Favorite Moment: Peaceful Playfulness July 23, 2013 12:39

We recently took a family getaway to paradise. It was one of those splurge trips that only come along once every few years – or truly even less often than that. Everything about this trip was perfection. The weather, the accommodations, the company, attitudes, recreation, rest, beauty. Our family was at its best on this trip, and we were the epitome of happiness.

There was a particular moment on the beach that I will try to hold onto forever. My husband and I were restfully lounging under an umbrella with my mom and sister. Taking in the vastness of the ocean and the life of the sun. My two boys were 50 yards away from us playing in the sand and testing their bravery in the shallows of the surf. They were peaceful and energetic all at once. Happy and entertained. Despite how good it felt to simply lounge on the beach and relax, I desperately wanted to join them; to be a part of their joyful romping.

Afraid that I might upset the balance of their world by intruding, I held back. I knew in my heart that if they needed me or wanted me in that moment they would come get me. This was their moment to enjoy unbridled freedom and fully explore their universe without rules, corrections, or worry about messes. It was such a blessing to sit back and just watch the magic of childhood unfold in front of me between my two perfect children. It was a taste of Heaven and a moment I’ll cherish for long to come. 

-Ashley

10 on 10: Favorite Summer Fun July 10, 2013 23:18

Summer is in full swing, and we are loving the slowed pace and sunny days. I have been taking in extra time with my kids, and really just basking in Mother Nature. Here is a list of my favorite 10 summer fun activities – all tried and true. Hope you get out and enjoy the outdoors this season. 

1.     Backyard splashing in sprinklers, inflatable pools and the good old fashioned hose

2.     Gardening and harvesting our yummy fruits and veggies

3.     Play dates at community outdoor pools

4.     Dining al fresco

5.     Water balloon battles

6.     Homemade popsicles melting down little fingers and chubby cheeks

7.     Mommy and me dates for ice cream or cupcakes, enjoyed in the sun

8.     Yoga in the park

9.     Laaazzzzy mornings with nowhere to be and nothing to do

10. Camping trips, lake trips, boating and day hikes in our beautiful Pacific Northwest

-Ashley

Raising A Son April 30, 2013 15:26

Living in a house full of boys has been an adjustment for me. I am a girly girl in many ways, and I grew up in a home around other females – my mom and sister. I do have brothers, and for part of my life we shared a home with my dad, but the world of little boys was largely foreign to me before my sons were born.

This adjustment to life with boys has had many ups and downs. I am so blessed and amazed every day to be a part of their heroic hearts, sense of adventure, strong characters and fearlessness. I also struggle to mother children who are so full of energy and fire – testing my limits and patience on a daily basis. In search of some deeper understanding of why boys are the way they are, I of course turned to books. I read voraciously to find answers to my most burning questions – and to help uncover this particular mystery, I found ‘Raising A Son,’ by Don Elium and Jeanne Elium.

This is one of the best books I have read on parenting. It doesn’t judge or offer the silver bullet for raising ‘well-behaved’ children. It isn’t filled with ‘how-tos’. It eloquently explains the biological differences between males and females, and helps parents understand the fundamentals of what boys need to thrive. It talks about the emotional journey of a male, and how gentle but firm boundaries can be provided to guide him, keep him safe and help teach him how to harness his natural tension and release needs without stifling his soul. The book walks through the biological development of a boy and how and when testosterone impacts his behavior and personal desires. I found this fascinating and valuable information as a mom trying so hard to navigate these unfamiliar waters. The book also helped me identify why sometimes this journey seems to come so much more naturally to my husband than it does to me – because he knows what it is like to be a little boy; he inherently understands testosterone’s drive within a male body. 

The book is also full of heart. It talks about how important it is for boys not to be pushed from the world of ‘mother’ too soon; not to be forced to be ‘big boys’ and not to ignore their emotional needs. It encourages mothers to love and nurture their son's emotional side and sensitivity with the confidence that when it is time for him to cross the bridge over to the world of ‘father’, he naturally will if a strong male figure is there to guide him. It also addresses the struggles of single mothers raising boys, and offers support and advice for how to manage this unique challenge.

I loved this book. It helped me let go of some of my fears about raising boys, and validated what we have been doing so far. It opened my eyes to a greater understanding of my husband and my sons, and brought forth both tears and laughter in the process. Mothering is an amazing adventure whether you are raising boys or girls. But, if you are surrounded by one boy or a handful of them, you will appreciate what this book has to offer. 

-Ashley

Happy Earth Day April 22, 2013 16:49

Today is Earth Day - and we should all celebrate this amazing planet we call home. Recently returning from an amazing Hawaiian vacation, I've really been reveling in the beauty and bounty we get to enjoy. I'm a firm believer that every day should be Earth Day, but today actually is and it's important to take this as an opportunity to help instill your love for our Earth in your children. 

There are so many ways to celebrate Earth Day, from the tried and true tree planting, to growing a vegetable garden, to taking a bike ride or hike, and more. The spring issue of Green Child Magazine featured an article by me with 10 ideas for getting outdoors with your family to fall in love with nature. Check it out, and make sure to do at least one - or one of your own ideas - today. 

http://www.greenchildmagazine.com/celebrating-earth-day/

Earth Day! March 12, 2013 15:32

Earth Day is Monday, April 22, and I'm so excited to celebrate it with my boys and use it as yet another opportunity to teach them the importance of caring for this beautiful Creation we call home. Green Child Magazine featured an article I wrote about ways to celebrate Earth Day with your family in the Spring issue that released today. 

Check out Green Child's latest issue, and my Earth Day ideas (including planting a garden, spring skiing, watching the sunrise and more)!

http://issuu.com/greenchild/docs/spring2013/86

-Ashley

Reality of Positive Parenting March 6, 2013 14:38

I'm a big advocate of using positive parenting approaches to discipline. It's not always easy, but I believe that in the long run, the effort is more than worth it. Check out my guest post on Nature Moms Blog talking about the day-to-day challenges of positive parenting. A big thank you to Tiffany at Nature Moms Blog for welcoming me as a guest blogger!

http://naturemoms.com/blog/2013/03/06/the-reality-of-positive-parenting/

-Ashley

Cloth Diapering Basics February 8, 2013 15:29

When I became pregnant the first time around, I was already a little bit crunchy. I shopped organic, ate vegetarian, planned to make my own baby food and strongly believed in breastfeeding. I had a long way to go in learning about natural childbirth, babywearing, eco-fashion, co-sleeping and attachment parenting.

My pregnancy was a journey physically, emotionally and in becoming a true believer in green living. Through this journey, however, I continued to resist embracing cloth diapering. I could not get over the idea of washing dirty diapers in my own home, and handling the whole poop-on-fabric thing. Surprisingly, it was my husband – who had been cloth diapered as a baby – who pressed the issue until I gave in.

I’m so glad he was stubborn on that one issue. Using cloth diapers has been so easy, saved us tons of money and is one simple way for our family to reduce our footprint (and reduce our children’s exposure to chemicals). For those of you out there who fear cloth diapers, here are a few basics to 1) ease your hesitation and 2) get you started.

·      Washing your cloth diapers is easy: Plan to run a cycle every 1-3 days depending on how many diapers you have in your stock; a cold rinse, hot wash and final cold rinse cycle is all it takes!

·      Poop-on-fabric is not as bad as it sounds: There are lots of ways to make removing solid waste from diapers easy (see below) – plus for the first six months before your baby eats solid foods, the poop isn’t really solid anyway and diapers can go straight in the wash. 

·      Save money!: Cloth diapers are an up front investment, but over time you will save money by not buying disposables. The money you save on disposable diapers (which are expensive!) outweighs what you spend on increased use of water and detergents.

·      Cloth diapers can reduce rashes and skin sensitivities: Conventional disposables contain harsh chemicals and chlorines that can harm your baby’s delicate skin and cause irritations.

·      Cloth diapers often lead to earlier potty-training: Because they feel wet when they are wet in cloth diapers, cloth diapered toddlers tend to be more eager to use the potty. 

·      Modern all-in-one, one-size, pre-fitted diapers have replaced the traditional pre-fold with covers: Check out the FuzziBunz on our site – they are so easy to use, and the one-size variety make it so you only have to buy one set for all your diapering years.

·      You can always use a service: Just Google ‘cloth diaper service’ with your city name and you’ll find resources for services that pick up your dirty diapers and replace them with a clean set every week.

·      They are so cute!: I love all the cute prints and bold colors of cloth diapers.  You can find pretty much anything to suit your babe’s style.

There are lots of resources out there from other moms who cloth diaper. We love The Eco Friendly Family. Here’s my list of items you need to get started:

·      A set of pre-folds (12-24 should be enough depending on how often you plan to wash) with covers (3-5 covers is enough – I prefer the cotton covers for the best comfort and breathability) for your newbie (pre-fitted diapers tend to be too bulky for little newborns)

·      A set of fitted, all-in-one diapers (12-24 again depending on how often you plan to do laundry) – such as FuzziBunz

·      A basic diaper pail

·      Cloth-diaper friendly bottom balm, like the one from Earth Mama Angel Baby

·      Unscented, basic laundry detergent (eco-friendly detergents like the ones from Seventh Generation do not usually work well for cloth diapers); I make my own by adding 1 cup of borax, 1 cup of oxo-brite and 1 cup of baking soda to a gallon of water, I also know lots of moms who like Charlie’s Soap

·      Bulk size bottle of vinegar (adding vinegar to the first rinse cycle removes ammonia from the urine on the diapers)

·      Dryer balls to reduce dryer time (line drying works great too and line drying in the sun removes stains!)

·      If you don’t want to spend time dunking poopy diapers in the toilet to rinse of solid waste, you can purchase a sprayer that attaches to your toilet for easy rinsing; alternately you can line diapers with a biodegradable, flushable liner that makes removing solids a snap

·      A wet-dry bag for on the go (I love the one I have from PlanetWise that a friend gave me)

·      Cloth wipes if you plan to use reusable baby wipes as well

Now you are set! Happy diapering! 

-Ashley