"Just Spirituality: How Faith Practices Fuel Social Action"

"The Hebrew word shalom not only means "peace"
but refers to a complete reconciliation of all things to God."
- Mae Elise Cannon
This concept of shalmon meaning something beyond peace is new to me, and it has buried itself deep into my heart and remained there these past few weeks. The writer goes on to describe the idea of shalom further: wholeness, completeness, harmony, the total sense of well-being that God initially intended for both individuals and community.

Yes. That. That strikes a chord within, a distant echo of something that once was and that will be again. It speaks to my dearest longing, my most desperate hope. Shalom.

I think about shalom and I think about all that is broken in this world, all that needs to be reconciled, restored, made complete again, and I feel hope, yes. But I also feel anger. I have witnessed evil. I have heard stories of darkness day after day. I have seen the crippling pain that it causes. I have felt disgust with all those that prey on the weak. I know that the world is not as it should be.

I read further, and more words prick my soul with their truth:

"Sanctification requires acknowledging our brokenness and that of humanity and discovering that we are still loved. As one becomes increasingly aware that she is shattered, broken and disconnected, she must pursue justice differently. One can't stay angry all of the time when one encounters injustice, because there is a greater understanding of one's own human frailty and sin. All of us, in some way, shape or form, contribute to injustice at different points in our lives. Regardless of our frailty, justice is pursued by turning everything over to Jesus in a spirit of submission and constant prayer."

Ouch.

The world is in need of shalom, and I am part of that need. Anger arises from my pride when I fail to recognize that need within myself, as though all the injustice is "out there" and not also right here in my own heart and thoughts and actions. I need to be made whole again. I need to be reconciled and restored. All of the injustice and brokenness in the world are a reflection of my own brokenness, a part of myself; I cannot separate myself from it.

The world is in need of shalom, and I am part of that need.

Mae Elise Cannon writes about this shalom in her book Just Spirituality: How Faith Practices Fuel Social Action. In this book, Cannon outlines seven faith practices which she views as being central to one's personal relationship with God:

* Silence
* Prayer
* Study
* Community
* Worship
* Sabbath
* Submission

For each spiritual practice, Cannon offers a biography of notable Christian leaders, both historic and modern-day, whose practice of that particular practice enabled them to engage in social justice endeavors to the glory of God and the benefit of mankind. Also included in each chapter are practical suggestions for carrying out these faith practices ourselves.


Nicely organized and filled with compelling examples, this book reminds the reader that our social justice efforts cannot be carried out on our own power, but must rather arise from and be fueled by our connection with the Creator. Spiritual connection is important, Cannon writes, in order for justice activists to remain connected with the work that God is already doing in the world.

An inspiring read this Lenten season.

Shalom.

"The Gentle Parent" Book Review

This post is part of the Virtual Book Tour for the launch of L.R.Knost's newest release, The Gentle Parent: Positive, Practical, Effective Discipline. Click here if you’d like to check out the other stops on the tour!
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"It is in the ordinary moments of life itself that you are building your relationship with your child, and it is in those moments that you decide whether your relationship will be built on control and correction or built on trust and connection."

From the author of Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle parenting through the ages and stages and Whispers Through Time: Communication through the ages and stages of childhood comes a third book in the Little Hearts Handbook series: The Gentle Parent: Positive, Practical, Effective Discipline.

Like its predecessors, The Gentle Parent is concise and to-the-point. This slim book contains 30 short chapters, making it an easy read for busy parents.

Don't mistake its brevity for lack of content, however. The Gentle Parent is filled with practical steps, tips, and scripts to round out the "why's" of gentle discipline with nice solid "how's".

This comprehensive look at gentle discipline carries the reader from the beginning stages through to the teenage years and beyond. Following an introduction on the problem with punishment, the next five chapters look at the importance of setting a solid foundation in the baby years. The author then moves on to the toddler stage, with eight chapters covering everything from tantrums to biting to boundary testing. This section also explores the consequences of spanking, shaming, threatening, manipulating, and yelling at children.

The next six chapters cover the preschool years, including a chapter on parenting strong-willed children. This is followed by five chapters on middle childhood. The book concludes with five chapters the discuss the adolescent years, including some insight into the root of violence and bullying in our society.

There are also three appendices, covering lying, backtalk, and a twelve-step approach for parents who wish to work toward a more gentle style of parenting.

The entirety of this book is girded with the three C's of gentle discipline: Connection, Communication, and Cooperation. Both new and seasoned gentle parents will find it a worthy resource.


Gentle Parenting Workshop (and a freebie!)

The author of the Little Hearts Handbook series has also just released the first in a new Gentle Parenting Workshop series. The Gentle Parenting Workshops are companions to her Little Hearts Handbook series. The first workshop in the series, Gentle Parenting Workshop 1: Getting Started on Your Gentle Journey, will help you set your gentle parenting goals, identify specific parenting problems, and target practical solutions to help you along on your journey to gentle parenting.

This workshop will be free to download on Kindle on the last day of the book tour, Sunday, November 10th, so be prepared to snap up that offer tomorrow!


About the Author

Best-selling parenting and children’s book author and mother of six, L.R.Knost, is an independent child development researcher and founder and director of the advocacy and consulting group, Little Hearts/Gentle Parenting Resources. Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle Parenting Through the Ages and Stages and Whispers Through Time: Communication Through the Ages and Stages of Childhood are the first in her Little Hearts Handbooks series of parenting guides. The newest book in the series, The Gentle Parent: Positive, Practical, Effective Discipline was just released on November 1, 2013. Other works by this award-winning author include the children's picture books Petey’s Listening Ears, and the soon-to-be-released Grumpykins series for ages 2 to 6, which are humorous and engaging tools for parents, teachers, and caregivers to use in implementing gentle parenting techniques in their homes and schools.

"Whispers Through Time" Book Review & Giveaway

This post is part of the Virtual Book Tour for the launch of L.R.Knost's newest release Whispers Through Time: Communication Through the Ages and Stages of Childhood. Click here if you’d like to check out all of the other stops on the tour!
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"Communication is the core of all parent/child interaction. Whether parents choose to brandish it like a sword to control their children or wield it like a mallet to hammer their children into shape or whisper it like an invitation to follow, communication is the means of parenting. What is lacking in the sword and the mallet is connection, sharing, understanding, camaraderie...that 'commune' element of communication."

From the introduction to L.R. Knost's Whispers Through Time: Communication through the ages and stages of childhood, these gentle yet straight-forward words set the tone for the rest of the book. Along with its predecessor, Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle parenting through the ages and stages, both new and seasoned gentle parents will find this a worthy resource.

Each of the book's short chapters is concise and to-the-point, making it an easy read for parents who are often short on time. The book takes the reader from newborn through adolescence to explore typical development and effective communication at each stage. Beginning with the baby stage, the author describes the importance of intentional and responsive communication from the first moments:

"Communication begins at the moment of birth. Interwoven in those precious moments after a newborn is placed on a mama's belly are the first cry, the first eye contact, the first rooting for the breast, and the first opportunity to respond, to meet needs, to connect."

In her signature no-nonsense style, L.R. Knost ends the baby section with a reminder of the impact our perceptions of our children have on who they will become down the road:

"So, who are you raising, parents? An innocent child or a cunning manipulator? It's vital that you decide, because your perception of who your child is and what motivates them will influence not only your attitude toward your child, but your response to your child as well.

Remember, who you think you are raising is who you will raise!"

The baby stage is followed by the toddler stage, and L.R. Knost tackles tantrums, "no's", shrieks, and connecting through play. Woven throughout it all is this gentle reminder:

"No matter the problem, kindness is always the right response. When your child is having a problem, stop, listen, then respond to the need, not the behavior. The behavior can be addressed later, after the need has been met, because only then is the door to effective communication truly open."

Next up are the preschoolers, including lying, whining, and "why's". Again, the focus throughout is effective communication regardless of what behavior the parent is dealing with at the moment:

"All behavior, including lying, is communication. Focusing on the need behind the behavior instead of the behavior itself or the lie it prompted will actually solve the problem rather than simply address the symptom of the problem."

Middle childhood discussions include tattling, tone, apologies, and more. Reminding us that our words matter, L.R. Knost says:

"Parents, choose your words wisely, carefully, thoughtfully. In the same way that violence begets violence and anger begets anger, kindness begets kindness and peace begets peace. Sow words of peace, words that build, words that show respect and belief and support. Those are the seeds of a future filled with goodness and hope and compassion, and aren't those the things we really want for our children, after all?"

Also included is the challenging reminder that what we model to our children speaks loudest of all:

"Consciously, intentionally, and consistently living out how we want our children to turn out is the most powerful and effective character training there is. The lessons they will take into the future will consist far more of how we treat them than what we teach them."

The teen years chapters cover backtalk, friendship, and giving our teens both the space and opportunity to open up to us about what's going on in their head and their heart. Following up on her earlier delineation between punishment (penalty for undesirable behavior) and discipline (guidance toward desired behavior), the author reiterates the importance of this difference:

"The punitive parenting approach focuses on the child as the problem and attempts to solve the problem by 'fixing' the child through intentionally unpleasant external forces.

The gentle parenting approach focuses on the child having a problem and attempts to help the child solve the problem through connection, communication, and inviting cooperation."

More than anything, communication must be between two people, not dictated from one to another:

"For effective communication to take place, both parties need to hear the other. If both are focused on trying to be heard at the same time, neither will end up being heard. As the only adult in the parent/child relationship, it's up to you to listen first, to understand first, to acknowledge and validate your child first. You have the maturity and self-control to be patient and wait to be heard. Your child doesn't, especially when emotions are running high.

Parents who are focused on control often find the idea of an interactive response rather than instant, unquestioning obedience from their child to be an uncomfortable concept. It's in that exchange of thoughts, though, that children learn how an adult thinks and that they begin to internalize the belief systems and values parents ultimately want their children to take into adulthood."

So much truth packed into such a little book.

Win it!

L.R. Knost is generously giving away the first two books in her Little Hearts Handbook series, Whispers Through Time: Communication Through the Ages and Stages of Childhood and Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle Parenting Through the Ages and Stages. To enter, leave a comment on this post. Giveaway is open worldwide until 11:59 PM PST. Be sure to leave your email address so we can contact you if you win!

Congratulations, Amanda, on being randomly selected as the winner of the giveaway!

Other stops and opportunities to win during this Book Tour are listed on L.R. Knost's Book Tour page, along with a book trailer and sample chapters.

About the Author

Best-selling parenting and children’s book author, L.R. Knost, is an independent child development researcher and founder and director of the advocacy and consulting group, Little Hearts/Gentle Parenting Resources. A mother of six, her children range from 25-years down to 25-months-old. Two Thousand Kisses a Day: Gentle Parenting Through the Ages and Stages and Whispers Through Time: Communication Through the Ages and Stages of Childhood are the first in her Little Hearts Handbooks series of parenting guides. The next book in the series, The Gentle Parent: Positive, Practical, Effective Discipline is due to be released November 2013. Other works by this award-winning author include the children's picture books A Walk in the Clouds, Petey’s Listening Ears, and the soon-to-be-released Grumpykins series for ages 2 to 6, which are humorous and engaging tools for parents, teachers, and caregivers to use in implementing gentle parenting techniques in their homes and schools.

Giveaway: $20 Gift Certificate from Dysfunction Designs - $20 ARV {Worldwide; 11.25}

This is a joint giveaway between Natural Parents Network and many other natural parenting sites. You may enter for all of the giveaways at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries.

Welcome to the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide!

Natural Parents Network, The Hippie Housewife, and 24 other natural parenting bloggers are giving away 89 items perfect for gifting for the holidays as part of the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide. The combined total value of all of the items is $2,550.

Have you finished your holiday shopping? The NPN Holiday Gift Guide is a great opportunity to complete your gift-giving purchases for family and friends, while supporting many naturally-minded small businesses. The companies who have provided items for giveaway are almost exclusively made up of small businesses or work-at-home families.

Please stop back to enter the giveaway. The Rafflecopter entry system will be live November 1 on this post (and on every post participating in the Gift Guide). Please visit some of the other review posts listed below and read about the fabulous companies offering giveaways in the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide.

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Please continue reading to learn more about Dysfunction Designs, which is offering our readers a giveaway of one $20 gift certificate.

About Dysfunction Designs

Dysfunction Designs specializes in unique handmade tribal jewellery for women and men. Kirsty Rice, owner of Dysfunction Designs, desires to create jewellery that allows individuals to express themselves in their own way.

According to Kirsty, "I'd like to think I put a little of my own personality into my designs and creations, but it's only when you wear the items that they really shine."

Kirsty's passion is for the alternative culture. From vintage-inspired to tribal, skater to bohemian, Dysfunction Designs offers handmade jewellery for free spirits of all kinds.

You can keep up to date with Dysfunction Designs on Facebook, Twitter, and the Dysfunction Designs blog.

About Dysfunction Designs' Handmade Jewellery

Dysfunction Designs' jewellery is available in a variety of styles and materials. The beads used include wood, bone, pearl, and polymer clay beads sculpted and textured by Kirsty herself. With no two pieces quite the same, you can be sure you are purchasing something unique.

The jewellery is sent out wrapped in hemp fabric, ready to wear or perfect for gift-giving.

The quality of Dysfunction Designs' jewellery is excellent. The clasps work flawlessly and the elasticized bracelets are discretely secured, with no noticeable knots or loose ends. The jewellery feels sturdy and although it is not made for children, it easily survived a few minutes of dress-up play from my own boys.

Jewellery is available as stand-alone pieces or in sets, and Kirsty is always up for working with customers on customized items. Whether you're looking for elegant, funky, or something in between, you're sure to find the ideal one-of-a-kind piece at Dysfunction Designs.

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own handmade jewellery at Dysfunction Designs. Bracelets start at $8 and necklaces start at $14. Dysfunction Designs offers free shipping worldwide!

And just for Natural Parents Network and Hippie Housewife readers, Dysfunction Designs is giving a 5% discount on all orders from now through December 31, 2012. Enter code NATGIFT5 during the ordering process.

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a $20 gift certificate from Dysfunction Designs, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below. (Rafflecopter will be live November 1-25).

The winner will receive a $20 gift certificate for use on any order from Dysfunction Designs. Contest is open worldwide.

Our Rafflecopter entry system opens November 1.

MANDATORY ENTRY: In the box provided in the first Rafflecopter entry, tell us where you would have your prize shipped if you are one of the winners. You must enter your name and email address while leaving a comment in the Rafflecopter system for your entry to count.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries.

This is part of a larger giveaway hosted by Natural Parents Network. You may enter the whole giveaway at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy all of the participating sites!

Please note that each entrant can win only one prize, and NPN will be randomly assigning prizes to the winners. One of the giveaway questions asks which are your top five prizes so we can try to match winners to their preferences.

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email sponsorship {at} naturalparentsnetwork.com or leave a comment if you have any questions!

Giveaway: Libre glass 'n poly Original Tea Glass from Libre Tea - $24 ARV {US/Can; 11.25}

This is a joint giveaway between Natural Parents Network and many other natural parenting sites. You may enter for all of the giveaways at one site only. Please find the section marked "Win it!" for the mandatory entry and optional bonus entries.

Welcome to the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide!

Natural Parents Network, The Hippie Housewife, and 24 other natural parenting bloggers are giving away 89 items perfect for gifting for the holidays as part of the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide. The combined total value of all of the items is $2,550.

Have you finished your holiday shopping? The NPN Holiday Gift Guide is a great opportunity to complete your gift-giving purchases for family and friends, while supporting many naturally-minded small businesses. The companies who have provided items for giveaway are almost exclusively made up of small businesses or work-at-home families.

Please stop back to enter the giveaway. The Rafflecopter entry system will be live November 1 on this post (and on every post participating in the Gift Guide). Please visit some of the other review posts listed below and read about the fabulous companies offering giveaways in the Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide.

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Please continue reading to learn more about Libre Tea, which is offering our readers a giveaway of one Libre glass ’n poly Original Tea Glass, a value of $24.00.

About Libre Tea

Libre Tea is committed to sustainable people and planet practices, excellent customer service and engaging tea moments for all to enjoy and relax with. They are proud to be a 100% wholly owned Canadian company. Their mission is to inspire tea moments anywhere, anytime.

Wendy Weir, CEO and founder of Libre Tea, was inspired to create these glasses by her passion for loose leaf tea: "Tea, for me, is symbolic of an ancient ritual celebrating the secular as sacred. It is a space to take a breath, reconnect with oneself and the world. It is a time to stop — to enjoy life, people and the planet and remember the joys that life has to offer."

Share your favourite tea moments with Libre Tea on Facebook or Flickr. You can also follow Libre Tea on Twitter and Pinterest.

For updates and special promotions, sign up for their newsletter at LibreTea.com.

About the Libre Tea Glasses

Libre glass 'n poly Tea Glasses are an innovative all-in-one system that allow you to brew and drink loose leaf tea while on the go. These convenient travel glasses are available in the original 9oz size, the large 14oz size, and the 10oz mug style with an easy-to-hold handle.

All styles feature a glass interior, a durable polycarbonate exterior, and a stainless steel tea filter surrounded by BPA-free polypropylene.

Libre Tea Glasses can be used in two easy and convenient ways. For use with tea in the glass, simply add the tea to the glass, fill with hot water, cover with the filter and lid, and let steep. For tea with a limited steeping time, add the tea on top of the filter, fill with hot water, cover, and invert for steeping. When ready, twist off the lid and filter together, then enjoy! For more detailed instructions, safety warnings, and a helpful how-to video, see Libre Tea's how to use your tea glass page.

Libre Tea glasses are elegant and stylish, with a lovely motif both topping and encircling the lid. When steeped directly in the glass, the swirling loose leaf tea adds an additional touch of beauty; the extra-fine filter effectively prevents the tea leaves from leaving the glass while you drink.

The quality of these tea glasses is equally impressive. Despite their glass interior, the polycarbonate exterior grants them a surprising ruggedness. The double-walled construction keeps your tea hot or cold for up to one hour and makes the glass comfortable to hold.

Libre Tea glasses make it easy to drink loose leaf tea wherever you are - at home, in the car, at work, or outdoors - allowing you to take full advantage of loose leaf tea’s health benefits, environmental benefits, great taste, and infinite blends. These glasses are the perfect gift for the tea-lover in your life.

BUY IT!

You can purchase your own Libre Tea Glass at Libre Tea. Tea glasses start at $24.00 plus applicable shipping fees, or find a retailer near you!

WIN IT!

For your own chance to win a Libre glass 'n poly Original Tea Glass from Libre Tea, enter by leaving a comment and using our Rafflecopter system below. (Rafflecopter will be live November 1-25).

The winner will receive one Libre glass ’n poly Original Tea Glass. Contest is open to the US and Canada.

Our Rafflecopter entry system opens November 1.

MANDATORY ENTRY: In the box provided in the first Rafflecopter entry, tell us where you would have your prize shipped if you are one of the winners. You must enter your name and email address while leaving a comment in the Rafflecopter system for your entry to count.

Leave a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Email addresses in Rafflecopter are not made publicly visible. Please leave the same valid email address in your mandatory comment so we can verify entries.

This is part of a larger giveaway hosted by Natural Parents Network. You may enter the whole giveaway at one site only, and we'll be recording IP addresses to ensure that there are no duplicate entries. That said, please do visit and enjoy all of the participating sites!

Please note that each entrant can win only one prize, and NPN will be randomly assigning prizes to the winners. One of the giveaway questions asks which are your top five prizes so we can try to match winners to their preferences.

BONUS ENTRIES:
See the Rafflecopter entry system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter. Give it a try, and email sponsorship {at} naturalparentsnetwork.com or leave a comment if you have any questions!

A season for convenience (and a giveaway!)

There are ideals, and then there is reality.

As much as possible, I try to keep the two lined up. Sometimes, however, reality wins. Expectations are lowered. Convenience is embraced.

Right now, during this time of new babyhood, the convenience that I'm embracing is food. I don't like it, but there it is. I'm all about simplicity right now. It's been months since I've made my own granola. I'm buying frozen pizzas and lasagnas. I keep Larabars and granola bars on hand instead of making my own. Canned beans and chickpeas. Pre-made soups and pie crusts. I made this incredible chicken stew with butternut squash and quinoa last week, but I cheated and used a carton of butternut squash soup as the base instead of roasting the squash myself. Keep it simple, you know?

And yet my food-related ideals haven't been set aside entirely. I still want to feed myself and my family food that is nutritious and free from all the "extras" most convenience foods are filled with. I just want good, simple food - with a bit of help.

Shopping around here is a bit of a sport. Small town living made it so easy - I bought all my groceries at the good ol' Grub. But moving to a big city? Wow. We get our bulk items from Costco, our beef from a local ranch, our produce from the farmer's market or a produce market, our miscellany from Superstore, and our "just need to grab one or two things" from Safeway. Grocery shopping days can feel a bit crazy.

It was during one such shopping trip recently that I noticed a new brand on the shelves at our local Safeway. Claiming to be "100% natural", these Open Nature products had nice simple ingredient lists. Less is usually more when it comes to ingredient lists, so I put those in my basket in place of my usual brands.

So when Safeway contacted me regarding a review of Open Nature products, I already knew this was a line of products I was interested in exploring further and comfortable sharing with you all.

Open Nature products are made with all-natural ingredients, without artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Their ingredients are so simple that they list them right on the front of each package. Always the skeptic, I expected to see additional ingredients quietly slipped in to the official ingredient list on the side of the package; surprisingly, the lists matched exactly.

Open Nature products are available throughout the store, from the bakery to the deli, frozen foods to meat, dairy to pantry.

Now there's no pretending these are health foods. They might use sugar instead of HFCS, but it's still sugar. Their meat might have no antibiotics, nitrates, or added hormones, but it's still not free-range grass-fed beef from a local rancher. These are convenience foods and they don't stand up to a well-prepared homemade equivalent. But when convenience is a priority, as it so often can be during certain seasons of life, it's nice to have an option that I feel comfortable feeding my family. I don't have to sacrifice all of my ideals on the alter of convenience.

Even better, I don't have to sacrifice taste, either. When sampling Open Nature's line of products, we discovered that their lasagna was the best store-bought lasagna we've ever tried. Their Korean BBQ marinade was an excellent alternative to our usual marinades. There were mixed reviews on their frozen pizzas, but the pizzas were certainly nothing to complain about. Their granola was excellent (I was a particularly big fan of their chocolate hazelnut granola, because hello, chocolate for breakfast). I enjoyed the granola bars for a quick on-the-go snack (especially the cherry dark chocolate one - are we sensing a chocolatey pattern here?) while the husband favoured their crisps for an evening snack. The sweet-toothed boy loved their 100% juices, and the toddler, our little hummus fanatic, devoured their garlic hummus at every opportunity.

As a final bonus, all of the Open Nature products were priced similarly to other brands' equivalent products. While I'm willing to pay more for quality food, it's even better when I don't have to!

Giveaway!

Want to try these products for yourself? Safeway has generously offered to give away a $50 Safeway gift card to one lucky reader.

This giveaway is open to residents of Canada.

To enter, leave a blog post comment sharing your favourite convenience food item. (For me it's hummus - none of my homemade attempts have turned out quite right!) After leaving the comment, mark your entry in the Rafflecopter system below. See the Rafflecopter system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the first mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter.

Comments will be closed on Sunday, October 14th at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter and announced Monday morning. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Style Line Bibles (and a giveaway!)

I'm not the girl with a matching purse and shoes to go with every outfit. I can count on one hand the number of times I've worn makeup in my life. My hair's lucky if it gets blown dry instead of left to air dry as I go about my day. In short, I'm pretty basic.

But the things I do have, I really like. I only have one purse, but it suits me perfectly and I love it. I only have one pair of sandals, but they're comfy as anything and I wear them every day I can get away with it. On those days when it's too cold, I have one pair of boots, my time-to-be-a-responsible-adult purchase after my first child was born. No more risking frostbite by wearing sandals year-round. It took me months to settle on that single pair of boots, but I couldn't be happier with them.

You'll understand, then, when I say I'm not one to put a lot of stock in fashion. Just give me my simple but well-loved things and leave the rest to those more stylish than I.

So when I heard about Zondervan's new Style Line Bibles, I was skeptical. After all, a Bible's a Bible. How many people would be grateful just to be able to read their Bible without risking their lives? How many people would simply love to own a Bible in their native language, never mind a pretty Bible? What sort of privileged frivolousness was this?

And yet there was something really nice about the idea of a pretty Bible. I collect journals the way some people collect postage stamps. I am particular to a fault about the layout of my bookshelves. I like a book with a nice cover - and don't even hand me a book with a movie edition cover (the horror!). So the thought of curling up with a pretty Bible sounded, well, rather cozy. I agreed to take a look at a few samples of this new line.

I can't pretend I wasn't intrigued when the parcel arrived. I made myself comfortable outside and opened the box. Inside were five Style Line Bibles.

First up, a bright cherry red quilted cover and a zebra stripes cover. Umm...not so much. These are definitely for women far sassier than I am.

Next, a dark brown Bible with copper flowers on the cover and a bronze edge. Very nice! Hot pink, eh, not so much for me.

And then, wow. A wool grey cover with a cute button covering the clasp. It basically had my name written all over it. Simple but fun. It felt like my purse, my sandals, my boots - it felt very me.

It's soft wool cover feels nice in my hands. Less clunky than my large study Bibles, it fits easily in one hand - not too heavy, not too big - which means I can read it while I'm nursing the tiny one. The font size and clean, open layout make it highly readable. The clasp protects the pages when I carry it with me in my purse. And, however shallow this might be, I just really like the way it looks. As I said, it feels very me. And I like that.

Browsing through their collections, I see a few others that I would love to own or give away as gifts. The floral green cover from the Thinline collection is lovely. I love the entire Craft collection. The owl cover from the Flora and Fauna collection is sure to be popular. There's definitely something for everyone here, from the quiet to the bold to everyone in between.

More than just another pretty cover, the Style Line Bibles feature a presentation page, a ribbon marker, an extra-thin format, and the words of Jesus in red.

So much for my lofty "a Bible's a Bible" ideals. What do you think?

Giveaway!

Zondervan has generously offered to give away one copy of their cherry-red quilted Bible to a lucky reader.

The NIV Quilted Collection Bible features a stylish, stitched binding. The cover, made with colorful Italian Duo-Tone™ material, has been stitched with a quilted pattern giving it a fresh and unique look. The convenient size of this full-text Bible allows it to go just about anywhere.

To enter, leave a blog post comment sharing which of the Style Line collections is your favourite, and then mark your entry in the Rafflecopter system below. See the Rafflecopter system for bonus entries to increase your chance of winning after completing the first mandatory entry. All bonus entries are entered directly into Rafflecopter.

Giveaway open to residents of Canada and the US.

Comments will be closed on Sunday, September 23th at 11:59pm PST. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter and announced Monday morning. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"What Not to Say: Tools for Talking with Young Children" Book Review & Giveaway

"...awareness always precedes change."

So encourages author Sarah MacLaughlin in the introduction to her book, What Not to Say: Tools for Talking with Young Children. "Rather than dwelling on occasional poor form," she continues, "focus on your intention to improve."

For parents and caregivers looking to improve their communication with children, this book provides both the awareness and the practical guidance to do so. Focusing on 1- to 6-year-olds, this short and to-the-point guidebook covers 66 common phrases that are counter-productive to raising emotionally healthy children.

Each chapter is hung on an effective framework of topic discussion, "what not to say" phrases, and more beneficial phrases that can be used instead. Children's book recommendations related to the chapter topics are also included in each section, furthering the parent's ability to discuss the topic with the child through an effective and age-appropriate means.

Following the introduction, the first chapter discusses common reasons that adults use ineffective or inconsiderate phrases when speaking to children, including fear, fatigue, and the expressions we heard as children. I found this to be a useful opening, as knowing why we do things is often the biggest hurdle to overcome in moving on to better paths.

The rest of the book was a refreshing and succinct reminder of, well, what not to say. "What on earth are you doing?" "Be nice." "There's nothing to be afraid of." "Good job!" While some of the phrases were completely out-of-bounds for me, others reminded me of my own struggles with carelessly tossing out a threat or speaking disrespectfully out of frustration. A few were phrases I'd never even considered as being inappropriate or ineffective; I always love finishing a book and feeling like I've learned something new.

What Not to Say covers a range of communication-related topics, including clarity of speech, tone, narration, respectful language, labels, bribes, emotional intelligence, control, and consistency. Above all, I appreciated the focus on seeking solutions rather than scolding, shaming, lecturing, spanking, or entering into power struggles.

This is definitely a book I would recommend to parents or caregivers of young children. It was short enough to be easy to get through, with just enough theory to make it convincing while still being heavy on the practical application. A perfect balance all around!


Win it!

Sarah is generously giving away an eBook copy of "What Not to Say: Tools for Talking with Young Children" (PDF, epub, or Kindle format) at each blog stop. To enter, leave a comment on this post sharing a phrase you have eliminated or are currently trying to eliminate from your communication with your child. Sarah will announce the winner in the comments of this post tomorrow. Be sure to leave your email so we can contact you if you win!

Other stops and opportunities to win during this Blog Tour are listed on Sarah's Blog Tour page.

Also, you can enter at Sarah's site for the Grand Prize Giveaway: a Kindle Touch! The winner will be announced at the end of the tour after July 15th.


About The Author

Sarah MacLaughlin has worked with children and families for over twenty years. With a background in early childhood education, she has previously been both a preschool teacher and a nanny. Sarah is currently a licensed social worker at The Opportunity Alliance in South Portland, Maine, where she works as the resource coordinator in therapeutic foster care. She serves on the board of Birth Roots and writes the "Parenting Toolbox" column for a local parenting newspaper, Parent & Family. Sarah teaches classes and workshops locally and consults with families everywhere. She considers it her life's work to to promote happy, well-adjusted people in the future by increasing awareness of how children are spoken to today. She is mom to a young son who gives her plenty of opportunities to take her own advice about What Not to Say.

More information about Sarah and her work can be found at her website and her blog.

Cardboard fun

I often get offers for various products from companies wanting reviews. Most of them, dear readers, I turn down for your sake; who wants to read one more mommy-blog-turned-review-blog? But once in a while something catches my attention as being truly unique and interesting. Boutique Cascade's eco-friendly cardboard furniture for children was one such product.

This cardboard furniture is made from a minimum of 84% recycled material, and can later be recycled again to continue the cycle. Children love the creative outlet it affords, as they can decorate the furniture with crayons, markers, paint, and stickers.

When the table and chairs arrived at our house, the boy could hardly wait to get them set up.  We decided to start with the chairs.  I pulled them out of the box and had a flashback to my days as an accountant, setting up banker's boxes for our files.  Those attempts often resulted in me chucking a lid across the room and leaving the box for someone else to fold.  I was momentarily tempted to just leave the whole thing up to the husband...but no, goshdarnit, I am a grown educated women, I can surely figure this out for myself.

The instructions, printed on the outside of the box, seemed fairly clear. Sure enough, a few minutes later, I had one perfectly-executed chair ready and waiting for the boy.

He wasted no time giving it a test run. I was surprised at how unyielding and sturdy the cardboard was. I was tempted to give it a go myself, but decided not to risk it. Mostly because I didn't want to get my rear end stuck in it. The boy, on the other hand, loved having furniture that was just his size.

Soon the second chair was done and it was time to move on to the table. Cue second oh-my-goodness-maybe-I-should-just-leave-it-for-the-husband freak out.

No, no.  Smart educated woman and all that. Plus, it wasn't exactly rocket science. The instructions were excellent and the table came together without any trouble. And voilà! There she is. Please ignored the rumpled couch and messy pillows in the background.

The table top was an adorable cat-and-mouse version of Snakes & Ladders.  It also came with a hockey arena table top - perfect for these Canadian boys of mine.

The boy promptly challenged his dad and me to a game. You'll be happy to hear I won (woohoo!), and the husband was left shame-faced halfway back on the board (he had a bad run of being eaten by cats).

The mice also decorated the table legs and one chair...

...while this hilariously cute cat graced the other chair.

The boy then challenged his dad to a game of finger hockey. He was too impatient to set the table top up properly; the sides of the arena actually fold up to contain the puck, and there are cardboard nets to be inserted as well.  The space below the nets holds the Cats & Tunnels game pieces, crayons, and anything else your child decides to store in there. Mine, unsurprisingly, quickly filled them with cars.

"Hey, I'm awake now! Is it my turn to play?"

A week later, this furniture is still going strong and shows no sign of wear. The chairs are now proudly covered in the boy's drawings, and the tabletop game is much more colourful. The pieces have also been used as forts, shelters, and step stools. They are light enough that the boy can (and frequently does) move them between rooms as needed - out in the living room when the toddler is napping, in the bedroom when the boy has his quiet time, or in the kitchen when he wants to add to his artistic efforts with more marker. The perfect combination of fun and practical!

Interested in buying a set for your own child? Boutique Cascades has generously offered Hippie Housewife readers 25% off any children's furniture when using the code HHWIFE. Discount code expires November 30, 2011.


(This is an unpaid review. I received a complementary table and chairs set in order to provide my honest review of them. I receive no compensation for any sales made as a result of this review.)

Children's Book Review: Sounds of the Ferry

Title: Sounds of the Ferry
Author: Sara Leach
Publisher: Poppy Productions
Published: May 1, 2011
Paperback: 32 pages
ISBN: 978-0-9782818-2-3




From the Publisher

Following up on their best-selling adventures in "Mountain Machines", author Sara Leach and illustrator Steven Corvelo board a ferry to explore the sounds and sights of a sea voyage. Full of detail, recurring characters and colorful marine life, this rhyming picture book takes children aged two to six on an entertaining ferry ride full of things that churn, hum, hiss, roar, groan, zip, screech, splash and clang - lots of fun!

My Review

I was born on Vancouver Island but grew up in the prairies. We spent our summers driving back to the coast, and my favourite part was always the ferry. I loved the long wait, the thrill of driving on board, the bellowing horn as it pulled away from shore. I loved the slide and toy boats. I loved the gift shop and the pens they sold with the floating boat the glided from end to end as you tipped it. I loved the rare glimpses of seals or other ocean life. I loved the way the ferry rocked back and forth - sky, sea, sky, sea, sky, sea. I loved the smell. The wind. The mist. I loved it all, and I love that I now get to share the experience with my own children as we travel between the island and the mainland.

Author Sara Leach captures that joy perfectly in her book Sounds of the Ferry. From the cars driving aboard (ca-chunk, ca-chunk) to the three chiming bells signaling arrival, the entire ferry experience is laid out through its many sounds. The rhyming prose is delightful and the illustrations are excellent. It was particularly fun to watch the characters throughout their journey. The boy enjoyed the activity at the back of the book, prompting readers to go back and find certain pictures in the story. Fun from start to finish!

Buy It!

You can purchase a copy of Sounds of the Ferry at Chapters or directly from the author's website.


(This is an unpaid review. I received a complementary copy of the author's book in order to provide my honest review of it. I receive no compensation for any sales made as a result of this review.)

Not-so-wordless Wednesday: A baby's first year

After losing a few months' worth of family photos, I've been thinking about just what it is I want to do with the pictures I take. So few of them get printed out, and again I'm falling behind on regular picture emails to far-off relatives. I post a handful of them here and there online, but the vast majority get uploaded to the computer and then just...stay there.

I had put together photo books as Christmas gifts for the grandparents when the boy was a baby, but my neglected second child had no such thing so far. Since the poor baby lost both his birth pictures and first birthday pictures when the hard drive died, I was feeling rather guilty about the whole thing. Wanting to make up for it in some small way, I created a photo book of his first year.

Thanks to the postal strike, it was a bit slow in coming, but yesterday it finally arrived! It was so much fun to look through and well worth the time I put into creating it. The boys grinned their way through it with me.

I tried a new photo printing company this time, Kwikpix.ca. It had a great interface and was very easy to use. I had to do some file transfers from my Mac to my laptop since they don't support the Mac operating system, but their website says they plan to offer a complete Mac site integration later this year. Excellent!

I love the full-page layout they offered. It's a fun change from the usual multi-picture layout. The full-page pictures were the boys' favourite pages.

I included his one and only first birthday picture that I managed to rescue. I had printed it out and sent it to a relative, so I was able to scan it and include it in the photo book.

What a difference a year makes! His first Christmas, at only a few days old...

...and one year later. Such big boys!

The boy loved the index in the back. "LOOK at all the pictures!!!" I love that it includes the page numbers; very handy!

I'm currently working on a family photo wall in our living room, uploading pictures to our digital picture frame, and looking for other ways to get those photos off of the computer and into more memorable formats.

What have you done with your family's pictures lately? Any suggestions or favourite photo projects?

Disclaimer: A portion of the photo book was sponsored by Kwikpix.ca in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

My top three Canadian online stores

In honour of being part of the Vancouver mom-blogger community, I am dedicating this week to highlighting some local and Canadian businesses. On Tuesday I shared my top three local kid-friendly activities, and today I will be highlighting my top three Canadian online businesses. We'll finish the week off tomorrow with a giveaway!

Well.ca

Well.ca is Canada's largest online health and beauty store. I recently discovered their website while trying to find a place that sold a particular brand of shampoo and conditioner. Having been unable to find it locally, I was pleased to come across a Canadian online store that had it in stock.

What is one of the most cost-prohibitive parts of online shopping in Canada? That's right - the shipping. So imagine my surprise when I learned that Well.ca offers free shipping to all locations in Canada! Their 60-day no hassle return policy guarantees free return shipping as well.

At the time I placed my order, Well.ca offered free shipping on all orders, with no minimum purchase. Their website currently offers, however, free shipping with a $20 minimum order (or a CDN$99 minimum order for free shipping to all locations in the United States). According to their Facebook page, the $20 minimum was a temporary test, and free shipping on all orders should be back in place by now. Unable to find any shipping rates for under $20 orders, I went ahead last night and attempted to order $15 worth of products. The shipping continued to stay free right up to the point where I would have had to pay (at which point I cancelled the order), so although I can't say for certain, it would appear that their policy continues to be free shipping on all orders with no minimum purchase.

But $20 minimum or not, it's certainly no stretch to find $20 worth of necessities from Well.ca! The online store offers far more than your typical health and beauty shop. Their categories range from the expected (Beauty, Medicine Cabinet, Skin Care) to the unexpected (Specialty Foods, Toys & Games, Office & School Supplies). They include a wide range of Canadian products and are adding new brands every week.

My items from Well.ca (shampoo, conditioner, and a little special treat for a rough day) arrived at my door a few days after placing my order. They were well packaged and included, of all things, a hand-written thank you note! It's that sort of personal touch that turns me into a repeat customer.

New customer to Well.ca? Use the coupon code TAKE10OFF40 to receive $10 off a minimum $40 order. This code expire July 24, 2011.

Ape2Zebra.ca

Ape 2 Zebra is an online toy store that offers the best eductional, creative and imaginative toys from around the world. They aim to search out products that are "unique, safe, smart, whimsical, happy and natural". From their website:

Ape to Zebra Toys specializes in Natural Toys, Wooden Toys and educational toys that allow babies and children to explore creative, free play without boundaries. Our baby toys and toddler toys are safe for children to explore with all their senses (including their mouths!) and our educational toys will entertain and educate preschoolers to teens. We have a wide selection of pretend play toys, train sets, building blocks and construction toys. Our wooden toys and natural Waldorf toys are heirloom quality toys, some of them hand made in Germany.

Based in Campbellville, Ontario, Ape 2 Zebra ships worldwide and offers free shipping with minimum purchase (threshold depends on location).

I first ordered from Ape 2 Zebra when purchasing a (late) Christmas present for the boys. I was impressed with their wide selection, fast shipping, and excellent customer service.

There is no shortage of toys to browse through on their website. Narrow your search by age, manufacturer, country, type of toy, and more. Add items to their online wishlist for future reference or to send to family when they ask for gift ideas.

Ape2Zebra is the one-stop shop for high-quality natural toys and unique gifts!

Heartsy (Etsy, EtsyKids)

Heartsy features exclusive daily deals on handmade items from a wide range of Etsy stores. It's like Groupon for Etsy. What could be better??

Oh, I know! $5 off your first deal. Sign up using my referral link and receive a $5 credit to your Heartsy account.

I'll confess - I'm cheating here. Although Heartsy isn't officially a Canadian company, they do offer deals from Etsy artists around the world. And handmade goods from around the world are second only to handmade goods created locally! Ah, Etsy, how I love thee.

After you create an account with Heartsy, they will send you a daily email with several exclusive Etsy deals. No spam, no endless sponsor emails, nothing like that - just one daily email full of great offers. Each offer has a limited number of vouchers, so if something interests you, don't sit on it for too long! Some of the vouchers are gone in a matter of minutes, while others still have vouchers left for purchase the following day.

Thanks to Heartsy, I recently scored an awesome deal on hand-dyed superwash yarn from Sunrise Fiber Co. $8 for $20 worth of yummy yarn? Yes, please!

Overwhelmed by the sheer volume of children's items on Etsy? Need some suggestions for a unique handmade baby gift? Check out EtsyKids. EtsyKids is a group of Etsy sellers who gather the best kid-related Etsy finds into one big A to Z Shopping Guide. The shopping guide is updated quarterly, with fresh new items added each season.


I hope you enjoyed the reviews and found something new to check out. Please do share your favourite online store in the comments below!

Disclaimer: All reviews are unsolicited and uncompensated, just my honest-to-goodness favourite stores online.

Kid-friendly activities in Vancouver

In honour of being part of the Vancouver mom-blogger community, I plan to use this week to highlight some local and Canadian businesses. Today I'll be sharing my top three local kid-friendly activities, and on Thursday I will highlight my top three Canadian online businesses. Then we'll finish the week off with a giveaway!

Burnaby Village Museum and Farmers Market

A new favourite for us, our discovery of Burnaby Village Museum was a happy accident thanks to its newest undertaking. The village is now host to the Burnaby Farmers Market, previously located in the parking lot of City Hall, each Saturday from 9am to 2pm.

The farmers market is a weekly event for us, a chance to browse the outdoor shops while picking up our produce and sometimes a special treat. It was a nice surprise to discover that not only was the farmers market now being held at the village, but gate admission to the village is free for the 2011 season in celebration of the village carousel's 40th anniversary.

Yes, the village carousel - but more on that later.

After browsing the vendors at the farmers market, we headed into the village. From their website:

Stroll down the streets of a 1920s village exploring at your own pace. The village is a combination of heritage and replica buildings on a 10-acre site that represents a typical tram-stop community along the B.C. Electric Railway. Period costumed townsfolk welcome visitors and give demonstrations in the homes, businesses and shops. Popular stops include the blacksmith, the print shop, the garden at the farmhouse and the General Store.

It really was as delightful as it sounds. The boy enjoyed seeing all the "old things", as he called them. The motorbike, telephone, car, and gas pumps were his highlights, while I enjoyed the browsing the General Store and watching the blacksmith at work. We stopped for a nice lunch at the ice cream parlour and found a couple new treasures at the gift shop.

Browsing done, we made our way to the carousel. A ride on the restored 1912 C.W. Parker Carousel is $2.25 a head, and well worth it. The horses, the music, and the ride itself were a treat for both of us. When it was over, we picked up a carousel-shaped chocolate to enjoy on the walk back to the car.

We enjoyed our visit so much that we headed back for the Victoria Day celebrations held yesterday. We watched the parade, applauded the maypole dancers, listened to the bagpipes (or "dirt bags", as the boy mistakenly called them) and waved to "Queen Victoria". And, of course, we finished off the afternoon with another ride on the carousel.

With something for everyone to enjoy, the village would be an ideal way to spend a warm afternoon. There is plenty of green space for picnicking if you want to bring your own lunch instead of dining at the ice cream parlour. Parking, while free, can be a bit hard to come by during peak hours - but then where isn't that the case in the Greater Vancouver Area?

You can find the locations of Vancouver's Farmers Markets on their website. Make it a weekly adventure and check out each of them!

Community Centers

Community centers too often remain an untapped resource for families. With locations throughout Vancouver, Burnaby, and the rest of the GVA, there's always something going on.

A favourite rainy day activity for us is to attend one of the play gyms many of the community centers offer. The play gyms are filled with balls, large foam building blocks, slides, ride-on toys, and sometimes even trampolines. This large-muscle play is a perfect way to run off some energy when the weather keeps us indoors.

One of our newest favourites is the Kerrisdale Play Palace at the Kerrisdale Cyclone Taylor Arena. The Play Palace boasts two inflatable bouncy castles, an inflatable obstacle course, a large inflatable slide, ride-on toys, ping pong, and a toddler area, along with an indoor picnic area for snack time. Admission is more than reasonable, and the younger kids benefit from a daily "under six years only" time.

Our weekly Attachment Parenting/young homelearners playgroup meets (for free!) at one of the community centers. Access to a locked cupboard, outdoor space, and sometimes the gym makes this an ideal place for a weekly get-together. Join an existing group or see about starting one of your own!

The community centers offer a variety of classes as well. With swimming lessons, arts & crafts, dance, sports, and more, there's something for all ages and interests. Find a nearby community center, browse their schedule, and see what interests you!

Maplewood Farm

Maplewood Farm was the first kid-friendly activity we fell in love with when we moved here, and it remains our favourite dry-weather destination today. Located in North Vancouver, the farm is home to over 200 domestic animals and birds. From their website:

Maplewood Farm strives to provide a unique experience, incorporating enjoyment, education and a recollection of the rural heritage of this pastoral 5 acre setting.

While we always end our visit with a nice long hands-on visit to the goat pen, the farm has plenty of other things to see and do. Check out the hand milking demonstration daily at 1:15, featuring Lulu the jersey cow. Coo over the baby sheep each spring. Admire the Belgian draft horses and the Sicilian miniature donkeys. Don't forget to bring along some fresh fruits and veggies to feed to the rabbits!

There are washrooms and a large picnic area on site. Admission to the farm is very affordable, making this an excellent way to spend a sunny afternoon. If you plan to go often, consider investing in a family membership. A membership makes an excellent birthday or Christmas gift (thank you, Oma!).

Maplewood Farm will be holding their 31st Annual Sheep Fair Festival this Sunday, May 29th, from 10am to 4pm. Watch the Border Collies herd around the sheep flock at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. The shearing itself can be observed at 11am and 1pm. Baaad Anna’s will be hosting demonstrations of Spinning and Dyeing and will be offering workshops on Finger Knitting and Felting. Maybe we'll see you there!


I hope you enjoyed the reviews and found something new to check out. Please do share your favourite local hangout in the comments below!

Disclaimer: All reviews are unsolicited and uncompensated, just my honest-to-goodness favourite places to take the kids.