teresajuan0

Saturday, 21 July 2012

Top 5 Green Road Trip Tips

Blog

Originally posted at MomsRising.org

Summer is here, and for a lot of families that means it’s time to hit the road for a family road trip. Make sure you and your family stay healthy by taking your nontoxic habits with you when you travel. With a few small tweaks, you can make your road trip safer and more eco-friendly, without missing out on any of the fun. Safe travels!

Fuel efficiency: Greener Penny advises that you keep your car in tune, tires correctly inflated, and change the oil regularly in the interest of increased fuel efficiency. For the most fuel efficiency, make sure your oxygen sensor is working and keep your air filter clean. And try to pack as lightly as possible: The less you pack, the less weight you put on your vehicle, and the less fuel you have to use. Here’s an easy tip to lighten your luggage: The Go Green Blog recommends paying attention to what shoes you pack. Shoes add a lot of weight to bags, so aim for less shoes, and make the shoes you pack lightweight.

Sunscreen: Even though you’re not technically outside, you still need to stay on top of your sunscreen use when you’re in the car. Make sure you’re regularly applying sunscreen, and that you’re picking the safest nontoxic sunscreen for your trip. Safe Mama has an easy sunscreen cheat sheet that lays out what to avoid when choosing a sunscreen. The Environmental Working Group has an entire updated guide to choosing safer sunscreens, including a handy free app for iphone users. For more tips on how to choose the safest suncreen, check out the Tips Tuesday guide to sunscreen, “Navigating a Sunscreen Wonderland.”

Safer Hydration: Say no to bottled water! It adds up financially, and it adds up in our landfills: Those convenient plastic bottles create 1.5 million tons of plastic every year. Also, the plastic may leech endocrine disruptors, which are linked to early puberty, infertility, and obesity. The Daily Green recommends choosing an aluminum bottle with a water-based, non-toxic lining, and avoiding low-grade stainless steel bottles, which can leach metals.

Hand sanitizer: Hand sanitizers can be really helpful when it comes to keeping hands clean, and everyone healthy, on the road. This guide from Healthy Child Healthy World will help you read labels, buy non-toxic alternatives, and even make your own hand gel. Look up hand sanitizers on the Skin Deep Database to find the healthiest, least toxic option for you.

Open a window: When you’re in heavy traffic, Healthy Child Healthy World recommends cracking your window slightly to reduce carbon monoxide buildup inside your car. If you’re driving all day, make sure to get some fresh air by either opening the windows for part of your trip, or planning brief breaks outdoors throughout the ride.

Photo courtesy faungg / CC BY 2.0

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.

Posted by Suzanne on 07/06/2012 at 06:53 PM

My husband always reminds me about inflating the tires properly. It’s amazing how something like that can have a huge impact on efficiency of a vehicle.

More comments:

Print this page | Email a friend

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/checblog/~3/UkS3Des2lLo/

best toddler car seat car seats britax marathon 70 britax regent britax marathon car seat sale

Friday, 20 July 2012

Cat Pose

This simple yoga pose/exercise can really help ease back pain in pregnancy as well as a bunch of other issues, it's called Cat Pose. Have you tried it? You'll love it - try it tonight.

More Fitness Friday:

Source: http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2012/07/20/cat-pose.htm

car seat guidelines britax marathon discount britax roundabout cowmooflage child car seat britex car seat

Mom Begs for Epidural and Midwife Refuses to Allow It (VIDEO)

Birth Stories CafeMom Studios

Any mom who has a birth plan in place wants to do everything in her power to stick to it, but sometimes things don't exactly go as planned during labor & delivery -- as one mom named Emily knows all too well.

Emily shared her birth story of her second son with CafeMom Studios, and she explained how she was determined to give birth to him vaginally since she'd been put under and had a C-section with her first child. She wanted to be able to witness her precious boy coming into the world no matter what happened -- which is why she had no choice but to muster all of her courage when she begged for a second epidural, and her midwife refused.

Take a look at the video clip below to hear more of Emily's story.

OMG. I gotta give Emily tons of credit for listening to her midwife and powering through the pain in order to be able to watch her son being born -- because I can't imagine how excruciating her labor must have been. I was fortunate enough to have an epidural that was on a constant drip & never wore off -- but if I'd been in Emily's shoes? Yeah, I'm pretty sure I would've whined like a baby until the midwife gave in.

It's wonderful that she was able to find her inner strength and experience the miracle of her son's birth exactly the way she wanted to!

Are you willing to stick to your birth plan even when things get tough?

Want to hear more amazing birth stories from other moms? Subscribe to the CafeMom Studios YouTube Channel and you won't miss a thing.

Image via CafeMomStudios/YouTube

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cafemom/thestir/pregnancy/~3/oV8oyXESgzo/mom_begs_for_epidural_midwife

britax car seat marathon britax chaperone britax sale car seat sale britax marathon cover

Around the Web…

TGIF! Give these links a click to start your Friday:

Stroke victim relearns to walk and talk by copying his baby daughter – The Telegraph
12-year-old boy dies after sand tunnel collapses on him – Asbury Park Press
Having a big baby may mean increased breast cancer risk for moms – CNN
1 in 5 pregnant women admits to going on a drinking binge – HuffPost Parents
8-year-old becomes world’s youngest Microsoft specialist – Daily Mail

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/hrfX9zpJwM0/

britax regent car seat britax infant car seats britax car seat marathon britax chaperone britax sale

Catch Up on Tweets from DONA and CAPPA

Sleeping Newborn Baby

DONA International and Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA), both childbirth related organizations are having their conferences this week. A great way to learn some really neat things about pregnancy and birth is to listen in on their sessions and talks. Twitter really allows us to do that very easily. During the next four days, you'll be able to listen in by following their conferences by following their hashtags: #DONA12 (@DONAIntl) and #CAPPA12 (@CAPPAInfo)

Is your doula or childbirth educator attending? Are you listening in? (Say hi to me if you're around Twitter!)

Source: http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2012/07/19/catch-up-on-tweets-from-dona-and-cappa.htm

convertible car seat reviews car seats for newborns britax roundabout vs marathon car seat laws cheap car seats

Thursday, 19 July 2012

Mom Begs for Epidural and Midwife Refuses to Allow It (VIDEO)

Birth Stories CafeMom Studios

Take a look at the video clip below to hear more of Emily's story.

It's wonderful that she was able to find her inner strength and experience the miracle of her son's birth exactly the way she wanted to!

Are you willing to stick to your birth plan even when things get tough?

Want to hear more amazing birth stories from other moms? Subscribe to the CafeMom Studios YouTube Channel and you won't miss a thing.

Image via CafeMomStudios/YouTube

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cafemom/thestir/pregnancy/~3/oV8oyXESgzo/mom_begs_for_epidural_midwife

britax roundabout cowmooflage child car seat britex car seat child car seats car booster seat

Join a Breastfeeding Blog Carnival

World Breastfeeding Week 2012

World Breastfeeding Week is August 1-7th every year. This year I'm hosting a Blog Carnival on issues surrounding all types of breastfeeding issues, and everyone is invited! What's a blog carnival? A blog carnival is an chance for bloggers to write about a common topic, with the lead blogger connecting all the different pieces together in one single blog post. Anyone can participate in a blog carnival, because the idea is for every participant to bring their own voice and opinion to the conversation.

This year's theme, if you're looking for inspiration, is "Understanding the Past - Planning the Future." If you need ideas for the blog post, please be sure to let me know, I'm happy to brain storm with you, you can join me at Facebook to discuss topics or via twitter. Some ideas include:

The joys of breastfeeding
What breastfeeding has taught you as a parent
A father's look at breastfeeding (or sibling, grandparent, etc.)
A familial look at breastfeeding history
Problems you've faced and overcome
Historical look at breastfeeding fashion
Breast pumps and everything that goes with it
Anything else you want to talk about!

Join the carnival by submitting a blog post to me by July 28, and I ask that you add a link back when my blog is published on August 1. Make sure to follow the Health Channel blog carnival rules and send me your blog post link by email at pregnancy.guide@about.com. Come back on August 1 for my posting that includes the submissions from all the bloggers who participate.

_{Photo WHO/UNICEF}

Source: http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2012/07/19/join-a-breastfeeding-blog-carnival.htm

britax roundabout convertible car seat britax regent car seat britax infant car seats britax car seat marathon britax chaperone

A Parent’s Review: Future of Flight

Up, up and away. If your child dreams of the sky, harbors a fascination for airplanes, or is a fan of the Science Channel’s How It’s Made, a visit to the Future of Flight should be on your summer to-do list.

The Future of Flight is located just north of Seattle in Mukilteo alongside the Boeing Assembly Plant. In fact, the highlight of the museum is the Boeing factory tour. This 90-minute tour takes you through three assembly lines. At present the tour features the 747-8, 777 and the new 787 Dreamliner. For safety reasons, the tour requires children to be at least four feet tall. While this rule is in place for safety, it is also a good barometer for who would enjoy the tour. A 7- to 8-year-old child with an interest in airplanes would be fine, but it is a factory tour that requires constant listening to appreciate the marvels of the engineering on display.

The tour begins with a short eight-minute film that focuses on how airplanes have changed travel and made the corners of the world more accessible than ever before. From this point guests take a short bus ride over to the assembly plant. My 11-year-old son was hooked from the first fun fact from the tour guide’s mouth. The Boeing Factory holds several world records, and the Guinness Book of World Records is one library book that finds it way to our home on a regular basis. Kids love superlatives, and Boeing is full of them. In fact, this tour is the only place to see commercial jet assembly in North America.

The Boeing Assembly Plant is the largest building by volume in the world, and enormous doesn’t even begin to describe it. To access the viewing area, visitors are required to go down 21 steep stairs, walk 1/6 of a mile in a tunnel, and travel up in an elevator (wheelchair access provided with advance notice). Surprisingly, my kids liked this part of the tour. They said it felt like they were in a secret fortress underground.

Once visitors are up in the viewing areas, the wealth of information continues at a relentless pace. This part of the tour can present a few problems. With the group stretched out along the viewing rail, it can be difficult to locate the interesting detail that the tour guide is describing, especially if you miss the next thing they say trying to help a child see where to look. Work is in progress so there is activity everywhere, which can be distracting. Along the way there are small displays and videos that are helpful for kids, but my youngest (who is 8) had tuned out the info long before the tour was over. It should also be noted that if heights make you nervous, this tour may not be for you.

Back at the Aviation Center or museum, there is a single gallery of exhibits. For those who dare, there is a simulator ride (which costs extra) that my son thoroughly enjoyed. My daughter enjoyed sitting in the cockpit of an actual 727 and being able to flip switches and push buttons to her heart’s desire. A row of computer kiosks allows guests to design their own aircraft and get a free print out or purchase their design on a t-shirt or poster.

The gift shop is expansive and full of interesting items in all price ranges. There is a café on site as well, should you need to refuel before leaving. Parents should note that the museum provides lockers (with a small rental fee) for all hand bags, purses, backpacks, cameras and cell phones, which are not allowed on the tour. Be warned, if your child spouts off a list of amazing facts from the tour to your science-junkie spouse, you may find yourself planning a return trip sooner than you thought.

Kelly Rogers Flynt is a freelance writer based out of Lake Forest Park and parent to two frequent flyers, ages 8 and 11.

(0) Comment(s)

Source: http://www.seattleschild.com/article/seattle-kids-future-of-flight

britax wizard car seat car seat covers britax britax car seats britax marathon

organic baby bib and burp cloth set / eco friendly spring lemon sweet hearts by SewnNatural

Here's our handmade bib and (big) burp cloth set with organic cotton flannel and a mod, cheerful cotton by Amy Schimler. An eco friendly gift - makes a super stylish shower gift!

As seen on TheSuperMom! http://thesupermom.com/sewnnatural-eco-organic-valentine-gifts

• The BIB measures about 8" wide x 13" tall (21x32cm) & closes with velcro at the top, so there are no metal parts. Backed with soft, cuddly 100% organic cotton flannel.

• The BURP CLOTH measures over 20"x 14" (52x34 cm) and is backed with the same thick, durable, absorbent and super soft organic cotton flannel (it actually gets even softer with use).

♥ Handmade in Canada with keen attention to detail and craftswomanship.

Matching blanket & bib sets available too! Let's talk!

We ship internationally and happily combine shipping for multiple items.

Questions about how to buy from Etsy? http://www.etsy.com/help_guide_checkout.php
All photos and items © SewnNatural 2009-2011.
Please see our store policies on your way to checkout.

Thank you for visiting http://www.SewnNatural.etsy.com!

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/85534883/organic-baby-bib-and-burp-cloth-set-eco

graco car seat covers britax wizard car seat car seat covers britax britax car seats

Wednesday, 18 July 2012

Should babies be allowed at baby showers?

Baby in a Sling

I had a reader pose a question to me about babies and baby showers. She told me that she received an invitation to go to a baby shower and asked if her very young baby could attend. The hostess said yes, only to later say that the mother-to-be did not want another baby at her baby shower.

Have you had this happen to you? What did you do? Have you ever asked someone not to bring a baby? Or have you taken a baby to a baby shower? Tell us about your experiences and what happened.

Follow me on Twitter | Connect with me on Facebook

Related:

_{Photo Shutterstock}

Source: http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2012/07/17/should-babies-be-allowed-at-baby-showers.htm

britax roundabout sale safest booster seats car seat toddler safety first booster seat infants car seats

Should babies be allowed at baby showers?

Baby in a Sling

Have you had this happen to you? What did you do? Have you ever asked someone not to bring a baby? Or have you taken a baby to a baby shower? Tell us about your experiences and what happened.

Follow me on Twitter | Connect with me on Facebook

Related:

_{Photo Shutterstock}

Source: http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2012/07/17/should-babies-be-allowed-at-baby-showers.htm

car seats for toddlers britax marathon carseat graco car seat car seat ratings baby car seats

5 summer drink recipes: Copy your favorites from Starbucks and more at home

Any New Yorker--or any one who has ever visited--probably has a fondness for the Frozen Hot Chocolates from Serendipity III. While you can now buy the packets to DIY at home, you can also go with a totally homemade version. This Frrrozen Hot Chocolate recipe from Girl Cooks World is a super chocolatey, icy treat that's surprisingly easy to make at home. This is a major sugar and chocolate high in the making, but eh, live a little. Or just serve it with six straws.

Find More: Food and Drink, Recipes We Love

Source: http://www.coolmompicks.com/2012/07/5_summer_drink_recipes_frappuccino_and_more.php

chicco car seat infant car seat reviews britax decathlon car seat cover rear facing car seat britax roundabout reviews

Exclusive! Teen Mom Star Farrah Abraham Opens Up About Her Explosive Relationship With Her Mom

Whoa! That’s all we have to say about tonight’s episode of Teen Mom. Farrah welcomed both her sister and her mom to her new home in Florida and it wasn’t long before drama ensued. Here, Farrah opens up about why she was so annoyed and what she has to say to people who criticize her relationship with her mom.

Why did you and your sister get so angry with your mom during the Florida visit?
My sister and I get mad at my mom when she acts different in front of cameras than she does in real life. I also dislike my mom telling me how to parent when she can’t even watch Sophia properly. Those are just a few reasons we get annoyed and why we were feeling hurt.

Do you have any regrets about the fight with your mom at the restaurant? Is there anything you wish you would have said or not said?
I have no regrets about the restaurant. It wasn’t my fault–my mom creates fights in front of Sophia and the only thing I could do was leave my mom at the restaurant. I try to talk, but when talking doesn’t work I feel it’s best to just know to distance yourself from a negative person.

Looking back, do you wish your mom hadn’t come to Florida?
I think it would have been best if my mom stayed home.

What do you say to critics who say you are rude to your mom and that you don’t respect her?
I will say, I have love for my parents and I try to respect them. But when you’re not a respectable person, you shouldn’t expect to recieve respect. Also, no one should judge when they don’t know everything about me or my parents–I encourage viewers to read my book My Teenage Dream Ended, which is out on August 14th, if they really want to know how my relationship with my parents has developed.

Does it upset you at all that you don’t have a close relationship with your mom?
Yes, not having a good relationship with my parents drives me crazy. When I’m looking to date a guy I see if he has a good relationship with his parents to see if he has a good support system. I’ve realized that my parents are not as supportive as I would like, but I feel like I’ve done all I can do. So I’m happy because I know I’m doing my best.

Do you think there is any way you could have a better relationship with your mom? What would it take?
I would say there is no other way to work more at mending my relationship with my mom, besides maybe taking her to my church pastor. Honestly, I’ve gone to counseling two separate times in my life with her and she never cares enough to listen or change. She has also gone to jail, anger management and I’ve ignored her and moved out to help. There is nothing more to do than keep moving on and accept your parents for who they are. I know I will never be like my mother to Sophia.

Watch Farrah Abraham on Teen Mom Tuesdays at 10 p.m. EST on MTV. Follow Farrah on Twitter @F1abraham.

Sign up for our newsletter to get even more finds delivered right to your inbox.

Source: http://www.momfinds.com/2012/exclusive-teen-mom-star-farrah-abraham-opens-up-about-her-explosive-relationship-with-her-mom/

britax regent car seat britax infant car seats britax car seat marathon britax chaperone britax sale

Tuesday, 17 July 2012

table decor hearts flowers stems set of 3 / orange eco friendly autumn wedding decorations by SewnNatural

For your harvest autumn dining table, or as a sweet fall hostess gift, here is a set of three upcycled orange heart felts flower stems. Our popular hearts felts ornaments tucked onto the end of a paper-wrapped floral wire stem.

Tuck them into a vase for your dining table, your hallway, your kitchen - your desk. Anywhere you'd like a bit of sweet, soft color. Guaranteed not to fade like a flower.

♥ 2 sets available. MADE TO ORDER

You will receive a set of 3 heart felts stems, approx 14" high (from top of heart to bottom of stem), as shown. Each has the same orange wool felt on the reverse.

These eco heart felt stems are:

• earth friendly, made with rescued pieces of felted wool sweaters

• hand sewn with orange cotton embroidery floss

• tucked onto flexible paper-wrapped floral wire

• suffed with natural, carded wool - soft, springy, renewable and dust-mite-resistant. No offgassing or toxins from synthetic polyfill stuffing for these sweet hearts!

** PLEASE NOTE: The hearts are placed onto the ends of the floral wire, not sewn or glued. This way you can buy an extra set of hearts ornaments and change them with the season. If you'd like yours glued on, please ask - I can easily do that.

Simple design, high quality materials and handwork makes these a great gift for someone you love :)

***

Lots more heart ornaments + felted wool heart pebbles available here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/SewnNatural?section_id=5788038

***

♥ We ship internationally and happily combine shipping for multiple items.

Questions about how to buy from Etsy? http://www.etsy.com/help_guide_checkout.php
All photos and items © SewnNatural 2009-2011.
Please see our store policies on your way to checkout.

Thank you for visiting http://www.SewnNatural.etsy.com!

Have any questions? Contact the shop owner.

Source: http://www.etsy.com/listing/83360769/table-decor-hearts-flowers-stems-set-of

britax car seat sale britax infant car seat britax booster car seat cheap britax car seats britax roundabout 55

Top 5 Green Road Trip Tips

Blog

by Claire Moshenberg, MomsRising.org,

Originally posted at MomsRising.org

Photo courtesy faungg / CC BY 2.0

The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of Healthy Child Healthy World.

Posted by Suzanne on 07/06/2012 at 06:53 PM

My husband always reminds me about inflating the tires properly. It’s amazing how something like that can have a huge impact on efficiency of a vehicle.

More comments:

Print this page | Email a friend

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/checblog/~3/UkS3Des2lLo/

britax marathon 70 car seat best car seat booster car seat britax chaperone car seat britax boulevard car seat cover

Say chubby baby

In some neighborhoods, where feeding a baby a single french fry will earn you the disdain of onlooking parents everywhere (would I know of such a thing?) my anti-authority side is loving a line of vaguely irreverent baby and kids clothes that walks right into the realities of our fast food nation.

[don't miss a great discount AND a giveaway after the jump!]

How can you not smile at the poppy colors and bold full-color photos of the Eat 'Em Up Collection from our friends at Psychobaby? From baby tees and flip-flops to to baby bibs (my favorite) I love the irony. Especially considering kids young enough to fit in them, are probably also too young to eat most of it.

How great would the cupcake bib be at a one-year birthday party, by the way?

And hey, it's not all about cupcakes and jellybeans and pepperoni pizzas. There's a sushi design too, should you want to proclaim your toddler's rapidly advancing palate and future appetite for yellowtail-eel-avocado rolls.

Park Slope moms: Pick that one. -Liz

Find the Eat 'Em Up Collection for babies, plus some items like flip-flops and change purses for older kids, online at Psychobaby. PLUS CMP readers save 20% off your orders through 7/30 with code YUMMY20

EXTRA COOL: WIN IT! We've got a tee of your choice for a lucky reader. Just email us by midnight tonight, 7/16, at contests@coolmompicks.com with EAT 'EM UP in the subject line, check the psychobaby site and tell us which tee you'd like if you win, and in which size. We'll draw one winner at random, US only please. Good luck!

Find More: Baby Clothes, Bedding and Blankets, Burps and Bibs

Source: http://www.coolmompicks.com/2012/07/say_chubby_baby_bib.php

britax marathon car seat britax car seat britax convertible car seat britax car seats on sale britax car seat sale

Monday, 16 July 2012

The Myth of the Midnight Ice Cream Run

Pickles and Ice Cream

One of the first things that most people hear about growing up, in relation to pregnancy, is that pregnant women eat strange things. Not only do they eat strange things, but they often crave these odd combinations of food at unpredictable and inconvenient times. Seriously, how many sitcoms have you seen send the husband out at 2 a.m. for some ice cream and pickles?

I confess, I secretly wanted this to be me! I wanted to be able to send my husband out on a late night, near secret mission, only to return with some yummy treat. So once my pregnancy test was positive I waited for that craving to strike. And I waited... Sure, I had a few cravings, but nothing odd and certainly nothing in the middle of the night. Heck the only thing I manage to come up with was a glass of water in my ninth month because I was too lazy to get out of bed again. And I can't even claim that I woke my husband up, well at least not with the request for water, it was my tossing and turning that kept him up.

So what about you? Did you have a midnight craving? Did your partner make a midnight run? Or did you just have a weird craving, even if it was during normal hours?

_{Photo Jaimie Duplass/iStockphoto}

Source: http://pregnancy.about.com/b/2012/07/12/the-myth-of-the-midnight-ice-cream-run.htm

britax marathon carseat graco car seat car seat ratings baby car seats car seat for sale

Adele's Pregnancy Craving Is Weirdest We've Ever Heard (VIDEO)

Adele Over the years, we've heard of plenty of strange pregnancy cravings from celebrities. From Alyssa Milano's annoyingly lame desire for more broccoli to Kirstin Cavallari's understandable penchant for Twix bars, it seemed we'd heard them all.

News of what singer Adele is craving, however, blows all the others out of the water. It's even more out there than Jessica Simpson and the inexplicable desire she had to eat Pop Tarts slathered in butter (gag!).

Any guesses as to what it might be?

It's country line dancing. That's right, it's not bizarre food that the songstress has suddenly found an appetite for, but rather she's been itching to get her boot scootin' boogie on big time.

A source told The Sun that she has even taken a line-dancing class and has purchased a DVD that she can do at home.

Adele attended a line-dancing class near her home. She’s got a love of country music from spending so much time in the US and Nashville so she thought it would be a good laugh to go along with a few friends.

More from The Stir: Pregnant Natalie Portman Craves Cake, Drops Veganism

Good for her! I grew up in Nebraska and lived in Texas for a time, and know a thing or two about a line dance. In fact, I once broke a bone doing so. As hokey as it may sound to rockers, it's actually a lot of fun, and I can see how it could be a great pregnant workout, as it's not (or doesn't have to be) all that intense. Sure country is a far cry from her usual music, but you never know where those pregnancy hormones are going to send you.

Of course, now the big question is if we'll eventually see any of her new moves when she gets back up on stage. I'm not holding my breath, but it could certainly add a new kick to her performances. Yeehaw!

What's the strangest pregnancy craving you have ever had?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cafemom/thestir/pregnancy/~3/897LkX1XOTM/adeles_pregnancy_craving_is_weirdest

car seat toddler safety first booster seat infants car seats britax frontier car seat britax child car seats

Discounted Wild Waves Tickets Support Seattle Parks and Recreation Teen Programs

Seattle Parks and Recreation’s Teen Programs are selling deeply discounted tickets for Wild Waves Theme Park in Federal Way. Discounted tickets purchased through Seattle Parks and Recreation cost $29, or $14.79 off the gate price.

Tickets are on sale at some Seattle Parks and Recreation Community Centers, and will help fund teen programs. Tickets are on sale now through Sept. 9.

Seattle Community Centers include:

Bitter Lake Community Center: 13035 Linden Ave. N., 206-684-7524
Green Lake Community Center: 7201 E. Green Lake Dr. N., 206-684-0780
High Point Community Center: 6920 34th Ave. S.W., 206-684-7422
International District/Chinatown Community Center: 719 8th Ave. S., 206-233-0042
Jefferson Community Center: 3801 Beacon Ave. S., 206-684-7481
Loyal Heights Community Center: 2101 N.W. 77th St., 206-684-4052
Northgate Community Center: 10510 5th Ave. N.E., 206-386-4283
Rainier Community Center: 4600 38th Ave. S., 206-386-1919
Yesler Community Center: 917 E. Yesler Way, 206-386-1245

(0) Comment(s)

Source: http://www.seattleschild.com/article/discounted-wild-waves-tickets-support-seattle-teen-programs

backless booster seat high back booster britax roundabout sale safest booster seats car seat toddler

Sunday, 15 July 2012

Giveaway: A popchips One-Month Supply (a $30 Value!)

popchips is launching its delicious tortilla popchips in four new flavors in August — a perfect family summer snack for barbecues, picnics and beach days. Lucky for you, in an exclusive sneak peek the company is giving away a one-month supply to 40 lucky Moms & Babies readers.

The four new flavors include nacho tortilla chips, ranch tortilla chips, chili limón tortilla chips, and salsa tortilla chips. The process starts with stoneground masa (the same whole grain corn used to make traditional tortillas), with a little heat and pressure to pop the tortilla chips which are topped off with the finest all-natural seasonings. Tortilla popchips have all the flavor and half the fat of fried chips — only 120 calories and 4 grams of fat per serving.

The prize includes a one-month supply of tortilla popchips in four flavors ($30).

Tortilla popchips will be available in August in stores including Kroger and Duane Reade — or order online at store.popchips.com starting August 1. For more information on the company, visit popchips.com.

Hurry up and enter for your chance to win! Online entries must be received between 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) on 7/16/12 and 11:59 p.m. (ET) on 7/22/12. See Official Rules.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/arLI6lNwhGc/

backless booster seat high back booster britax roundabout sale safest booster seats car seat toddler

Save on Organic: 7 Simple Ways

Blog

by The Organic Center

Pound for pound, children eat and drink more than adults. Healthy eating is essential in order to safely nourish their growing bodies. Incorporating organic food into your family’s diet is an important part of eating healthy, even if you can only purchase organic foods selectively. Thanks to The Organic Center for sharing seven simple ways to save on organic foods to make them more accessible for all of us.

1. Cook it Yourself

The best way to save money on organic food is to cook from scratch. Buying whole ingredients can be much cheaper than buying packaged foods, plus you can use the ingredients for multiple dishes. If you are strapped for time, check out the extensive selection of new slow cooker cookbooks published in the past two years; they definitely aren’t the one-pot wonder recipes from the 1970s. Flavorful and complex soups can be enjoyed in the evening after only minutes of prep in the morning.

2. Buy Foods in Season

Don’t look for bargains on organic strawberries in November. Buying foods in season saves money. For example, when strawberries are at their peak in the late spring/early summer, find an organic “pick your own” farm or load up from the grocery store and freeze extras for those long months when they aren’t in season.

3. Buy Private Label Store Brands

A number of the large chains, including specialty gourmet and health food stores, have their own private label line of organic products. Before reaching for that name-brand product, just quickly peruse the organic selection. You might be surprised to find the organic store brand version to be cheaper than the non-organic version.

4. Use Coupons

Visit your favorite organic brand online before you head to the grocery store and chances are you will find direct links to coupons. A major organic company recently told us that the top reasons people visit their website are for coupons and recipes.

5. Buy from the Bulk Section

Purchasing bulk beans, grains, herbs and snacks can be a great way to buy only what you need and save money. Do a price comparison and see the difference. You can save up to 90% when you need just a pinch of a certain spice or herb and you don’t want an entire jar. Plus, it’s always good to buy small quantities of herbs and spices to keep them fresh and flavorful.

6. Go meatless once a week

Eliminating meat, seafood and dairy for one or two dinners per week will save you money and might even improve your health. Take the money you would spend on those pricier cholesterol containing proteins and apply it buying organic vegetables or grains. Some vegetarian meal ideas are: minestrone soup, Portobello tacos and sweet and spicy stir-fry.

7. Join a CSA

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) is one of the most economical ways to buy organic produce. Typically you pay a local farm up front for a season of produce, milk, or meat. Shares, as they are called, typically start at around $300 for a small family for 24-28 weeks of produce. Not bad if you break down the cost on a weekly basis! Some CSAs allow you to volunteer on their farm, which can reduce the price of the share. CSA numbers have grown from only 50 in 1990 to over 4,000 in 2011! Local Harvest is a terrific source to find CSAs in your area.

How do you save money on organic food?

For more information visit The Organic Center and Generationsoforganic.org.

Print this page | Email a friend

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/checblog/~3/smiX9sAfYS4/

britax vigour britax marathon reviews cheap car seats for infants cosco booster seat car seats sale

Cook Something This Summer with Your Kids

Blog

Originally posted July 2010

Jamie Oliver: If you’re looking for ways to have fun with the kids and keep them busy this summer there’s no better way than cooking with them. Not only will you get to spend time with them, you’ll also be giving them vital life skills.

It doesn’t matter how old they are, there are always ways for them to get involved.

Here are a few of my top tips:

Start with simple dishes, especially if you have younger kids. A salad is a great place to start; anyone can tear up herbs or lettuce leaves and chances are if they’ve prepared it they’ll eat it.
If your kids are older get them chopping, stirring, reading out the recipe instructions or measuring out ingredients.
Let them touch and taste the ingredients where appropriate (of course I’m not talking about raw meat, eggs or anything else that’s going to make them sick!).
Be prepared to make a big old mess in the kitchen and see that as part of the fun. Just make sure everyone pitches in and helps you clean up at the end because that’s all part of it.
Praise your kitchen helpers (even if the recipe doesn’t quite go according to plan) and let them have the first taste of whatever it is you’ve cooked together.
Involve your kids in mealtimes and ask them what they’d like to try making next time.
Explain how important hygiene is and make sure they wash their hands before anything kicks off.
As a parent I know this goes without saying, but keep an eye on your kids in the kitchen. Don’t assume they know when something is ‘safe’ or ‘unsafe’, tell them.
Enjoy yourself! If you’re having fun, your kids will too.

I’d love to see how you get on so please post pictures of your family and their creations on the Food Revolution community page on Facebook.

Best,

Healthy Child is proud to support Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution. Eating more whole foods and less processed is not only nutritionally superior, but also reduces exposure to synthetic food additives and contaminants that can leach from food packaging. Thank you to Jamie Oliver and MomsRising for working to protect our children and for sharing this important message.

Posted by Lori B. on 07/06/2012 at 02:47 PM

Another hint, I have my kids smell everything that they add to the dish. Each and every spice so they start to learn how the smells and tastes go together.

Posted by Lori B. on 07/06/2012 at 02:46 PM

I have spent that last month just teaching my kids how to cook real meals. My 12 year old only wants to cook meals, which I LOVE and my 6 year old only wants to bake muffins & cookies. I took Jamie’s advice and am making sure that my 12 year old son can cook at least 20 healthy & nutritional meals. Last night he made 80 meatballs. They were super good. He was excited that the meatballs were more veggies than meat and tasted great! Oh… love that food processor!

Posted by elizabeth irvine on 07/03/2010 at 05:55 AM

I am a big fan of Jamie Oliver! Living in London for fifteen years Iv’e know Jamie as the guy who got my husband interested in cooking with his very first cookbook- The Naked Chef!

Congratulations to Jamie and his wife Jules on all of their positive healthy influence in creating healthy families for generations to come!!

Elizabeth Irvine, BSN
Educational Partner for Dr Andrew Weil’s Weil Baby
Author Healthy Mother Healthy Child: Creating Whole Families from the Inside Out

Posted by thenon-toxicmom on 07/01/2010 at 04:40 PM

One of the best times I ever had was when my young kids pitched in to help me get a meal ready for company. I was running really late and they saved me! It was so nice just being together in the kitchen.
And Jamie, my town needs you…
http://thenontoxicmom.wordpress.com/2010/05/10/where-are-you-jamie-oliver/

Posted by Momscape on 07/01/2010 at 03:27 PM

These are great tips! For some reason, my kids have always liked to bake even more than they like to cook… maybe because there’s a seemingly magical element to baking: the dough or the batter looks one way going in and comes out looking another way entirely. We are always looking for healthy recipes for muffins and baked goods.

More comments:

Print this page | Email a friend

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/checblog/~3/9dIqrTG4MsI/

consumer reports car seats chicco car seats britax convertible car seats britax frontier 85 britax roundabout 55 reviews

Garden Party at Japanese Garden Helps Expand Educational Programming

The Seattle Japanese Garden’s annual fundraiser, The Garden Party, is set for Friday, July 20, at 5:30 p.m. The community is invited to stroll the garden, enjoy light dinner and drinks and place bids at the silent and live auctions, helping to support the expansion of educational programs and events and provide funding for the horticultural needs of the garden.

To continue to attract a diverse audience, the staff at the garden is building on programming that deepens understanding of traditions, history, art, culture and horticultural aspects of the garden. Tickets for the third annual Japanese Garden Party are $75 and may be purchased online at www.brownpapertickets.com. The garden is located in the Washington Park Arboretum at 1075 Lake Washington Blvd. E. in Seattle.

Seattle Japanese Garden is a cherished cultural treasure in Seattle and one of the most highly regarded gardens of its style outside of Japan. With the completion of the entry gatehouse three years ago, the garden has experienced an increase in the number of visitors each year. The garden is three-and-a-half acres of artfully placed trees, shrubs, flowers, moss, stones, lanterns, streams, ponds, paths and bridges that create a harmonious balance of Northwest and Japanese plants and Japanese garden design.

The Japanese Garden Advisory Council sponsors nine events in the Garden for visitors (they are described at http://seattlejapanesegarden.org/). For more information, visit www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/japanesegarden.htm.

(0) Comment(s)

Source: http://www.seattleschild.com/article/garden-party-at-japanese-garden-helps-expand-educational-programming

britax cowmooflage britax marathon car seat covers baby girl car seats car seat covers for infants childrens car seats

Saturday, 14 July 2012

Africa: Donors, African Countries Pledge Billions to Family Planning

The international community has put contraception back on the development agenda with commitments to reach 120m more women with family planning services by 2020.

Donors have committed $2.6bn to improve family planning services in developing countries, and several African governments vowed to increase their spend on contraception provision to bring voluntary family planning services to an additional 120m women by 2020.

The pledges, made at a summit hosted by the UK's Department for International Development and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will result in 200,000 fewer women dying in pregnancy and childbirth, 110m fewer unintended pregnancies, 50m fewer abortions, and 3m fewer babies dying within their first year, the Gates Foundation said.

The London Summit on Family Planning, held on World Population Day, was designed to reverse years of dwindling funding to family planning, which has seen aid for reproductive healthcare programmes, as a share of global health aid, decline from 30 percent in 1994 to 12 percent last year, according to World Bank data.

"The investments in reproductive health, particularly in family planning, really fell off. In large part that was because of the politics of it, because we live in an environment that has become a little more conservative, so there was a pushback from all parts of the world - developing and developed," explains Dr Babatunde Osotimehin, executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), which is partnering with Dfid and the Gates Foundation on the initiative.

Donors have increasingly focused on other healthcare crises such as HIV/AIDS and malaria. "But a woman or girl's ability to choose, and her right to do so, without coercion, is important for hard development - of a community and a country," Dr Osotimehin argues.

Every $1 invested in family planning services yields up to $6 in savings on health, housing, water, and other public services, the Gates Foundation says. Contraceptive use also implies greater access to education and greater economic opportunities for women.

The UNFPA will double the proportion of its resources focused on family planning to 40 percent, bringing new funding of $174m per year. The Gates Foundation promised to double funding to $140m for eight years. The EU pledged $28m ahead of the summit.

Over 20 developing countries also made vows to address policy, financing and delivery barriers impeding the distribution of contraception. Among them was Nigeria. Health minister Muhammad Ali Pate said his country would reach a contraceptive prevalence rate of 36 percent by 2018. "Achieving this goal will mean averting at least 31,000 maternal deaths. Over 700,000 mothers will be prevented from injuries or long-term complications due to childbirth," he said at the summit.

He also promised to triple Nigeria's spend on reproductive health over the next four years, to over $8bn annually. Women in the country's richest wealth quintile are over 10 times more likely to have access to family planning services than their poorer counterparts, for whom the access rate is only 3.2 percent.

Senegal - whose contraceptive prevalence rate of 12 percent is one of the world's lowest - promised to more than double the number of women using contraception to 27 percent by 2015. The government will also increase its spend on procurement by 200 percent, and double the budget for its family planning programme, investing in a mass communication campaign. The country's minister of health, Awa Marie Col-Seck, claimed support of the Catholic church and said that Muslim leaders sit on family planning coordinating committees: "If the religious leaders are with us, we can really make headway," he said.

Tanzania's president Jakaya Kikwete also pledged to double contraceptives prevalence rates to 60 percent by 2015, while other countries including Malawi, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda, Zambia, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire and Tanzania made similar pledges. Ethiopia announced a five point action plan to meet its funding gap for family planning services.

"Recognising that early childbearing is a major contributor to maternal mortality, we are now targeting our efforts on adolescent girls who have the highest unmet need for family planning," said the country's health minister,Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

"There's a myth going around to say that Africa is not receptive to family planning, but we've now had a clear demonstration of where Africa stands," says the UNFPA's Dr Osotimehin. "We have the big players coming on board, putting money on the table, and saying: 'We are going to do this and do it well.'

"It was important to bring up the issues of commitment by Africa to help itself. This is not just a situation of trying to get money from the donor community: it is building momentum to address this issue within Africa."

The UNFPA will work with countries to develop existing networks for family planning delivery.

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201207131240.html

britax marathon 70 car seat best car seat booster car seat britax chaperone car seat britax boulevard car seat cover

Africa: Family Planning Summit Focuses On Mother and Child Survival

London — By focusing on health and mother and child survival, and sidestepping some of the more contentious issues, the 11 July London Summit on Family Planning led to financial pledges of an extra US$4.6 billion for family planning services in developing countries over the next eight years.

The money raised - nearly half of it from developing countries - will be enough, according the meeting's organizers, to give 120 million more women access to effective contraception, which will mean, they say, 200,000 fewer women dying in pregnancy and childbirth, over 50 million fewer abortions, and nearly three million fewer babies dying in the first year of life.

The mother and child survival agenda received scientific backing from work just published in the medical journal, the Lancet, which attempted to quantify the benefits of effective family planning. It looked at the much higher maternal death rates among teenage girls, women over 40 and mothers who had already had a large number of children, and children very close together. The authors estimate that allowing them to delay, space or limit their childbearing, together with removing the need for unsafe abortions, could reduce maternal mortality by 30 percent.

On the whole, the London meeting stayed on message, although other agendas did creep in, with some of the Scandinavian participants in particular stressing the need to see family planning as a women's rights issue. But it distanced itself from abortion, and association with state-imposed methods of population control.

Meanwhile, minds are turning to the 2015 end date for the Millennium Development Goals, and the negotiation of new goals thereafter. There was no reference to contraception in the original MDGs, or anything which could imply it, although a sub-clause on access to reproductive health was added in 2007. UN Population Fund Director Babatunde Osotimehin told IRIN he wants the next goal to be stronger and more explicit.

"It's about empowering young people, it's about educating them, it's about comprehensive sexuality education, it's about making service available and protecting the rights of people to make those choices. I would like it to say that reproductive health and rights are basic human rights."

Evangelical churches "outspoken"

Faustina Finn-Nyame, country director in Ghana for Marie Stopes International, says family planning is still very controversial there, but Roman Catholics are not the problem. "They have basically not made any comments about this in Ghana. It's the new evangelical churches that are far more outspoken about this sort of thing. I think all the formal churches understand the rationale behind this; they don't want to be preaching necessarily in their congregations, 'Go and get family planning', but they are not speaking against it either."

The real resistance is rooted deep in society, says Finn-Nyame. "Ghana is a very conservative community, and culturally people think you should have as many children as possible. Birth is good. Even if you can't afford it, God will provide. So by using contraceptives you are showing a lack of faith in God, and also tampering with something which shouldn't be tampered with." Women do very much want to limit and space their families, she says, but it is hard for them to admit it openly.

Promiscuous?

It is a similar story from Sierra Leone, where Health Minister Zeinab Bangura says they have had to win over chiefs and traditional leaders who believe that only promiscuous women use contraception. She told the meeting: "We are using community leaders, we are using traditional birth attendants, whose voices the women listen to. People have to know the messenger, they have to trust the messenger, they have to believe the messenger, before they can believe the message."

Joseph Katema, Zambia's minister responsible for mother and child health, spoke to IRIN of the days when he worked as a doctor in rural areas. "There are a lot of myths," he says, "surrounding family planning; for instance, that when you access modern family planning methods, and then you want to revert to your normal level of fertility, you cannot do that.

"There was a community... they had a health centre there but to give contraceptives was a problem, because the chief just said, 'these contraceptives are making our women promiscuous', and they banned my nurses and midwives from giving contraceptives. But I engaged the chief in that area, and convinced him of the benefits of family planning. And he was the gatekeeper. He called a meeting and spoke to his people and within a day women started coming."

Now the pledges of the London meeting need to be translated into action. Britain's development minister, Andrew Mitchell, said at the close of the meeting that he would be tracking commitments. "We will be setting up specifically a grouping," he said, "which will monitor what is happening in the transparent way that the British government has championed, to make absolutely clear whether and how people are standing by the commitments they have made."

Meanwhile, activists working on reproductive health issues have called for bottom-up tracking as well. Racheal Boma, of the White Ribbon Alliance which campaigns for safer motherhood says: "Governments must be held accountable to these Family Planning commitments. It is important that parliamentarians and civil society in countries are made aware of what their government has promised, so they ensure these big promises are fulfilled."

[ This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations ]

Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/201207131184.html

car seat britax marathon baby carseat graco car seats backless booster seat high back booster