10 Activities to Get in the Spirit without Going Broke

Please note: I use the term Christmas in this piece because that is what my family celebrates.  I believe most of these suggestions can be used for any holiday and I hope you can apply them to your personal beliefs this holiday season.  


It's Black Friday, otherwise known as the day when many Americans engage in shopping hysteria that rivals the fanaticism of a Beatles concert.  Because $2 DVDs and 70% off popular toys is just too good to pass up for most people.  The result?  People shoveling down the turkey and heading out into the dark morning hours of November 26th to wait in line for their chance at a great deal.  There is a woman who starting camping out at a Best Buy on Monday this year.   Personally, I prefer a more outdoorsy setting for my short vacations.  As usual, I headed out for the $1.29.yard flannel sale at the fabric store around noon. I was in and out and back home by 1:30 pm.  It's the only store I allow myself to hit on Black Friday and I justify it because that fabric will be used to make homemade Christmas presents.  Take that rampant consumerism!

Giveaway winners! Ergo, Julian & Co, and LadyCup /Pleat

The winner of the Happier Period package was Heather!

5 Ways Partners Can Support Breastfeeding Moms

1) Help her prepare:

Chances are, if your partner wants to breastfeed she’s going to mention it at some point before the baby is born. There is actually a great deal of preparation, both mental and physical that goes into a successful breastfeeding relationship. You can help your partner, and show your support for her decision to breastfeed by educating yourself about it, listening to and helping her set goals and letting her know that you understand how important it is to her to breastfeed.

10 Alternatives to Crying it Out

My sister soothing Sydney

I see it all the time on facebook pages and  message boards - moms lamenting the torture of listening to their babies cry it out.  Nine times out of ten the mom is hating it.  Sadly, I occasionally see a mom happy to say the CIO worked and baby is "finally asleep."  What tends to happen is that most moms I know hate CIO, but eventually it seems to work.  Baby seems to cry less and less when he is left in his crib.  And to an extent the trick has worked.  Baby has slowly learned his crying won't work to draw his mom back in the room.  He's been conditioned to understand his crying won't elicit the attention he needs or wants.  He has learned helplessness.

Saturday Snuggles: Short & Sweet

Hi! I hope you all had a nice week and are enjoying your weekend!

This week was fairly quiet at our house, but I did have two cakes that have kept me busy the past few days.

We're taking the kids to a local park tomorrow that has a few animal exhibits and a petting zoo. Marley brought home the class 'pet' from preschool this week (a stuffed dog named 'Aspen'), and we're supposed to write a journal entry and can include photos of what 'Aspen' did over the weekend.

Whatcha Wanna Know? Wednesdays: "Why I get all 'crazy' about breastfeeding" (aka-- The Facebook 'Nurse In' rant)

Remember those family vacation pics you posted this Summer? The ones of your daughter(s) & wife in swimsuits? The candid shots of you and your girlfriends catching some rays in your bikinis on the OBX before a night of dancing? How much skin was shown in those albums?

Are you friends with anyone who's 21-22 years old? Are you, yourself, in this age range? How many albums of drunken nights have you seen posted to your wall? How many pics of you and your friends getting smashed have you posted? How many of those albums showed various states of undress, drunken displays of affection, or the aftermath of too much alcohol?

Connected Christmas Spotlight: Stacy Bayless

Best handmade children's accessories: Stacy Bayless


I adore handmade children's clothing, so when the Handmade Toy Alliance put out the call to feature a handmade Christmas, I jumped at the chance.  There is something beyond the unmatched quality when it comes to handmade accessories.  I suppose a sense of personality is infused in each piece, and that's exactly what you get with Stacy Bayless.

An Unwanted Birth (Guest post)

At Connected Mom it's no secret we are pro-homebirth, but above all else we recognize that birth is a personal experience and that providers have a responsibility to listen to women.  A wise person recently told me that if you are uncomfortable birthing in the hospital, it is irresponsible to birth there, but likewise she pointed out if you are uncomfortable birthing at hime, it is also irresponsible.  As women we have a responsibility to trust our instincts regarding birth, and when care providers prevent us from from following our instincts unnecessarily it can have long-term psychological consequences, including birth disappointment and postpartum anxiety disorders.  One of our readers in the Netherlands shared how her planned hospital birth turned into an unwanted homebirth and her best advice for all women regarding their birth desires.

To give some background I'm from Finland where home-births are very rare. My husband is Dutch and I have lived in the Netherlands since 2002. I had my first baby 2008 at the hospital but assisted only by the midwife. My second child was born at home against my will.