Fair Trade Coffee Quest, Update
I am INSPI(RED) to go feed some homeless people with my famous condor omelets.
Budget Conscious
Diaper Drive
The kiddo is about to hit the three month mark and has just begun to outgrow his first round of clothes and diapers. I will probably keep the best of the best clothing around for future offspring but in an effort to keep my tiny LA apartment clutter free I am thinking that I don't need to hold on to the several cases of newoborn diapers. After talking to a friend who works with the Department of Child and Family Services she suggested that I donate the extras to St. Anne's, a local women's shelter for pregnant and parenting teens here in LA, which I will be doing later this week. They actually take all sorts of baby products including clothing, blankets, baby soaps and wipes, as well as feminine hygiene products... For me it was important to find a local Org that will actually distribute the baby goods to needy mothers and children as opposed to selling the items to raise money for another cause or just posting the stuff on a website like Freecycle.org or the free section of CraigsList. But no matter what, the most important thing is getting these items that would otherwise collect dust in my storage unit into the hands of moms and babies that really need them.
Green Resolutions for 2010
So I had a baby at the first of the year and gave no deference to the age old tradition of making new years resolutions. Now that we are solidly through the first part of the year, the kiddo is firmly in this world and I don't wake up in a cold sweat , fearing for his life anymore. I feel like I can reset and refocus on a few goals I have for the remainder of 2010.
Hand Made and Upcycled Mobiles
My kiddo is about to hit the three month mark and is in desperate need of some visual stimulation crib-side. I thought I was going to make a mobile for him but I found these that are just as good as anything I could do and a great way to support independent artists and moms!
Product Review: Palmer’s Stretch Mark Creme
The standard in stretch mark cream ointments, Palmer's was the first product I bought in anticipation of my expanding belly. I found this stuff to be smelly, feel creepy on my skin and not very absorbent. Once the product was absorbed (or more accurately, wiped off on my clothes or bed sheets) my skin immdeatly felt chalky and dry where it hadn't pre-application... Anyone who purports that this stuff has kept them from getting stretch marks is falling victim to a very successful marketing campaign and a happy coincidence of heredity.
MacGyver Baby: Thank you presents on the cheap, part 2
Really people just want to know you care so spending a little extra time as opposed to a little extra money can go a long way.
Non-Aluminum Deodorant Comparison
I braved stinky pits for the entire nine months of my pregnancy and am now reporting to you on my findings!
MacGyver Baby: Thank you presents on the cheap, part 1
So you just had a baby and everyone on the west side has given you a present. The last thing you want to be doing is writing thank you cards into carpal tunnel hell or spending a significant amount of money on thank you presents. Most gift givers are understanding of the new mother condition and are satisfied with a generic thank you or nothing at all. Never one to disappoint Ann Landers while simultaneously bowing to the pressure of the few gift givers who do expect (or deserve) something special in return I need to come up with a few choice thank you tokens beyond the birth announcement and thank you cards left over from my wedding.
MacGyver Baby: Binky tethers
Sometimes I can be surprisingly cheap. Well when it comes to mattresses I am willing to spend hundreds, but pay $5 for a binky tether which is a glorified piece of ribbon with a clip on it, this will not stand!