gWhat??!!! and JUST in time for SPRING!

gWhat?! gDiapers launches spring fashion for babies.

--   it’s gStyle from top to bottom   --

baby A modeling her gdiaper- the original face of NNM <3

gDiapers launches gStyle for spring 2013, coordinated top and bottoms for baby boys and girls. The spring 2013 gStyle collection features gWhat and gFleur. 

 

* The gWhat tee asks the question “what’s your favorite g word?” and coordinates with the gWhat gPant. 

 

from gdiapers, used with permission

 

* The sleeveless gFleur dress is a lavender and light green floral print that pairs prettily with the gFleur gPants.  

from gdiapers, used with permission

Both are available NOW at  gDiapers.com and select retailers

can't WAIT for Baby B to ROCK hers!! <3

About gDiapers: 

 

Kim and Jason Graham-Nye founded gDiapers in 2005. They had a baby on the way and a diaper decision to make. They found out some staggering, and literally earth-shattering news about conventional disposable diapers:

- 20 billion diapers get thrown in the landfill every year in the US. They are the third largest contributor to landfills.

-  It takes up to 500 years for disposable diapers to biodegrade.

-  90% of Americans use disposable diapers.

Today, gDiapers offers a colorful line of adorable diaper covers with 100% biodegradable* disposable inserts. gDiapers are as gentle on the earth as it is on babies. 

NNM and gdiapers:

You first learned of OUR experience with gdiapers when I explained that you (yes, YOU) can cloth diaper your baby. In the almost 3 years we have been using gdiapers, I have only recently added some other brands to our stash. 

Those of you that follow me on Facebook know that we have been dealing with some HORRIBLE stink issues as of late! I have never had that problem until now. My g's are still our favorite ;) 

our stash of small and newborn gdiapers (plus our two Blissful Booty's in the back) 

We also, of course, have a FULL stash of mediums and larges. <3 I am a LOVER of the hybrid. And I love being able to flush the gdiaper insert so my trash doesn't stink like diaper all day (don't be fooled- diaper genies don't work!) Poop goes where it belongs- in the toilet! 

Plus, HOW CUTE ARE THEY?? 

Baby B's g-butt (photo credit Photography by Kay ) 

 

SHOW SOME LOCAL LOVE and Share your favorite gdiaper retailer below!

Are YOU a FOLLOWERRRRR???

NNM has some EXCITING NEWS! We have no exceeded the 500 mark in our # of "LIKES" on Facebook!

 This may seem rather trivial, but our # of "LIKES" and subscribers actually enables us to provide you with more great guest post articles, thus more information, and of course, more deals and GIVEAWAYS!! In celebration of reaching 500 likes, I will be posting a #giveaway starting Monday March 18th, so STAY TUNED!

Thank you to all our readers, we hope we provide you weekly with plenty of deals & steals, as well as posts that you find inspiring and informative. 

Besides what we post here on blogger, you can also find a plethora of tips, deals and steals on our FB page, and on Pinterest. 

Please always feel free to email us with your comments/questions/suggestions at: 

siroismama@gmail.com 

THANK YOU! 

-NurturingtheNaturalMama <3 

2013 Eco Baby Gear Buying Guide that's FREE? Count me IN!

Green Child Magazine is in their 3rd year of publication! This bi monthly, online only magazine has been connecting parents with green options for their family with the goal of getting us back to raising our children the way nature intended.

I just got my SNEAK PEEK of the SPRING issue, which comes out TOMORROW! Inside you'll find (just to name a few):

cover photo, compliments of Green Child Magazine

* the 2013 Eco Baby Gear Buying Guide
includes essentials in carriers, creams, nursery accessories and MORE!

* a nice SHOUT OUT to our local friends, Giving Diapers, Giving Hope

* ways to celebrate Earth Day- OUTSIDE <3 and a fun game from Nature Rocks
we all know it's important to get our kiddos outside, but it can prove difficult with working families and busy kids. Earth Day can be a great excuse and GCM shows you easy ways to get out and have FUN!

* tips for breastfeeding premature babies
breastfeeding can be more difficult with premies, but is more important than ever! 
 
and

* 10 ways to join Screen Free Week April 29- May 5th
omg, after the winter we've had here in Maine: my family cannot WAIT for SCREEN FREE week!

WANT YOUR OWN FREE SUBSCRIPTION??

from The Green Child Magazine on Facebook

CLICK HERE

You can also find them on Facebook 

Twitter 

and 

Pinterest 

Let them know you're NEW and that NurturingtheNaturalMama sent you! 

Don't forget to make sure you're also following US on; 

Facebook  

Twitter 

and 

Pinterest 

Comment below, or on FB or Twitter with your favorite part of the Green Child Magazine website!  

RealMama Week: In the Arms of Motherhood

 RealMama Week, Day 1

Our first post for RealMama week is a heartfelt description of what being a Mama means to LR Knost, from Little Hearts Books (Gentle Parenting Resources)

L.R.Knost, Christian author and homeschooling mother of six, is the founder of the nonprofit, Little Hearts/Gentle Parenting Resources, which offers Gentle Parenting workshops, speakers, and consultations in the Central Florida area as well as online Gentle Parenting resources. Her Wisdom For Little Hearts children’s book series weaves Gentle Parenting techniques into colorful, engaging stories for little ones ages 2-6. The first book in the series, Petey’s Listening Ears, was released from Lifeway in April 2011, and Addie’s Inside Voice, JoJo’s Gentle Hands, and Zoey the Happy Helper are due out soon with more to follow! For more information on Gentle Parenting or to order Little Hearts books or products, please visit www.littleheartsbooks.com or Amazon at http://t.co/dIpvluC. 

 In the Arms of Motherhood

Motherhood is very simple to me. It’s a gift to me, but it’s not about me. Period. I’m the one who chose to bring these little people into the world, so the thought that somehow they have the responsibility to fit into my life, and work around my schedule, and not disrupt my pursuit of self completely mystifies me. 

They aren’t interlopers; they are guests, invited guests! And how do we treat our guests? Do we ignore their needs or make incomprehensible demands on them or ridicule, name-call, and hit them when they misstep? Of course not! We welcome our guests with special dinners, make accommodations for their needs, and forgive their lack of knowledge of our ways. And our children deserve no less. In fact, they deserve much more! When our littlest invited guests arrive, they are welcomed with open arms that are always available, day or night. They are provided nature’s best provision for their nutritional needs. And they are gently guided by example and lovingly encouraged to become a part of a healthy family dynamic. In short, when I invite these little people into my life, it stops being my life and becomes our lives!  

Motherhood is, very simply, a lovely sacrifice. The Bible says, “Women will be saved through childbearing” (1 Timothy 2:15). I believe God is referring to the sacrifice of self that mothers willingly and lovingly live for their children as a reflection of the sacrifice Jesus made for His children on the Cross. It is a lovely retelling of the Cross played out in the arms of motherhood, again and again and again. 

Consider the young mother who gives up night after night of sleep to soothe her little ones cries, or the older mother who gives up the peace of her golden years to welcome the child of her youth back into her home when life hits hard. This laying down of self, this giving up of comforts and rights and dreams; these are losses, sacrifices, but they are lovely, beautiful beyond belief. Their loveliness lies in the soft, warm weight of a sleepy baby with a full belly and a trusting heart. Their beauty lies in the spark of hope in the tear-filled eyes of a weary adult who’s life has turned dark, but who finds home is still a safe refuge.


My children, all six of them, are precious gifts straight from God’s heart to my home. I have had other precious gifts, babies who God gave for a time to fill my womb, but who weren’t meant to fill my arms, and one He gave to fill my arms for just a moment, who wasn’t meant to stay. 

Each one of them brought with them the unique knowledge of how breathtakingly exquisite every living, breathing child is and how priceless and fragile and brief life itself can be. I do not take this knowledge lightly. I have learned to treasure the moments of life with my children. I’ve learned that it’s not about me; it’s about us. And I’ve learned that sacrifice lights up the dark places in the world, making it a more beautiful place for all of us to live.

* Find and 'Like' Little Hearts Books (Gentle Parenting Resources) on Facebook

* Follow Little Hearts Books on Twitter 

and let her know NNM sent you!

Day 9 #12DaysofChristmas #SeasonofGiving: One Simple Wish

We first introduced you to One Simple Wish last year during our Dad's Rock Father's Day giveaway series. Since then, our friends at One Simple Wish have received the National recognition they deserve after now several appearances on NBC.

We are so happy to see the success of our friends, and could certainly not complete our #12daysofChristmas #Seasonofgiving without including them. 

With goals similar to that of Project R12 (day 3), One Simple Wish grants wishes for children and families involved in the foster care system. 

I have been updating our Facebook page as quickly as I can with the number of wishes still "in the wind" during the last 9 days. Please head on over to www.onesimplewish.org, CLICK on the HOLIDAY GIVING link, and see how YOU can help this holiday season. 

Happy Giving! 

Check out One Simple Wish on Facebook  

and let them know NNM sent you! 

 

NEW LOOK!

So I'm testing out a NEW look on the blog! Please comment and let me know what you think! I am having an issue still with my gdiapers banner and the NurtureMe Store, so bear with me :)

We are also saying HELLO to a NEW Cover image, compliments of Photography by Kay , which we are really excited about! We figured after almost 3 years, it was time to change it up! <3

Lastly, I want to remind you that Facebook and Twitter are ABLAZE with holiday shopping DEALS and preparing for our #12DaysofChristmas #Seasonofgiving extravaganza which starts DECEMBER 5th!

* Teasers for GIVEAWAYS and Promo deals will start Dec 1st*

Enjoy, and happy giving!! <3

Babywearing- NNM style!

Just thought I'd give a shout out to babywearing after trying out our new organic Ergo today! As you know, I have been (and remain) an avid lover of our Moby wrap for well over 2 years now... but I have been in desperate need of a back carry for a while now.

I have watched some videos on youtube of how to wrap the Moby for the 'back carry' position, but I also know that Moby themselves warn against using their wrap as a back carry. So I have been in a bit of a quandry.

Financially, I just wasn't able to ever swing the +/- $100 expense of an Ergo, Boba, Beco, etc. I have been in LOVE with the idea of www.paxbaby.com and their rental program, but just haven't gone any further than adoring the idea. lol.

Nonetheless, compliments of the local yard sale site for our area on Facebook, I was able to secure a gently used, yet delightfully priced, Ergo for myself! Yayyyy!

mommy wearing baby A in the LL Bean hiking backpack

daddy and baby A ROCKIN the LL Bean hiker carrier

baby A asleep at the beach in the LL Bean hiker carrier 

baby A, outward facing in an all-too-large bear suit for Halloween 2010

baby A, snugglin while mama babysits twins in her Moby wrap 2010

baby A- (see the orange hat?? lol) in the Moby wrap while we hiked w Spiderman's soccer team <3

baby A nursing (see- all the way to the RIGHT?!) in the Moby wrap during my BFF s bachelorette party! 

mama and baby B, hiking in the white mountains in the Moby

today, at the corn maze, rockin the new organic Ergo!

What's YOUR favorite wrap or carrier??

Eversave DEAL for today! Thurs Jan 19th

One of my FAVE ways to save money: ThredUp!! You like craigslist?? You HAVE to check out ThredUp!

 

Pay $10 for $20 worth of pre-loved kids' books, clothes, or toys from thredUP.com! At thredUP, moms and dads pack up their kids' lightly used clothes, toys and books and send them to you starting at just $9 a box, plus $10.95 shipping. You shop the boxes and use the tags, symbols and descriptions to find the items you're looking for. Best of all, this community of sharers get peer reviewed to help you shop with confidence.

* CLICK HERE to get this deal TODAY!

New members can get today's deal for just $8 when they use their $2 credit. Also, codes can be used toward shipping!

* Be sure to check out Eversave on Facebook and Twitter and let them know NNM sent you! 

Eversave DEAL for today! Last one :)

Ooh! I found another one my fellow mamas will like:

Pay $5 for a two-year subscription to Parents magazine ($24 value), your source for all the tips, articles and information you need to raise a healthy and happy family. For every cough and cry, Parents is there with a soothing solution. Turn to these childcare experts for the latest in child health and safety, as well as product recalls and reviews. Find healthy family recipes, beauty tips, pregnancy guides and more!

Please note: Save Rewards and promo codes are not valid on this deal - but new members get $2 when they sign up and $2 after they buy and share the deal, giving them $4 towards their next Eversave purchase!

CLICK HERE to get this save!!! Enjoy!! 

* Be sure to check out Eversave on Facebook and Twitter and let them know NNM sent you! 

Eversave DEAL for today! Sun Jan 15th

Wow! Check this out fellow social media freaks!! :)

Forget frozen fingers - now you can reach for your iPhone, Droid or Blackberry without exposing your digits to the elements with today's Save.

Text and stay toasty with: $12 for a pair of smartphone-friendly mittens from Mittenberry. This modern spin on the mitten has a thumb flap so you can easily text and surf while your other fingers stay snug. These 100% wool mittens are super soft and itch-free. Choose from three chic colors that will keep you cozy and connected. Free shipping is included!

New members can get this deal for just $10 when they use their $2 credit.  CLICK HERE to get this great deal!! 
___________________________________________________________________________________









Also, we have a great online bonus deal that will help you put your best foot forward with today's Save: $15 for $32 worth of socks and accessories from MyFunkySocks.com. S tripes and polka dots are just the beginning for a site that's jam-packed with socks to suit your every whim. Get your kicks with peace signs and bumble bees, or find your long lost sole-mate in a pair with puppy dogs. And if you want your purchase to give more than happy feet, suit up with a set of socks that give back.


* Be sure to check out Eversave on Facebook and Twitter and let them know NNM sent you! 

Eversave DEAL for today! Friday Jan 13th

EVERSAVE Deal for TODAY Friday January 13th, 2012 

A hot new pair of heels may warm our hearts, but they tend to leave our toes out in the cold. For a seasonal style that's much hotter, cozy up to today's Save: a pair of $22 faux fur-lined boots from Shoe Scandal.

Choose from a bevy of boots with shearling-like exterior and faux-fur lining to keep your toes toasty this winter. Go for a classic look with a short bootie, or go tall with the three button boots.

The perfect combination of couture and comfort, these boots come in five different shades, from raspberry rose to chocolate brown. Pair your favorite color with skinny jeans or leggings (or, our personal favorite, cozy sweats). New members can get today's deal for just $20 when they use their $2 credit!

Get this save HERE

* * Be sure to check out Eversave on Facebook and Twitter and let them know NNM sent you! 

Eversave DEALS for today! Friday Nov 4th SOLD OUT

* SOLD OUT * 
Tackle all your night-out needs with today's Save and get a $25 Target Gift Card AND a $50 restaurant.com Gift Card for just $26.

Use your Target gift card toward any of their products in-store and online. Hungry for more savings? Use your $50 gift card on Restaurant.com and receive discounts on thousands of restaurants nationwide.

Save Rewards are not valid on this deal - but new members get $3 when they sign up and $2 after they buy and share the deal, giving them $5 towards their next Eversave purchase!

Click HERE to buy this SAVE. 

* Be sure to check out Eversave on Facebook and Twitter and let them know NNM sent you! 

Eversave DEALS for today! Friday Oct 21st

Coffees of Hawaii deal for Oct 21st. Click HERE to access deal. 

Pay just $15 for $30 worth of premium coffee and say "Aloha" to whatever weather winter sends your way. Choose from a variety of flavorful roasts and blends available as whole beans, ground, espresso ground and more. We all have that friend who savors her daily Starbucks more than most- send her on a Hawaiian tour with a Three Island gift tin.

New members can get this deal for $12 when they use their $3 credit.

* Be sure to check out Eversave on Facebook and Twitter and let them know NNM sent you! 

Rock a Bye Booty: Review & Giveaway *CLOSED*

Who wants some fluff? :) 

Our latest product review has been kindly provided by Tanya, the fabulous mama over at Rock a Bye Booty. If you're even remotely familiar with the world of mommy-blogging, you also know you find her name in many other places too :) 

I was sent a fabulous cloth diaper cover, in the Green Bubble print; 

So I am a total moron, and when we first discussed doing this review/giveaway, it did not occur to me that the diaper was a "cover" (clearly after 10 months, I am apparently still a newbie in the world of cloth diapering!). As you've discovered through my various past blogs, we use primarily g Diapers and have recently added Blissful Booty Cloth Diapers to our stash. 

I have no idea how to use pre folds. Is that even what they're called? See, I am a folded-cloth-diaper-moron. Nonetheless, I found an AMAZING use for the diaper cover in our house.... nighttime!

Leaks at night, especially with a cloth diaper, are terrible. It requires washing of sheets, jammies, blankets, toys, and of course, the diaper. In my case, this usually includes a cloth insert, a snap liner, and an outer shell. Booooo... 

To prevent said leaks, I had previously been adding a disposable g liner ON TOP of the cloth liner inside the g pant. (No idea what I'm talking about? see the g diapers website for more info.) Anyways, so this time, I used my regular g pant and cloth liner (minus the disposable insert) and added instead the Rock a Bye Booty diaper cover. Ummm, FABULOUS! 

The inside is this super soft, yet water resistant material that made it so all I had to wash in the morning was the g diaper and insert and NOT her whole bed! I wasn't sure how the fit differs from over a folded diaper, but the cinched sides and wide waist band made it fit snug, and yet was still soft, comfortable, and provided for easy mobility. The material is not in any way starchy or constricting.

Baby A's nighttime diaper leakage is primarily my fault, because I do the "horrible mom" thing of sending her to bed with a bottle. (I know, gasp!) But hey, she sleeps... so don't judge unless you were here the first 6 months. Anyways, so at probably no fault of the g diaper- she leaks right through, almost nightly. And having the disposable AND cloth insert in there were making her little g pant butt super bunchy- sometimes I wondered if she would even be able to move her tiny little legs! :)

The thinness of the Rock a Bye Booty cover is a great alternative in not the only the fact that it prevented the leaks from getting to her clothes or to the bed, but also in the comfort factor! Her cloth diaper butt was a whole lot less... fluffy... : )

* She also sent me the cloth wipes you see in the photo and the fleece material feels SO luxurious, I actually felt guilty using it to wipe her butt! <3

So, wanna WIN some BOOTY of your own??!
* Contest is now CLOSED* 

* Just follow Rock a Bye Booty via Google Friend Connect, or subscribe by email

* Make sure you already follow NurturingtheNaturalMama via Google Friend Connect

To enter, just comment below that you have followed Rock a Bye Booty and NNM (be sure to include your email in your comment). 

WINNER will win this CUSTOM design by Rock a Bye Booty

 

Additional Entries: 

You can enter a second and third time by; 

* Finding and 'liking' Rock a Bye Booty on Facebook 

* Finding and 'liking' NNM on Facebook

For additional entries, comment below if you are following Rock a Bye Booty and/or NNM on Facebook (again, be sure to include your email in your comment). 

* Please add a SEPARATE comment for each action so you get more chances to win! 

BONUS

Share this giveaway on FB or Twitter, and comment below EACH DAY that you do so (leave your email or twitter handle in your comment) and it counts as a new entry EACH DAY! 

Contest ENDS Thursday June 23rd at 7pm EST. Winner will be announced by Friday. 

Goodluck!

RealMama Week: Living Mindfully, RealMama Style

RealMama Week, Day 4

Todays post comes to us from Sarah, "mother" of Spiritual Momma :) 

I am not just a mother. Imagine that! I am a woman, a lover, a friend, a daughter, a friend, a tree hugger, an asshole and a junkie for anything that makes me feel good. I have almost gone off the deep end, several times. Somehow, someway I found myself in the madness and now I want to share that with you.

Living Mindfully, RealMama Style.

photo courtesy of Spiritual Momma on Facebook

I like to get right to the heart of the matter; It has become really clear that my role as a mother is to guide my children on the journey of their spirit. This journey of course, starts with me and the journey of my own spirit. 

My journey has not been graceful; in fact I would venture to say my ride has been messy, traumatic and glorious. Unfortunately I learn the hard way (and so do my children). If I could pass a few ounces of wisdom onto my children.. just a few… they would be:

          *Listen & trust your intuition little noodle, always follow your heart

          *Believe in yourself and that all things are possible

          *Celebrate your BE-ingness (you are special and so very loved)

          *Live in this moment, right now- it’s all you have

          *Life is on your side, so DREAM BIG! and then some

I believe that as a mother, I am to love and support my kiddos no matter what. Even through times of disappointment, fear and uncertainty. Furthermore, I want to live mindfully; at peace with what is, and in touch with myself and the flow of life. 

What I have found is that in order to do so; I must heal my own wounds, seek awareness and acceptance for what is, relinquish my incessant need to control the uncontrollable and allow myself to love and experience joy. 

This means I just refuse to save my kids from scraping their knees on the sidewalk, or harping on them to follow every stupid rule. Life will teach them that, I am certain. I want to show them how to live mindfully, and hopefully make a difference one day. 

Perfection is not an option. This means some moments are difficult, messy, and painful. This is my cue to go within and mother myself. My children are not the problem, and certainly not the source of my discomfort. My children have been my greatest gift,  and have revealed to me time and time again,  that which had not been healed within me. 

just one of the many cool items available at Spiritual Momma's Etsy boutique

So perhaps right now is an excellent time to ask yourself what motherhood means to you...

In closing, I will share one of my greatest comforts: I am free to change my mind or revise anything at any time. 

-Spiritual Momma

* Find and 'like' Spiritual Momma on Facebook 

* Follow her on Twitter

RealMama Week: Mothering Me

 RealMama Week, Day 3

Enjoy this beautiful post by Leslie Potter from Purejoy Parenting

Leslie Potter is the founder of Pure Joy Parenting, a joy based parenting model which supports parents in moving from a traditional fear-based model to a joy-based one, focusing on relationship and healthy attachment. She is a co-author of Chaos to Connection: 9 Heart Centered Essentials for Parenting your Teen. Leslie is a Parent Coach with a background as a body centered therapist. She created the Parent Coach model at Vive a national company working with at risk teens and their parents. In 2008, she founded Purejoy Parenting to educate and support new parents in understanding the importance of their attachment stories and how they affect their relationships with their children.

Mothering Me

Motherhood has stretched me beyond words.  How could I have known that one little soul could awaken such light, as well as illuminate such darkness.  When waiting for my daughter,  I imagined all the good aspects of being a mother.  I felt I was ready to surrender fully to the amazing opportunity I was being given.  Finally, after 44 years of waiting and preparing, I was going to be a mother.  It had taken me that long to embrace my childhood and feel I had done enough work that I wouldn't damage my child.

photo courtesy of Leslie Potter on Facebook

I was beyond excited for the opportunity to be the Mom I knew I had inside.  What I hadn't planned for was the depth of pain that would arise when I fell short.  Talk about humility!  This has been my path, and daily I bow down to my daughter for showing me the true path to loving myself.  When I am able to open to the depth of beauty and grace she provides, instead of needing her to behave the way I want her to so I look like a good mom, I can see clearly.

 I don't need her to validate me and have found I can relax and open to being a safe emotional container for her to learn and grow.  When I'm able to take full responsibility for my feelings and my stories, I am able to let her off the hook to be the beautiful light she embodies.

Learning to love myself starts with me and it is the greatest gift I offer my sweet girl.

Even though my love for her showed me the way, I learned that loving myself was up to me.  When I needed her to convince me that I was lovable, I felt the pain.  When I was finally able to step into the shoes of that amazing Mom I had inside...I began to mother ME as well as my daughter. 

How do you feel about the mom you ARE, versus the mom you thought you'd be?



* Find and 'like' Purejoy Parenting on Facebook 
* Check out her website & blog  for Leslie's Parenting Pearls and contact info 
* and be sure to follow her on Twitter 

Let her know NurturingtheNaturalMama sent you! <3

You can also check out Leslie's latest contribution to PBS here.

Instinctual Mamas Post: The Joy of Making Your Own Baby Food

Check out my latest guest post over at Instinctual Mamas entitled You Want Me to Eat What?! The Joy (yes, the joy) of Making Your Own Baby Food. Enjoy! 

Be sure also to follow Instinctual Mama's via GFC, and find them and 'like' them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter- and let them know NNM sent you! <3 

DADS ROCK: Father's Day Giveaway to Benefit One Simple Wish

COMING SOON: 

I am in the process of collecting donations which will be used as *giveaways* for a Father's Day contest to benefit One Simple Wish.

If you have any items or services you would like to donate, please contact me at mymackey@gmail.com. Items must be available to all US and Canada residents. Please let me know if your item or service can me made available to International residents as well. 

Contests will close Saturday June 18th at 12am EST and WINNERS will be announced via Facebook and here on the blog on Father's Day- Sunday June 19th by 12pm EST. 

Keep your eye on the blog and our Facebook page to make sure you get in on the 

Dad Rocks Father's Day Giveaway

* teasers for secured prizes will begin via FB and Twitter  beginning June 1st, 2011.