The First Thanksgiving

No, not the one with the Pilgrims and Indians. I mean my first thanksgiving. And not the one in 1977. I mean this one, 2008, my first Thanksgiving in the kitchen. My first Thanksgiving as the matriarch of the family, responsible for the food and the traditions.

I am grateful that my first time responsible for the full meal was without critics guests to worry about. I only needed to please Hubby and Lucas and the dog, none of which are apt to criticise a warm, home cooked meal if it comes to the table. Well, at least not the dog. :)
I called my mother for her Southern cornbread dressing recipe and checked out the ButterBall website for tips on cooking and carving a turkey. But beyond what food I was to serve my family, my mind was also focused on the traditions that will be born out of this first Thanksgiving as just us, our family.

This holiday is about so many different things. The food, the football, taking time to reflect on the things we are truly thankful for, time with loved ones... I admit I did miss being with my parents and sister or hubby's family this Thanksgiving. There is something special about the bonds you feel with family as you celebrate a meal and all your blessings together. But truthfully, I really loved our quiet little day, just us. That is in no way a reflection on the loved one's we were not be able to share the day with this year. Our local family was all busy or out of town and we made the decision to not travel this holiday season. It is instead a reflection of my desire to create the same warm, loving family memories for my boys as my mom and my mother-in-law have done for me and Hubby over the years.

I put great effort into planning our day. I wanted the food to be a mix of my history and Hubby's history and something new that is just us. Something that my boys will say for years to come... "that is what my mom made for us on Thanksgiving." I made my mom's Southern dressing (instead of stuffing) and Hubby's grandma's traditional rolls. I am not sure that I brought anything new or uniquely me to the table this year (I was at work at the hospital until 1am the night before so there wasn't much time to spare). But I guess there is time for that in years to come.

Also in the spirit of building traditions, I have been trying to find and plan crafts and activities to start teaching Lucas about the significance of the day/season. He is at such a teachable age and I am trying to make the most of it. Plus, it is just fun and keeps him busy! :)

But my favorite part of our day was not the meal or even the turkey craft (pictured on right- felt pieces that he could put together different ways) that I made for Lucas to do. It was being with my boys and having us all sit around the table together. it was spending the day together and just being a family. This is my family, the four of us. The one I am responsible for nurturing and protecting and growing. I have responsibilities in my extended family too, and I certainly honor those. But this is different. This is mine. I admit I got a little emotional and teary as Hubby prayed for our meal and gave thanks to God for Lucas and Caden and all our blessings. We thanked God for Micah and asked Him to protect Lucas and Caden and grow them into strong men who love and serve God. My experience with the depths of grief and loss tends to make me feel these moments very deeply. Those times when the physical moment reaches beyond the seconds and minutes and seems to bring perspective and deep significance. I can't help but kiss Caden's head and touch Lucas' face. These are my boys.. my life. And although my family won't ever be totally whole this side of heaven, I feel extremely grateful for what God has given me. I am the queen here among my boys.

And as cheesy as this may sound, I looked over at Lucas today as we sat in the theater watching Madagascar 2 (Lucas' first movie theater experience) and got teary again. This is my baby, my Lucas, and he is growing up so fast. And as he does, so does my responsibility and desire to strengthen our bonds as a family.

So this Thanksgiving holiday, I am grateful for my family (all inclusive). But I am especially thankful for my family and for these precious tradition-building, bond strengthening times when it is just us.

Me cooking with Caden's help... He was sleeping, and that was extremely helpful. :)

My boys around our Thanksgiving table.

Lucas enjoying some homemade pumpkin pie.. especially the whipped cream on top!

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Murphy's Law for Moms

With yesterday's ranting off my chest, I am moving on to some of the other quite interesting predicaments we sometimes find ourselves in as mothers. Sometimes it is almost as if the cards are stacked against us...
What if Murphy was a mother? His law would probably sound quite different...
Check out my most recent post over at Chicago Moms Blog for more. And feel free to add your own to the list...

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All the things I should have said

Dear Sir who rudely approached me in Burger King while I was lunching with my boys~

I was so caught off guard when you came up to my table to reprimand me for nursing my baby in public, that I was unable to say all the things that I should have said. I now know how I want to respond so here it goes...

Let me start by saying, my baby was in the sling and covered by my sweater and there was NO skin showing. None at all. So I am not even sure what was so offensive to you that you went out of your way to scold me in front of my sons. But it was rude, so very rude. No one else was watching me, except you. That is, until you made a scene and brought all eyes my way. And then, I was embarrassed. You made my cheeks turn red and made feel like I should leave. But I had done nothing wrong. Nothing. I was very discretely feeding my son and you perverted that into something to be ashamed of. How dare you!?!? I am not being "inappropriate." It is not "something only to be done in private." It is natural, necessary, and my law-given right to feed my baby discretely where and when I need/want to.

What time warp did you just step out of that you think it is still the 1950's and breastfeeding is something to be ashamed of? Did your mommy not treat you right? Well, whatever your "women-issues," don't project them on me as I sit here nurturing my boys. I am a mother and I do what I have to do for my boys. If my baby is hungry and crying, I will feed him no matter where we are. If we are at church, in the mall, the grocery store, in line at Starbucks... heck, even if we were at the freakin' White House.... if my baby is hungry, I WILL FEED HIM!!! And no amount of creepy staring or misplaced reprimand from losers like you will ever change that.

And while on the topic of location, it is just Burger King, dude. It is not the Ritz-Carlton (although it wouldn't matter if it was). Take your mother/aunt/elderly woman friend someplace a little nicer next time for lunch and maybe it will be a little more up to your "standards."

Oh and finally... don't call me "young lady." I am almost 32, the mother of 3, a nurse, a wife, a full-time mother.... I work damn hard to take care of my family. I don't need to be patronized by a misogynistic, overweight loser who has nothing better to do than approach a well-meaning mom just trying to feed my kids and get through the day the best I can. Maybe next time I will let the baby scream and see how much that disturbs your lunch. Except I won't do that, 'cuz no matter where or when, if my baby is hungry I WILL FEED HIM. So step off!

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Teaching Thankfulness

During this season of celebrating the things we are thankful for, I have made it my task to teach Lucas how to express gratitude and appreciation for intangible blessings. It is easy for a toddler to see how we would be thankful for toy dinos and cars and mac-n-cheese. But learning to express thankfulness for other things is a bit more of a challenge. Doing our Thanksgiving Tree is just one of the exercises we are using to help Lucas talk about the things he is thankful for.

I found a fallen branch and put it in a small vase on our kitchen table. I then punched holes in a couple dozen leaves cut out of designer scrapbook paper. We sat together as a family and expressed the things we are thankful for, writing them on a leaf and then hanging it with some twine on the tree. At first, Lucas was mostly thankful for birds, and giraffes and other random animals. He was so proud of himself when he would come up with something else he was thankful for. By the end of the activity, he was expressing thankfulness for his soft bed and his brother and mommy and daddy. He said he is thankful for snow "because it is white and pretty." Lucas loved hanging the leaves on the branch and now when we are eating a meal at the table, we look at a couple of the leaves and talk about the things we are thankful for. We even have a couple of extra leaves on the table that we write on if we think of something we forgot.

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It is very rewarding as a mother to see him "getting it." He understands, as well as a toddler can, what it means to be thankful. And I think his little mind is capable of understanding way deeper than most adults give kids credit for. I know he is truly comprehending by things he is now expressing thankfulness for. At breakfast today, he was thankful for hugs. Abstract concepts like gratitude can often be complex for adults, but for kids it is plain and simple. He likes being hugged so, therefore, he is thankful for hugs. So honest and true and refreshing when so many other things feel so complicated. Leave it to my toddler to flip this around and teach me about being truly thankful for the important things.

My very favorite thing about out Thanksgiving Tree so far... when Lucas asks me what I am thankful for. He asks in his half question/half suggestion way that brings a wide smile to my face. "Mommy, you're thankful for the beach? Mommy, you're thankful for your boys?" Yes, and YES!!! Oh, so thankful!

How do you teach your children about being thankful and other more abstract concepts? Even teaching kids about being kind and loving and other similar virtuous concepts is easier because it involves more action- things I can teach him to do and say. But I also want to teach Lucas about virtues of the heart-ways of being and thinking like thankfulness, compassion, mercy, grace.... We are off to a good start but I am always looking for more ideas. Got any??

Oh, and I am thankful for you... my real life and bloggy friends and family. :)

P.S.~ I have a whole list of fun toddler activities that I will be trying out with Lucas in the next few months. Having things to help me keep him busy is a must or we will both go insane this winter. I look forward to sharing some of the ideas I have found with you and would love to hear any ideas y'all have. And check out these fun websites with lots of ideas for pre-school crafts and activities.
Kiddio
IttyBitty Love
Let's Explore

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Young Babywearers

My friend Melinda over at Shore's End is starting a weekly carnival where we can all celebrate our favorite toys and even share about the one's that were not so great. So without further ado, here is my contribution to "Toy Chest Tuesday" and the culmination of my celebration of International Babywearing week.
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When Lucas was very young, 9-10months maybe, I gave him his first sling. He was very accustomed to riding in it and loved his sling time with mama. So when he got his own Lucas-sized sling, he thought it was such a great thing. He would carry EVERYTHING in that sling. He put his little puppy in the sling, he put trucks in there... basically anything he valued or wanted near him. He knew that to be carried in a sling meant something. It meant that the carrier cherished whomever he or she chose to carry and placed high value on that someone (or something) in your sling. By carrying my son, I was teaching him not only about how much I care for him but also how to care for others. Still today, at 2 1/2yrs old, he carries his treasures in the sling. These days it is Cookie Monster (whom he calls "Lisa" oddly enough) and a little lamb he calls "Sweet Little Child." He carries them to take care of them and have them near to him. He tells me, "Mommy, Sweet Little Child is feeling a little sad. She needs me to carry her in my sling." He is learning to care for someone's needs beyond his own and show compassion. What better thing could I hope for him? And if a simple toy sling helps me teach him that, then all the better. It is the perfect example of why we carry our babies. Sure we carry them for the convenience and to save our aching arms and shoulders. But mostly, I carry my sons because I cherish them and place unmeasurable value in holding them close to me. I want them with me. They belong with me. And carrying them teaches them that they are valued by me. It nurtures their little souls and gives them strength and confidence... a safe place to rest but also a secure foundation to branch out from.
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So, one of my favorite toys... yup, a precious doll sling for our little treasured ones to carry their own treasures.
Want to buy one for your child this Christmas, visit my online sling store at BabyLove Slings.

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Baby's got Back

I know I have lapsed in posting everyday during Babywearing Week. Sorry about that y'all. I got mastitis last week and had some sling work to do and was severely sleep deprived (still recovering from two out of those three). So blogging got pushed down on the to-do list.

We have been busy around here with the things of fall... football (Go Gators!!), Thanksgiving crafts, running through the leaves, colds.... you know, the basics. :) Lucas and Hubby and I did our Thanksgiving Tree this weekend and it turned out super cute. I will post pictures soon. Our next Thanksgiving craft involves felt and turkeys and possibly a snowman... more to come on that. I have been enjoying some great new blogs that I am excited to share with y'all soon.

I started wearing Caden on my back this week. Hubby helped me get him in the first time but I have done it on my own ever since then. It is nice for when I need to cook or iron slings or just for a change of routine. I think Caden still prefers the sling (although he looks pretty cozy in the picture to the left) but he is still adjusting to being on my back instead of having his head on my chest. I think back-babywearing is an essential skill to learn and feel comfortable with if you want to babywear with regularity. It is just so convenient and distributes the weight over different muscles so you don't get muscle fatigue. It is important to rotate carriers and positions used no matter what you use to wear your baby so that you don't wear yourself out. Wearing baby on your back gives you much more flexibility and freedom You can use a ring-sling for back carries (I did/do with Lucas) but it isn't comfortable for as long as my Mei Tai. Plus, I don't feel comfortable shifting Caden around my hip onto my back yet. He has pretty good head control, but I think the MeiTai provides more support for his little 3month old muscles. Next on my agenda, learning how to back wrap. I have never done it with an infant as I started wrapping late with Lucas. I'll let you know how it goes.

On a more personal level, I am feeling a little overwhelmed these days. It is the old "jack of all trades, master of none" syndrome. I am back to work and trying to build my tiny business and re-order my home and just get life back under control. Lucas' behavior can be a bit challenging these days and Caden is awake more and more during the day. All this combines to mean less free time for mommy (unless you count betweem 10pm and midnight- thus the sleep deprivation) and less time to get everything done that I need to get done. I found these great blogs about simplifying your life and getting things in order and I am trying to implement some of their suggestions. But, ironically, it takes having some free time to sit and think things through to make necessary adjustments and put strategies in place. Hubby and I are doing some hard-core budgeting and financial restructuring. We have never been super-good at that but we are really trying this time. I would love to see my sling business and this blog grow a bit and provide a bit more income but I don't seem to have the time or resources to figure out how to make that happen. And in the midst of it all, I have this list of things I want to do with Lucas and with Caden and for myself or my home.... I feel like I am trying to be too many things at once and am not really succeeding at any of them. My boys, my business, my marriage, my sanity... all in need of some TLC.
All you other moms out there that have it all figured out, shine some of that wisdom my way.
And now, it is once again 11pm and I still have to pump so Caden has some nourishment (he is not a huge fan of the bottle- he holds out until I get home) while I am being "nurse Farrah" tomorrow and Grandma is watching the boys.

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My sling is best, hands down!!

You can't be a babywearing blogger and not respond to this...




It is more than a bit ridiculous for Motrin to put out such an outrageous ad. I mean, who do they think is going to watch that and say "yeah, you're right. Babywearing is painful so I think I'll go take some Motrin." All they have done is piss off a fairly powerful group of moms who are fighting back in full force.
I just had to laugh when I saw the clip. Especially the line "supposedly, it is a real bonding experience." Wow. Kinda a low blow.
I am joining in with all my babywearing friends in standing up and saying it is NOT o.k. for companies to mock babywearing/motherhood and say thing that are very untrue. It would be like Victoria's Secret releasing an ad saying "don't breastfeed- the bras are horendous and it makes your boobs saggy." While those things may actually be more true than some of the things stated in the Motrin ad, it is still angering the entire demographic you are trying to market to and degrading something we all hold in high esteem- being a mother and doing what is best for our kids. It is not about looking cool or about being in fashion. Those things are great bonuses and I happen to think that babywearing IS fashionable. I can't think of a better accessory than my little Caden's cheeks. But it IS about being a mom and knowing what is best for our children. And what is best for MY babies and for me is my sling. Hands down.
They seem to be sorry about it, but unfortunately the damage may have already been done. You don't insult a mom for nurturing he babies and then ask her to buy your product. And who controls most family budgets and buys the products used to take care of the family?.... Yeah, bad move, Motrin. Someone is going to get fired over this one. That seems pretty clear.

And just for the record, babywearing is NOT painful. Carrying that blasted infant carseat is painful. Juggling your toddler and your grocery bags without dropping either... painful. Listening to baby cry while you are trying to cook dinner knowing that all baby needs is to be held close to mommy... painful. What is the fix? Certainly not a pain reliever. It is a sling. And that is the truth.

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Babywearing in Cold Weather

Wearing your baby in cold weather can be a little tricky. How do you wear a coat? Does baby wear a coat? I don't profess to be an expert on the topic, but I can tell you what I do. And it seems to work pretty well.

During the chilly temps of fall, I put the sling on and then put on my sweater or vest. That way, I can pop baby in and out of the sling without having to take my sweater off. Also, I can button my sweater/coat around Caden in the sling to give him an added layer of warmth. Lately, I have been putting a coat on him so that I can pull the hood over his head. It is getting downright cold here, y'all! I am SO not ready for winter.

I am also a huge fan of BabyLegs. If baby's legs are sticking out of the sling (like Caden's in the picture above), it can cause their little pants to ride up a bit. Putting the BabyLegs leg warmers on gives their legs another layer and prevents any exposed leg which could make them cold. In my opinion, BabyLegs (or equivalent leg warmers) are a cold-weather babywearing must!

When it gets REALLY cold outside, the same principles apply. Just substitute heavy winter coat for sweater and make sure baby has a hat and coat on while in the sling. Admittedly, I don't always put his heavy coat on. If we are running errands and will be inside more than out, I don't want him to get too hot while we are inside plus I don't want to take him out of the sling to take his coat off. So, I have been known to just put a warm hat on baby and drape his coat over him on top of the sling. That way, he is protected from the wind and cold but I can take it off while we are in the store or whatever to prevent overheating. If we are going to be outside more (ie: zoo, park, etc..), then I do put his coat on to keep him more cozy.

I hope you are getting a picture in your mind of what I am describing. Remember that your body heat will keep baby plenty warm and baby's body heat will do the same for you. With a little extra protection from the cold, both of you will be nice and toasty and not have to sacrifice any of the babywearing snuggles. Plus, you won't have to lug that dreadful carseat around. Just pop you baby in the sling and you are good to go!

Wearing baby on your back is a little more tricky during the winter. To do that, you would have to get one of those babywearing poncho things that have a cutout for baby's head. They look nifty and seem very practical. If you were gonna be outside for a long time in cold weather, it might be worth the cost to keep you and baby extra warm. I have never used one so I can't comment too much on it. Maybe I'll ask for one for Christmas...

I'm happy to provide extra advice and/or pictures if people are interested. Just comment here or send me an e-mail. I am having fun reading all the babywearing posts this week and getting mail/comments from all y'all. Keep 'em comin'!!

I hope this helps you stay warm as you cuddle your babies all winter long!

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A Mommy's Eye View

Just a little peak at my viewpoint of sweet little Caden, napping in the sling. There are few things more calming for me than to cuddle my sleeping baby and listen to his precious baby noises. I love when he sleeps with his mouth open and when he laughs in his sleep. Holding him close in my sling as he sleeps is one of my favorite things about babywearing. It soothes us both! How could you not love those cheeks! :)

I know I promised to post about babywearing in cold weather and tips for wearing your toddler. But that will have to wait until after my nap. Everyone in my house is asleep right now (hubby and dog included) and I have been up since 2:30am with one boy or the other. So I need some sleep. More babywearing blogging later....must close my eyes....
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Check out more Wordful Wednesday at Angie's Circus.

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Also check out more Babywearing Bloggers at Adventures in Babywearing. We are all celebrating International Babywearing Week.

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Hodge-Podge

I want to keep posting babywearing pics and info for the next few days as a continued celebration of International Babywearing week. But, I also have a few more things to share so this is going to be a hodge-podge post... lots of different things put together.

This is another of my most recent favorite babywearing pictures. Here Caden is in my stretchy Sleepywrap (yesterday's pic was of my Ellaroo woven wrap). You wouldn't know I am mainly a ring-sling girl by the pictures I have shared so far. But I love this picture because, although it may be hard to see, Caden's eyes are focused on his mama. He is cuddled close and content, staring up at me. What a perfect place to be! I am about to cook dinner in this picture which brings me to my second favorite thing about babywearing- I can cuddle my babe and get things done at the same time. I can cook, wash dishes, play cars with Lucas, breastfeed, walk the dog, blog, answer the phone (or at least check the caller-id to see if I want to answer it), ... and any number of other things too! I give Caden (and Lucas) the mommy-time they need while being able to accomplish other things too. Sometimes, for me, the challenge becomes giving myself and Caden some non-on-the-go bonding time where I make myself actually sit and enjoy the 20min of nursing looking right in his eyes instead of trying to do too much at the same time. But there are times when you just can't help it. The baby needs to eat and the dog need to pee and Lucas is melting down out of hunger all at the same time. Where is my sling?!?!

And beyond just celebrating babywearing, today I am celebrating my littlest boy. My sweet little snuggle-bug is 3months old today! Oh, where is the time going?! He loves to "stand" in my lap. His little face lights up when Hubby or Lucas or I sit by him and talk to him and play. He has the most precious smile and laugh of any baby around. And when I lean in to kiss his sweet neck and cheeks, he grabs my hair or puts his hands on my cheek. He is truly an adorable little guy who makes me smile all day long.

And because I feel like this blog has been particularly Caden-heavy lately, here is one of my recent favs of my sweet little Lucas. He has the amazing ability to be both 100% the cutest and the most exasperating kids I have ever known. He is verbal beyond his 2+ years and comes up with some of the most hilarious things. Remind me to tell you what he says (totally unprompted) about Barack Obama sometime... you will crack up!

Tonight, we made play-dough thanks to some inspiration from a fellow mommy-blogger. Lucas thought it was WAY cool to cook play-dough on the stove. My hands turned all different colors from the food-coloring and this made Lucas laugh. "Mommy, your hands look like rainbows!"

My next craft attempt with him is going to be a "Thanksgiving Tree." A friend of mine did it with her daughter last year and I just today saw a post that reminded me of the idea. I am excited to try it.

Some of you have commented or sent me e-mails asking about wearing toddlers and how to babywear in colder weather. Thanks so much for your questions. I will post about that tomorrow. And keep the questions coming. :)

I conclude this hodge-podge post with a salute to all the veterans who have given so much for our country. I am grateful for your courage and sacrifice. I am most proud of my dad, who has given his whole life in service to his country and his family. Thank you Dad, for all you have done and the legacy of strength and honor you are for my boys.

Happy Veteran's Day Y'all!! Hug your favorite Vet today!

And don't forget to check back here everyday this week for more babywearing celebration.

Random enough for ya'?

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Celebrating the Snuggles

This week is International Babywearing Week (Nov.12-18) sponsored by Babywearing International, Inc. and TheBabywearer.com. Their theme this year is "Celebrate Babywearing." If you know me at all, you know I am all about celebrating babywearing. As my way of joining in the celebration, I am going to (try to) post a different babywearing picture everyday and talk about something else that I love about wearing my babies. If you have a question about babywearing that you would like me to talk about or a specific carrier you would like me to show/discuss, just comment here or shoot me an e-mail.

The thing I love the most about babywearing, having my babies close to me. I love feeling their skin on my skin, hearing their soft precious breaths. I love when they lay their head against my chest or my shoulders and I can feel them let their body fully relax and bask in the comfort of being close to mom. I love when Caden lays his cheek against my chest with eyes wide open and learns about the world from the safety of Mom's embrace. Isn't that what we as moms want to give our children- the ability to experience life but with the knowledge that we are always there to support and uplift them? Having my boys in the sling, to me, is such a perfect picture of the type of mom I strive to be. I love that when Lucas and Caden cannot be soothed any other way, I can put them in the sling and give them a safe and secure place to calm their little souls. And yes, I still put Lucas in the sling (all 35lbs. of him). He still wants/needs it at times. It is not a lot or for long periods of time (I use other carriers for longer wearing with him). But the moments I do wear him are moments I cherish. It reminds us both of how we are deeply connected no matter what happens the rest of the day. That I care for him, that I cherish him, and that I will ALWAYS be there to meet his needs in anyway I can from now to forever. And by wearing Caden, I am teaching him that those things are true for him too.

Beyond the convenience of my sling, it is a tool I use to help me nurture my boys. To hold them close, cherish the snuggles while I can and lay the foundation of love and nurturing that will hopefully last their entire lifetime.

That is one reason I celebrate babywearing. But there are many other reasons too. And we can talk about those this week. Why do you wear your babies? I would love to know as we celebrate together this week.

Check out more Babywearing Bloggers @ Adventures in Babywearing.

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SHOP BABYLOVE SLINGS to cherish the snuggles with your baby.

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Wordful Wednesday

This is my first time every participating in one of these little weekly carnivals, but this picture was too precious not to share. This picture was taken at our small, local petting zoo on a warm 70degree Halloween morning. It is November and still 70degrees outside. Too good to be true- we get snow on Friday. But we will enjoy it today while it lasts.

My sweet little Caden, with your baby blue eyes and perfectly chubby cheeks!! You truly light up my life!
And if anyone asks, you are a "good" baby.... I am talking about that over here today.

And don't forget about the online sling party going on until Friday night... get an awesome discount on my new fall slings!

Find more Wordful Wednesday at Angie's Seven Clown Circus.

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It's still Fall, Y'all!!

Lucas' painting of "Falling Leaves" I, of course, drew the bare tree at his request and he painted all the leaves. I think it is truly beautiful. This is one for the memory book!

The air is crisp, we have had our first flurries, and Thanksgiving is right around the corner. I have packed up all the shorts (although we are supposed to get to mid 70's today) and have started to make Christmas lists. We are in the thick of fall and winter is on it's way. All the more reason to celebrate fall while it is here.

Over at my little sling business, BabyLove Slings, I am officially launching my new fall fabrics- 6 beautiful new slings that are sure to catch your eye and everyone else's too. I chose fabrics that beautifully represent the colors of the season. I love them and now I want to introduce them to you so that you can love them too.

(left) Pink Sunrise


(right) Winter's Embrace

(left) Harvest Splendor


(right) Falling Leaves








(left) Summer's End


(right) Serenity




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Do you love them? Well, if nothing there suits your fancy, I have a ton of other slings left from this summer that are still available. Still nothing? I always welcome specific fabric requests if there is something in particular you are looking for.
To entice you even further, I am offering an amazing discount this week- a little online sling party. As a prelude to the events I have coming up in the next few weeks, I am hosting an online party to extend the fun and savings to my bloggy friends. I am offering 20% all orders over $40 AND free shipping for this week only (the offer will expire Friday at midnight)! Use code "FallParty" to get your discount and "FreeShip" to get the free shipping.
And just like any other kind of party, an online party is more fun if you invite your friends. If you have a blog and would like to post about my slings and the discount this week, I will give you an extra discount. Just leave a comment with the link and I will send you the code. Even if you don't have a blog, you can e-mail at least 4friends and copy me on the e-mail and get your extra savings that way. Or tell your Facebook friends too... whatever helps get the word out!!
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Thanks y'all for supporting me and my little creative outlet. The little bit of profit I do make helps me be able to stay home with my boys and be the pseudo-attachment/babywearing/overly proud mama that I am and love to be. I am going back to my part-time job as a nurse tomorrow which I am pretty anxious about. Not my job, I actually enjoy it, but the leaving. But I digress...
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Enjoy fall y'all, while it is still here. Strap on your babies and go for a walk or jump in the leaves. Cherish the moment. Blessings!!
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Click here to start your shopping!!!

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Thankful for some small things

Driving to Trader Joe's this morning, Lucas asked me "is today more halloween?" I guess he had fun! :) This launched us into a discussion of the fun things in November and about the first Thanksgiving. I am trying to tell the story of the first Thanksgiving (Lucas LOVES stories) and I realized that besides it involving Pilgrims and Indians and the sharing of food, I didn't know many of the details of the story. I am going to have to brush up on that or get a book or something. But even though my story details were fuzzy, I think I got my point across- that we have so much to be thankful for and we should take the time to express that thankfulness to God. I was preaching that to myself just as much (or more) as to my eagerly listening toddler.

So in honor of that, here are a few things I am thankful for today:

My date with Lucas today to the train restaurant: Caden stayed with Hubby so Lucas and I could have a fun lunch together at one of his favorite places. We laughed and danced to the music and had a really great time. It was refreshing, for us both.

A big win for my Gators- big in numbers and in significance. I only got to watch the first half and the last 5minutes but the outcome was AWESOME!! It puts us back in the national title hunt, almost.

Some new bloggy friends met through the Bloggy Giveaway Carnival:

Here are the winners of my giveaways- Free Peapod Groceries go to Fivewinks and my beautiful, red, festive ring sling goes to Piece of Me. Congratulations to the winners and thank you to all who visited and entered. I hope you come back sometime and visit again.

For the launch of my new BabyLove Slings Fall Collection.... details tomorrow along with some special savings as we celebrate fall and get ready for the holidays.

These are just a few things I am thankful for today. Hubby and I just rearranged the living room (I need a change every so often) and now I am off to bed. Blessings to you all!

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