Wordless Wednesday: Windy Park Day

Sasha loves to swing!

Sasha & Daddy

Monday Minimalist: Resisting New Stuff

Being minimalist or even just minimalish doesn't mean that you have to stop getting new things at all. It doesn't mean you have to turn the other cheek when a good deal comes your way. It does, however, mean thinking about purchases a little more seriously. Will this item truly bring something good to my life? Will it just be another thing to wash / dust?

This morning when I took the garbage to the dumpster, I saw that someone had moved out and there was the usual pile of discarded junk next to the dumpster: a chair, legs for it, a lamp or two, and... wait! What is that?! OMG a 4-square ball?? I have always LOVED those kinds of balls!! I could so HAVE it... for FREE!

Sunday Surf: Natural & Green

It has been kind of a crazy week. I escorted my mother to the doctor on Tuesday, then she went to the ER early Thursday morning. She is still in the hospital now. I've also gotten around to some writing this week that I've been putting off for a couple months. Here are the few links I've found worth sharing this week.

• Although Elmo & I are unschooling Sasha, I found Why Preschool Shouldn't Be Like School to be intriguing, nonetheless. One one hand, it seems that children are vastly underestimated. On the other hand, it seems there is a lot of

  Image from Slate

  pressure for them to learn more and more advanced junk at younger and younger ages. This article explains why this may not be the best approach after all. There are some really cool studies mentioned, too.
  
  

Wordless Wednesday: Sleeping Baby Obsession

Sasha went to sleep in front of the closet door where cool air blows from under the door.

02-11-11
During the day, Sasha sleeps wherever she chooses.

Monday Minimalist: The Story of Stuff

Annie Leonard did a little 20 minute cartoon called The Story of Stuff. It is actually an entire project on reducing consumerism. Someone recommended the book to me and when I found the DVD at my local library, I requested it. I had no idea how long it would be. It is quite short and watches like an afternoon special you might see on PBS. Annie explains where stuff comes from, where it goes, how it gets there, and who it effects. She also talks about how the government here in the U.S. decided to make us a country of consumers, above all else. What a disgusting thought!



So here's the thing, consuming less can help the world! Did you know that only 1% of crap we purchase in the United States is still in our homes 6 months later? Crap is built to fall apart! The video is very short and you will learn something. If you're interested in a sustainable future, you should check out this project!

Sunday Surf: 3 handy & 1 touching tale

Jumping right into the links this week, I don't think I have any big news or goings-on from this past week.

• 
  I have finally subscribed to Anktangle! And one post that lead to this (among several) was Make Your Own Wool Dryer Balls. She also links the tutorial that got her started. I'm thinking Giftmas here... Great ecological gift idea!
  
  
• 
  Lucy Pearce offers this amazingly creative and peaceful idea for helping children deal with tantrums at rhythm of the home: Happy Candles! I tucked this one away in my head as I want to keep it as a tool should I ever need it. Just such a cool idea!
  
  
• 
  I was touched this week by this tale of how two lesbian mamas share breastfeeding duties. What a wonderful source for their little one, to have two breastfeeding mothers! Brought to us from Offbeat Mama ~ Parenting against the grain.
  
  
• 
  It seems like every company / website out there will now send you text reminders of some sort or another. My bank will send me a warning if my balance dips below a certain amount I specify. My Google Calendar will text me to remind me of birthdays. You can get all kinds of reminders. The name of this one cracked me up, though. BabyCenter's Booty Caller will send you ovulation alerts! I was tempted to sign up myself, but I keep track of my cycle anyway.

Some cool stuff! I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did!

Wordless Wednesday: Zoo Trip

I was going a bit stir crazy to get OUT and do something, so Daddy took us to the zoo on Saturday! The weather was absolutely perfect for it!

Monday Minimalist: Kick Off

Have you heard of Minimalism? It seems to be this new movement and once you get bit by the bug, it may feel like a religion! You know when you find some amazing new product and you want to tell ALL your friends? Well minimalism is awesome! One reason it came to me was because I want to live in a travel trailer. Travel Trailers don't have much room for junk. Look around you, how much of that stuff is actually junk?

If you haven't heard of minimalism, there are some sites and blogs out there that have already explained it for us. You can, of course, look up the definition or find those sites. I, personally, love The Minimalist Mom! Hers was the first blog I found about minimalism and I can also relate to being a mother. Minimalism is going to look very different in different households.

truck load of stuff
taken to Goodwill in December
(just before our last move)

So... why have less stuff?

Sunday Surf: Short List

I don't know what I was doing all week, other than being grumpy, but I just didn't find a lot to share with you. Still, I have a couple...

• You know how ideas seem to strike when you're doing something entirely unrelated? (And you know if you don't jot them down you'll forget them when you need them?) Well scientists have figured out that very fact! Check out Bother Me, I'm Thinking ~ Why you should drop that espresso and bounce a ball instead.
  
  
• This next article is about the dangers in labeling children. Stop Calling Children "Drama Queens" ~ I appreciated the facts this article provided regarding the brain development of toddlers. It helped me to understand that Sasha isn't ready to problem-solve her own problems yet. It helps keep us from being frustrated when she gets frustrated if we can just remember her perspective. She is a little ball of emotions, so cut her some slack for being... emotional!
  

I hope you enjoyed this week's short list. What have you read lately that you consider a must read? Share it with me so that I might share it next week!

Wordless Wednesday: Baby Jorje

Hey, that's ME!

Top 10 Nursing Positions / Situations

Welcome to the March Carnival of Natural Parenting: Natural Parenting Top 10 Lists

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 shared Top 10 lists on a wide variety of aspects of attachment parenting and natural living. Please read to the end to find a list of links to the other carnival participants.

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I do so love my nursing relationships. Ronni nursed until he was 3½ years old. I absolutely followed his lead on weaning. March marks 1½ years for Sasha, so far! Our nursing relationship is still going strong. She nurses several times during the day as well as during the night. (I also nursed my first child 6 months.) With 5½ years of breastfeeding experience, I would like to share with you my Top 10 Nursing Positions / Situations in no particular order.

Newborn Sasha, snuggled up to my breast

1. The most common position for me is with Sasha on top of the Boppy cushion in my lap. I prefer to sit "tailor style" for support under the Boppy, but am not supposed to because of my knees. I'm doing well enough now (after recovering from surgery) that I do sit this way to nurse more and more often. I also prefer to be belly to belly with Sasha, but she often decides to lay on her back with her head turned toward me. Yes, I've seen it written not to do this, but it works for us.
   
   

Sunday Surf: 7 Days, 7 Links

It has been an exciting week of cooking more (planned) meals for my family, doing more cleaning because of that, and doing a lot more domestic type stuff at my now Part Time job. It is wonderful to spend the morning AND evening with my family! Here are the links that caught my eye this week:

• I am so appreciative of my mother linking me up with the local Farmer's Market site where they do orders and monthly pick-ups through the off-season! I placed my first order and will pick up next week! You may be able to find your own local Farmer's Market through the parent site.
  
  

Wordless Wednesday: New Truck

Sasha in our New (to us) F-150
Complete with back seat, we all fit!

It is Super Duty, ready for pulling a Travel Trailer!
Sasha is too cool in her Hello Kitty shades!