New Year's Noisemaker Shakers

We love this idea from Family Fun for making recycled noisemakers:

Materials

• Ribbon spool
• Pencil
• Masking tape

• Dried peas or beans
• Acrylic paint
• Colorful stickers

Instructions

1. For each one, first see if the holes in the sides of your ribbon spool are covered by the ribbon's labels. If so, use a pencil to poke through the label over 1 of the holes; if not, cover 1 hole with masking tape.

2. Next, pour a handful of dried peas or beans into the spool through the open hole, then seal the hole with tape.

3. Coat the shaker with acrylic paint, let it dry, then decorate it with colorful stickers.

Changing

I don't know how to how to be a mother, really.
I don't have all the right words to tell them
I don't know how to teach them
hardly ever

words and orders
my rules
obey!
repeating and explaining

Or
even more
how I live
how I speak
they will know and do and be
because of what I'm doing, not what I'm saying.

Tall order
living out what you say is right and good so they will act like you
because they will act like you.

I'm so often saying one thing and acting quite another thing out.

That's the pressure in motherhood for me, the thing I worry over getting right.
Not when they potty train
junk food
paci
TV
co-sleep
ECFE

Maybe those things matter, but only for a time and then they don't.

When I say I want to allow myself to fall into motherhood, I'm not talking about losing myself, I'm talking about allowing myself to be changed by it in the ways that I am meant to be changed so they will see it and want to live it too.

Being kind
Less Afraid
More vulnerable
Safe place.
Secure
Confident
Choosing happiness

Motherhood is all about changing. Our children, they change overnight, growing and learning and being more all the time.

I get scared that I won't have enough time to make sure they understand what I'm saying but not living out. I hate it that my own growing up takes so much more time, that they may be gone before I've finally allowed myself to be the best version of me. Because the trickiest thing is that mothering is such sacrifice and there are so many demands in the daily grind, it leaves very little space and time for the growing up of me. There is no option other than slow to grow, when a mother is almost always buried in serving and trying to love it, distracted from herself. So, the cocooning process is terribly long, at least for me.

I make it no secret that I believe in a graceful God, one that takes our slow process and the ways we fail and redeems it, making butterflies out of sighing grumpy mother caterpillars,

up in the air.

And this is Grace, my children, already seeing me as that butterfly, even now on my slow-belly crawl through time.

And this is Motherhood, a chance to see myself through those merciful eyes of my children, and then live what they see, what I didn't see without them.


Heather writes at The Extraordinary Ordinary

TALK BACK: New Year Manifestos

Alright, mamas. Let's put our hands together and resolve to be more present in our daily lives; with our kids, with our husbands, with our friends, and with our activities. What does this look like for you? What habits do you need to shift to make sure your life reflects your priorities? What are some changes, be it ever so small, that you would like to make in the coming year?

Easiest Tortilla Soup

This recipe is incredibly simple and incredibly good. You can adjust the spiciness to suit your audience.

Ingredients:

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

3 roma tomatoes, quartered

2 tablespoons taco seasoning (or less if you want less spice)

2 oz. mexican blend or cheddar cheese + extra for garnish

1 small slice of a jalapeno chile (optional)

1/4 of an onion, sliced

4 sprigs of cilantro + extra for garnish

2 tsp garlic salt

juice of 1/2 lime

1 tsp black pepper

1 large carrot, diced or 6 baby carrots, diced

1 cup diced cooked chicken (could be leftover grilled, rotisserie, etc.)

1. Heat the chicken broth until hot.

2. Combine all ingredients except cooked chicken in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

3. Add cooked chicken to the blender and pulse until desired consistency.

4. Transfer soup to pot and cook on low/medium heat until ready to serve (or transfer to crock pot and keep on serve/low setting until ready to serve).

5. Garnish with crushed tortilla chips and a little extra shredded cheese & cilantro.

{Merry Christmas}

We wish you a very special day today.

May you be surrounded by your loved ones, and blessed today.

fa la la la la

With just 2 more days until Christmas, it is likely that you are feeling the highs and lows of the holiday season. The highs - it is the most wonderful time of the year. The lows - frenzied, harried, to do lists a mile long, and expectations, expectations, expectations.

Lets all pause. Stop and think about the beauty of the day we celebrate. Think about the delight your children see in this season. The wonder, the lights, the music, the time together with family. Breathe, and make a mental note to do something today to pause and celebrate.

One of our favorite things to do in the holidays that makes us all smile is to take a "jammies ride" :: Load up the fam in their jammies and go cruising to check out the lights in your area. Sweeten the deal by packing hot cocoa and a couple snacks. We like to park and walk a few of the streets as a fam. The crisp air and energy of neighbors out "oohing and ahhing" is so priceless.

It is just one of those things we do in this season. It is free. It is time together. It is a pause.

Project 320

Being a stay-at-home mom, surviving on one income is stressful!
Throw Christmas in the mix, and some days I'm paralyzed with anxiety.
Make ends meet AND have Christmas AND not go insane?

What? I'm not alone?

This year, I needed some perspective.
Needed to join hearts with good friends with the same passion.
To trade consumerism for compassion,
to make a huge impact.

Today I...

Took a shower.
Brushed my teeth.
Filled the coffee pot.
Filled the Christmas tree stand.
Ran the dishwasher.
Ran the washing machine.
Used the toilet.
Washed my hands.
Did some more dishes.
And lots more laundry.
Rinsed salad greens.
Ran baths.
Topped off my iron.
Fed my kids glasses of fresh, clean water.

Water, water, water...

Is it fair that today I whine & worry over trees & toys,
when today 4500 moms just like me are worrying whether their
children will live or die?

Over contaminated water?

When I think about how healthy and safe my family is, I have no worries.
I need nothing.
I am so blessed.

But those other moms need us.
Together, we can relieve some worry.

Last week was amazing.

We set out to raise $5000 to build an entire well for a village in need.

Dozens of sweet, generous, creative and caring women from all over the country sewed, knitted, painted, shopped, blogged, prayed.
Donated to Project 320.

Over 300 items.
Handmade and heartfelt happiness, to be raffled.

Before our eyes, a dream turned to reality.
Not only did we hit $5000, but managed to raise almost $9000!

Nearly two wells?
Clean water for 450 people?
For 20 years?

More than we dared to ask or hope.

Let's face it, the best part of this season is the giving.
Want to be a part of this incredible movement?
There is still time!
We are so close!

Let's celebrate Christmas,
support handmade,
and give LIFE.

Simplest Roast Chicken

Today we are excited to share a recipe from Lia Huber over at Nourish Network. It is for her Simplest Roast Chicken. Any recipe that starts with "simplest" is on the top of my list to try!

Ingredients:

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
3-1/2 pound good-quality chicken (take this to mean what you like: free-range, locally-raised, organic . . . just preferably not a brine-injected, mass-produced one)
8 thyme sprigs
1 lemon, halved lengthwise

Preheat oven to 400.

Gently work your fingertips under the breast, let and thigh and rub meat with salt and pepper (I like to fill a separate little ramekin with a mix of salt and pepper to do this so I don’t get my pepper grinder all chickeny). Sprinkle more salt and pepper on top of skin and in cavity. Stuff the thyme sprigs under the skin and the lemon halves into the cavity.

Roast on a v-rack in a roasting pan, breast side up, for 60-80 minutes, until the legs pull away easily and the juices run clear.

Serves 4

You may also want to take a look at these Nourish Network links:

Register on the Nourish Network before December 31st to be entered win a trip to the wine country.

Tips on how to keep it light in this season and feast without frenzy in this oh so busy season.

Another fabulous recipe from Nourish Network for :: Pumpkin Curry. Yum!

Mama Love

... We are inspired (and all drooly over) the fun designs over at Serena & Lily. They have a big sale on right now, but what we love most is their Creative Ideas section of their site where they share Do It Yourself tips and tricks to add some flair and design to your kiddos' rooms.


... We are loving Le Baby, a chemical-free, fragrance-free hair gel for kiddos or adults with sensitive skin. Whether you want to tame fly away hairs, or build that rockin' faux-hawk, you can do it without any nasty chemicals.

... We absolutely love what happened this week over at Project320! How incredible to see how these mamas started the ball rolling and ended up raising MORE THAN ENOUGH money to fund the new well for an entire village. It is not too late to join the cause and donate.

FRIDAY GIVEAWAY: Veggie Tales St. Nicholas DVD

As the holiday season approaches, our children are bombarded with commercials for the latest and greatest new toys. We love this new Veggie Tales DVD and the message it sends to our kiddos.
Discover the power of a simple gift! Laura Carrot’s Christmas stocking might be empty this year because her dad is in danger of losing his job. While Larry thinks a letter to the North Pole should fix the problem, Bob knows what will really help…and tells the story of a little boy named Nicholas who made a discovery in Bethlehem that changed Christmas forever. But what did Nick learn and how can it possibly help Laura and her family? Find out as the Veggies discover the true joy of giving to others—at Christmas time and throughout the year!


Leave us a comment to be entered in this giveaway:


"How do you foster gratitude with your children?"

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicy) 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 us on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway. TWEET- "Giveaway- win a Veggie Tales Christmas DVD 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 winners of last week's giveaway:

(((Xenia)))
(((suzannah)))
(((Mayhem)))



Congratulations! Shoot us an email by 12/25 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 giveaways!

The Next Thing

When Asher first started doing his one arm up in the air, one arm pointing to the ground dance, it killed me. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen, this little airplane person in the blue glasses, shaking his shoulders and bobbing his head, then adding a little butt wiggle for effect.




I wish that stuff stayed as funny and adorable after the seventy-eleventh time you've seen it as it was the very first time. I suppose it's just human nature (especially adult human nature) to see something so many times that it loses it's oomph and just doesn't lift you in quite the same way it did at first. Of course, if it's your child, it remains adorable and endearing and you point it out to everyone, but it's just not the exact same as the very first time you experienced it. And then you want that new feeling back.

Or maybe it's just me...

Maybe that's why we're always looking for the next thing, something that brings that belly laugh or a few moments of excitement. At least I've always had a tendency to consistently change things up, to jump into something that keeps life interesting, to grow bored with sameness. Impulsive.

My boys are helping me with this. They're teaching me about contentment, about being comfortable in my own skin (even as it wrinkles and sags), and about truly seeing the beauty in the smallest of things. You know, the extraordinary in the ordinary. They are teaching me to be exactly who I am no matter what life is doing around me. A person can do that when they're seeing beauty in small things.




All these years, I'm not sure why Ryan and I have been so quick to do big thing after big thing after big thing, but maybe it has something to do with that need for excitement, or a fear of the ordinary. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm so glad there's a shift happening, a desire for sameness, really. A desire even for simplicity and a slower pace to life. Of course it's going to take some work to get there, with this whole moving and getting settled thing going on. But we're getting there, to a goal of slowing down.

And I like it.

I finally like it.


Heather writes at The Extraordinary Ordinary

germ management

About two seconds prior to snapping this picture, I discovered Karis licking the foot pedal of our trash can.

You know, with my first child, I was so diligent in trying to keep the germs at bay. I doused our hands in sanitizer, I wiped down shopping carts, I put any dropped pacifier into quarantine status until it could be properly boiled. Until one day, I found Jafta licking the bottom of a shoe I had removed. And then a few days later, came upon him chewing on the wheels of his stroller. And I realized that no matter how hard I try, these kids will find new ways to disgust me, and to ingest germs. My new philosophy: don't bother. It will all just build up their immune system, right?

I have found my kids chewing on some really gross things in my day, but this week Karis topped the chart when I found her gnawing on the (now soggy) rawhide strap of an African drum I bought by the side of the road in Zimbabwe. God only knows what kind of animal that skin used to be on, or how many people touched it, or how long it sat on the floor of someone's hut. Oh well.

Nowadays, when I'm in Target and I see a new mom using an antibacterial wipe on the shopping cart, I resist the urge to stop her and say, "Oh, honey. Stop. Just stop. THEY WILL WIN."

TALK BACK: Christmas decisions

Okay, this is your safe place to share: who calls the shots in your family about how Christmas is spent? Do you have default routines for each year? Do you and your husband agree on where to go and what to do? How do you balance time between your family of origin, your in-laws, and your own nuclear family?

Are you happy with the way you spend your holidays? What things would you like to change, if any, and what do you need to do to change them? How do you find time to create traditions within your own nuclear family, amidst the travel and bustle of the season?

Sweet Potato & Blueberry Bread

{photo courtesy of Bonnie the Baker}

This is a recipe I found over at Bonnie the Baker, and I love it! Talk about a comfort food. A slice of this bread + a cup of coffee = perfect way to start the day!


3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup of packed dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
some cinnamon {I poured about 3 teaspoons}
some ground nutmeg {I poured about 2 teaspoons}
1 15 ounce can of Sweet Potato
1 cup of olive oil
1 or more teaspoons of maple syrup
1/3 cup of water


Place all dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl and gently stir together. Pour all other ingredients into medium bowl and stir carefully. Add wet ingredients from the smaller bowl into the dry ingredients into the larger bowl. Fold until batter is well combined. Make sure to get all the flour off the of bottom of the bowl. Grease two bread pans and pour batter equally into both pans. Layer batter with blueberry sauce. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven for 1 hour. Enjoy!

Mama's Christmas Wish List

Need to drop a few hints for your hubby? Maybe you could "accidentally" email him this post . . .

Night Owl Papergoods is devoted to creating unique calendars, letterpress cards and other eco-friendly products. We love the Night Owl line because of its one-of-a-kind approach to color, texture and pattern. We think that their sustainably harvested birch wood calendars are fresh, modern and will give your desk instant flair. They manufacture their products using very little power and no water, and all products are made by hand in the good ol' USA.

A fragrance gift idea we love that is a little outside of the box is the Demeter fragrance line. There is nothing like getting a whiff of that something special that will take you right back to a specific time and place. And, with this line, you can actually choose from some of the most random and fun scents (wet garden, play doh, Christmas in New York, birthday cake...) you have ever seen in a perfume line. We love their "clean soap" and "chai tea" scents, but I kind of want to smell them all!

For the mama who is all about her hair staying frizz free - there are two products we love. Mizani gloss spray is great for mamas with coarse, ethnic hair, and L'oreal texture expert perfect shimmer is great for straighter hair types. It is on the practical side, but sleek and shiny hair is always a welcome gift!

We love the unique, funky metal "Life's Best Recipes" measuring spoons from Metal Morphosis. This is the perfect gift for that special mama in your life who loves to bake.

Bare Minerals is one of the few companies making natural makeup that we have tried and love. They have such great products - from their make up sets like the Free to be Naturally Classic kit and its cute bronze carrying case to the lip glosses and mineral powders you can purchase separately. If you are a bit, ahem, challenged in the "girly makeup department", their tutorialsare just fabulous. [Sort of like "Makeup for Dummies".

Taza Organic Stone-Ground Chocolates - Interested in chocolate that is fair-trade, organic, AND delicious? Taza is a true bean-to-bar chocolate maker and is the only maker of 100% stone ground chocolate in the United States. Taza uses cacao beans directly from small farmer cooperatives ensuring those farmers receive more than fair trade prices for their high quality cacao. Taza's chocolate making process is designed to capture the true flavor of the cacao bean by minimally processing the chocolate every step of the way. The result is a minimally-processed chocolate that reatains as many natural flavors of the beans as possible. We love the Chocolate Mexicano Discs, made of just three simple ingredients: roasted cocoa beans, cane sugar, and cinnamon stick.

If vintage is your thing, check out the goods at Ann Taintor. Anne Taintor has a knack for making smart girls smile with quirky, contemporary humor and retro graphics. We love their kitschy flask and fun diaper clutch.

For the foodies out there, Quel Objet is known for discovering beautifully designed French products and bringing them to the U.S. Small manufacturers and local artisans, who often take traditional items and themes and give them a sophisticated contemporary twist, are favorites of Quel Objet. Check out their Chocolate Covered Cherries, Chocolate Truffles in little wicker baskets, and Towers of Tapenades. YUM!

For the foodies who like to cook, consider an apron from Jessie Steele. These aprons have retro style and flair, and are so cute that you will want to wear them to the table as well! We love that some of their most popular designs come in little girls' sizes too, so that you can buy matching "mama & me" aprons.


King Arthur's Flour Scone Gift Box is a great food gift, with dry mix for making their rich, moist scones The scone set includes a simple organic cotton towel to cover your scone basket, and all natural lemon curd or apple butter, packed in a beautiful gift box.


Leonidas Chocolates are the perfect way to indulge a mom. Their ballotin assortment includes a selection of sinfully smooth truffles, butter creams, and pralines in milk, dark and white chocolate coverings, all in a stylishly wrapped floral package. If it is possible to fall madly in love with a box of chocolates, then the assortment is the perfect place to start. These chocolates are soft, fresh, and truly melt in your mouth.

The Body Shop is one of those places that you can wander into and find gifts for anyone on your list. We are especially loving their essential home fragrance oils (Vanilla Spice and Nutmeg Vanilla Oil), the Merry Cranberry Body Butter, and Love etc fragrance. The natural make up line is also the perfect gift for the mamas in your life who want to add a little sparkle (sans the harsh chemicals) to their faces. It is natural, but doesn't look "natural" if you know what we mean.

Looking for something truly unique? Knock Knock Stuff has a great collection of offbeat items. We love their hilarious Dysfunctions Journal, which provides lots of space (and quotes) for your neurotic needs.

ScanDigital is a service that scans and retouches images, preserving them for future generations to enjoy, and a great way to give moms something meaninful and sentimental. A gift card allows you to choose from services like photo scanning and retouching, home movie transfer services, digital photo frames, slideshows, photo canvas prints and many other gifts.

Gifts that Give Back

In a season marked by giving, we love the idea of giving back to our community and our planet. This year, my family decided to forego gifts for the adults, and give donations in each person's name instead. It's been so fun thinking of each family member and finding ways to honor each of them with a unique donation.

We wanted to provide you with a list of ways you can do your Christmas shopping and give back at the same time. Here are some great ways:

The bags and purses from Haitian Creations are handmade by women in Haiti, who are a part of a sewing program that is giving these impoverished women lifelong skills. The ability to earn money gives these women the ability to be self-sufficient, to support their families, and to have the independence they need in a society where this is often difficult.

The Body Shop's hand cream has a fresh, citrusy scent and will leave your hands feeling soft and smooth. The added bonus is that $6 from each purchase of Soft Hands Kind Heart hand cream goes towards fighting against human trafficking. We heart the body shop in a big way for how they put their money where their mouth is.

isanctuary is an organization working to help victims of the sex trade recover and rebuild their lives. They work with young survivors - 12 to 19 year olds, making sure they receive all the elements necessary for restoration, including education, counseling, vocational training, and mental, emotional and spiritual healing. The girls create stunning jewelry that is sold online and in retail stores. You can shop at their retail site.

Kauzbots is a line of 10 plush toy robots – each one with its own “kauze.” 10% of the retail price from each adorable bot is donated directly to the non-profit that is noted on the hang tag. With a wide variety of charities to choose from (including AIDS Walk, Arbor Day Foundation, Lifewater International, and 7 others), you’re sure to find one that touches your heart. Kauzbots are designed to inspire kids to change the world!

Punjammies are adorable sari-inspired pajamas. Each Punjammies are created in an after-care facility for women who have been rescued, released or escaped from a life of forced prostitution. Holistic aftercare involves quality medical care, emotional safety, education and the tools to create a new way of life for herself.



Nuru International - be apart of ending extreme poverty throughout the world. You can give a one time gift, or sponsor a family for a year.

The Hunger Site - If you go under Gifts that Give More on the sidebar, there are a lot of interesting things you can purchase in someone else’s name - things as different as a child’s education for a year or a microloan for a pig or goat.

Charity : water - 1 in 8 people on the planet do not have access to clean drinking water. Be a part of the movement to bring clean and safe drinking water to developing nations. Heather Mattos & Julie Carson, two of our mama writers, have linked up with some other incredible mamas to launch Project 320 - an online raffle that is going to fund a new well in a village that is currently without clean drinking water. We love this project and hope you will support it!




Light Gives Heat sells necklaces and shirts that support a village in Uganda. Each piece is hand-made by a women in Uganda, providing them with a consistent income.


Rising Tide Fair Trade sells beautiful bohemian style bags of various sizes (weekender bags to hand bags) that are hand made in a woman's fair trade labor coop in West Bengal, India from re-purposed vintage kantha saris and cruelty-free black or brown suede. The female artisans earn a fair wage that allows them to provide for their families. These bags look like they belong in an anthropologie catalogue.





Rocks in the Sun is a gorgeous photography book filled with Haitian proverbs and photos of this beautiful but impoverished country. It's compiled by Troy Livesay, who lives in Haiti and does great mission work there (and just happens to be a stellar photog). This would make a great coffee table book, and the proceeds go towards their missions work with Heartline Haiti and Worldwide Village.


World Vision has an amazing gift catalog where you can buy a number of innovative and sustaining gifts for people living in poverty. Their website even allows you to purchase and print a card letting a loved one know you have donated in their name. You can purchase medical attention for a pregnant woman, a goat that can provide milk to a child - even a grove of fruit trees!

31 Bits Jewelry is made out of 100% recycled paper, posters, and magazines by internally displaced women in Northern Uganda. Each piece of jewelry is unique and hand-crafted by a woman in the community of Gulu, Uganda.

Invisible Children is selling bracelets made in Uganda to benefit former child soldiers. Each bracelet is a different color, and each color represents an individual child. These colored bracelets are accompanied by an inspiring short film about a child that has been personally affected by this unrelenting war.

Vintage Momma Designs - This inspired mama makes this jewelry and some of her profits go to help a clinic in Haiti and the Susan G. Komen Breat Cancer Fund. Check out her Etsy store as well!





Krochet Kids international works in developing nations to empower impoverished communities to rise above poverty. Each day, a group of women in Northern Uganda gather in a simple brick hut. The crocheted products these women are making provide immediate stability for their families, share about the realities of poverty, and their sale promotes the development of their community.

FRIDAY GIVEAWAY: Putumayo Kids' "A Family Christmas" album

Few things evoke holiday spirit than festive Christmas songs. On A Family Christmas, Putumayo offers a collection of yuletide favorites by a fascinating array of artists that will be enjoyed by all the elves in your home.

This eclectic collection combines artists like Seattle-based Johnny Bregar and singer-songwriter Martin Sexton (one of my favorite musicians in the entire world!!). Incorporating quirky vocals with a jazzy flare, California-based Big Bad Voodoo Daddy adds its signature retro-swing style to the Louis Armstrong hit “Is Zat You Santa Claus?,” bringing to mind images of Santa stealthily delivering presents to an eager household. These artists will keep you cozy on the coldest of Christmas nights.

We have 3 copies to give away to 3 lucky mamas!

Leave us a comment answering the following to be entered in this giveaway:

"What is your favorite Christmas album?"

How to earn additional entries:

1.) Become a follower on our blog (publicy) 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 us on Twitter AND Tweet about this giveaway. TWEET- "Giveaway- win Putumayo Kids' "A Family Christmas" album 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 winners of last week's giveaway:
(((judybrittle)))
(((Meg)))
(((Nicole)))
(((Julie)))
(((Mami2jcn)))

(((Christy)))
(((windycindy)))




Congratulations! Shoot us an email by 12/18 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 giveaways!

DIP

A favorite song comes on and we can't help it.

Our stocking feet slip across the kitchen floor, dancing to the music blasting through the speakers.

whoosh whoosh blur blur flurry flurry
fumble trip spin and laugh
dip

feet firmly planted
then
feet flying through the air
blurry

Like life.

It's the way we turn ourselves, trying to find our way to the right moves. I hold a tiny and chubby hand and we twist-and-shout and move our hips and then I twirl that small boy out and pull him back in.

My hand on the small of a small back and dip, and a little tummy drops with the fast-moving close-to-the-floor-but-still-caught feeling of it.

Like life. Turning ourselves and feeling it.

Dip.

We fumble through our uncoordinated bonking and slipping and we hold on tight to each other.

My little dance partners, they like the dip part best, until that grows old and turns to the mundane like most things and then they say up! and spin! So I break free and then lift them up and I hold on tight and we spin and spin in circles until I stop and tell them it's good to take a break from spinning. To catch your breath and see straight.

They lose the life in their faces for a moment, in disappointment of the stopping, the rush coming to an end.

And then we wait for the next dip instead.

We learn each other's steps, and it gets less fumbly. We get to know each other and we keep moving, learning carefully how to refrain from hurting each other with our lack of skills.

Dip.

Grace and consideration, in the dance.

Like life.

Fumbly and good. Either way, we keep dancing, or the music means nothing.



Heather writes at The Extraordinary Ordinary

Meet the Mama: Heather Mattos

We are happy to introduce our newest mama at Mama Manifesto! Heather Mattos has been a long-time reader, and we've been a longtime fan of hers, so we were thrilled when she agreed to join our team.





Here's a litte more about Heather:




HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON YOUR MOTHERHOOD JOURNEY?



It all started with a "happy surprise" in December of 2000. Over the past 9
years, I have become the proud mom to stubborn, creative Chloe {8} and naughty, quirky Camden {2}, and step mom to easy-going, cheerful Chayse {4}.





WHAT IS ONE OF YOUR HARDEST “MOM MOMENTS” THAT YOU WILL ONE DAY LOOK BACK ON AND LAUGH?



The beach.
My youngest just weeks old.
High winds.
Every orifice of her tiny face encrusted with sand.
Emergency room.
{full story here.}

WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU THE MOST ABOUT MOTHERHOOD?

It is shocking how much I have actually BECOME my own mother. Sometimes- even as the words are coming out of MY mouth- I have to pause and think 'Was that really me talking to my kids, or am I actually just having a flashback of the way my mom spoke to us?' Scary. {Joking aside, I can't think of a better parenting role model than my mom.}





WHAT IS A CURRENT CHALLENGE IN YOUR FAMILY LIFE?


Raising a blended family is more challenging than I ever would've imagined. We take it day by day and do our best to stay positive, even under the most stressful of circumstances.



MY “MOM SECRET WEAPON” IS…

Trader Joes Organic Lollipops. From squirmy grocery store trips, to post-nap time terror, there's not much those little miracles on a stick can't remedy.



And my Mama Manifesto, is...



REALLY remembering to savor the little moments with my kids. They're only small for such a short time, and while the daily frustrations of tantrums and bickering often occasionally have me contemplating locking myself in the craft room, at the end of the day I want to go to bed feeling like I was present. Truly present... making time for snuggling during family movie night... baking cookies together every week... jotting down the hilarious things that come out of their mouth before I forget. Even when it seems I haven't a moment to spare, I am constantly reminding myself to be present and be thankful for each crazy day with these {fast-growing} little people. Along with this goes taking the opportunity to model gratitude and giving, and emphasize simplicity as often as possible. Our kids know we may not have the biggest house or car on the block, but they do know how blessed they are. And that's pretty much all that matters.

TALK BACK: finding meaning in the season

The holidays are a time that can quickly be swept up with shopping, decorating, baking, santa, and other sorts of busy-ness.  It's often hard to impart to our children a deeper sense of meaning around this time.  How do you handle this with your own children?  If you have religious traditions around Christmas, how do you involve your children in that?  If you are trying to model service or generosity during this season, what do you do to get your children involved?

Classic Chicken Soup from Real Simple

Just when the weather is turning cold, Real Simple comes in to save the day with this amazing recipe for the world's best comfort food - Chicken Soup. The real comfort in this meal is that it only requires about 15 minutes of hands on prep time.

Ingredients
1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken
6 carrots, peeled
4 celery stalks
1 large yellow onion, quartered
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns

Directions
1. Place the chicken in a large pot.

2. Cut 3 of the carrots and 2 of the celery stalks into 1-inch pieces. Quarter the onion. Add the cut vegetables to the pot with the salt, peppercorns, and enough cold water to cover (about 8 cups). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, skimming any foam that rises to the top, until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to a bowl and let cool. Strain the broth, discarding the vegetables.

4. Return the broth to the pot.

5. Thinly slice the remaining carrots and celery. Add them to the broth and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes.

6. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and add it to the soup. Ladle into individual bowls.

MAMA HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE :: gifts for the kiddos in your life

We are all about the toys that are going to inspire creativity, learning, and that are built to last AND keep our children's attention longer than a day. These are toys that we give our "we tried them, we like them" mama seal of approval:

Best Toys for Infants

The Leapfrog Scout is a plush toy that talks, introducing children to first words, daily routines and counting, all while incorporating a child's name, favorite color, favorite animal, favorite food and favorite songs and lullabies into activities and dialogue. Parents can change a child's "favorites" and personalize the toy by hooking up the back into their USB port.

We love the new board book “Look Who Is Coming…”, a great photo book for all young children to help them learn to recognize the important people in their life.

Best Toys for Preschoolers

The Leapfrog Zippity is a TV-based gaming system for preschoolers that combines full-body movement, music, education and fun. The Zippity system lets kids bring the fun of Playhouse Disney to life at their house, as they dance, jump and move with characters from Disney Channel’s Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Disney Little Einsteins, Winnie the Pooh and more.

Looking for something more personalized? Just this year, Shutterfly added puzzles to their line up of personalized storybooks and posters. You can upload a photo of your child alongside some of their favorite charaters like the cast of G.I. Joe, High School Musical, Transformers, Star Wars and Hannah Montana.

We've long been fans of Manhattan Toy's Groovy Girls, and they have a new line of horses for little girls called Star Willow Stables. This new line of fashionable horse dolls plays upon a little girl's dream of having her own horse. Each horse comes with its own hairbrush so girls can enjoy brushing and braiding their horse's mane.

The Scholastic Storybook Treasures on DVD are an ideal gift for preschoolers who will enjoy hearing and seeing their beloved storybook classics. We love the read along aspect, and with stories like Where The Wild Things Are, Corduroy, Curious George, and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, your kiddos will too.

Green Toys is one of our favorite toy companies - making toys out of recycled milk jugs! Last year we featured their tea set, which we adore, and this year we are loving their recycling truck. Kids can get in on the recycling fun with the recycling truck's chutes on the side, and the moveable recycling bed in back.

The collection of I Can Do That games are always a great gift for families. Their newest game, Richard Scary's Busytown, has kids racing around town solving mysteries on a gigantic, colorful game board that’s over six feet long. As players race through Busytown, they’ll team up every time someone lands on Goldbug—leaving no corner of the board unexplored as they discover hidden objects. With hundreds of objects to find this game provides hours of fun, while building confidence each time a child says, “I found it!”

The Victory Lane racetrack is a Nascar inspired a super fun option for the car enthusiast. We love that it does not use batteries, and kids simply rev up their engines by pulling the cars backwards and then let them go to race. A great way to test out cause and effect.

The Automoblox toy line from Manhattan Toys is a big hit for kids who love cars, and building with blocks. The new "mini" line is a scaled down version that fits in the palm of your hands, and has the same fun interchangeable parts that allow for endless creative possibilities.

Best Toys for Elementary-Aged Kids

Clementine Art sells a variety of products that allows your children to craft and create away without having contact with any chemicals or toxins.

Legos remain one of the best toys for building creativity and problem-solving in kids of all ages. For ages 4 and up, the classic block starter set is a great way to begin (or build upon) a child's Lego collection. There is even a pink block collection for girls, in classic and hard-to-find colors like pink and teal. We love the tub packaging that serves as a lego-inspired storage bin.

HABA's Ghost Tower and Knight's Castle Blocks proves that older boys can have fun with natural wood toys! Knights on horseback, knights guarding the castle, a ghost, a dragon, and building fun, this painted beechwood set by Haba provides great imaginative solo or group play.

Do your children already love games? For some fun takes on more classic games, try Cranium's new Spongebob Edition, where kids get acting, puzzling, sketching, sculpting, and code cracking with SpongeBob-themed challenges. The classic Jenga game has a new twist with Jenga Max, a building game where kids compete to avoid knocking down a tower while hanging blocks from an every-growing construction. And one of the favorites from our own generation: Battleship, has a new Advanced Mission edition that we think parents will have a hard time not playing themselves!

Best Toys for Tweens

LittleMissMatched has some adorable glove sets for young girls in fresh and funky colors, and cozy slippers that your tween girls are sure to love. We also think their colorful socks make perfect stocking stuffers for kids (and adults) of all ages.

LABsmart has great science-and-learning based kits for older kids, and their new Artlab products are sure to be a hit with older girls. Each kit comes with everything budding artists need to hone their craft, including unique tools and progressive techniques. Fashion Studio allows girls to create their own fashion line, while the SpaLab allows girls to mix it up with do-it-yourself beauty products naturally.

The Pulse Drift Slither is 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.

All Around Best

We Give This The 2009 Mama Toy Award

RideMakerz basically takes the "build-a-bear" concept, but allows the child to build a car from scratch. They choose the body style, wheels, rims, decals and accessories to customize their "ride". You can go for the in store experience (right now there is a store set up for the holidays in Downtown Disney), an option to build your ride online, or pre-made kits that can be purchased and assembled at home.

This is definitely a toy that will stand up to a lot of play - they are built to handle a lot of action, and will be loved by boys and girls alike (thanks to the pink cars and girlie accessories!). And, after your kids get home, they can play games online, race against other "rides", and build "virtual" cars online using their special code from their own car.