2. Enter e-mail for daily updates:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Giveaways: One Chic Mama is giving away a mother/daughter set of Cambodian jingle bell anklets from Baby Emi Jewelry. Classy Mommy is offering up a $100 Toys R Us gift card + 5 Veggie Tales DVDs. MomFinds is giving away a giant gift basket from Neat Solutions.
If you’ve got something to say that’s deserving beyond a typical phone call or email to a loved one, consider the unbelievably cute conversation birds from Gifts Define. Available in themes to celebrate babies, birthdays, or any day, these indie wool felt wonders are hand-stitched, stuffed with non-allergenic fill, and finished with sweet details such as a beaded eye, a blush to the cheek, and an embellished ribbon hang tie (theme printed if you wish). The bird comes gift ready with an organza bag + gift tag and can serve as its own messenger, keepsake, or present topper, or be joined with other birds to create an amazing personalized wall art banner.
Want to win a 10% discount to Gifts Define? Here’s how:
New mamahood sometimes seems akin to stepping into an amnesic vortex: you feel as if you’re spinning in a whirlwind of chaos and activity, but at the end of the day, you can’t recall how you spent your hours. Or rather, perhaps it’s just that the “little things” you’ve done all day don’t seem as noteworthy as your frantic working girl episodes. Never mind that many of those little things result in keeping another human being alive.
Looking to get back into the workforce, or figure out how to balance work and home? Next week (May 15) the Detours&OnRamps Forum hits the Boston area. This one-day event will cover issues facing working mothers and will provide resources for jumpstarting a job hunt, or ideas for making a career work for you and your family. I’ll be speaking on one of the panels so please feel free to stop by and say hi. And if you haven’t registered yet, there’s still time; mention 'BOSTONMAMA' on registration to receive $25 off the $125 fee.
As the mama of a round-the-clock little artist, I’m always looking for interesting ways to post or preserve Laurel’s work. And the personalized child art posters by TADABABY offer a nifty way to do just that. Just pick your artwork faves from the pile currently obscuring your refrigerator, then email the images or send in the original art to be scanned. TADABABY will digitally touch up the juice spills and incorporate up to 9 pieces of your child’s art in a personalized 20 x 30 poster that will do justice to your little artist's masterpieces.
Want to win a personalized child art poster from TADABABY*? Here’s how:
Here’s a fun twist on the camping experience. Reader Maureen from Newton wrote in with this tip: “I wanted to share with you a vacation spot my family has enjoyed together [since 2003]. Medomak Camp (3 hours north of Boston) is a family camp in Maine. It’s similar to a traditional summer camp but the whole family attends. A chef prepares three meals a day, families stay in comfortably clean cabins, activities run from 9AM until the campfire is lit after dark, and adults have their own activities to chooses from (yoga, massage, rowing, sailing, archery, etc.).”
As grateful as I was for my first cookware set, I distinctly remember Jon and my later disdain – sometime before the Teflon safety scare actually - when we looked at the set's scratches and thought about all of the little Teflon flakes we likely had ingested over time. We’ve since stuck with stainless steel or cast iron, but recently have enjoyed GreenPan as an eco-friendly nonstick solution. Constructed with a PTFE/PFOA-free Thermolon coating, this line is safe for use at high temperatures, heats evenly, and is scratch-resistant. Despite the nonstick, we still do like cooking with a bit of butter or oil, and with the lightly buttered GreenPan frypan over low heat, my scrambled eggs have reached a light, fluffy, and thankfully flake-free perfection.
Want to win a GreenPan Entertaining Set*? Here’s how:
Today, Jen reports on a recent eye opening green event in Boston:
"I recently had the pleasure of attending a vegan luncheon and book signing at the Four Seasons's Aujourdui in honor of Deirdre Imus's new book, Growing Up Green. Over a spectacular meal prepared by executive chef Brooke Vosika, Imus spoke passionately about environmental toxins and their effect on our children's health. I must confess that both the food and Imus's message surprised me. The vegan food was surprisingly elegant and Imus's message was surprisingly scary. Although in retrospect, given our host chef and the state of our environment, I should not have been so surprised.
If you don't have anything special lined up for this weekend, don't fret. Our friends at The Regent are hosting the Grammy nominated Quartet San Francisco for a special Mother's Day family concert (Sunday, May 11 at 7pm). Whatever your musical mood, QSF will delight; this group is renowned for transcending the bounds of traditional chamber music by crossing over into everything from jazz to tango, pop to funk, blues to bluegrass, and gypsy swing to big band.
Want to win tickets to Quartet San Francisco? Here's how:
We're thrilled to announce that our fabulous new featured contest is in partnership with Britax, makers of top notch car seats. Britax generously will provide one lucky winner with a Diplomat Convertible Car Seat in the style of the winner's choice (retail value $259.99). CLICK HERE to enter to win the Britax giveaway. This contest closes at midnight, EST Friday, June 6, 2008 and is open to entrants in the US and Canada. Good luck!
Given my belief in karma, last week I was left to wonder whether I had wronged someone when, without warning, our hosting provider pulled the plug on my ability to publish. Despite the stress and frustration of the last several days, Im happy to report that were up and running again with a different, decidedly more friendly host. Thanks for your patience while we work out the final kinks of moving the site to a new home.
Whether it’s a function of post-winter pounds or running in circles with mamas who lack the time to run for real, I’ve recently found myself amidst several episodes of collective discontent over muffin tops (as in, the unwanted roll that hangs over your jeans). To negotiate this problem, as well as that of rear crack or undie exposure, I’ve been recommending the hip-T. This shaped band of comfy stretch cotton covers the potential vulnerable zone between your outfit's top and bottom while creating a stylish, layered look. Offered in a variety of colors (some with lace trim…ooh la la!), you can breathe more comfortably in your clothes since the hip-T’s got your crack covered.
Want to win a hip-T*? Here’s how:
These days, Laurel is all about looking fancy and colorful (current favorite color = “pink and green and purple and blue and yellow and orange!”), and we’ve recently found a way to bridge her love of color and flounce with comfort through Twirly Girl’s bright and cheery clothing.
Today, Carole Arsenault of Newborn Nurses offers basic lessons on infant sleep:
"'Lack of sleep' is a phrase that most new parents are all too familiar with. The first few weeks at home with a new baby can be exhausting and overwhelming. Despite the happiness and joy a new baby brings, parents often find themselves eagerly anticipating the time when their newborn will sleep through the night.
As someone for whom the word Clorox tends to elicit middle school memories of fad-driven bleached denim experiments, imagine my surprise when I learned that the makers of Clorox products were rolling out a natural cleaning line. And happily, these green goods deliver. Plant and mineral based, biodegradable, and petrochemical-free, the Green Works line cuts through the most determined grime (OK, I’ll admit that my formerly neglected shower tile now stands as evidence), and does so with a pleasant lemony scent that is thankfully far from my fumed middle school denim.
Want to be one of 5 winners to receive a Green Works Starter Kit? Here’s how:
And now for our weekly dose of web highlights from some of our stylish blog partners:
Weekend reading. Coochicoos features the way a family of four makes it work in a 640 square foot NYC apartment. One Chic Mama recommends The Find Green search engine to lead you to all things green. Moms’ Buzz wants to know what you do to stay green at home. And Kris at Clever Parents shares her journey to Disney with baby Charles in tow.
I’m thrilled to welcome new guest contributor Suz. A proud Boston mama to two kids – one who was born with Down syndrome – Suz will provide content on resources and ideas for “differently-abled” kids. Today, she shares information on a new networking program sponsored by the MA Down Syndrome Congress; the kickoff event is this Sunday at the Waltham YMCA.
Here’s a way to honor mom while supporting local women in need: The Women’s Lunch Place has provided a safe, nurturing, and nourishing space for Boston women since 1982. Through the end of April, you can give mom a gift that keeps on giving by ordering a WLP Mother’s Day card in exchange for a $25 donation. An anonymous artist who was served by the WLP created the card’s watercolor image, and WLP volunteers will pen by hand your personal note.
Hip Baby Stationery & Announcements
