Mama Love

... We love Julie's post over at Joy's Hope that challenges us all to re-think what to give for Christmas this year. Have you enjoyed a nice glass of water today?

... We love the eco-friendly reusable snack bags called Reusies. They are the perfect alternative to ziplocks. Think of how many ziplocks travel in children's lunch boxes every single day. We think it's a great gift idea for the mamas in your life who want to go green in 2010!

... We love the Slither, a fun new scooter for boys that has a swivel mechanism, making it easy for kids to ride it like a snowboard. It's a great gift for an active boy (or a boy you'd like to get off the couch). You just might want to hide it from your husband, though.

... We love this yummy recipe idea for Pumpkin Cream Sandwiches from Real Simple. It's like the cookie version of pumpkin pie.

... We love the Nutmeg & Vanilla and Vanilla Spice essential oils from The Body Shop for bringing the cozy Fall vibe indoors. Add a few drops of oil to one of the oil burners and tuck in a safe place (guest bathroom, thank you very much).

... We love this post at We Are That Family for articulating how important it is to let our kids be themselves.

... We love fancy sparkling cider drinks that get us in the mood for holiday festivities. R.W. Knudsen has a great new Pomegranate version of the classic sparkling cider, in a champagne-style bottle, thank is the perfect beverage for holiday dinners.

... We love the new board book “Look Who Is Coming…”, a great photo book for all young children, but created specifically to address the needs of the author’s young son who was diagnosed with Autism. It helps children learn to recognize the important people in their life.

... We love that Thanksgiving is almost here! Lets make this a week of practicing the posture of gratitude. We started a gratitude list in our house that we are adding to daily. We also liked this Thankfulness Collage idea from Make & Takes.

FRIDAY GIVEAWAY: Swaddle Designs

SwaddleDesigns recently expanded their Organic line to include hooded towels, wash cloths, bibs, and wearable blankets. One lucky mama will win a beautiful GOTS certified organic Ultimate Receiving Blanket.


Any reader can use the promo code "MadeinUSA" at eSwaddle to receive 10% off regularly priced items by clicking this link.







To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

Are (or were) you a swaddling mama?

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicly) and leave another comment (or let us know if you already are).

2.) Subscribe to the Mama Memo by clicking here and leave another comment (or let us know if you already are).

3.) Blog about this giveaway- with a link back to here. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment.

4.) Add the Mama Manifesto button to your sidebar.

5.) Follow me on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway- TWEET: "Giveaway: win an organic receiving blanket from @MamaManifesto. Enter at mamamanifesto.com"

6.) Become a fan of Mama Manifesto on Facebook by clicking the button on the left!




[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's giveaway:
(((chazvgo)))



Congratulations! Shoot us an email by 11/27 to mamagiveaways(at)gmail(dot)com with your prize in the subject line, and we will hook you up. Keep checking back for more great giveways!

if you play it, they will come

Further proof of the magnetic properties of the television . . .

For the last month, I've been letting Karis watch a Baby Signs DVD every day. Both Jafta and India watched this when they were babies, and they really did learn some sign language from it so that they could communicate before they were verbal. And also so that we could make them perfom party tricks like signing "poop" in front of a large audience. Because poop is funny, ya'll.

However, every time I put the video on for Karis, Jafta and India stop what they are doing and sit and watch it, too. Even though it is a TOTAL baby show, with slow, boring shots of toys and animals and rotating gizmos, and even though they have each seen it umpteen times, they just sit in a daze and stare at the screen for the entire twenty minutes.

Kiddie Crack. The television is Kiddie Crack.

sweeping generalizations

Karis is officially crawling now. At six months, this is earlier than either of her siblings learned to crawl. To be honest, I'm not that thrilled about the early milestone. I've always loved the stage when babies are old enough to be really playful, and yet young enough to sit where you plant them. She seems to have skipped that phase altogether. Every time I turn around, she is booking it across the room, with her eyeball on some small speck of something that she wants to put in her mouth. And judging from the still-intact Spiderman sticker I discovered in her dirty diaper today, I'm guessing she's succeeding more often than I realize. I've made a note to myself that I need to be more careful, and make sure that I am constantly sweeping the floors to rid them of anything she could eat.


Also seemingly overnight, she learned to feed herself finger foods. She is crazy for the brown rice, and also a fan of the Cheerios. This is yet another stage I don't particularly enjoy - the constant sweeping of the floor to clean up the 75% of the food that didn't make it into her mouth. If I am barefoot (and I am ALWAYS barefoot), I usually have the pleasure of a parasitic cheerio on the bottom of my foot for half the day. Again, making a mental note that I need to sweep more.

Then I started thinking . . .
.

I mean, Karis spends all day scouring the floor looking for something to put in her mouth.
.
I spend all day cleaning up the stuff that doesn't make it into her mouth.
.

Why don't we just cut out the middle man, and let her eat the cheerios straight off the floor? That's an acceptable practice . . . right?

Talk Back: mixing it up old school

I got one of those random spur of the moment urges today to clean out my kitchen cupboards. You know the one - when you absolutely do not have the time to take on a task, but you have the overwhelming urge to dive in anyway. The end result - me rushing out the door to pick up my kids from school with my kitchen's contents scattered throughout the room. sigh. But, the positive side of that is I was reminded of how many great cook books I have that I so seldom use. Cooking with me is one of my daughter's favorite things to do, even if it is just getting to mix up the batter, tear the herbs, dump the salad contents, or measure the cups of water. The downside of her helping - it takes planning on my part. A frazzled and running late to get dinner on the table mama is not the best combo with the ever curious, I have a question about every little step of the cooking process child.

Here is our talk back question: What are your favorite cookbooks? Got any cooking resources that you use on a regular basis? Do your children help with the meal prep on a regular basis?

Here are some of my favorite cook books:

Kids' Cook Books

Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes

Salad People

The Toddler Cookbook

Deceptively Delicious

A great website - Spatuletta - where kids teach kids how to cook through videos!

Family Fun & Wondertime also have great recipes that are kid-tested and mostly mother approved in their monthly publications

Mama Cookbooks

Cooking with All Things Trader Joe's

Rachel Ray's 365: No Repeats

I love the foodnetwork.com site for pulling recipes

Cooking Light is also one of the best resources around for more health conscious recipes.Check out their list of 20 minute meals - a lifesaver for the busy mama!

The Nourish Network is another new favorite of mine.

Anything by The Barefoot Contessa is amazing, even though I gain a few pounds just reading the recipes.

Pumpkin Brownie Dessert

If you are looking for a great Fall dessert that screams "home-made" but does not demand a "martha stewart" chunk of time to prepare, I have a great recipe for you.

** For those of you who do not have a Trader Joe's nearby, I am so sorry! You could substitute other mixes in for this recipe, or go the extra mile and prepare pumpkin bread from scratch. We love Trader Joe's because their mixes use whole wheat flour, and they refrain from using any partially hydrogenated oil in their products.

Ingredients:

1 box Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bread mix (check the box for needed ingredients)

1 box Trader Joe's Truffle Brownie Mix (check the box for needed ingredients)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Prep both mixes separately according to instructions on the boxes

3. Grease a 9 x 11 x 2 inch pan (or a size close to that)

4. Spread the brownie mix evenly across the bottom of your baking dish

5. Spread the pumpkin bread mix evenly over the brownie mix

6. Bake for 35-45 minutes, checking the center with a knife or toothpick to see when it is done.

Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Mama Love

... We love that the holiday season is almost officially here! We are counting down the days to Thanksgiving when we can officially pump the Christmas tunes, bust out the holiday decor and watch our beloved "Original Christmas Classics" movies. It just does not feel like the tinsel season until we've snuggled up to watch Rudolph, Frosty and Santa Claus is coming to town!

... We are digging this clip of underwater astonishment is sure to leave your kids in awe of the vast ocean wonders and ecosystem deep in the sea.

... We love the new album by Switchfoot - Hello Hurricane. We've been rocking out all week to and from school and while we make dinner! Switchfoot is one of the bands in our house that is both kid-friendly and mama approved!

... We love the ever crafty Make & Takes simple instructions on how to make your own funky dishtowels. Why pay $18 at Anthropologie when you can make your own? If you really want to hit it out of the park, choose your favorite anthropologie design and copy it. These are the perfect hostess gift.

FRIDAY GIVEAWAYS: custom necklace

We have a great giveaway this week - a custom-designed necklace by Isabelle Grace Jewelry. Isabelle Grace makes simple, beautiful, pieces inspired by family. Each piece is hand-crafted and personalized from pure silver, and one of our lucky readers will win a Birthstone Tag Necklace made just for them!

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

What piece of jewelry has the most sentimental value to you?

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicly)and leave another comment (or let me know if you already are)

2.) Subscribe to the Mama Memo by clicking here and leave another comment (or let me know if you already are).

3.) Blog about this giveaway- with a link back to here. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment.

4.) Add the Mama Manifesto button to your sidebar.

5.) Follow me on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway- TWEET: "Giveaway: win a custom necklace from @MamaManifesto. Enter at mamamanifesto.com"

6.) Become a fan of Mama Manifesto on Facebook by clicking the button on the left!




[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's tiny soles giveaway:
(((clynsg)))



Congratulations! Shoot us an email in the next seven days to mamagiveaways(at)gmail(dot)com with your prize in the subject line, and we will hook you up. Keep checking back for more great giveways!

the doctor is in

Since I write for a parenting blog and have a bit of education in psychosocial development, I've been toying with the idea of writing a weekly advice column. People could write in with questions on child development and parenting issues, and I could dig into my well of knowledge and give them good advice. Why, just today I was thinking of how much wisdom I have to offer from my own life experiences. Here's an example:

Q: Dear Kristen,
My child is several months old and isn't rolling over yet. Most of the milestone charts that I'm googling on a daily basis tell me that my child should be rolling over soon. I would really like to see my child hit every milestone on time (or early!!) and my child's lack of giftedness in this area has me worried. What can I do to encourage this important developmental step?
Sincerely,
Neurotic in Newport

A: Dear Neurotic in Newport,
Of course you are worried! Obsessively checking milestone charts is the standard of good parenting, and also the beginning of a lifetime of comparing your child's achievement to his/her peers. Good job! But never fear - I have a surefire way of making sure your little one learns to roll over.
Step 1 - place your baby who has never rolled over on the middle of a bed.
Step 2 - leave the room for two seconds to use the bathroom
Step 3 - when you hear a thud and screaming, milestone achieved!!

Good luck with this. It has worked perfectly for me with all three of my children. Please don't hesitate to contact me for any more amazing parenting advice.
Sincerely,
Kristen, Resident Development Expert

WFMW: matchmaking for gardeners

We have discovered a website that we give 3 big cheers for!

gogogreengarden.com

It is going to help you start that garden you have been dreaming of.

Another site that is partnered with Go Go Green Garden is Urban Garden Share. Think of it as match.com with veggies. It connects homeowners who have green space to share with gardeners who have none.

TALK BACK: playing favorites

We all know the old adage - a mother never has favorites. And while that might be true, I think many of us would admit that some of our children might be harder or easier to deal with than others. This is very true in my house - while I dearly love each of my children, I have one child who is just a little bit more work. My oldest wants a constant playmate, and has a noise and energy level that is a little bit draining. It's not that I love him less - but if I am perfectly honest, he is a little bit harder to parent. His temperment is more like my husband's, and they love being loud and active together, while my daughter and I are more independent, and would prefer snuggling up in a quiet room, each with our own book.

What about you? Do you have a harder child? Or a child whose temperament is easier for you?


Anyone really have a secret favorite?

Spaghetti Carbonara

We recently discovered Nourish Network, an incredible new resource site for healthy eating developed by Lia Huber. Described as the "Facebook for Foodies", it is sure to be one of our new "go to" resources for healthy recipes for our families. They've got articles on everything from nutrition to eco-friendly eating, and all recipes fall under the 500 calorie mark. It is the perfect site to get lost in as you ponder that age old question: "What should I make for dinner?" Lia has been so kind to share one of her best recipes with us today. Enjoy...

Spaghetti Carbonara

I love this recipe because it embodies just how delectable simple food and sound nutrition (no diet crazes for us!) can be. Give this a try with whole wheat spaghetti and a generous green salad tossed with a great vinaigrette.

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, minced
3 slices bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick strips
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons lowfat sour cream
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup pasta water
2 tablespoons parsley, minced
1/2 pound whole wheat pasta


1. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
2. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add onion. Sauté for 2 minutes, add bacon, and cook another 8-10 minutes until bacon and onion are well-browned. Transfer mixture to a paper towel and let cool while pasta cooks.
3. Add pasta to water and cook according to package directions, reserving 1/4 cup of pasta water.
4. While pasta is cooking, whisk together cheese, egg yolks, sour cream, vinegar and onion mixture. In a separate small bowl, when pasta is nearly done, whisk together a tablespoon of the egg mixture with a tablespoon of pasta water and pour back into the egg mixture. Whisk remaining 3 tablespoons pasta water into the egg mixture.
5. Drain pasta and return it to the pot. Toss with the egg mixture and parsley and serve immediately.
Serves 4

Mama Love

... We are smitten by Sonya Style. Check out her idea for re-using an old sweater to make a super cute winter hat for your little kiddo. Or this circle canopy made from recycled leather skirts and cardboard.

... We love the website KidsEatFor, that lets you know of all of the restaurants in your zip code offering "kids eat free" specials. There is even an app for your iphone!

... We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the vision of Nuru International to empower 1,000 families living in poverty by the end of the year with their "I am Nuru" campaign. Take a moment and visit their site. You are sure to be inspired. If you ever had an interest in fighting against terrorism, take a look at this video. We love that they empower the poor with knowledge so that they can lift themselves and their community out of poverty.

... We love Christine's post about yelling, and how it just might not be the most effective parenting technique for our kids. A good reminder for all of us.

... We love ohdeedoh for design ideas and eye candy related to children's rooms. Be warned, though. A redecorating fever might seize you upon viewing!

FRIDAY GIVEAWAYS: tiny soles gift certificate

TinySoles is an online shoe store with a huge selection of kids' shoes from some of our favorite brands. TinySoles was started by three mothers on a mission to find quality, developmentally appropriate footwear for infants. With brands like Pediped, Keen, and Robeez, they really are a one-stop shoe source for baby, infant, toddler and kid shoes. With free shipping on orders over $20, it's also a convenient way for busy moms to shop for shoes from home. In addition to shoes, they also carry SmartWool socks, over 100 styles of BabyLegs, the Klean Kanteen line of stainless steel sippy cups, and lots of other great accesories for wee ones.

One lucky winner will receive a $30 gift card to tiny soles. To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

If you had to choose your perfect year-round shoe, what would it be? Are you a sandals gal, a boots wearer, or a fan of the tennis shoe?

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicly)and leave another comment (or let me know if you already are)

2.) Subscribe to the Mama Memo by clicking here and leave another comment (or let me know if you already are).

3.) Blog about this giveaway- with a link back to here. Post YOUR blog entry first and then the comment.

4.) Add the Mama Manifesto button to your sidebar.

5.) Follow me on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway- TWEET: "Win a tiny soles gift card from @MamaManifesto. Enter at mamamanifesto.com"

6.) Become a fan of Mama Manifesto on Facebook by clicking the button on the left!




[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's skincare giveaway:
(((chlorinebrain)))

And the winner of the Ice Age DVD set:

(((lisaoxolove)))



Congratulations! Shoot us an email in the next seven days to mamagiveaways(at)gmail(dot)com with your prize in the subject line, and we will hook you up. Keep checking back for more great giveways!

WFMW: green your kiddos artwork

We love this tip that came from MamaBite, a shoot off of Ideal Bite, one of our favorite resources for bringing a little more green into our world.

Recycling Our Kiddos' Artwork

Kiddos' drawings just hangin' around the house, collecting dust?

The Bite:
Give 'em a job to do: Show your kids how to reuse their old artwork as wrapping paper, greeting cards, or as part of their next masterpiece. You'll clear up piles of old projects, spark creative ideas, and get spent paper back to the grind.

The Benefits:

• Giving trees some time off. Paper goods suck up at least 35% of the world's yearly commercial tree harvest. Reusing a coloring book page or flipping over a finger painting spares a few.
• Relocating to a better home office. Recycling art helps clean the house out from under all the kid clutter, but without trashing any beloved pictures or adding to the waste stream.
• Training on-the-job. Repurposing paper and crafts gets kids' imaginations going, and demonstrates the value of reuse.
• Slashing expenses. Money saved on paper and crafts products can be put to better use...like, um, playdate cocktails.

Wanna Try:

• Use larger art pieces for wrapping paper, and smaller pieces for thank-yous and birthday cards.
• Collect old illustrations, then concoct and write a story to accompany them (with your kiddos' help if they can). Staple pictures and story together to make a book - voilá, a gift for grandparents.
• Cut the pages of used coloring books into strips, and staple them together to make paper chains. Great as Christmas tree decorations - just wrap them around the tree like a popcorn string.
• Paste drawings onto cardboard and cut them up to make puzzles.
• Snip watercolor paintings into little pieces and glue them on another piece of paper or cardboard to make mosaics.

Bang For The Bite
If 10,000 bitty Biters reuse just one piece of paper a day for an art project instead of grabbing a new one, after a year they'll save 317 trees.

Do you recycle artwork? Got any other ideas on how to green up your kids' art inspiration?

Talk BACK: The Six O'Clock Scramble

We've all been there: it's a quarter to six, and somehow we've managed to completely forget about dinner. We've gotten lost in a book, or a blog, or a great episode of Oprah, and suddenly a young child breaks us from our comatose state and asks,

"MOMMY, WHAT'S FOR DINNER?"

Well??

What's your last-minute dinner solution? What do you typically do when you've failed to plan and need dinner in a hurry? Do you have a cupboard stand-by? Do you pack up the family and head to a restaurant? What is your Plan B when meal-planning goes wrong?

Chicken Raspberry Salad Wrap

This recipe is from ilunchbox.com, "healthy recipes for the speed of life". It's a great website devoted to busy moms who are looking to add a little more nutrition to their family meals. Check it out!

Note: A meal in a wrap is as easy as it gets. Use multigrain tortillas or flat breads for added flavor and nutrition. Wrap your wrap in parchment paper or aluminum foil to keep it neat, and don't forget to teach your kids how to eat a wrap so they don't loose their lunch. This is a tart and tangy chicken salad that can be served on it’s own, over lettuce or in a wrap or pita pocket. This will make about 4 servings.

Dressing:
Ingredients
1 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/2 cup fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar (or agave)

Directions:
In a blender combine all ingredients until smooth. Refrigerate dressing in a covered container for at least 1 hour before using.

Salad:
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked and cubed boneless, skinless chicken
3/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1 cup celery, finely chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, diced
1/2 cup chopped almonds
4 cups fresh raspberries, rinsed, drained and divided

Directions
Combine the chicken with the onions celery, bell pepper and almonds and toss with the dressing until well combined.
Gently fold in the raspberries until well coated but not crushed.
Serve on its own or over lettuce or in a multigrain tortilla as a wrap.

Mama Love

Happy Halloween!

Today we are loving:

Land's End Skinny Jeans. Who knew Land's End could be so hip? Thanks to Petit Elefant for the tip. I ordered these with a pair of shoes, and they are so flattering and comfortable that I had to order a pair in another color. They have just the right support where a mama needs it, while still looking fashion-forward.

Salon's Post on Bad Fathering. They called out google because they did a search for “bad fathering” and got a “Did you mean: bad mothering?” Really, Google? REALLY?


Hooked on Phonics. We've all seen the commercials, and lately my son has shown so much interest in reading. I found a full set on Amazon for a third of the retail price, and a couple days later my son is really learning to read. It works for us!


Giggle.com. This website is like a clearinghouse for cool kid stuff. I loved their Ultimate Swaddle Blanket for my daughter, who is still a fan of the swaddle at five months and counting. It's big enough to keep her swaddled, and made of a fabric so cozy you'll wish they came in your size.

Man Cold. This hilarious youtube video hits a little too close to home . . .


Word World Happy Holidays DVD. I'm a big fan of Word World for helping kids learn the basics of reading, and they have a new holiday version that is both fun and educational. Although the characters ls are always learning how to spell words, they also learn some great life lessons, like giving is better than getting. Just don't try to say Word World three times fast.



Lifefactory Multisensory Silicone Teethers. These teethers for babies are so simple and yet so brilliant. They are BPA, phthalate, PVC, and latex free, and can be refrigerated or frozen to soothe aching gums. The various ribs and nubs are fun for baby to explore and help to develop oral motor skills, and they come in colors so fun that you might be tempted to sport one as a bracelet.


Leonidas Orangettes. Candied orange peel dipped in Dark Belgian chocolate. Do I need to say more?

Friday Giveaway: Kimberly Parry Organics skin care

We have an awesome double giveaway this week! Be sure to click back to our home page to enter the other giveaway - a just-released DVD box set of the Ice Age trilogy!

One lucky reader will receive a sample set from Kimberly Parry organics, including Smooth, an all-over body oil, and Soft, a hand and foot balm.



Kimberly Parry Organics offers a full-range of organic skin care products for body, face, hair, and mom & baby. Everything is made fresh to order, without the use of harsh chemicals, preservatives, additives, or animal products. The products are never tested on animals, and are packaged in BPA-free bottles and tubs. This sample set is a great splurge for a tired mama, and the smell is heavenly! We are big fans - Check out their line for babies, too!




To be entered in the Kimberly Parry giveaway, please leave us a comment answering the following question:

"What is one of your favorite smells?"


How to Get Extra Entries:

***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***

1. add our blog to your blogroll and leave a comment on this post with the link to your blog

2. become a "follower" of our blog by clicking here (or at the sidebar on the right)

3 join our facebook network by clicking here

4. Tweet about this giveaway by clicking above and linking back.

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

Friday Giveaway:Ice Age DVD Trilogy

We have an awesome double giveaway this week! Be sure to click back to our home page to enter the other giveaway - a fabulous set of organic skincare from Kimberly Parry.

The popular Ice Age movies are about to be released in a box-set, and one lucky reader will get a preview just before it hits the shelves! The Ice Age Trilogy will include Ice Age 1, 2 and 3. Coming just in time for fall family movie nights - you can cuddle up and giggle as you watch that persistent squirrel chase the ever elusive nut!

To be entered in the Ice Age Trilogy giveaway, please leave us a comment answering the following question:

"Do you have any Pumpkin Patch or Pumpkin decorating traditions? Do you dive into carving and let your kids get messy, or do you leave the pumpkins intact to admire as decoration?"

How to Get Extra Entries:


***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***


1. add our blog to your blogroll and leave a comment on this post with the link to your blog

2. become a "follower" of our blog by clicking here (or at the sidebar on the right)

3 join our facebook network by clicking here

4. tweet about this giveaway by clicking above and linking back.

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's Boppy giveaway:

(((Lo)))

Congratulations! Shoot us an email in the next two weeks and we will hook you up.

Healthier Halloween Treats

Wanting to pass out something reasonably healthy for Halloween this year? We have a few ideas:


Knudsen Organic Sensible Sippers - juice boxes might be an unconventional thing to pass out, but we think these small juice boxes are a perfect Halloween treat. They are certified USDA Organic are 50% organic juice and 50% water, reducing the amount of sugar in each serving without compromising taste.

Newman's Own Organic Raisin Boxes - raisins are the classic dried fruit snack, and Newman's version are organic and the perfect size for little hands.

Snack-Sized Pirate's Booty - we love that Pirate's Booty is available in smaller bags now! Pirate's Booty is all-natural, made with puffed rice, corn, and aged cheddar cheese. No sugar, and no transfats!

Kopali Organic Dried Fruit - these organic dried fruit bags have no sugar, oil, or sulfites. Made of 100% real fruits, which are fully ripened, picked by hand and dried right on site at the farm. Flavors include dried mango, pineapple, mulberries, goldenberries, and a "Superfood Mix".

Funky Monkey - this is the perfect fruit snack that kids and moms will love. Their fruit snacks are made with 100% organic fruit, and no sugar. They use a freeze-dried dehydration technique that makes the fruit sweet and crunchy.

Salba Smart’s Organic Tortilla Chips - treats don't have to be sweets. Salba's 100 calorie tortilla chips pack are packed full of whole salba grain - the superfood that provides three times more iron than spinach, 15 times more magnesium than broccoli, and six times more calcium than whole milk




How about a puzzle for a totally sugar-free Halloween treat? Hasbro has a"Halloween Bag of Mini Puzzles" that kids would love, featuring 50 piece puzzles of pets dressed up in halloween costumes.
(other big hits - stickers, tattoos, pencils, pennies...)

And now, how do we manage all of the sugary treats our kids come home with on Halloween? I am planning to let my kids each choose 5 treats to have for the next 5 days. I am also going to sneak out any potty-training friendly treats to use in my upcoming potty-training adventures (m&m's & skittles work well for me). I know that our dentist also does a "Candy Buy-Back" deal with kids...She pays a dollar per pound of candy. I would also consider bartering with my kids -- they could trade in their candy for a toy or fun outing.

What ideas do you have for rationing or reducing the acquired candy?

WFMW: Green Your Halloween

Is it possible to go green on Halloween? Trick-or-treating adds up to a lot of plastic masks, candy wrappers and fake tombstones that aren't great for the enivronment. Jodi Helmer, author of The Green Year, has given us some great tips for making the black and orange holiday a little more green:

Green the goodies: Think of all the candy wrappers that one little goblin throws in the trash – then multiply that number by the millions of trick-or-treaters who are happily gobbling up their stash. Offer organic apples from the farmers market or buy treats in bulk to minimize packaging waste.

Come up with a new costume: Skip the racks of colorful costumes at the mall (most of them are made of non-renewable materials like plastic) and check out the second-hand stores, or come up with a creative idea for a homemade costume. Add a bandana to a pair of jeans and a denim shirt for an instant cowboy costume or put on your wedding dress and go as the Bride of Frankenstein. Or, host a costume swap with the neighbors. The costumes their kids have outgrown might be the perfect fit for your little one.

Choose natural decorations: Bails of straw, colorful mums and a handful of gourds are great seasonal decorations that can be composted on November 1st. If scary witches hanging from the oak tree and plastic pumpkins on the front step are a must-have, scour secondhand stores.

TALK BACK: How do you "do" Halloween?

Do you celebrate Halloween as a family? Do you trick or treat, or do you carnival? Do you ration your children's candy, or do you let them have free reign? Do you dress up via Target, WalMart or costume store OR do you go the handmade route? If you are a fan of the handmade costume vibe, you will love these links that Make & Take's shared today.

[photo from Colorfly Studio's Halloween Roundup]

Toasted Pumpkin Seeds

Are you planning to carve some pumpkins this Halloween season? Don't throw out those pumpkin seeds! Get your kids involved in this easy cooking project that yields a healthy, crunchy snack. The trick to good pumpkin seeds, though, is to do it in two steps, allowing the seeds to FULLY DRY before cooking them. It's all about getting that crunch!

Ingredients
One medium sized pumpkin
Salt
Olive oil

Day 1:

1. Cut open the pumpkin and use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the insides. Separate the seeds from the stringy core. Rinse the seeds.

2. In a small saucepan, add the seeds to water, about 2 cups of water to every half cup of seeds. Add a half tablespoon of salt for every cup of water (more if you like your seeds saltier). Bring to a boil. Let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and drain.

3. Spread out on paper towels and allow to dry overnight

Day 2:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Spread about a tablespoon of olive oil over the bottom of a roasting pan. Spread the seeds out over the roasting pan, all in one layer. Bake on the top rack until the seeds begin to brown, 10-20 minutes.

3. When browned to your satisfaction, remove from the oven and let the pan cool on a rack. Let the seeds cool all the way down before eating. Either crack to remove the inner seed (a lot of work and in my opinion, unnecessary) or eat whole.

MAMA PICKS: best books for halloween

We know Halloween isn't every mama's thing, but if your kids are fans of all this ghoulish, here are some fun books to get them in the mood:

Trick or Treat? by Melanie Walsh (age 3 yrs - 5 yrs)Where is the bat, and what is the spider doing? What could be in the cauldron, or rattling in the closet -- or outside the door? For young children awaiting Halloween, here is the perfect board book, full of bright colors, bold illustrations, and ever-so-slightly spooky surprises waiting beneath sturdy flaps. Trick or treat!

Tucker's Spooky Halloween by Leslie McGuirk
(age 2 yrs - 5 yrs)Tucker’s owner always dresses him as something cute for Halloween, like a pumpkin with a little orange hat. But this year Tucker doesn’t want to be cute -- he wants to be spooky! Looks like it’s time for Tucker to put his paws to the cause and turn into something scary before the trick-or-treaters arrive! Little ones will laugh at this earnest pup’s efforts to make just the right statement on Halloween night.

Where's My Mummy? by Carolyn Crimi, illustrated by John Manders
(age 4 yrs - 7 yrs)

Little Baby Mummy wants just one more game of hide-and-shriek with Big Mama Mummy before bedtime. The night is deep and dark, full of friendly creatures that click their clacky teeth and whoosh past on flippy-floppy wings. But who will comfort Little Baby Mummy if a small, scritchy-scratchy someone gives him a scare? Big Mama Mummy, of course! Fresh, comical illustrations complement this ever-so-slightly suspenseful story with a satisfying ending.

And Then Comes Halloween by Tom Brenner, illustrated by Holly Meade

(age 4yrs - 7 yrs)
As soon as geese fly south, children take autumn's cue to start their preparations: it’s almost Halloween! With poetic language and vivid collage illustrations, Tom Brenner and Holly Meade follow all the familiar rituals, from hanging paper skeletons to carving pumpkins, from costume-making to trick-or-treating. Halloween lovers will be eager to grab a bag or bucket and join them on this lively and lyrical journey.

The Bag of Bones by Vivian French, illustrated by Ross Collins

(age 8 yrs - 12 yrs)
When the quill writes GO GO GO frantically on the wall, and the House of the Ancient Crones heaves Gracie Gillypot outside onto the path, it can mean only one thing: there’s Trouble in the Five Kingdoms. This time it’s in the form of a beady-eyed, green-tongued witch named Truda Hangnail, who with her banished Deep Magic has vowed to succeed Queen Bluebell on the throne. Will the strengths, smarts, and charms of a spunky trueheart, a sweet-natured orphan, a scruffy prince, a substantial troll, and two squabbling bats be enough to foil her insidious plot?