Keeping Gift Simple

Welcome to the December edition of the Simply Living Blog Carnival - Gift Giving cohosted by Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children and Laura at Authentic Parenting. This month, we write about what taking sthe stress out of gift giving.

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I almost laughed when I read this month's theme. Because my gift giving is fairly simple, purely for the fact that we can't afford to go overboard. Because I most certainly would. I love Christmas shopping and gift giving. Even so, our Christmas morning never seems lacking, so I think we are doing just fine!

2013 Gratitude Challenge!

I have done this in the past. And Momma Jorje is right, it is time to do it again. Without further ado:

Introducing Native American Culture to Children at Natural Parents Network

I have a post today at Natural Parents Network about "Introducing Native American Culture to
Children."

That time of year has arrived. Harvest, turkeys, apple picking, pumpkin pies, and the story of the Indians and Pilgrims sharing the First Thanksgiving. It seems to be the only time of year we consider the historical or cultural impact "Indians" had on our lives: as a vague story of peace and harmony between the two groups who cohabited the area around Plymouth Rock. But, with November being Native American Heritage Month, more families are taking a closer look at the contributions Native Americans have made to our history and society.

Natural Parents Network's 2nd Annual Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway! {12/6, 26 winners, US, ARV $2,587}

Welcome to the Second Annual Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide!

If you need to complete your holiday shopping, find a birthday present for a friend, or just treat yourself to something special, the NPN Holiday Gift Guide has something for everyone. But what's even better, the NPN Holiday Gift Guide is a great opportunity to shop consciously and to support many naturally minded small businesses.

Second Annual NPN Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway (Pomegranate Kids $28) (12/6, 26 winners, US only ARV $2587.26)

This review is part of the Second Annual Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide!
If you need to complete your holiday shopping, find a birthday present for a friend, or just treat yourself to something special, the NPN Holiday Gift Guide has something for everyone. But what's even better, the NPN Holiday Gift Guide is a great opportunity to shop consciously and to support many naturally
minded small businesses.


The 55 companies that have provided items for review and giveaway are almost exclusively made up of work-at-home shops or companies that are dedicated to supporting eco-conscious choices.

I'm featuring one of those companies in my review below. When you get done reading my review, please click on over to the full Perfect for Kids and Perfect for Families. And you can find all 6 Rafflecopter widgets there, too.

Second Annual NPN Holiday Gift Guide& Giveaway (Kidecals, $28 ARV) (12/6, 26 winners, US only ARV $2587.26)

This review is part of the Second Annual Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift
Guide!

If you need to complete your holiday shopping, find a birthday present for a friend, or just treat yourself to something special, the NPN Holiday Gift Guide has something for everyone. But what's even better, the NPN Holiday Gift Guide is a great opportunity to shop consciously and to support many naturally
minded small businesses.

The 55 companies that have provided items for review and giveaway are almost exclusively made up of work-at-home shops or companies that are dedicated to supporting eco-conscious choices.

I'm featuring one of those companies in my review below. When you get done reading my review, please click on over to the full Perfect for Kids and Perfect for Families. And you can find all 6 Rafflecopter widgets there, too.
Without further ado, here is my review - thank you for reading and entering!

This is a Joint Review and Giveaway of the Canning Labels from Kidecals between Natural Parents Network and True Confessions of a Real Mommy.

Have something you love enough to put your name on it? Does your computer need brightening up? Maybe even a wall? Time to check out Kidcals! Their fashionable decals are just the thing. The name labels stick to anything, including clothing, and are waterproof and washing machine safe. The canning labels are dishwasher safe. And the wall decals are re-positionable. I had the chance to try out their personalized canning labels!

Our Experience

The first step is the hardest. Picking and personalizing your labels. Cute options abound! I had a little bit of a hard time with finding the right wording to fit their set space without the ability to change the font size or positioning. After I fiddled a bit, I found just the right number of spaces to fit the wording I wanted. From then out it was easy to place my order, and quick to ship. They stick well to my jars, and look great. I would check your jar choices before ordering, a few styles had too much glasswork design to allow a smooth application. 

You can see a little puckering on the bottom of the half pint jar label.

I am so excited that my hard work canning can get a quick label, and pretty bow, and I am set for the gift giving season!

Buy it!

You can purchase your own Kidecals on their website. With so many great choices for labeling and decorating your are sure to find the right item to help keep track of your personal items, customize birthday parties, or decorate your favorite spaces. I mean, chalkboard labels shaped like mustaches? Who can resist?

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a $28 voucher from Kidecals, or one of the 26 huge prize packages we're giving away, come back to this post on November 6th when our Rafflecopter widgets will go live for your chance to enter! Or you can visit Natural Parents Network on November 6th to see and enter to win all of our fantastic prize packages at once!

Disclosure: Our reviewer received a sample product for review purposes. Amazon links are affiliate links.We try to seek out only products we think you would find relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent. If we don't like a product, we won't be recommending it to you. See our full disclosure policy here.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Second Annual NPN Holiday Gift Guide& Giveaway (Redmond Clay $19.99) (12/6, 26 winners, US only ARV $2587.26)

This review is part of the Second Annual Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift
Guide!

If you need to complete your holiday shopping, find a birthday present for a friend, or just treat yourself to something special, the NPN Holiday Gift Guide has something for everyone. But what's even better, the NPN Holiday Gift Guide is a great opportunity to shop consciously and to support many naturally
minded small businesses.

The 55 companies that have provided items for review and giveaway are almost exclusively made up of work-at-home shops or companies that are dedicated to supporting eco-conscious choices.

I'm featuring one of those companies in my review below. When you get done reading my review, please click on over to the full Perfect for Kids and Perfect for Families. And you can find all 6 Rafflecopter widgets there, too.
Without further ado, here is my review - thank you for reading and entering!

This is a Joint Review and Giveaway of a Real Salt Organic Gift Set from Redmond Trading between Natural Parents Network and True Confessions of a Real Mommy.

You diligently decide on meal. Make the effort to get to the store, get it home, prep and cook. So, why use any old table salt in it? Time to give Redmond Trading's Organic Seasoning set a chance to bring out the natural deliciousness in your food, and find out how they add a new dimension to your food. Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy put them to the test, find out what her family thought.

Our Experience

Here's the thing. I do a lot of cooking. My husband is a chef. I rarely use salt in flavoring foods, and we NEVER buy seasoning or other flavored salts. They all seem to just taste stale and overpowering the flavors we so carefully put together. Not any more. This set is delicious. No dusty, stale flavor. The garlic and onion versions are superbly balanced to add dimension to the food without taking control. The seasoning salt is my new go to for fries, meat, and even a little zing on cottage cheese. 

This is where I would tell you any concerns or not-so-great parts of the review go. I have none. These are delicious. They are easy to use. My awesome skillz in the kitchen are only made better by using these over the other versions we have tried.

Buy it!

You can purchase your own Real Salt Organic Seasoning Set on their website. Go ahead and take a look at their other categories to find all natural toothpaste, bath salts, and more!

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a Real Salt Organic Seasoning Gift Set (value $19.99), or one of the 26 huge prize packages we're giving away, come back to this post on November 6th when our Rafflecopter widgets will go live for your chance to enter! Or you can visit Natural Parents Network on November 6th to see and enter to win all of our fantastic prize packages at once!

Disclosure: Our reviewer received a sample product for review purposes. Amazon links are affiliate links.We try to seek out only products we think you would find relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent. If we don't like a product, we won't be recommending it to you. See our full disclosure policy here.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

5 A Day

Welcome to the January 2013 Carnival of Natural Parenting: Recovering from the Holidays

This post was written for inclusion in the monthly Carnival of Natural Parenting hosted by Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama. This month our participants have written about how their families get back to normal after the holidays are over.

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New year. Resolutions. You know the drill. We needed a way to create a sense of expectation and rhythm to our day. Mostly because we were wasting our days unsure what to do, daunted by all the things we needed to do, and irritated at how those things kept us from doing the things we want.

5 things. Every day we have 5 things to do. 5 things were enough to feel accomplished, but few enough that even my three year old can remember.


1. Do laundry
2. Pick up bedroom
3. Do dishes
4. Make cookies
5. Play games
OR
1. Fill bird feeder
2. Clean playroom
3. Scrub Toilets
4. Prep produce delivery
5. Go to the library

School time is dispersed between these activities. Because there is only so much help you can inspire from the five and under crowd. And we don't say no to creative play, book reading, dancing, or any of the indoor things that are good for our bodies and minds. The first three things can be done in any order, but must be done before the last two.

This system creates the expectation of the day. They know when we will get a chance to go somewhere or turn on the tv. So far it helps curb the whining, and encourages everyone to participate in running our home and spending time learning.

It is really hard to teach intrinsic value to creating balance in our home when we lack it ourselves. As children, Mike usually had everything done for him and I was learned "just do it to avoid consequences." Neither are effective as adults when there is no one to do things for you or dole out punishments. We have to find appreciation for it on our own, and show our children that at the same time.


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Visit Code Name: Mama and Hobo Mama to find out how you can participate in the next Carnival of Natural Parenting this March!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants:
(This list will be live and updated by afternoon January 14 with all the carnival links.)

• Pinterest Inspiration for Easier Winter Holidays Shannon, writing at Natural Parents Network, shares inspiration for having more relaxed winter holidays from their Handmade Holidays Pinterest board.
• Seven Recipes for Beans - Post Holiday Cleaning — Destany at They Are All of Me shares her favorite bean recipes that she hopes will help her body recover from overindulging her sweet tooth during the holidays.
• The Recovery in the Change — Laura at Pug in the Kitchen made changes in her life and attitude throughout 2012 and was pleasantly surprised at how those changes impacted her holiday recovery!
• Could this question change your life for ever? — To get your new year off on the right footing, Mrs Green of Little Green Blog is challenging us all to love ourselves with commitment and discipline. She asks you to focus on a simple question which might just bring you back in balance...
• Holiday Recovery — Meegs at A New Day talks about how the holidays can be overwhelming for a toddler, and how she's helping her 3 year old recover.
• 5 Ways to Detox After the Holidays — Brittany at The Pistachio Project gives a few ways to help you detox and get back on track after the holiday season has passed.
• 3 Simple Ways to Establishing Rhythm After the Holidays or Any Time — Sheila at A Living Family shares 3 simple ways to reestablish a rhythm of connection and calm in your family after holidays, visitors, travel or any time.
• Gemstones For Holiday Hangoverss — Jennifer at Hybrid Rasta Mama delves into the power of gemstones as an often overlooked means of dealing with the holiday letdown.
• Getting back to Healthy — Bess at A Warrior Mom talks about the struggle of getting young ones back to eating healthy after several days to weeks of getting more candy and sweets than normal for the holidays and gives some suggestions on how to get them back to eating healthy in the new year.
• Post Christmas Juice Feast — Sam at Love Parenting explains why she has created a new tradition of juice feasting, and how she includes her toddler when detoxing.
• The Java Monkey On My Back — Christy at Eco Journey in the Burbs realizes it is time to kick her cup of Joe habit as a first step toward detoxing.
• Minimalist Holidays — Jorje of Momma Jorje doesn't find much need for recovery after her minimalist version of the holidays.
• Do something for you — Lauren at Hobo Mama urges you to find a silly and indulgent reward of me-time — and she has hers.
• do we recover? — Kenna at Million Tiny Things wonders what recovery really means in the context of the tragedies of this past holiday season.
• 37 Easy Ways to Save Money — Shannon at GrowingSlower is sharing these money-saving tips to help get your budget back on track after the holidays.
• A Two Year Old's Resolutions — That Mama Gretchen is putting the holidays behind her with a spin on traditional resolutions — New Year's goals for her two-year-old! Sound crazy? Read on for an explanation!
• How to Find Balance after the Holidays — Deb Chitwood at Living Montessori Now tells her favorite ways to start a new year with hope and calmness.
• Fresh Awakening — For Luschka at Diary of a First Child, the new year has coincided with a return to restful nights. With sleep, she's found new directions in life, but while she can't make too many changes to her life right now, she's inspired and excited about the future.
• Learning to slow down after a busy Festive Season — Stoneageparent describes the joys and lows of this year's festive season, as well as her New Year's resolutions.
• Detoxing' Your Toddler After the Holidays — Does your family suffer side effects from the holidays? Join Christine from African Babies Don't Cry to learn how she detoxed herself and her toddler off the treats and festivities of the season.
• Scheduling is OK! — Jaye Anne at Wide Awake, Half Asleep explores the possibilities of the — SCHEDULE!!
• We're Saving their First Christmas for Next Time — Mercedes at Project Procrastinot takes it easy after moving with her husband and new babies to Scotland.
• A Vacation from the World — Mandy at Living Peacefully with Children retreats with her family at the end of every year in order to recuperate and enjoy one another.
• On the Road to Recovery — Dionna at Code Name: Mama isn't just recovering from the holidays, she's recovering from a lifestyle.
• We Never Left the Grind — Erika Gebhardt compares a typical day pre-holidays and post-holidays.
• Remembering and Recovering from the Holidays (One day at a time) — Emily at S.A.H.M i AM is recovering from holidays slowly--taking one day at a time--while trying to remember all the sweet moments that passed too quickly.
• 5 a Day — To get back on track Jennifer at True Confessions of a Real Mommy needed a simple system to help her family learn new values.
• Holiday Detox & Healing: Bieler Broth — Megan at The Boho Mama shares her secret for a gentle, whole-foods-based post-holiday detox: Bieler Broth!
• I'm Mama Not Supermom — After a year filled with changes Angela at EarthMamas World has to remind herself that she does not have to be supermom while recovering from the holiday chaos.

The New Santa Claus

We tend to shy away from the norm in our family, and holidays are no different. When a story doesn't resonate with us, we change it.

Before my husband and I even had children, we discussed many of the decisions we would have to make as parents. Even then we knew that, though we LOVE Christmas time and all that comes with it, not being truthful with our children did not sit well with us. (Also: we are selfish and want all the gift-giving credit for ourselves.) So, we looked to the history of Santa Claus to decide how to tell his story to our future children. It wasn't very hard to see that the origins were as simple as a man (saint or god) who was generous and giving. Caring for the poor and children. So, this is the story we tell.

Santa is real. He is the spirit of giving for all those in need. But, we are blessed to have the means to create our own Christmas. So, it is our charge to collect items that we no longer use: clothes, books, and toys. Then Santa Claus comes to collect our donations on (or around) December 5th to redistribute to those in need on Christmas. We make it clear that he does not bring us presents. Our family is full of uncles, aunts, grandmas, papas, and more that enjoy showing some of their love through gifts this time of year. So we are happy to help Santa provide for others (save the elves some work and Santa some time on his Christmas Eve adventure.) When we write letters to Santa, it is to thank him for the work he does.

What do we hope to achieve with the alteration of common cultural beliefs? We don't do "Naughty or Nice" in our home, instead choosing to do our best to honor that a child is HAVING a problem, not BEING a problem. We strive to reduce a consumerist "I want, I want!" ideal by including them in taking responsibility for caring for others. No need to look to a stranger to fulfill wants or needs, our family is there for us. All the while keeping with the magic of Santa.

I know everyone does the holidays a little different, how do you or do you even do Santa?