Sunday, November 25, 2012

Sunday Surf: Launching Christmas in 3…2…

Welcome to the Sunday Surf, a tour of the best blogposts I've read throughout the week.

Thanksgiving's over! Time to get merry.

wrapping Christmas presents for giving tree
We wrapped presents this weekend for the giving tree
at Spud's, one of the restaurants on our street.
This is a better picture-taking attitude than
we usually get from Mikko these days.
Er…I mean, Spider-Man.

The socks were requested by an adult man,
in case you think we're Scroogey.
Here are my go-to tips:
I included a good quantity of practicality,
one part of whimsy (lightning-bolt socks!),
and the gift receipt.
wrapping Christmas presents for giving tree
Mikko's favorite part was tape. Lots and lots of tape.
So much of doing projects with 5-year-olds is
letting … things … go
and enjoying the spirit. As Mikko said,
"Mama, we're elves!"

Links to read and savor!



Guest post:

So happy to have this guest post from Ariadne of Positive Parenting Connection with tips to entice children to ramble with the family:


Support your favorite bloggers:


Hobo Mama: Support bloggers by shopping through affiliate links

If you're shopping online this holiday season, please consider clicking through an affiliate link first — no cost to you, and a nice token of gratitude for your beloved blogs! If you have Amazon Associates or other affiliate links, add them to the linky Teresa at Mom Grooves and I set up:


Be sure to bookmark the page so you can continue shopping through people's affiliate links all year round!


At LaurenWayne.com:


My parenting poetry book on sale this weekend only!

Poetry of a Hobo Mama: The First Three YearsThis deal on my book of parenting poetry, Poetry of a Hobo Mama: The First Three Years,has never happened before! For this Thanksgiving weekend ONLY (through Tuesday, Nov. 27), the price has been reduced to $9.99 with FREE shipping!

Here's how it works — you can buy either from Amazon or directly from me for the same price:

Buy the book at Amazon, where I've reduced the price to $9.99 through Tuesday, November 27. The price is regularly $11.99. The paperback is eligible for FREE Super-Saver Shipping on Amazon orders over $25, so either fill up your cart to get to that level or pay Amazon's shipping fee. (I unfortunately can't provide discount codes on Amazon.)

OR:

Buy directly from me at my CreateSpace author's store. Enter code 4PV6AMYR for $3.59 off each copy, bringing the reduced price down to $6.40 plus shipping. CreateSpace shipping starts at $3.59, so it will be $9.99 with FREE shipping, and each additional copy in the same shipment will be cheaper and cheaper since the shipping decreases per item the more you buy!

My parenting poetry book would make a thoughtful holiday gift for a fellow mama or new parent. I compiled all my parenting-related poetry, from my first pregnancy and miscarriage, then Mikko's story from conception through pregnancy through the newborn phase and all the way up to toddlerhood.

Read the 5-star reviews on Amazonand from various bloggers collected here.

Read excerpted sample poetry from the book here.

Carnival news:

Submit to the December Carnival of Natural Parenting with your take on Childhood Memories!

Calling for submissions for the December 2012 Carnival of Natural Parenting!

J. & D., Holidays 2006Theme: Childhood Memories: Our theme this month is childhood memories; feel free to write about whatever speaks to you. Here are some ideas: What are your earliest, favorite, strangest or other childhood memories? Is it easy or hard for you to remember your childhood? How do your childhood memories impact the way you parent? What childhood memories do you hope your children will have? What do you do to preserve childhood for your little ones (e.g., pictures, etc.)?

Deadline: Tuesday, December 4. Fill out the webform and email your submission to us by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time: CarNatPar {at} NaturalParentsNetwork.com 

The parenting blog carnival calendar: Keep track of upcoming writing opportunities!
As a writer, you no longer have to memorize due dates for the blogging carnivals you love. Notifications will come right to your Google Calendar and inbox!

As a carnival host, you can snag more participants and keep them apprised of due dates and themes!

Check out upcoming carnivals in the calendar below, and click the "plus" button at the bottom to add it to your Google account.

To add carnivals to the calendar, see the static page with an email form that takes you step by step through submitting your carnival information. Any carnivals on topics of interest to natural parenting bloggers are welcome.





From Pinterest:

Follow me on Pinterest to enjoy sharing pins! Here are some of my favorite recent pins:

Christmas gift idea, a DIY doll rejuvenation:


Babyfingers: Old toy makeover: A Barbie for Ivey

It's winter, but let's dream:


Garden log!


We'd also love to have you join us on our group boards on Natural Parents Network's Pinterest account: If you want to post your own or others' posts about a Slice of Life, Naturally, or Healthy Eating and Living, simply email ShannonH {at} NaturalParentsNetwork.com with your Pinterest username to be added to the boards.

From Natural Parents Network:




Visit Natural Parents Network
Remember to enter our huge giveaway extravaganza that ends TONIGHT!!!
Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide
Prizes are from 74 companies reviewed by 25 of our NPN volunteers. The companies are giving away 89 products and gift certificates, for a total combined value of $2,550!

I also want to highlight the fantastic Handmade Holidays posts up right now. You can link up your own tutorials, recipes, and posts about homemade holiday gifts:

Handmade Holidays: Meal Time Gatherings


Handmade Holidays: Gifts for Babies and Children


Handmade Holidays: Gifts for Adults


Handmade Holidays: Food Treats and Gifts


Deals:

I have so many natural-parenting affiliate deals for your Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping pleasure. I've gathered most of them in my composite post:

Black Friday deals for parents — Thanksgiving weekend 2012

Plus I'll highlight a few here:

FREE hardcover photo book at MyPublisher: One week only!
The perfect holiday gift! FREE photo book from MyPublisher: 1 week only! MyPublisher is what we use for our photo books, and we're making two more (one for each kid) to give the grandparents (and us!) this Christmas! Promotion ends November 30.

30% off Eco Nuts for natural laundry soap!
Eco Nuts Laundry Soap are a 100% natural and organic way to wash your cloth diapers and all your family's clothes! Safe, fragrance-free, strong, and perfect for all your daily laundry.

30% Off all orders.
Use Coupon Code BLACKFRIDAY at checkout on EcoNutsSoap.com.
Offer Expires: Monday, Nov 26

FREE shipping at Kidorable: Playful outdoor gear for kids
Visit Kidorable and use coupon code GRATEFUL33 at checkout to get free ground shipping on any order, big or small, of winter and rain gear to brighten your child's day. This promotion cannot be combined with any other offers.

Free shipping on any order at Kidorable
with coupon code GRATEFUL33.
Expires November 28.

ladybug at Kidorable


50% off at Amy Adele: Custom stationery for kids & adults!
Enjoy a whopping 50% off everything at Amy Adele with code BigSale. $25 order minimum.

40% off Club Smilebox for monthly personalized photo e-cards!
I love using Smilebox to send customized photo e-cards to my kids' grandparents and other loved ones. They get such a kick out of opening their email inbox to find my kids' sweet faces smiling up at them in a professionally produced animated cardYou can join and send e-cards for free, but right now, Smilebox is offering some precious holiday deals on premium services!
5 Days Only! Nov 23 - 27Get 40% off an annual premium subscription to Club SmileboxA year of smiles for less than $2 a month!
BabyLegs: 3 for 1 bundles for Black Friday & Cyber Monday!
You can never have too many BabyLegs. Or so say Alrik and I.

Get 3 for the price of 1 at the BabyLegs Thanksgiving weekend saleBuild a bundle of 3 pairs for $12 through Cyber Monday!

Details:

3 for $12 bundles
Stock up — no limit!
Quantities limited; while supplies last.
Shop now at www.BabyLegs.com!
Use code BLCM12.
Through Monday, 11/26.

20% off Truth in the Tinsel: Advent kids' activity book!
Truth in the Tinsel is a faith-based Advent story and activity book for the Christmas season, and it's only $7.99 as an ebook download — and now my readers can get 20% off just for being awesome! Buy it now to have on hand for December: Scripture reading and easy craft every day.
Enter code HOBO for 20% off
at checkout!

20% off Shabby Apple dresses site-wide!
Save 20% off EVERYTHING on the Shabby Apple site with code JOYFULSEASON at checkout.  Yes, you read right, EVERYTHING!  Shabby Apple offers retro-chic dresses with a modern flair — perfect to see you through the holiday season in style! Sale ends 11/30/2012.

Use code JOYFULSEASON
to save 20% sitewide at Shabby Apple!
November 23-30 only.
Shabby Apple offers stylish and modest dresses for misses, plus sizes, maternity, and little girls! 

20% off at Wild Dill: Organic children's clothing and natural toys
To show appreciation, Wild Dill wants to give you 20% off your entire order this weekend.


Enter code Thanks20 at checkout for 20% off your order.
Hurry - Offer expires on Tuesday, November 27

  

Find the perfect organic and natural gifts for your little ones or the little ones on your list.

Coconut oil recipe and skincare books: On sale this weekend only!
These incredibly thorough resources by Jennifer of Hybrid Rasta Mama are at an incredible discount for this weekend only! Cooking With Coconut Oil will be on sale for $15.95 (regularly $19.95) and Coconut Oil for Your Skin will be on sale for $5.95 (regularly $6.95). This sale will run through Sunday.

$10 & $15 leggings / dresses / tops / pants at Tea Collection for Black Friday!
Tea Collection is offering $15 dresses, $10 leggings, $10 boys tops, and $15 boys bottoms in celebration of their Black Friday Sale through Sunday night then another sale through Tuesday.

$15 dresses, $10 leggings, $10 boys tops, and $15 boys bottoms*
Valid through Sunday, 11/25, at 9pm
*No Code Required and on Select Items Only
Then starting Sunday, 11/25, at 9 p.m., through Tuesday, 11/27 at 12 p.m., Tea will offer an additional 25% off ALL sale items with code CYBER25. 

In addition to this Cyber Monday promotion, you can also shop $10 Tea Baby and prices as low as $15 when shopping the women's collection (no code required).

Giveaways:

The following are part of the Holiday Gift Guide!

Giveaway: 2 Playsilks from BirchLeaf Designs — $26 ARV {11.25; Worldwide}
Shop now with coupon code NPN and get 10% off through November 25, 2012!

Giveaway: Nursing/Maternity Wear $75 Gift Card & Virtual Bra Fitting from A Mother's Boutique {11.25; Worldwide}
Shop now with coupon code HOBO10 and get a 10% discount off virtually any item in the store (certain exclusions apply) through Nov. 25.

Giveaway: 3 Nutcracker Kids Ballet DVDs from Prima Princessa — $21 ARV {11.25; US/Can}

Giveaway: Superhero Cape & Kit (Reversible!) from Pip & Bean — $25 ARV {11.25; Worldwide}

Giveaway and review at ourfeminist{play}school: Poetry of a Hobo Mama: E-book Edition – $10 ARV {11.25; World Wide} {2 copies!}
Shop now with coupon code SAP84AYJ and get 20% off all orders of the trade paperback at the CreateSpace store through December 31, 2012! Reduced price this weekend only there and at Amazon as well!

Remember to enter:
Natural Parents Network Holiday Gift Guide
Go over to the Gift Guide to see all the other fabulous prizes you can win. You need to enter at just one post and mention your top five favorite prizes.




Find lots more wonderful giveaways at my Natural parenting giveaways linky! There are several that would make great holiday gifts: Thirsties wipes, a Plan Toys wooden rocking horse, a Softbums Omni diaper, ReUsies baggies, and more! Add your own giveaways, and enter to win!

Surf with us:

Sunday Surf with Authentic Parenting and Hobo MamaWe love following along with fellow Sunday Surfers. If you have your own post of reading links to share, please link up your post on Hobo Mama or on Authentic Parenting. The linky will go live every Sunday, and you can link up any day that week. If Sunday doesn't work for you but you do a links list another day, feel free to play along. You only need to add your post to one of the sites, and the linky will automatically show up on both sites.

You can get the Sunday Surf button by Jenna Designs and some code to add to your post from my Sunday Surf page.

Check out previous editions for good reading, and you can find more shared items during the week at my Tumblr blog, Hobo Mama's Shared Items.






Disclosure: Deal links are affiliate links.
I try to seek out only products I think you would find
relevant and useful to your life as a natural parent.
See my full disclosure policy here.

1 comments:

Lindsay said...

Ooh I'll definitely have to check out the action advent calendar post-that is what I am doing too, and I think I have my ideas set, but it's definitely flexible. I am going to post on my blog tomorrow or Wednesday about our Advent calendar and about the activities I picked, so hopefully I'll know by then, lol.

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