A Bench Full of Baby Toes

This was the first Bench Monday picture I took way back in the middle of July. I haven't taken another one since but I think about it.

I think of the possible inconspicuous ways I could throw my babes upon a bench in the park, not to capture their gorgeous blue eyes but those scrumptious tiny toes!

Or how I could I sneak upon the bench outside our local grocery store, tossing the camera to Madelyn saying, "Take a shot of this, quick! No, no, honey...from the knees down only, please!"

It amuses me to dream up these scenarios. Maybe in near future, my dreams of Bench Mondays will come true.

But for now, I give you baby toes. Enjoy!

For more Bench Monday pics check out the Bench Monday Flickr group!

Only 63 Days Left!

(Left to right) Me with my sister Tessa; brothers Jason and Noah

63 days until Halloween arrives again! I know it isn't quite September but it has not stopped my dreaming of the brisk autumn days and nights of October!

When my 6 brothers and sisters and I were growing up, we never trick-or-treated. We still plotted to create the perfect costume and we would trek through the barely lit streets to my Grandmothers' homes, spotting children creeping about with their bags stuffed full of candy!

At each stop, we would get a treat! I still remember my Grandma's popcorn balls (which I'm not sure we actually ate) and one or two candies from the basket at my Mommom's before heading back home for pumpkin pie!

After the arrival of my own little ones, I decided to hold Halloween parties at our home to create new traditions! Another tradition I am hoping to return to this year are handmade costumes.

In the top picture, I was a Monarch butterfly, a wonderful childhood memory for me. I remember my Dad cutting out the wings and the smell of the Tempera poster paint as I helped paint it!

I remember dressing for the parade at school and the teachers complimenting my handiwork! My heart was fluttering as fast as a butterfly's wings that day! I loved that costume!

I have strayed from my handmade costumes for the girls in recent years. Disney Princesses and High School Musical characters secretly snuck into the mix but this year we are getting back to old school costumes!

Madelyn wants to be a devil, Lana a vampire, and Sophia, as of today, wants to be a pirate! (Arrrgh!) I have matching glow-in-the-dark skeleton pajamas for the twins so they will be ready for Halloween AND for bed!

Here are some of my past Halloween costume creations:

Lana and Madelyn as Woodland Fairies.

Madelyn and Lana as Super Heroes! Made the capes and skirts. Customized plain white shirts with their initials, ironed on felt stars and glued on rhinestones!

My husband as Clark Kent! Superman shirt under a suit and a pair of cheap glasses!

Lana and Madelyn as Kitties (bought set of ears and tails and paired with black sweats)

Happy Weekend to All!

LunchBots for Waste-Free Lunches

One of my goals this year was to eliminate plastic sandwich and snack bags from the girls' back to school lunches.

I researched many different "waste-free" options and decided on LunchBots, 100% stainless steel lunch containers.


This is what LunchBots have to say about their containers:

LunchBots are healthier than plastic and better for the environment. Made from the highest quality 18/8 stainless steel, LunchBots do not leach chemicals like plastic does. Eco-friendly and reusable, they help us protect our environment and eliminate the use of plastic baggies and containers.

LunchBots are top rack dishwasher safe and the lid is designed to fit tight! Solid food is best and they are not to be used with very hot food or put in the microwave.

The LunchBot site has their products listed as temporarily out of stock until October 1st.

However, you can still find them from Amazon with the links below. AND, there is free shipping over $25 since they ship directly from Amazon.

Lunchbots Uno Lunch Container

Lunchbots Duo Lunch Container

Lunchbots Pico Lunch Container

Lunchbots Eco Lunch Container

Also, you may want to check out these articles on creating a Healthy Lunchbox:

Kiwi Magazine - The Healthy Lunchbox
Kiwi Magazine - Lunch Boxes to Love

I tried this recipe! It was tasty and a great healthy lunch for the kiddos:
Kiwi Magazine - Quinoa Chopped Salad

Lands' End Mini Lunch Tote PVC-Coated or NOT?

Recently, I have been communicating with Lands' End to no avail. I sent two letters to their email stating concerns of one of their lunch totes listed as "PVC-coated". My first letter to them was as follows:

I recently read the Back-to-School Guide to PVC-free school supplies by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ).

As a mom to 5 girls, I constantly seek out products that are safe for the environment and healthy for my family. When searching for new lunch bags for my 2 school-age daughters, I noticed that Lands' End was listed as a source for PVC lunch boxes and bags. I ordered two of your lunch sacks today and am glad to see they are PVC free.

I was unhappy, however, that during my search, I noticed that in the "More Info" of the Mini Lunch Tote, the exterior is PVC coated 100% cotton! I bought this very lunch tote for my oldest daughter last year and never noticed this information! I am appalled to think that she used this bag all of last year! If only I had known, I would have chose a different bag.

When I click on Lunchboxes to shop on your site, the top picture states "Plus, our lunch boxes are PVC-free & easy-to-clean" and below this, the Mini Lunch Tote is listed as one of the choices. Perhaps this should be removed from the list because, in fact, if someone believes the above statement and doesn't happen to click on the separate tab for "More Info" they would be unaware of the PVC exterior coating as I had been last year. It is quite misleading!

The majority of people seeking out PVC-free lunch bags would overlook any "fine print" as stated in the "More Info" of this particular bag due to the front page promo of "PVC-free and easy-to-clean". They would trust in the company's advertising and may possible be fooled as I had been in buying this very same tote last year.

Thank you for your interest in my complaint and I eagerly await your response.

Unfortunately, Lands' End never responded to my first letter.

However, they did remove the ad that claimed their lunch bags were "PVC-free and easy-to-clean" the very next day.

Yesterday, I was shopping Lands' End online again. I may have a complaint but I remain a loyal customer to Lands' End. They have always been my go-to place for age-appropriate clothing and back-to-school backpacks and lunch bags!

I noticed that the "PVC-coated 100% cotton" had been removed from their Mini Lunch Tote listing under "More Info". That was confusing to me. It seemed more misleading then ever because now they were not divulging this "PVC" information.

I found it to be a bit "What they don't know won't hurt them". I decided to use their Live Chat feature to talk to someone about this.

Here is the transcript of the Live Chat conversation (the person's name that I talked with was removed by me). Click to enlarge:

After this conversation, I decided to write to Lands' End again. Here was my second letter, long-winded but I wanted them to understand my concerns:

Today I went under "School Uniforms" and selected "Backpacks and Gear" and then "Lunch Boxes". The mini-lunch tote under "More Info" now says, "Exterior is a coated cotton canvas."

Well, I already am aware that the "coated" exterior is PVC-coated so I am wondering why the PVC labeling was removed.

I decided to Live Chat with someone to ask about this. "Name-removed" kindly explained that it IS PVC-coated and in another area of Lands' End (under Home, then Totes and Bags, then Backpacks and Lunch Boxes, then Lunch Boxes) the mini-lunch tote under the tab "More Info" is listed as PVC-coated.

"Name-removed" mentioned she would request that the information under the "School uniform selection" would be changed. I think as a customer in search of School Items (lunch bags and backpacks, in particular) would find this mini-lunch tote where the PVC labeling is not evident.

I would like to see this resolved sooner rather than later. These are crucial weeks before school starts in my area and there are many concerned parents that may shop for your lunch bags and be unaware of the improper labeling.

Thanks, again, for your interest in my complaint. I hope to see a response from you this time.

Today, I checked to see if the descriptions had been changed in both "areas" that this lunch bag could be bought. It had been changed and now I was more confused than before!!

The new information under the Mini Lunch Tote "More Info" tab says, "Exterior is durable canvas coated with PEVA, a non-chlorinated vinyl, so it resists stains and cleans up in a snap".

Wow. How did "PVC-coated 100% cotton canvas" get changed to "durable canvas coated with PEVA, a non-chlorinated vinyl" seemingly overnight? The product remains the same so why the drastic change? We are not even talking semantics here. These are two totally different descriptions!

For your information, PVC, has been deemed the poison plastic. Commonly referred to as vinyl, PVC is one of the most hazardous consumer products ever created.

Quoting from the Center for Health, Environment and Justice:

"PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle, at the factory, in our homes, and in the trash. Our bodies are contaminated with poisonous chemicals released during the PVC lifecycle, such as mercury, dioxins, and phthalates, which may pose irreversible life-long health threats. When produced or burned, PVC plastic releases dioxins, a group of the most potent synthetic chemicals ever tested, which can cause cancer and harm the immune and reproductive systems."

PEVA, is a polyethylene vinyl acetate, a copolymer of polyethylene and EVA primarily used in shower curtains, body bags and has now found its way into some sandwich wraps. Can we assume that PEVA is non-toxic because there is no C (chlorine)? Read more about PEVA, *here*.

The Healthy Building Network states in Sorting Out the Vinyls:

"With the exception of paints, glues and certain films, “vinyl” as a product description almost always means made of PVC. The term vinyl in ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA), polyvinyl acetate (PVA), and polyvinyl butyral (PVB), however, does not refer to PVC and does not raise the same concerns associated with chlorinated molecules like PVC. "

I do not have a chemist at my disposal that will test out these products. As a consumer, I have to be informed and choose wisely, trusting in the companies and the descriptions they give of their products.

Therefore, I wonder. Which is it Lands' End? PVC or PEVA?

If you are concerned or would like to write to Lands' End to ask about this description change, the email address can be found on their Contact Us page *here*.

But, good luck to you. I have yet to receive a reply.

Wordless Wednesday

If you ever happen across this irresistibly cute, scrunched up smile, be confident that you have encountered Isabella.




Because as you may already know... her twin Gracie smiles like this. ;)

Ponyo and Breastfeeding

Last night, I went to see Ponyo, a film from the Academy Award-winning director and world-renowned Japanese animation legend Hayao Miyazaki.

Hayao Miyazaki's other films include Spirited Away, Howl's Moving Castle, and Princess Mononoke.

Ponyo is a visually stunning fairy tale with elements from The Little Mermaid (she is a goldfish that wishes to become human) and The Beauty and the Beast (the little boy, Sosuke, who must "love her in any form").

I took Madelyn, age 8, with me to see this fantastic film! One of our 100 Fun, Frugal Things to Do for this summer included, "Watch an Anime film". She left the theater starry-eyed and said Ponyo was, "Amazing!"

One scene struck me as particularly impressive with dialogue between the little girl, Ponyo and a nursing mother.

Ponyo accompanies Sosuke in his boat on an adventure to find his stranded mother. They cross paths with a mother, father and their young baby. Ponyo opens up a container of soup and pours some to offer the baby.

The mother explains to Ponyo that the baby is too young to eat soup; he only drinks milk. She states that she will drink the warm soup so that she can make milk for her baby to drink!

Sosuke chimes in that when he was a baby his mother made milk for him, also!

I wanted to applaud in the middle of the movie for that scene! I found it wonderful that a clear discussion of breastfeeding was included in a movie intended for young audiences.

"Thank you, Miyazaki!"

Check out a film clip from Ponyo *here* and visit the official movie site for trailers, desktop downloads, a game and much more!

Seashells on the Seashore

We spent Sunday on a family trip to the seashore! Our sandy day was spent on the beach of Stone Harbor, NJ. We invited Aunt Tessa, Grandma Coral, Uncle Steve and cousin Selina! I am sure everyone would agree it was a super fun day!

Gracie charming her Mama

Stone Harbor was where my husband and I would stay when we were dating! It is a smaller, quieter beach with no boardwalk (gasp!) but there is a town with little shops and places to eat just a few blocks from the beach.

It was nice to visit again since we seemed to have traded in Stone Harbor for Ocean City when the little ones came along.

Isabella drinks from her Foogo stainless steel sippy cup

After I had just about enough of the sun and wondering how I became affixed to the blanket; the uncool Mom that won't go in the ocean to play anymore, we left to have dinner in Ocean City at the busiest pizza place on the boardwalk, Mack and Manco's!

Sophia loving the sand a bit too much

Oh, and it's official now. Lana has proclaimed that she collects seashells. She counted 57 and wrote it down on a piece of paper for me so that she "will never, ever forget."

I truly hope she will remember, but not only that number of shells in her collection.

I hope all my girls remember the sand castles built, those ocean waves their Dad carried them a bit too far into, the giggles and the warm sun on their skin, and their bellies full to bursting with pizza and cotton candy at the end of "the best day ever"!

How are you enjoying these last lazy days of summer?

Catch a Shooting Star and Put It In Your Pocket

image here

The Perseid Meteor shower peaks tonight, August 12th! This is one of the most reliable events of the year that can produce 70-80 meteors per hour! So if you are lucky enough to have clear skies, join your friends and family outside for a free light show!

Tips for optimal viewing:

• Get away from the city lights! The less light pollution the better and more brilliant the shooting stars.

• The best time for viewing the meteor shower will be between midnight and 5 A.M.
  

• Choose an area where the sky has a limited amount of obstructions along the horizon.
  

• The meteor shower originates from the constellation, Perseus. If you recline with your feet pointed south and look straight up, the meteors will appear to come from over your left shoulder.

• Keep your eyes on the sky! Your eyes will adjust to the dark after about 20-30 minutes.

• Don't stare in only one spot! If you keep your eyes moving slowly around the sky, there is a greater chance you will catch a shooting star!
  

Also, get involved with the global Twitter Meteor watch hosted by the Newbury Astronomical Society in the UK.

Follow and/or use the hashtag #meteorwatch to join in the fun!

A Circle Of Friends

I love the world of blogs! It is my tiny bit of downtime each day and I am grateful for that. I have been writing MooMama for about 8 months now and have met some truly wonderful people!

Toni Brockliss, from Little Suitcase (or formerly Modern Day Pioneers), is one of those people that I am happy to have met! I find it wonderous that I can communicate instantly with a woman living with her "3 rays of sunshine" all the way across the world in Australia!

Toni nominated me for The Circle of Friends Award! My first blog award! Thank you, Toni!


I have to list 5 things I would like to do and then pass it along to 5 others.

Here goes:

1. I would like to start filling up some of the endless blank journals collecting dust on my shelves.
2. I would like to make a killer risotto.
3. I would like to finish reading Infinite Jest but feel it may end up as bad book clutter.
4. I would like to actually complete a project before starting a new one. (this is almost impossible for me)
5. I would like to press a fast forward button to Autumn...brisk weather perfect for sweater wearing, the smell of wood burning, the rustle of wind in color drenched trees, pumpkins and Halloween parties... ah, yes. Soon, very soon.

I pass this award along to:

1. Erin at Perfect Sentiment
2. Maegan at A Little Twig Birdhouse
3. Nicola at WhichName?
4. SaraSophia at Tout-Est-Des-Roses
5. Amanda Oaks & Jenn Gibson at kindovermatter

The Great Kindness Challenge

Tomorrow marks the day Kids for Peace present The Great Kindness Challenge!

Their goal this year is to have over one million children participate to inspire a lifelong commitment to service and kindness!

Here is a free downloadable Challenge Checklist with some great ideas!

Some of my favorites from the list include:

• Walk or Bike instead of driving

• Leave a flower on someone's doorstep

• Cut out 10 hearts and leave them on 10 cars

• Write a happy message with sidewalk chalk

• Hold the door open for someone

• Compliment 5 people

I created a "Free Compliment" flyer that you can view and download below.


We plan to hang them on the community mailboxes in our neighborhoods! They could also be hung in libraries or grocery stores that have community bulletin boards!

Who wouldn't love a free compliment this weekend?

*Spread a bit of kindness this weekend with your family and then submit the photos, videos or stories of your kind deeds to The Great Kindness Challenge!

Find some more inspiration here:

Operation Nice - Leave a Nice Note! : Download and create your own nice notes!

kindovermatter - Card Drops : Check out the card drops and download their most recent Garden Cards.

Download my favorite PDF of Free Kindness Cards that I created!

Have a Fantastic Friday and Wonderful Weekend!