that work very hard to design, develop, and deliver your Kee-Ka experience.

Under what working conditions are your products made?
In both Israel and India our products are made under fair-trade and fair-wage conditions. This means that the employees who make our products are treated and paid fairly. This also includes healthy working conditions and respect.

Not only are you learning a lot but you’re setting a standard. With Fall here I’m thinking the organic caps they offer would look great on my little guy! If you want quality and are trying to think more eco-consciencely, then check out Kee-Ka today! 

* Shop now and receive 15% off your order by using the code RECYCLEWEB

Offer is good through November 21st, 2008 and cannot be combined with other discounts. One per customer.

 ”good for the earth, even better for your baby”