Black Friday & Lessons in Simplicity

This post is particularly geared for those of you who are attempting to live a more simple life.  It's often challenging to work on a simple life around the holidays, while the rest of the world goes into a spending frenzy.

Ahh, the madness of Black Friday/Cyber Monday!!!  I must admit, last year I participated in Black Friday.  In previous years, I had avoided it like the plague, imagining elbows being thrown over some great "deal" and the air permeating greedy and desperation.  In an effort to avoid some of this, I shopped later in the morning and fortunately I don't pay attention to what's "hot" for the year.  My plan was to first make a list, then look at the sales online, then pick a couple stores I thought would have some items on my list on sale.

Honestly, the best part was that my husband was happy to watch the kids for half of the day while I was able to shop in peace...alone.  In addition, I enjoyed coming home to report that I had purchased many items off my list.  My favorite "score"  was my daughter's ice skates that she "had to have" at something like 30% off.

This year, I won't be participating and I'm not sure I will again. I'm absolutely not judging anyone who is going out this year.  I actually feel like some of my stereotypes about shoppers that day and all the hype has dissipated a bit, and now don't feel like I'm really missing out on anything. Good luck!

I am, however, intentionally avoiding these days to shop. I find two primary pitfalls of this whole "Black Friday/Cyber Monday" events.  First of all, I think we are often tempted to buy things just because they are such a good deal. I'm familiar with that initial feeling of that deal.  But do we really NEED this product?  By purchasing something you wouldn't have normally purchased, even if it is a good deal, you might end up spending more money overall. In addition, you have gained more possessions to clutter your home.  From a simplicity standpoint, making impulse purchases like these cloud our spiritual well-being.  Instead, we should be looking to purchase items intentionally for their usefulness or beauty in mind.  If you think back to impulse purchases you've made in the past, have you honestly used these items regularly?  Have any of these items been gathering dust in your cabinets, basements, or been sold off cheap in a yard sale? Maybe some have been winners, some not. How many broke after being used only a few times? My point is to try to encourage you to think ahead of what you really need and steer away from those impulse items.

My second issue is about how this "holiday" tends to corrupt our culture overall.  Do you think that supporting these box stores like Walmart who have these rock bottom prices, mandating that their employees come in on Thanksgiving, are really contributing to the better good?  When you are choosing to support businesses like this on these holidays, in encourages them to continue to do this.  In fact, next year they want to make more profit and will come up with a strategy to do so.  In the meantime, the small businesses who choose to stay home and be with family, who absolutely can't compete with those prices, and who value fair wages are the big losers.

What happens when we choose the box stores?  The Walmarts stick around (or abandon cities when they aren't making enough profit), and the small businesses close up shop.  Then those business owners whom you love to visit and know who you by your name (and love your precious little baby you are holding while shopping) will be something you remember that used to be around.  "Oh I loved that store."  "Oh the owner, Mary, was so sweet and friendly."  Can you think of some small businesses or boutiques you used to enjoy going inside?

Here's a scenario:  The box store's bakery is probably a couple dollars cheaper, tastes pretty good, and is open 24 hrs. It's an easy purchase, especially if you are shopping for other items in their store. Let me ask you this- Do you feel different when you walk inside your local bakery shop, breathe in the wonderful smells, and actually see the owner of that business greeting you with a smile on their face?  I know I do.  I sometimes walk out feeling a million dollars when I know I am supporting a specific person in my community who has put love into what they are producing and appreciates my business.

Have you also started to notice that the media and these big stores with huge marketing dollars are adding on days for shop in their store?  Now we have extended hours in the middle of the night and you now can come on Thursday, the actual day we have traditionally stayed home to give thanks with our family.  Those family members and friends of yours who work in retail might not be joining your family dinner soon, and might not be able to just relax and spend time with family.  What's next?  Is this going to become a week long event?  I've had a hard enough time going into stores with Christmas music playing and all the fall decorations taken down.  I was even in a store the day after Halloween and they were pushing Christmas already.  Sheesh!

Final thoughts on simplicity and the upcoming holiday (I know this has been lengthy!).  Please consider less "toys" and "stuff" for your kiddos this holiday. If you have fewer, high-quality items and also trying to pick ones that you know your kids will play with over and over again, this will make your holiday experience richer for your kids and you.  Your wallet (and budget) won't even know the difference.


Peace,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com
 574.275.1235

In the Beginning- Our Vision & You!

Today is the first day of this month when I'm sitting down to really contemplate the ways in which I'm truly grateful to have Ecological Babies in my life.  And it absolutely couldn't have become what it is today without customers I've met over the 4 years who support our mission and choose to support a local resource.

When I was pregnant, there weren't options locally where I could attend a workshop, talk to a cloth diapering friend, or have a private consultation where I could learn what I needed to know to get started with cloth diapers.  I couldn't recall bumping into any babies out in the community with fluffy bums because it wasn't common yet in Tallahassee.  Overwhelmed yet committed to the idea, I scoured the internet to learn about cloth diapers.  Instead of finding relief and feelings of empowerment (Yes, I can do this!), I was left with nightmares and even more confusion.

After my daughter was born 5 years ago, I knew I wanted to stay home with her full-time but would need a way to add some income and get out in the community.  (My local priest has coined me the "extrovert of all extroverts" -connecting to people feeds me spiritually.) The idea of Ecological Babies came to me when my daughter was young.  I wanted to be that live contact who could walk people through the process of getting started with cloth diapers.  In addition, I wanted to do something that promoted values important to me like social justice, simplicity, spirituality, and community.

Ecological Babies was a way to do this.  I am able to investigate companies I want to support and ask questions about their ethical choices.  I test out and decide which brands are quality and provide fair wages to their workers. I am able to educate out in the community at no charge as a way to promote environmental justice keeping thousands and thousands of disposable diapers out of the landfill.  Babies are healthier and more comfortable.  Families are saving thousands of dollars, meeting other like-minded families, and making more sustainable choices.  I love all of it!

Admittedly, it has been discouraging to learn about companies in China who are using current prototypes of American-made diapers, not testing their materials for lead, not providing fair working conditions, and producing a cheaper product to sell here.  Their skewed currency allows them to sell their diapers at a price American companies could never afford.  And I'm just so grateful for those in our community who are still choosing to vote with their wallet and support Ecological Babies.  Thank you for supporting us and also allowing us to support you!

There is not much more fulfilling to me than being able to be a part of my children's lives, while operating a business I believe is providing change for the good and allowing more families to make more sustainable choices in their lives.

Humbled,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

DIY Activity: Ping-Pong Family

I just came across this great craft that I MUST do as soon as I can get to the store to buy ping-pong balls.   This is a great activity that has so much versatility, great for role-playing and creativity.  The picture below is a different activity about "feelings" (also great idea!) but I couldn't find a picture besides this for a good example of what this project looks like.

Perfect for:
-Bathtime
-Wading Pool/Water Table
-Traveling in the car & trips in general
-Sand Play
-Quiet time in room
-Working out "real life encounters" with friends/family members by role playing
-Birthday gifts for child's friends


(Check out the link below the pic to learn more about the feelings activity for play therapy purposes.)

http://stlouiscenterforplaytherapytraining.blogspot.com/2011/11/grab-some-ping-pong-balls-permanent.html

You'll Need:

6-12 Ping-Pong Balls
empty egg carton (cardboard preferred)
permanent markers
poster paints (optional)

Directions:

Draw faces on the Ping-Pong balls to represent various family members (including pets). After letting the markers dry thoroughly, the Ping-Pong family is ready to move into their egg carton house, where they can be stored and transported.  The "house" can be decorated inside and out with poster paints.  Encourage your child to play with the Ping-Pong family and make up stories about them.  The permanent markers allow the "family" in bathtubs and wading pools.  New family or friends can be easily added.

*Activity was found in the book, Storytimes for two-year-olds by Nichols, Judy (pg. 86)

Have fun!

Peace,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com
574.275.1235

"Bucket List" Summer 2012- Part 2

 "Bucket List" Summer 2012

• Camping
• Near Lake Michigan/Dunes (August sometime)
• In Upstate NY (July 4th wknd) (CANCELLED)
• W/Brian's family (late June)
• Attractions
• Curious Kids Museum (St Joe, MI)
• Fernwood Botanical Gardens (local)
• Healthworks (local)
• Museum of Science & Industry (Chicago)
• Potowatami Zoo (local)
• Venetian Festival (St. Joe, MI) (CANCELLED)
• Beaches at Lake Michigan (2+ times)
• Build a sand castle and bury each family member
• Strawberry Picking 
• Blueberry Picking (Late summer)
• Fly a kite
• Canoeing (2+ times)
• Volunteer/Prepare Meals (3+ times)
• Feed ducks at Leeper Park (1 time)
• Visit Bertrand Farm (2+ times)
• Visit Grandma & Grandpa and visit their zoo
• Go to pool with Papa & Nana
• Order from the Ice Cream Truck- just 1!
• Ride on Papa's Boat (1-2 times)
• Drive-In Movie Theater (date night 2 times)
• Rita Clare write letters to her friends & skype (3 times)
• Backyard Fires (5+)
• Host a Potluck (1-2)
• Neighborhood Yard Sale & RC's Lemonade/Jewelry Stand
• Grow herb garden
• Put together 3 plays written and with costumes
• Rita Clare's Extracurriculars- Violin lessons, t-ball, tennis lessons,swim lessons?
• RC learning achievements- understand money values, learn address, learn phone number, emergency & safety in house procedures
• Tyler's extra- swim lessons?
• Tyler's learning achievements-all the colors, shapes, dress self, potty training 

Me (Personal Goals):

• Finish organizing all family pictures to current ;
• Read 3-5 books
• Nurtured With Love (Suzuki)
• Nonviolent Communication
• Bossy Pants (Tina Fey)
• Fun Fiction 
• Why mothers and daughters fight and how both can win (Uninteresting)
• Book on my shelf I haven't read yet

This seems like an awful lot but would be fantastic if we did 80%.  I'm planning on printing this out and posting it in our kitchen eat-in area where we spend a lot of time with the kids.  Then as we do something on the list, we can mark it off together.

I'd love to see YOUR bucket list!  If you made one, will you post it in the comments section please?

Peace and joy,

Jen Starks,
Owner

www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

Summer "Bucket List" 2012-Part 1

Summer 2012 Bucket List

Usually when people make a "bucket list", they put in all the things they want to do before they die (or "kick the bucket").  I wanted to turn that concept into a way for me to make a list of all the things I want to do by the end of the summer.  

Often I find that if I don't make a plan, then life happens and I miss out on opportunities.  I'd like to get a little more organized with my time, so I can feel like I "lived" each season the way I had hoped.  

Are you interested in putting together your own "Summer 2012 Bucket List"?

I am going to spend the next 24 hrs coming up with a list and also to talk it out with my husband.  After all, this plan affects the entire family!  :)  

Are you in?

Peace,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com
574.275.1235

Our 21 Day Challenge: Join us!

"When mom is happy, everyone is happy."  

This is particularly true in our house.  What about yours?  I love our family dynamic on days when I feel peaceful and happy...present.  I've come to realize that there are choices I make that contribute to my own unhappiness even when I think it is good at the moment....a bad habit.

Staying up too late.  If it is one thing I think that will improve my overall happiness, it would be getting to bed earlier.  Sure I want my free time at night and it feels good to finally have some peace and quiet after a crazy, loud day with the kids at home.  But going to bed at 11:30pm isn't gaining me peace when my kids wake me up every morning around 6:30am and I'm groaning as they ask me to help them start their day (getting dressed, breakfast, etc).  I want to wake up like Cinderella did every morning-singing and looking forward to the day.  (My daughter would be thrilled to hear me comparing myself to Cinderella, btw.)  Perhaps the day won't feel as much of a drag in the afternoon.  Hey, a girl can hope, right? :)


21 Days.  Apparently, it only takes 21 days of doing a new habit or breaking an old one to make it automatic.  I can't find the evidence that proves this is actually true but I am going to give it a try anyhow.  Starting May 1st, I am going to go to bed at 10:00pm.  Notice that I didn't say 9:30pm.  I want this to be a realistic goal for me.  If I went to sleep by 10:30pm, then I would still get 8 hours of sleep.  Of course, we are sometimes woken up by either of our 2 children at night, so this is not a flawless victory every night.  But it's a start.

After this 21 day challenge, I might start a new challenge in June to wake up at 6am to see if I can wake up before the kids.  Perhaps I will build on this and see more and more results.

YOUR TURN.

Do you have a bad habit you need to break or want to start a new challenge?

Perhaps you want to start meal planning for the week, try to incorporate more fitness into your life, pick up a hobby you used to love to do (knitting, sewing, scrapbooking, art, photography, etc), read more books to your kids, schedule regular mom's night out, anything.  Perhaps you want to stop eating processed food, yelling at your kids, overspending, eating out so much, watching too much tv.

Join me.  Join me these short 21 days and see whether you can get on track toward more intentional living, living on your terms.  What's needing a new direction? Do you need more steady days?

For those participating, we will journey together and check in on my blog from time to time.  Some call it accountability.  I say it's community building.  It's fun to know what others are doing and how it's going.  It also helps keep us thinking about our intention.

Write it down.  Think about it and put down in the comment section.  What's your goal for the 21 Day Challenge starting May 1st?  What's your reason for wanting this change?  Try to make it as specific as possible. For example, instead of saying "I want to get fit," try saying I will spend 30 minutes each morning around 9am and ride my bike.  21 days!

It's a commitment and a challenge.  Are you up for it?  We'll even have some fun goodies and giveaways for participants along the way!  Sign up below and join the fun.  Invite your friends & family too!

Peace & joy,

Jen Starks, Owner
www.ecologicalbabies.com 
ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 
574.275.1235

Stain busting laundry detergent

There are TONS of recipes out there for homemade laundry detergent, and after trying a good number of them, I have finally found my favorite. I've been using this concoction for several months, and am so happy with it that I'm pretty sure this will be my new standard from now on.

I have a busy little boy who loves to play hard and get messy. Dirt, food, paint, markers, popsicles, blood, you name it - it's been on his clothes. My husband is a middle school drama teacher, and has been known to come home from work with paint on his clothes, too. Building sets and making props is dirty work!

So I need a laundry detergent that works HARD. Because the last thing I want to deal with is pre-treating or re-washing. I want a detergent that gets out the stain the FIRST time.

Enter the humble Fels Naptha soap. Fels Naphtha was developed in 1893 as a home remedy for treating skin troubles caused by poison oak, poison ivy, and other oil-transmitted organic skin-irritants. Savvy homemakers quickly realized that not only would it wash away itch-causing oils from the skin, but it was also extremely effective at washing clothes. Folks have been grating Fels Naptha soap into their laundry water ever since. It's stain-busting power is unmatched in my opinion. Plus, it's only 97 cents a bar. You can't beat that!

Ready to wash some dirty clothes? Here we go! This is what you'll need:

Round up some super washing soda, borax, and fels naptha soap. These items should be right there with your regular laundry detergents at the store. You'll also need a grater and a container to keep your detergent in. A big glass mason jar works well, as does an old yogurt container, which seem to multiply like bunnies around here.

Step one - grate your soap. You need half the bar. Looks kind of like cheddar cheese, doesn't it? I think a finer grate works better, but if you're using a microplane grater get ready for a major tricep workout. The soap bars are pretty dense. Usually I get my handy husband to grate the soap for me, but I needed detergent in a bad way so I used my plain old box grater and did it myself. The detergent works fine, but I prefer a finer grate because the final product mixes together a little better that way.

Grate the soap and put it in your storage container. Then measure out one cup of borax, and one cup of super washing soda. Add to the container, put the lid on tight, and shake shake shake!

Ta da! Here's the finished product. I use an old 1/8 C measuring cup, and a scoop with that per large load gets the job done to my satisfaction. A couple tablespoons would probably work, too, if you don't have an 1/8 measure laying around. (PS - if you have a bigger container, by all means make a bigger amount.)

Here is the basic recipe in copy/paste-able form:

Stain Busting Laundry Detergent

1/2 bar of Fels Naptha soap, grated

1 C borax

1 C super washing soda

I honestly cannot vouch for the safety or efficacy of using this on cloth diapers. I have looked all over the internet and as with most things, opinions abound. Some say it is not cloth diaper safe, others say they use it all the time. Some say it's great for busting the stinkies, others say it makes it worse. I LOVE it for our clothes, but can't say from personal experience how it would work on diapers.

If you are looking for a cloth diaper safe homemade detergent, it's an easy substitution - switch out a bar of Dr. Bronners bar soap for the Fels Naptha. Perfectly safe, and widely used.

Since we are long past diaper washing days, I'd love some anecdotal evidence. Do you use homemade detergent? What recipe do you use? Do you use it on clothes AND on diapers?

Claire Williamson

Ecological Babies

(850) 228-8322

Bento Boxes!

As an on the go mom of a 3 1/2 year old boy, I am so excited to introduce a BRAND NEW product for Ecological Babies. Keepin' Fresh Kids Stainless Bento Boxes! If you thought all we carried was cloth diapers, you are in for a treat! Preschool moms, rejoice! Your boring snapware/tupperware days are over.

Check out the super cute pink one with little fishies! I'm no kid, but heck - I'd carry that in my lunch box any day.

The prints on the sleeve are super cute, without being cute-sy. They are kind of like a cross between old-school Pyrex and Japanese anime cartoons. You can choose

from alligators or little fishies, and the silicone seals are either pink (fishes), green, or blue (both with alligators).

The boxes are from Innobaby, and feature a stainless steel inner dish with a BPA free plastic sleeve that goes over it. The sleeve keeps the outside of the container at a steady temperature, so it is comfortable for the child to hold, regardless of the temperature of the food inside. They hold 15 ounces, which is plenty of space for a portion of pasta and protein, or even a sandwich with some chips or fruit on the side.

My favorite feature is the secure lid with silicone ring seal, which snaps on tight to create an air and liquid tight seal, keeping the child's lunchbox (or your tote bag) nice and clean, and the food nice and fresh. But unlike most snapware, the seals on this can actually be opened by a child! Here's my big boy, demonstrating how easy it is to open the box.

"Hey Mom! I really like the one with the alligators!"

If you're one of those fancy, crafty mamas with all the nifty little Bento accessories like tiny containers and toothpicks with cartoon faces on them, there is plenty of room for creativity. If you are looking for a little inspiration, no need to head to EBay for Bento accessories - think of things you already have in your kitchen.

In my experience, kids love variety of color and texture (but not too much or it's overwhelming), but they like it SEPARATE! Rule #1 of meal presentation in my house is - thy foods shalt not touch, and thy textures shalt not blend. Easy solution? Divided trays for meals, and foil and medicine cups for snack boxes. Fold up a piece of foil to double thickness and make it an L-shape, and it can contain softer foods like the strawberries here. A medicine dispensing cup is a perfect portion size of peanut butter or other dips, like hummus.

The boxes are just $16, and would be a perfect addition to rev up your child's lunch box or your trusty tote bag. They would also make an adorable (and practical!) gift to put in your child's Easter basket. Happy packing!

Claire Williamson, representative for Ecological Babies

(850) 228-8322

You can read more about the Innobaby bento lunch boxes here: http://www.ecologicalbabies.com/bento.htm

The Wearin' o' the Green

We are celebrating St. Patrick's Day with a green inspired giveaway. All you have to do to enter is share in the comments below a way that you and your family save some green, and make the earth a little more green at the same time. You can get a bonus entry by posting a picture of your child (in a cloth diaper, of course!) enjoying the outdoors on our Facebook page. Let's all celebrate making the earth a little greener!

The winner will be announced on Saturday by noon, and will receive a Thirsties Duo Diaper in meadow in the size of your choice. Size 1 fits babies 6-18 pounds, size 2 fits babies 18-36 pounds.

Features:

• Two-piece diapering system with an absorbent insert & a waterproof sleeve diaper

• An adjustable rise for extended use to suit your growing baby

• Two sizes will fit from birth-to-potty

• Leg gussets provide superior protection against leaks

• Pliable and breathable in 8 fun colors!

• Sleeve design for easy stuffing & easy cleaning

• Microfiber terry & hemp combo insert for optimal absorption-7 layers in all!

If the winner is local to Tallahassee, you can come pick it up at the REUSE Festival at Railroad Square Saturday from 1-6. There will be recycled art vendors, gardening and composting demonstrations, information booths about sustainable living, arts, crafts, and games for kids, and even a farmers market! Also lots of good food and live music. We hope you'll come see us if you can!

Happy St. Patrick's Day from Jen and Claire at Ecological Babies

Building a legacy

Every year in February, I start thinking about "what I will give up for Lent." It's almost like a school assignment - a book report for which I need to choose a book, an essay for which I need a subject. If I am truly seeking to give something up in the spirit of a fast, this is hardly the attitude to take. So I have decided this year to do something different. Rather than give something up, I'm going to do something extra. I know, that's not exactly a Lenten sacrifice, but personally I think it is still in the proper spirit because it will cause me to be more mindful of my actions and affect positive change.


My intention (and I realize to some this may sound silly) is to give up electronic documentation for the next 40 days in exchange for something more permanent. Hear me out - when was the last time you updated your Facebook status? Or when did you last make an album of pictures on Facebook or Picasa? Ok, now when did you last write in your baby book? Or journal? When was the last time you printed out pictures to make a real photo album or scrapbook?


Many of my friends are giving up Facebook for Lent, and I think that is an admirable goal. However, I enjoy keeping up with my friends socially, and I also use social media for work. I think you can still use social media as a means to socialize, so long as it doesn't become your sole means of communication and interaction. You just can't beat a good phone conversation, and a hand-written note, although almost obsolete these days, is such a powerful message of friendship and love. I have a big box in my closet of notes and greeting cards from family and friends, and I really enjoy looking through it from time to time. It makes me feel more connected to others in my life story, and reminds me of those I with whom I could stand to re-establish communication.


Everyday, I choose to document my life on the internet, and lately I have felt convicted of how fleeting that is. A few weeks ago, my mom sent Grant the most precious gift. A spiral bound book of thoughts she had typed out for him, emails between she and I that she printed out, and pictures. Yes, I know it is good to avoid having tons of things on paper, and we need to conserve resources. But that's not what I'm talking about. What would you rather give to your child when you are 60 and he is 35? A journal with little stories, even one line "status updates," and photographs, or a flash drive? My son LOVES to sit down and look through photo albums with me, and I'm not talking about the ones you click through. We are told by the experts to avoid screen time for children, so shouldn't we be preserving their life in a more tangible way, too? If the only place I journal or display pictures is on Facebook, what will I have left to show one day? What kind of legacy will that leave?


So here is my plan - for the next 40 days, when I get inspired to share a story, observation, or funny thing my son said, I'm going to write it down. Maybe in Grant's baby book, or maybe in my journal I have written in exactly one time that has been living in my bedside table drawer for four years. I think it's time to dust it off and buy a nice pen.


How do you document your child's life? Are you giving up something for Lent, or doing something else to affect positive change in your life? What kind of legacy do you want to leave for your children?


Blessings and love,

Claire Williamson
claire@ecologicalbabies.com

Simple Adventures

We have settled into a weekly routine over the past few months, and I really like it. I have never been a "schedule" person, even though I do very much enjoy being organized. Having a routine to our week and a rhythm to our days helps me a lot mentally, and lately I am seeing the value of it for my 3 year old son, as well.

Here is what we do:

Monday - stay home, play, laundry, general cleaning up

Tuesday - playdates with friends in Capital City Moms Club

Wednesday - drop off orders at Rinse and Repeat, errands, go on adventures

Thursday - Moms Morning Out, lunch with friends, quiet movie afternoon

Friday - time with friends, no real plans

I think probably my favorite day is Wednesday, because while it has structure, there is also the promise of an afternoon adventure. Since Rinse and Repeat is in midtown, I try to knock out errands that might need to be taken care of in that area. But after that, the day is ours.

One of our new favorite places is the Miccosukee Greenway. I heard about it through friends, and a few weeks ago we ventured out there for the first time. We quickly fell in love! It's basically a huge field, with a wooded area that has picnic tables and giant oak trees with low branches - perfect for climbing. The best part? Plenty of room to run! Grant is convinced that Winnie the Pooh, Rabbit, and Tigger live there, as evidenced by the number of trees with hollows in their trunks.

Today's adventure, however, brought us a little closer to home. After leaving Rinse and Repeat, we went to Target, which as far as Grant is concerned, is the best store in the world, second only to Goodwill, which he calls the "Toy Store." :) (Yay for that!)

When we got there we saw that they were, once again, working on repaving the parking lot. An inconvenience getting in the way of parking the car? Heck no! We jumped out of the car, and found a shady bench to watch all the trucks. Steamrollers, pavers, and backhoe loaders, oh my!

Our adventures continued when we got home. Yesterday my husband had a friend with a truck bring him home from work so he could bring this giant box home. He teaches drama, and last week one of his kids brought the box in as a prop (?) for a scene he did for the class. My husband has a love of cardboard boxes that he has passed down to our son, so of course when the project was finished the box had to come home. Already it has been a speed boat, a rocket, and a time machine. Who knows what it will be tomorrow?

Do you take time to go on simple adventures? Do you like schedules, or do you go where the wind takes you? I think we do a little of both.

Enjoy your day -

Claire Williamson

claire@ecologicalbabies.com

"Our Love Grows" Valentine's Day Project for Mommy & Me

I'm really excited to feature today's blog post.  Brought to you by our dear friend, Carrie Fraser.  Carrie is the talented founder & owner of Happy Little Monkey.  She creates and sews many baby items (particularly known for the best swaddling blankets around) and has expanded her products to include toddler & up items.  If you are new to Happy Little Monkey, then you must head over to her Etsy shop to check everything out or join them on their facebook page.  Perfect for your baby/toddler or as gifts!

"Our Love Grows"

This project can easily be adapted for children of any age by just modifying the amount of assistance you provide.

Materials:
Shallow pot, pan, or other container
Small amount of soil
Rye grass seeds
Paper
Scissors
School Glue (non-toxic)
Paint brush
Wildflower seeds (optional)
newspaper
decorative rocks, leaves, or other materials

My children are ages three and four and always ready to jump right into a project.  In order to make the project go a little more smoothly, I try to get as much of the prep work done before I tell them about the project as I can by having all the materials I think I will need together and trying to do anything the kids can’t do.

Collecting materials.  You can probably find many of the things you will need around your house.  For a container, choose from what you have, it just needs a wide enough top,  old pie pans, an old plate, a flower pot, or you can even plant it in your yard.   We used rye grass seeds and some wildflower seeds.  (In case you aren’t familiar with rye grass seed, it is practically the same thing as chia grass, and it will grow on anything and everywhere- rocks, concrete, paper- so be careful with where you get the seeds because they will sprout later.)


By the time I collected the last of the materials, both my little monkeys were waiting with great interest to find out what we were going to do!

They helped me to put some soil in the bottom of each container. The quality of soil really doesn’t matter, its mostly for visual appeal because these seeds will sprout on anything.  We also had a little dirt on the side to bury our hearts later.

Next, we cut hearts out of the construction paper and made sure they fit inside of our containers.  (If your child is younger, you may want to do this in advance)

Then, each kid drizzled glue all over their heart.  They loved this part.  After drizzling they spread the glue around with a paint brush to cover the whole paper.  My four and a half year old conquered this task without problem, but my three year old needed a little assistance.

Now, the fun, cover the glue with seeds.  We just piled them on, patted them down a little, and let it sit for a minute or two.  Then, we listed the heart up, and held it up to let the excess seeds fall off.  We added some more glue on it and then put the excess seeds back on it.

When you are satisfied with the amount of seeds coating your heart, you bury it!   Just put it in your container and cover it with a little soil.


Initially, we covered ours with burlap. I was hopeful that the grass would grow through the holes, but the burlap was really just holding back growth.

In the end, we pulled some rocks from our yard, and decorated around the heart grass growth.

Other notes:
- We had some wildflower seeds, so after we added the extra grass seed, we outlined the heart with the wildflower seeds and are waiting to see if they grow.
- We left our containers outside and one day it rained, so they got extra water.  The container that sprouted the fastest was the one without any holes in the bottom.

Thanks Carrie!  Can't wait to start this project!

Peace,

Jen

www.ecologicalbabies.com, www.facebook.com/ecologicalbabiesllc, ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 

Calzones with Homemade Dough

How many times has dinner snuck up on you, and you end up standing in front of your fridge at 5pm thinking, "well great – what are we going to eat for dinner?" Don’t feel bad. It happens to everybody, even cook-aholics like me. Inspite of careful meal planning and grocery shopping, there are still those nights when you just don’t feel like cooking, but a bowl of cereal or scrambled eggs just won’t cut it.

So what’s the solution? Keep a stash of highly-processed, MSG-laden bagged meals in the freezer? You know, the ones with the sauce pellets that you nuke, stir, nuke some more? The ones that go on sale buy one get one every other week? Yikes!

There’s a better way to beat the 5pm dinner woes than a bag of mystery stir fry. I like to call it Investment Cooking. You put in a little extra time on the weekends or on a weekday when you’ve got some extra time, and you cook extra meals, double recipes, or just cook large quantities of a protein (roast beef, chicken, etc) to save for using on a later date. One of the best Investment Recipes that isn’t a recipe at all is a roasted chicken, or a boiled chicken. From a single chicken, you can end up with 8 cups of delicious homemade stock and at least 2 cups of meat. You can boil it to use the meat in casserole type dishes like enchiladas or pot pies (then you already have your stock made), or you can roast it and eat it alongside rice and a side salad, then boil the carcass (isn’t that an awful word?) for stock. The humble chicken is a power house in Investment Cooking.

Today’s topic, however, is one that’s a little more fun to think about than boiling a dead bird. Homemade hot pockets! Or if you want to be fancy, we can call them calzones. Whatever you title it, this recipe is my family’s all-time favorite food to have on hand in the freezer for work lunches, Sunday nights, or random Tuesdays when I just don’t feel like cooking. And let’s just say it – hand-held food is fun! And if one of your diners is a child, then hand-held is pretty much a guaranteed hit, at least at my house. It’s easy to double or even triple, and you can fill them any number of ways.

On a side note, any other children of the 80s out there? Is it just me, or can you still sing the Hot Pockets jingle? What about Bagel Bites? My mom never would buy this stuff for my sister and I – she insisted on homemade food, which I recall as a child thinking that was very uncool. Surely all the cool kids got food that magically cooked in the microwave. I also distinctly remember asking for those nifty Kid Cuisine TV dinners each time we went to the store and always hearing a resounding NO. We got the occasional grape soda in the summer, but that’s about as wild as things got. Man, I didn’t know how good I had it. Thank you, Mama, for laying the foundation of good homemade food (even though for a long time I thought you were just being mean not buying me nasty fake rainbow colored food).

Sorry, I get sidetracked easily. Back to homemade hot pockets! I mean, calzones. Dinner pockets? Whatever.

Let’s make some dough! This is a very versatile dough, and one you will do well to learn and have in your repertoire. You can make it ahead of time and stick it in the fridge, or double/triple the recipe: some to use now, some for later. You can make pockets, regular pizza crust, mini pizzas, plain little dough rounds (great with butter and jam for breakfast), or even pitas. If you’ve
never made bread before and phrases like “proof the yeast” freak you out, this is a perfect beginner recipe. Try it! I promise you can do it!

Our humble cast of characters: Flour, oil, salt, yeast, sugar (not pictured) and water (in the sink).

For the record, yes, I know many people think canola oil is evil. It was on sale, and works well in baking. Please don’t let this change your opinion of me. Feel free to substitute olive oil.

I’m not really a recipe follower (except for cookies and candy, which are sciences and not to be trifled with), so bear with me. Measure 1 ½ cups of warm water (tap is fine) into a glass measuring cup. How warm? Like a baby’s bath water. Lots of dough recipes call for taking
temperatures. If you are particular about these things, feel free to google yeast temperature charts and bust out your thermometer. But here’s a good rule of thumb: if it feels like it would be cold on your baby’s bottom, your yeast won’t like it either. If it would burn your baby’s bottom, you would kill your yeast. Simple, right?

Into your 1 ½ cups of baby bath temperature water, add 1 packet of yeast, or 2 ¼ teaspoons (this you do need to measure accurately) of bulk yeast. Sprinkle in some sugar (about a teaspoon), or a squirt of honey to feed your yeast. Set this aside for 10 minutes or so while you get out your mixer, bowl, dough hook, etc. This is called proofing. Your yeast will eat the sugar, and create lots of lovely foam on top of your warm, toasty water.

Ta da! Happy, well-fed yeast:

Now for the mixing. What?! No stand mixer? Never fear, a wooden spoon and your hands will do just fine. (But seriously, though, make a mental note to ask Santa for one next Christmas.)

Measure 3 cups of flour into your bowl. We’ll start with that, then add more as necessary. Use your favorite flour, so long as it is all purpose, not self-rising. Please don’t use bleached flour. Bleach doesn’t belong in food. Or diapers, either, but I guess that’s for another post.

Add 1 teaspoon of salt, and turn your mixer on low to start stirring. Use the dough hook. If you don’t have a mixer, just stir. Slowly pour in the yeast/sugar (or honey)/water mixture. Add 3 tablespoons of oil. Keep stirring or keep the mixer running on low until it’s all incorporated. Stop and scrape your bowl, then turn the mixer back on. It should look about like this, kind of ropey and gooey.

Slowly add in ½-1 more cup of flour, and continue kneading with the dough hook until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl, like this:

If you are doing this by hand, you’ll probably have to knead in this last cup of flour, since by now the dough is slightly stiff and stirring would either be too hard or not effective.

At this point, cover your bowl (or put your dough back in the bowl) with a towel and set aside for a couple hours to rise. Or put it in the fridge and think about it tomorrow, Scarlet O'Hara-style. After a couple hours, it should look like this, and will smell amazing! Really! I love making dough and watching it change texture like magic. So does my 3 year old, which makes my heart happy.

At this point, you can turn your dough out onto a floured counter or board and have your way with it. Roll it out for one big pizza, pull off little bits and roll for mini pizza or pockets.
Or, once you roll out the little pieces of dough, let them rest and rise for another 30 minutes, then bake at a high temperature and you have pita pockets! Or if you’re 3, you can eat it as is. Raw. Yum?!

By the way, I highly encourage you to allow your children to help you in the kitchen. With practice, they can probably do much more than you might think! Here are Grant and I, working together to knead the dough after turning it out. I think it is so very important to teach children where real food comes from. Make bread together, so they know it’s not all pre-sliced from the grocery store. Put cream in a jar and shake it so they see what butter really is. Pick blueberries in the summer and make jam together. I even let my son help me stir things on the stove and slice vegetables (with a Pampered Chef spreader with a blunt serrated edge). Children learn by trying, and the more you let them try (and inevitably fail and make a huge mess) the more they
learn. And if they’re anything like my Grant, anything they make themselves they will be much more inclined to actually eat.

But back to the recipe…at this point, we pulled off bits of dough and rolled them into small circles. Don’t roll it too thin, or your calzones (or are we calling them pockets now?) might burst and ooze filling onto your baking sheet and it’s hard to scrape off. (Don’t ask me how I know this.)

I’m pretending you can’t see thesink full of dirty dishes. I cook a lot, ok? Let’s focus instead on the ¼ cup of flour my son is wearing and the fact that my fabulous husband is helping roll
out the dough. Dinner is a family affair around here. See? Here he is with Grant making the filling:

One of our favorite fillings is spinach ricotta, and we dip the finished calzones in marinara sauce. Here’s a basic recipe:

1 small container ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ package frozen spinach, thawed
and thoroughly wrung out
¼ cup parmesan cheese
½ C mozzarella cheese
Basil, oregano, onion powder,
garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Ta da! Thank you, sweetie!

Put a little blob (that’s a technical term) on each circle (use your imagination) of dough.

Fold over, and seal with your fingers or a fork.

Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes until golden brown.

I really wish this picture wasn’t blurry. Oh well. See the one in the middle that’s deformed? And the one on the left that’s oozing filling? That’s what happens when you let a 3 year old make your dinner. You know what, though? He ate it! So there!

Make a big batch of these with your family next weekend. Let the ones you don’t eat right away cool completely, then wrap them up in foil and toss them in the freezer. One night down the
road when your baby has a leaky diaper, your 3 year old has a tantrum at preschool, and your husband has to work late, you’ll be so glad you’ve got these yummy things tucked into the freezer! Just thaw them out, and warm in the oven. Ta da! Instant dinner, no microwave required.

Here is our other favorite filling – cheeseburger!

Brown a pound of ground beef with some diced onion and garlic. Drain, then stir in about ¼ cup of ketchup, a few tablespoons of mustard, and a few spoonfuls of dill or sweet relish. Put a slice of cheddar cheese on each rolled out dough round, then put a heaping spoonful of the meat mixture on top of the cheese. Seal and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes.

Seriously, these are so good. It feels naughty, like fast food, or college-style from-the-freezer food. But guess what - you made it yourself! Hooray! Eat some more!

Happy Cooking, you guys! More recipes to come.

Claire Williamson

http://www.ecologicalbabies.com/

claire@ecologicalbabies.com

850.228.8322

Making New Year's Resolutions That Last!

Well, the new year snuck up on me just like every year, how about you? It seems every year I make the same new years resolutions.  This year I've decided to take a different approach that I have been working on with other goals (personal and professional). 

This year, I'm coming up wi th a new plan. It's a three layer system appraoch. First, I'm writing down my dreams for the next 5 years.  Am I heading in the direction that will help me reach these dreams. If not, I'm breaking it down into small parts. The second layer is to decide what big goals need to be met to ge closer to my dreams.  This puts it into something tangible that I can cross off a list.  This would usually include items I usually put on my new years resolutions. 

But that won't be good enough this year.  The third layer is to break these goals into small baby steps.  With small baby steps, I can cross things off sooner and the new changes won't be such a big leap that ends up failing after a week or month.  Let's come up with example to illustrate my point.

My dream is to live a more sustainable lifestyle. I'm already heading in that direction and to some people, I'm well on my way. Let's pretend this is a new concept that I want to integrate into my family life. I nstead of going the extreme direction and radically change my life (and my family's too), I'm going to make a list of things I'd like to work on this year. 

List:
Eat local and mostly organic foods
Grow an organic garden
Switch to cloth diapers
Reduce my water consumption 30%
Reduce amount of plastic in my home 50%

Ok this is already a fairly large list for a newbie, but I wanted to give a variety of examples on the list. Next, I need to break this into bite size steps and work my way to these bigger goals.

So for organic foods, maybe I'd start by learning which fruits and vegetables are most important to eat organic. Then as the food already in my home gets eaten, I then add organic foods into the pantry. In the meantime, I'm going to start reading labels on the foods in my grocery store. What's in them and where did they come from? I'll build on this until I reach my goal and make it a slow process. 

Maybe with cloth diapers, I can start by attending one of our workshops or calling us up and using us to learn all I need to know. Then I would ask any friends or even strangers how it has been working for them and their preferences of diapers. Once I'm ready to take the leap, I might start with diapers and then work my way to cloth wipes.

So what are some of the changes you are thinking about making? Are you moving in the direction of your dreams? If not, how are you planning to get back on track?

Happy New Year,

Jen

Jen Starks, Owner www.ecologicalbabies.com ecologicalbabies@gmail.com 574.275.1235