GiveThemRoots

The ONLY Cloth-lined Diaper Pail

2012-04-03T14:13:00.003-04:00

Have you seen the new Ubbi diaper pail with a reusable cloth liner? I was so excited when I received the press release about Ubbi's pail. Finally, a diaper pail for cloth diaper users! We are officially out of diapers over here {Woot!} so I wasn't able to personally test out the features of the pail but my oh so sweet and snuggly little goddaughter did, or rather her Mom did! Krystal is a stylish, cloth diapering mother who is both health and environmentally conscious in her consumer needs. Let's take a look at what she had to say about Ubbi!

“The Ubbi diaper pail is awesome!!! I love the way it looks and, it's tall and narrow so you can sneak it into almost any space in a room. It really does a great job of keeping the room from smelling stinky... I use cloth and regular diapers so sometimes I don't need to change the bag in the Ubbi for over a week and it still doesn't smell. The pail has a child safety lock on the top to prevent the little ones from opening the lid, which is great! The company makes their own disposable bags that you can purchase but any regular kitchen trash bag works just fine. Also, Ubbi makes a cloth diaper sac that you can use in the pail if you are a cloth diaper user. I haven't tried this yet but, I have heard that when it's full you can just toss the whole bag with the diapers inside right into the washer. I can't wait to try this! I would definitely recommend theUbbi diaper pail to all of my friends who have kids in diapers!”
Krystal, mother of two

Let's take a quick glance at what Krystal said she loves about the Ubbi pail and a few more awesome features that Ubbi offers.

-Slim design makes it easy to find a place for the Ubbi!
-Coated steel design locks in odors & locks out children.
-3 bag choices: Ubbi disposable (biodegradable), Ubbi cloth reusable, or any garbage bag.
-Ubbi is the ONLY diaper pail with a cloth liner choice.
-9 color choices help coordinate the pail with your nursery.

I have never (ever) recommended or gifted a diaper pail to a new parent and I never used them with our 4 boys. This was mostly due to the atrocious designs of pails like the “genie” and the fact that they are bacteria-harboring plastic and need special bags... you can't fool me, poop smells soak into plastic making it impossible to rid the odor and for the love of Mother Earth, there is enough plastic bags in the landfill as it is. And then Ubbi came along with it's sleek steel design and reusable or biodegradable bags... I would definitely recommend this pail to anyone, especially to you, my lovely readers!

Don't take my word for it... check it out, you're going to LOVE it! www.ubbiworld.com

SodaStream... I think I love you.

2012-03-09T08:00:00.000-05:00

Confession... my husband and I have an addiction. Carbonated Water! We love it. I started buying La Croix brand water several months ago and fell in love with the zero calorie, all-natural flavored, bubbles! Sounds harmless right? Wrong. Not only are they $4 for an 8-pack, they are CANS. I know, I know, you can recycle them but, I still felt guilty for producing so much waste. You can imagine my excitement when Target stocked SodaStream on their shelves and I took the time to look into them! Have you seen these guys?

So, here's the skinny: SodaStream is a beverage carbonation system. You can create sodas, carbonated waters, and even teas in your own home!

Pros:
-Convenient: No heavy bottles to buy, carry home from grocery, store in your home
-Eco-friendly: Doesn't require energy, no batteries or electricity. Create less waste with the reusable bottle system. This means no plastic bottles or cans to recycle or throw out. (And no “flat” drinks to pour out.) Less packaging and transportation!
-Save $: Cheaper than buying per-packaged sodas and carbonated beverages at the store.
-Healthier: You can use filtered water. No high-fructose corn syrup! The flavor additives have less sugar, carbs, sodium and calories than leading brands. Ex. Cola Free has zero calories and doesn't contain Aspartame! Most (if not all) of the flavors have natural ingredients.
-Easy to use: Like incredibly easy. Just screw on the bottle, push a button, add the flavor. That's it!

Cons:
-Super addictive and tons of fun.
-Large initial investment but pays for itself in no time!

The flavoring has several servings inside the compact bottle. The water flavors come in glass bottles that are smaller than vanilla extract and make approximately 20 liters of water! WOW! You can also choose from a huge variety of flavors, over 50! Mix and match flavors to create your own custom drinks.

Take a peek at http://www.sodastream.com/ to learn more, see the flavors and find the right SodaStream for your family. We have the SodaStream Fountain Jet and it's PERFECT!

Consignment Sale Shopping Tips

2012-02-16T21:48:00.004-05:00

My favorite consignment sale, Kids Everywear, is coming up soon, March 2nd-5th!. I bet your local sales are starting soon too! Don't miss out on a great way to stock up on cute, quality, name brand spring clothing for your son or daughter. Here's some tips to finding the best deals at a consignment sale.

Shop early! This is biggest trick of the trade. Volunteer or consign so that you can shop before the public sale begins. Don't wait until the crowds arrive, the lines are long and everything has been picked through! Consignment sales rely on volunteers to help run the sale and to reward you for your time spent helping the sale succeed, they allow you to shop before opening day!
Make a list and check it twice. To help save time and money, make sure that you get the right sizes for your child. Make a list of their current sizes and the sizes you expect them to need for the upcoming season. Then list what items that child needs or wants. Example: Owen, age 6, size 6 slim, shirt size small, shoe size 13. Needs: shorts, tshirts, swimsuit, sandals. Wants: Legos, Wii games, books, Superhero tshirts.
Shop the sales! Every consignment sale has a 50% off day. I usually save my “play clothes” purchases for the 50% off day. I also use this as my browsing day and really check out what's left to see if I can score any amazing deals. This is a great time to look at puzzles, games, toys, movies, BOOKS, and shoes! AND, the best part about volunteering or consigning, you get to shop the 50% off sale while everyone else shops at full price!
Go without your kids. Trust me on this, it's so much less chaotic and everyone (you, child, other shoppers, workers) will appreciate it. Grab yourself a cup of coffee, turn your phone off, and relax while you shop. You deserve it. Really, this tip is for all kinds of shopping, grocery, clothes, furniture, whatever... give yourself a breather.

There are many more useful tips for successful consignment shopping on the Kids Everywear website, take a look! You can also still register to volunteer and if you're a pregnant or first time mom you can register to shop early with Kids Everywear!

Do you have a tip for consignment sale shopping?

Recipe: Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

2012-01-16T10:03:00.004-05:00

You are probably going to want to read this and then you're probably going to want to run to the grocery store and hit the kitchen. This recipe had a long journey to find our kitchen! It started out at Pampered Chef, found it's way onto Allrecipes.com, was shared at The Girl Who Ate Everything, and then journeyed onto my dear friend's food board on Pinterest! And now, here it is on Give Them Roots! Any recipe that has a map course like that is usually divine, this recipe is no exception.

Annie's Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips (ahem, or Pampered Chef's)

Ingredients
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries
1 pound strawberries
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor
10 (10 inch) flour tortillas
butter flavored cooking spray
2 tablespoons cinnamon sugar

1.In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, Golden Delicious apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes.

2.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

3.Coat one side of each flour tortilla with butter flavored cooking spray. Cut into wedges and arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Sprinkle wedges with desired amount of cinnamon sugar. Spray again with cooking spray.

4.Bake in the preheated oven 8 to 10 minutes. Repeat with any remaining tortilla wedges. Allow to cool approximately 15 minutes. Serve with chilled fruit mixture.

If you go to the link for The Girl Who Ate Everything above, she changed the sugar measurements some and I think it's a much healthier way to make it!

The 365 Family Challenge

2012-01-09T10:06:00.006-05:00

Instead of a New Year's resolution this year, our family is choosing a 365 day challenge. I'd love for each of you to join me on this challenge (Our challenge will run slightly over into 2013 because we're starting today!). There are only two rules to participate in this challenge:

1. Choose one thing you would like for your family to do together for a solid year. (reading, outdoor quality time, cooking together, meditation, exercise, etc.)

2. Do it every single day. No exceptions. No excuses.

This can be anything! It can be something you always said you would do when you had a family, something you need to work on together, something just for fun, or absolutely ANYTHING. The sky is the limit. And, you don't have to have human babies to do this challenge, fur babies count too! It could be taking a family (you, your partner, & your furry friend) walk every evening, rain or shine!

Our family is going to have 30 minutes of family reading together every single night before bed. No exceptions. No excuses. Everyone will get a chance to read aloud (minus the baby and the 4 year old will just be telling us about the pictures). We read to our boys a lot and always at bedtime but not frequently TOGETHER, all six of us, in one room. I think there will be a lot of benefits to doing this challenge for our entire family. Our twins have learned to read and this will encourage them and help them excel. Hudson, our 4 year old, is still working on letter sounds, this will help him learn what letters make the sounds as his older brothers are sounding out words. Evan, the baby, just wants to be with his big brothers every.waking.second.of.the.day. , so this will give him a chance to take part without them telling him no, or saying that he's wrecking everything. :) For Ryan and I, this challenge is most important. It means that we're BOTH stopping everything for 30 minutes and spending quality time with our boys, all of them. 30 minutes probably sounds like nothing to a lot of you, but when you have four "stair step" children, someone requires your attention constantly. There's always something to do, packing lunches, helping with homework, after school activities (ex. sports for our family), changing diapers, doing laundry, cooking meals, cleaning up, bath time (Mommy included), snuggle time for each kid, playtime, and just general self preservation a.k.a personal time! It's a lot to pack into one day, especially when most of that has to happen between the hours of 3:00pm and 7:30pm... when the twins get out of school and when the boys go to bed. 4.5 hours and we're taking 30 minutes of that for reading. I truly hope this is a challenge that we see through to the end and carry into the years to come!

Your challenge doesn't have to be 30 minutes, it could be 5 minutes! The idea is that you're spending quality time together so, it just has to be something you do together as a family.

What challenge will you complete with your family this year?

(Don't be shy, chances are if it's in writing for the world to see you'll really do it!!)

Potty Training: The 7 Day Method

2012-01-04T16:49:00.005-05:00

A few months ago I posted the following message on Facebook: “No more baby cribs at the Peed Casa!!! Evan's officially in a toddler bed. Pack your bags, diapers. You're up!!!”, that's right Give Them Roots' readers, our little family is at the end of an era. An era run by the tiniest tyrants, plagued with stinky diapers and dirty crib bumpers (Why are those so incredibly hard to wash & dry?!). I can hardly believe that after 6 straight years of diapers, breastfeeding, and baby food making we are almost done! I wish I could be one of those mother's who tell you it's bittersweet or that I cried taking the crib down but I won't lie to you. I may or may not have done some fist pumping outside of Evan's door when he fell asleep in his toddler bed without any issues. I'm even prouder to say today that my now two year old is happily sleeping on the bottom of a bunk bed. Adios toddler bed!

So what's next? PT work, and no I don't mean part-time. I mean full-time, hands on, boot camp style POTTY TRAINING. Evan's almost 25 months old now and we're ready to begin. Santa brought a new potty and big boy underwear so we introduced our littlest man to his new best friend. Our older 3 boys we trained the same way with great success. It's the same way my Mom trained me and the same way we plan to train our youngest. Today, I'm sharing the family secret. (You should patent this, Mom!)

Potty Training: The 7 Day Method.
This is so incredibly simple that you won't believe it will work, but it will. The key to success is sticking to it! You can't slack off, you can't do it half-***, and you have to go full throttle with both guns blazing! Let's begin...

Day 1: Put on big kid underwear! Make the biggest deal you've ever made about something your child has gotten. Go to the potty (big or little potty), sit on it and talk about what you do when you're in the bathroom! Hop up and begin the fun. Set a timer for 10 minutes. Don't put on pants! Pick out some “reading material” and play or do what you want until the timer goes off. Stay with your child! When the timer goes off go back to the potty for 5 minutes or less if your child goes potty before that. IF they do go potty make a huge fuss, (bigger than the underwear!) and reward them. We used a jar of M&Ms. 1 for sitting without crying, 2 for pee, 3 for poo. Repeat... all... day... long. (I didn't say it was easy, just simple.) The only time your child should be using pull-ups or diapers is during sleep or if you must leave. Works best to stay home this week, like REALLY stay home.

Day 2: Continue where you left off but today add 10 minutes. Your timer is now 20 minutes.

Day 3: Continue. Your timer is now 30 minutes.

Day 4: Continue. Your timer is now 40 minutes.

Day 5: Continue. Your timer is now 50 minutes.

Day 6: Continue. Your timer is now... ready... ONE WHOLE HOUR!!! Woot! Woot!

Day 7: Potty party!!!! Hopefully, if you stayed on top of your kid like white on rice then your child is now going a full hour dry! If you are training an older child (3+) then they can probably go longer but it's best for the first few weeks to be in the habit of saying “Evan, do you need to go potty?” every hour on the hour!

Just remember what Elmo says "Accidents happen." because they do, and It. Is. OK! Good luck to my potty training friends, more details on our progress soon!

Homemade Holiday: Update

2011-12-23T21:16:00.004-05:00

I'm embarrassed to say but, here goes. 26 hrs to go before showtime and I have not made 1/8th of what I had hoped. Maybe next year I should start this challenge in OCTOBER! I did make a few awesome gifts (that couldn't be shared because my family reads this. Hi!) but I was really hoping to make them all. That was probably my first mistake. I have four kids. Correction, I have four boisterous boys. Boys that can make a clean and organized room look like a crime scene in 5 minutes flat and to top it off the 4 year old changes his clothes more than Princess Kate will during Christmas at the Buckingham Palace (Did anyone else see that? Kate has something crazy like 20 outfits that she will wear on Christmas day!).

Instead, I leaned on my crutch, http://www.craigslist.org/! We scored big with some of our gifts. We were able to reduce, reuse and recycle and we saved a small fortune in the process! Take a peek at part of our gift stash...

-Bubble mower, new in the box for $10. Saved $19.99
-80/800mm Telescope with a pro guide to constellations and the original box $25. Saved $195
-Tech Deck Skate board lot (4 ramps and 16 boards) $20. Saved ~$80
-Groovy Girls doll house with accessories and 6 dolls $25. Saved $150
-Jr. Golf Clubs (two sets) with bags $60. Saved $180

Total savings: $625

$$ CHA-CHING!!!!!! $$

The gifts that I did make could have been purchased on Etsy at $150 each. Thanks to an awesome friend with a Cricut and some extra frames that we had around the house, we didn't spend a dime! I'm not going to lie though, I spent endless hours making them, neglecting my kids, and there were multiple remakes. But, I love the end product and hope the recipients do too! Savings on three: $450.

Do you have some last minute shopping to do? Check your local http://www.craigslist.org/, you never know what you might find!

Merry Christmas to my favorite GTRooties!

Homemade Holiday: Recycled Tire Seesaw

2011-12-09T07:00:00.002-05:00

If you're not following me on Pinterest (you can use the link to the left) then you probably missed the most awesome pin... a DIY tire seesaw! This tutorial comes from Lorren over at Barefoot in Paradise. This is her "semi-finished" project; personally, I love the rustic look that it has in the picture below but if you go to Lorren's blog then you'll find the fabric covered finished version.

What's not to love? It's a homemade seesaw made from recycled tires! I adore this project and it just got bumped to the very top of my to-do list. The only problem... who should I give it to?!?

Homemade Holiday: 25 gifts under $5

2011-12-01T08:00:00.001-05:00

Whew, what a week we're having over here and it's only Thursday. My 6 year old has pneumonia thanks to a freak cold turned bad, the almost 2 year old's eardrum ruptured with no warning of double ear infections (he also has a broken arm, 2 more weeks to go with his club, I mean cast) also thanks to the freak cold. I've also been on a crafting spree with teacher presents because my twins are in year round school which means they track out tomorrow for all of December and I'm making my sweet goddaughter's first birthday decorations.

That being said... I'm taking the easy way out today. Check out The 36th Avenue's fabulous post on 25 homemade gifts under $5! . You can find adorable tutorials for things like jersey knit bracelets, paper clip earrings, "tea light" candles, and 22 other fantastic gift ideas!

Make sure to say hi, when you stop by her site... us Bloggers like comment love.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T09:53:00.003-05:00

For you, my readers, I am truly grateful. Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you. Avoid those ad flyers and be strong tomorrow. ;)

For The Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies;
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the wonder of each hour,
Of the day and of the night;
Hill and vale and tree and flow'r,
Sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind's delight;
For the mystic harmony,
Linking sense to sound and sight;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child;
Friends on Earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

Happy Thanksgiving!

A Homemade Holiday: For Teachers

2011-11-22T07:00:00.002-05:00

The Teacher category might be my favorite! There are so many fun gifts for your child to give to their teacher. I could do a whole week of teacher gifts and maybe I will at the end of the school year but for now, here's three of my favorite ideas!

1. You're The Bomb from Make-It-Do

Rolos wrapped in red paper with a pipe cleaner fuse to look like dynamite. It's pictured as a Valentine's Day gift but I think it's a perfect gift for assistant teachers.

2. Candy Gram Pail from Simply Savvy

I edited the original text a little to work for Christmas.

" Don't SNICKER, but I think you're a great teacher! You are MOUNDS of fun and you bring me so much JOY. I think you ROCK. (pop rocks) Thanks BEARY much (gummy bears) for always being so JOLLY (jolly ranchers) and for helping me become such a SMARTIE. Teachers like you are worth a MINT. (york peppermint patty) I'd be a NERD if I didn't thank you for helping me put the PIECES (reeses pieces) of the knowledge puzzle together. You are Marvelously Magnificent. (m&ms) Merry Christmas!"

3. Crayon Monogram from Well How Nice

I saved the best for last, this is my very favorite! My boys are kindergarten and honestly, how perfect is this for a K-teacher? Such an incredibly simple project!

Have you seen an awesome DIY tutorial for teacher gifts? Do share.

p.s. Most of the DIY gift ideas I've posted over the past week have been found on Pinterest.com. I am going to try to credit the original source when possible. If you click the Blog names above it will take you directly to the tutorial. :)

A Homemade Holiday: For The Dads

2011-11-20T09:07:00.006-05:00

Why is Dad always the hardest to find a gift for? It doesn't matter if it's your Dad or your kiddo's Dad, they are stinkin' hard to come up with ideas! Here's two ideas that I really love and know the Dads in my life would too.

First up, for the "Teerific Dad". This jar-gift would be super cute paired with a homemade coupon for "One free day of golf with your buds". You just need a jar, ribbon, craft paper, tees, & golf balls.

The next gift for Dad really cracks me up. Kill two birds with one stone with this gift, a back massage for Dad and entertainment for your kids! This brilliant little road shirt can be found at www.thebluebasket.blogspot.com . Grab a t-shirt and some fabric markers and go "to town". heehee (That was terrible.)

Do you have any DIY ideas for the Dad in your life?

A Homemade Holiday: For The Baby

2011-11-18T07:00:00.001-05:00

Oh. my.. aching... uterus. Every DIY tutorial or idea that I come across for babies makes me want another baby... eh, maybe not. My sweet baby boy is almost out of the "counting by months" phase (ex. 23 months). Evan will be two years old in less than a month! I still think he would love these little guys though. Honestly, I think that my four and six year old boys would probably love them too.

Socktopuses

These are so amazingly easy! To turn your Socktopuses into a really sweet gift, think about using a cute basket and filling it to the brim with these adorable sea creatures.

Stuff a sock with fabric scraps, plastic bags, rice/beans or all three for different sounds and textures!
Sew the sock closed & cut 8 legs. To make the fabric curl like it is in the picture, simply stretch the leg very gently.

If you don't have lonesome socks that you could recycle, try the local Dollar Store and then think of another baby you can gift a matching set to. While you're there, grab some buttons for the octopus's eyes.

Tip: When you go to close the sock try this: weave the thread in and out of fabric in the full circle of the sock and leave 2 thread tails hanging down on the inside of the sock. Then pull the two threads taut to close the sock opening, tie a strong knot for closure and then snip the ends.

Note: This DIY craft photo was posted by a Pinterest user without a link or credit for a tutorial.

Respect The Bird Movement

2011-11-17T07:00:00.001-05:00

So, technically I already disrespected the bird by starting our Homemade Holiday campaign BUT Respect The Bird is a movement I strongly support this Thanksgiving and it goes along with our Homemade Holiday campaign.

This is the basic idea: Black Friday sales and shopping devour the real reason of Thanksgiving: spending time with loved ones and reflecting on the things you have to be thankful for this year.

You can learn more about the movement by watching this short YouTube video:

Join myself & other Give Them Roots readers by clicking below to take the pledge!

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You don't need those Black Friday sales, you're making your Christmas presents! Right? ;)

A Homemade Holiday: For Mom

2011-11-16T08:00:00.002-05:00

What do you give the woman who gave you life? A lot of hugs & kisses. This couldn't hurt either. I love this one, which my Mom is not getting because she reads my blog. (Hi Mom!)

Twine and Pearl bracelet

I found this on Pinterest, which is where I find almost everything these days, from what I'm cooking for dinner to what I'm wearing on a girl's night out. This is actually a bracelet that is being sold in France but it didn't take me long to figure out how to do it. Following the same directions + some length would allow you to make a matching necklace. You could customize it using other beads or types of string if pearls & twine aren't your Mom's thing but I love the simple elegance of this exact bracelet.

cut 4 equal pieces of twine the length of the loose diameter of your wrist + 6" (for knots & closure).
Tie a knot (the one used is a simple overhand knot) using all 4 strings. String 3 pearls on any 3 of the 4 strings of twine. Tie a knot. Continue until you've completed the length of your wrist. End with a knot.
You can leave the strings loose to be tied closed or you can connect a toggle & loop closure.

Not sure how to tie the knot? Try this website: www.iwillknot.com

A Homemade Holiday

2011-11-15T08:00:00.004-05:00

At the risk of disrespecting the turkey, let's chat about the holidays! Last Christmas, I suggested eco-friendly gift purchasing. This year let's step it up a notch and see if we can do a Homemade Holiday. Instead of buying gifts for the people on our list, this year I will make them and I'd like to encourage you to take the plunge with me!

I love homemade gifts the most! The gifts seem to be more from the heart than a pretty sweater or a gift card. Would it be easier to buy a gift card and call it quits? OF COURSE! Would most people be satisfied with a $50 gift card? Umm, yes. But, I also know that my mom, for example, would go crazy over something that I took the time to make just for her, something that I knew she would love. I'm not talking about pulling out your popsicle sticks and making a frame. DIY crafts have some a long way and you don't have to be Martha Stewart to do it. Get ready to be amazed.

Over the next few days I will post suggestions for the groups of people on my list such as relatives, children, neighbors, teachers, and maybe even the mailman. Stumped with someone on your list? Comment on the post and tell me who's on your list this year, some things they are into and I'll find you something they'll love!

My apologies to the Turkey for stepping on his toes but, we are going to need the extra week!

Johnson & Johnson Toxins Revealed

2011-11-14T08:54:00.002-05:00

In several previous posts we've talked about the toxins lurking inside popular baby shampoos, and just like the blue box of mac & cheese, United States consumers are being exposed to more "junk" than other countries. Well, the cat's out of the bag for the leading baby product company, Johnson & Johnson and The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics was the one to do it! You can read more about the big reveal in this Forbes article. Johnson & Johnson claims that they already are and will be cleaning up their products but this isn't the first time J&J has made that claim.

In another post, I gave you a list of some of the ingredients that you should watch out for and the abbreviations that are commonly used, you can read that HERE. If you have a hard time remembering what to avoid try writing them down on the back of a business card & tucking it inside your wallet.

Share this information with your friends! Nothing will change until consumers demand it, lots of consumers. "Be the change that you want to see..."- Ghandi.

I'm Baaaack. {insert creepy music}

2011-11-13T10:18:00.003-05:00

Where to start... maybe with an apology? This blog was beyond neglected, it was plain old forgotten! I'm so sorry. Life got busy, which makes me wonder: Pioneer Woman, HOW do you do it? Juggling my daily duties got wildly out of control and I'm not running a farm, homeschooling my kids, or taking National Geographic worthy photographs. Scratch that last one, I'm not even picking up a camera.

Life as of November 13, 2011:

A huge chunk of my life goes to the twins. They started kindergarten. Why did nobody tell me that this meant I would be at the school enough to deserve my own parking space, or possibly office? I spend a lot of time at the elementary school. I volunteer in both of their classrooms for learning centers. I'm Owen's classroom mom. And I'm not just a PTA member but a PTA Chair, that last part is actually a lot of fun. I'm the Cultural Arts Chair. I get to plan the performances that come to the school. This year a variety of performers from African American dancers to an all vocal band (Transit Vocal Band, YouTube them! Incredible!) will be coming to the school. Part 2: The twins just finished up their 5th season of soccer, which I coached. Basketball starts next month, which luckily for them, I'm not coaching.

Huge chunk part II: Yoga. My parents spent a lot of time telling us to find something we love and do it. Well, I finally am. I love yoga. I have always loved yoga. I started tossing around the idea of being a yoga instructor since I was 18. I finally took the leap to be one at 28 and before I turn 30, I will be a certified Vinyasa Flow yoga instructor. My official training begins January 3, 2012 but I've been preparing myself since last March. I haven't given up my love for childbirth but instead plan to implement my new knowledge to improve every mother's birth experience. More on that later.

Long story short, life as a stay at home blogger became life as a stay near home yogi. However, I'm coming back with a vengeance... and a new message. See you soon.

The Perfect Wooden Animal

2011-07-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Over the past almost six years of our twin boys lives we have collected several brands of plastic animals from baby chickens to rhinos and one day while cleaning up with my boys, I realized that I have HAD it with plastic junk toys! The only problem, it is almost impossible to find wooden animals that aren't going to break the bank! I don't mean cutout animals but fun, free-standing animals. We have a wooden Noah's ark set with a plethora of animal duos and yes, it's cute but the animals remind me more something that should be in a shape sorter than in my 3 year old's hand for creative play. You can imagine my excitement when I found out about Anamalz.

Anamalz are eco-friendly, made with sustainable maple and child safe dyes and paints. They have the cutest cotton covered wire legs and arms that can bend 360 degrees. Best of all and most important to all parents, they are safe and FUN! Anamalz come in a HUGE variety from prehistoric to farm animals.

Does your child have a Webkinz or have you seen them in stores? If not, they are basically Beanie Babies with a code that allows the stuffed animal to become interactive online with games. Guess what? So do Anamalz!!!! But instead of cheap made in China, plastic pellet stuffed animals, the product you are buying is safe and eco-friendly. Tiny disclaimer: these adorable guys are NOT made in the United States but rather in Australia. Aussies need love too. :)

Take a look at the two adorable Anamalz my boys fight over below and then head over to www.anamalz.com to see the rest. What's not to love about these little guys? Which one do you love the most? I have a soft spot for the baboon; he's secured a spot at the top of my shopping list.

Peaceable Kingdom Game Giveaway!

2011-06-12T18:21:00.005-04:00

Great news! Peaceable Kingdom wants to help bring peace to your kingdom by offering a game of your choice to one lucky reader! We love our Peaceable Kingdom game and I know that your family will as well! Check out our review of Peaceable Kingdom Games by going HERE or scrolling down the page if you are reading this on Give Them Roots' home page.

Easy to enter, easy to win! Complete the form below to enter! Get a bonus entry by following Peaceable Kingdom on Facebook! And another bonus entry by following Give Them Roots on Facebook or Twitter. Giveaway ends on Friday, June 17th at 11:59pm EST. Must be 18 years old and a US resident to enter.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED.

Special thanks to Peaceable Kingdom for sponsoring this great giveaway!

Peaceable Kingdom Cooperative Games

2011-06-06T18:56:00.008-04:00

It's been a while since I've done a review of any company or product, and maybe, just maybe, I've never reviewed a game this great! I am so excited to introduce you to Peaceable Kingdom Cooperative Games!

Peaceable Kingdom is a company that believes that games are meant to leave everyone in harmony! Peaceable Kingdom has created five fabulous games for preschool to elementary aged children. These five games have a unique goal, instead of each child trying to beat the other children to win a game they will all have to work together, encourage their teammates, and beat the game as a group! I really love that these games build characteristics that will help children grow to be more compassionate in daily life situations as a child and adult.

If the concept behind Peaceable Kingdom isn't enough to win your heart, this may tug on a few more heartstrings; Peaceable Kingdom cooperative games are made using 100% eco-friendly, safe ingredients. From the corn-based plastic pieces to the soy based inks on FSC paper, Peaceable Kingdom has the planet and your child in mind!

My boys have been playing Count Your Chickens for the past few days and are having a blast. It is so fun to see them working together and encouraging each other. In Count Your Chickens players work together to help Mother Hen get all of the baby chicks (40 of them) back into the coop before Mother Hen reaches the last space on the board. The game teaches counting and is absolutely adorable! My 3 year old is now counting to 40 from playing the game for just a couple days, he could only count to 20 before playing.

The other cooperative games offered are Hoot Owl Hoot, help the owls safely back to the nest before the sunrise, this games builds color recognition, strategy, and problem solving; Stone Soup, a memory game where players match ingredients to cook a soup before the fire goes out; Lost Puppies, a linear and strategy game where players work together to find the puppies before the sun goes down; Mermaid Island, a strategy game where players build shared decision making skills by helping mermaids escaping the evil Sea Witch.

You can find Peaceable Kingdom cooperative games at www.peaceablekingdom.com, at speciality toy stores and online boutiques. Take a look at their website and tell me which game YOU would like to have! You can also follow Peaceable Kingdom on Facebook!

images courtesy of www.peaceablekingdom.com

Different ingredients inside Kraft Mac N' Cheese?

2011-05-18T20:15:00.005-04:00

I saw the most interesting thing that a friend posted on Facebook. Kraft makes different types of macaroni and cheese for different countries! No joke, it's true!

So basically, Kraft sells their macaroni and cheese to several countries including but not limited to the UK and of course the United States. This makes sense, I mean after all it's the "original blue box". What doesn't make sense and really ticks me off is that the OTHER country's mac n' cheese doesn't contain the craptastic ingredients the United States box does. The UK box has 7 ingredients, the US has over 30!!!

You can read more about it at this link. http://www.facebook.com/notes/healthy-child-healthy-world/us-vs-uk-mac-n-cheese-smackdown/10150181028187799

Take a look and see what you think! The article tells you how to take action and ask Kraft to make healthy foods worldwide!

You might have to have a Facebook account to view it, if you don't have one be sure to friend Give Them Roots when you join!

Bermuda Grass Update: The Big Till

2011-05-17T12:21:00.000-04:00

Oh boy! What a project! Where to start? Well, we decided to till the entire 1/4 acre instead of aerating because we had so many weeds in our exsisting lawn (if you could call it that). This seemed like a fabulous idea to me, the person who would be raking and not tilling! My sweet spouse disagrees. As a matter of fact, at one point during the tilling he actually said "Don't come any closer, I might hurt you." , of course he was 100% joking but I think that comment fairly represents his frustration. What made tilling so frustrating is that when our house was built the lawn was sodded with fescue grass. Sod is held together in sheets/rolls using a green plastic netting. Any guesses about what happened when we started tilling? The net bound the tiller up! Ryan had to stop every 10 minutes to remove the tangled mess of netting. We got it finished and tilled the soil three times, looks great and is so smooth! Seed is down and we're seeing lots of sprouts and grass, more on that later! Pictures coming soon!

5 Cleaning Wonders: In Your Pantry

2011-04-27T17:36:00.003-04:00

You might not consider vegetable oil a weapon in your cleaning arsenal but you might want to make your peace with the greasy substance after reading this. Cooking isn't the only guy with a bad rap. Next time you find yourself out of a cleaning product grab one of these sneaky dual purpose ingredients.

BAKING SODA: this handy little box packs power all over the kitchen but my favorite chore for baking soda is the can opener! Mix 2 tbsp of baking soda with 1 tsp of water to form a thick chalky paste. Then dip a small cleaning brush (or toothbrush) in the paste and scrub all that gunk off your can opener!

COOKING OIL: don't be scared you won't be pouring oil all over your counters, but the next time you finish painting a room and you're covered in paint, grab the vegetable oil! Just pour a tbsp or so onto your habds and rub it it good then wash with soap and be amazed!

LEMON: other than smelling fresh & clean in your garbage disposal, lemons can remove stains from countertops or wooden chopping blocks. Simply cut a lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto the stain. Let it sit for 15-30 minutes and rinse.

SALT: no rubbing salt into your wounds over the spilled dish in your oven, rub that salt into your oven instead! For fresh spills pour salt directly onto the spill and let it soak up the oils, once the oven is cool wipe it up with a damp towel.

VINEGAR: this trick is my hubby's favorite, as a matter of fact he just did this last night and spurred my creativity for this post. Vinegar is the bee's knees at cleaning your coffee maker. Just pour equal parts water and vinegar in the water chamber and turn on the brew cycle, half way through turn off the machine and let it sit for 1 hour, then turn it back until the brew cycle ends and run two cycles with just water to rinse your maker.

Do you know another magic trick with a household ingredient? Share!!

30 Dinners in 30 Days Challenge: Week 3 Menu

2011-04-23T13:10:00.004-04:00

Such a slacker! This should have been up LAST weekend and I apologize for that. Here's what we've been eating all week. I hope the challenge is going well for everyone and that you've tried a few new recipes!

Menu Plan: April 17- April 23

Sunday: Crab Cake Burgers with homemade slaw and fresh cut fries
Monday: Tortilla Pie with cilantro lime sour cream
Tuesday: Broccoli Alfredo and garlic knots
Wednesday: Cheat Night
Thursday: Triple Bean Chili & cornbread
Friday: Homemade Mac n' Cheese with garden salad
Saturday: Honey BBQ Shrimp (grilled) with brown rice, and grilled zucchini squash

I'm excited to try some new recipes next week with strawberries now that they are back in season locally! What are you ready to sink your teeth into this season?