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

Vroom!

This (terribly lit) picture makes me laugh for a couple reasons. It shows how independent and determined our little 18-month-old Alrik has become if you know what to look for. First, the obvious: He's hogging the steering wheel of this arcade game (no money required for the under-2 set!) and quite volubly protested any of his older brother's attempts to take over the driving.

Secondly, he's wearing Mikko's Spider-Man pajamas. Inside-out. And backwards. He brought them to me and insisted I help him put them on like so.

Speaking of two years old, I bet that age is going to be a treat with this one!

Since I skipped last week, I've got so many links!

7 hours ago

#recycling
#upcycling
#reuse
#green living
#crafts
#tutorials
What Do You Reuse? « The Earthling's Handbook →
Love to upcycle or want to start? Lots of ways to reuse objects to make useful new items!
2 days ago

#Holidays
#christmas
#santa
#charity
True Confessions of a Real Mommy: The New Santa Claus →
A retelling of Santa Claus as someone who invites us to give along with him.
Santa is real. He is the spirit of giving for all those in need. But, we are blessed to have the means to create our own Christmas. So, it is our charge to collect items that we no longer use: clothes, books, and toys. Then Santa Claus comes to collect our donations on (or around) December 5th to redistribute to those in need on Christmas.
5 days ago

#Holidays
#christmas
#joy
#responsiveness
#respectful parenting
The Hippie Housewife: More joy is always worth it →
An answer to “why bother?”
5 days ago

#cloth diapers
#green living
#cleaning and organizing
are your cloth diapers REALLY green? | Organic Baby Atlanta →
How to green up even your cloth diaper purchasing and washing!
6 days ago (1 note)

#feeding
#food
I grew up eating junk and I’m fine | A green living, green parenting blog →
The other day I was talking to someone about cutting processed food out of my diet, she said (with some irritation), “Well, I grew up eating junk food and I’m just fine!”
It reminded me of when car seat belts first were installed (before children’s car seats). A friend at the time told me, “Well, I’m not going to use them and I’m certainly not forcing my kids to wear them. When I was growing up, we had a station wagon and we kids played in the back on our trip across the country and back and believe it or not, we survived!”
Like the author, I’m fascinated by the illogic in these arguments. And like the author, we’re also trying to cut down on processed foods in the interests of hopefully promoting health.
1 week ago

#birth
#birth complications
#doulas
#birth attendants
#unassisted birth
#homebirth
#hospital birth
#cesarean birth
#inductions
20 Births Later: My Thoughts on Being a Doula →
Interesting and compassionate perspective after 2 1/2 years of helping other women through a range of birth experiences.

Support your favorite bloggers:

If you're shopping online this holiday season, particularly at Amazon, 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:

Carnival news:

Our December Carnival of Natural Parenting on Childhood Memories was so inspiring! Read the links as you make memories this season. Here's my take, and the links to the other posts are at the end:

Stuff does not equal memories

The Body: AMAZING Carnival hosted by True Confessions of a Real Mommy and Anktangle was also … well … amazing! Here's my post, with links to the other uplifting posts at the end:

On running my first 5K race

And, make sure you sign up for the Parenting Blog Carnival Calendar:

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:


I know I've posted before about finger knitting, but I'm inspired to once again try teaching Mikko. He wants to make his grandma a scarf. I'd be happy with a bracelet. Or a ring. Aim small.

Look, it's my baby! Ok, that's probably cheating, huh? But he's so cuuuute.

If the finger knitting's a fail, here's a simple enough craft we could attempt!

We'd also love to have you follow Natural Parents Network on Pinterest and join us on our group boards: 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:

• Celebrating Winter Solstice: Tissue Paper Lanterns (this one also looks like a fun little project!)
• A Healing Touch
• What Makes the Perfect Parent? (I loved this Carnival post!)
• Wordless Wednesday: Fluffy Bums
• How to Treat a Child With Special Needs

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 to help you shop the best places this holiday season. Here are some highlights:


It's here, and just in time to stock up on stocking stuffers! The Ho Ho Holiday Clearance Event at BabyLegs! Take 75% OFF all styles on the Clearance page — as in, nearly your whole order for FREE!

All you have to do is put $75 or more into your cart. Then pop in the discount code — WINTER75OFF — and your order will be only 1/4 of what it once was — $18.75 if you had exactly $75 to start with.

This can bring down the per-pair price to around $3 each — perfect for baby gifts! (Or just to deck your baby's sweet legs!)

Details:

What: 75% off $75 or more sale
Sale: Customer must have $75 in merchandise BEFORE discount for code to apply.
Coupon code: WINTER75OFF
When: Through 12.31.12 only!
Where: www.BabyLegs.com

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We love our Melissa & Doug natural toys and play sets: the pretend food, the dress-up clothes, the wooden puzzles, and other classic and educational playthings!

Throughout the holidays, get FREE SHIPPING on ANY order at MelissaAndDoug.com with no minimum with code FREESHIPAFF.

Plus, take advantage of these bonus coupons through today only:

$5 off orders of $50 or more
with code SAVEFIVENOW

$10 off orders of $100 or more
with code SAVETENNOW

Through December 16 only!

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If your family practices the Christian faith and is looking for a kid-friendly guided Advent resource, try out Truth in the Tinsel!

I really it's a late start for this year, but there's no time like the present to focus in on the season. Plus, you can save the days you've missed for next year!

This is "an Advent experience for little hands," because it offers 24 days of Scripture reading, ornament crafts, talking points, and extension activities. Plus fun printables and templates!

Truth in the Tinsel is only $7.99 as an ebook download — and now my readers can get 20% off just for being awesome!

Enter code HOBO for 20% off
at checkout!

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It's almost Christmas and some of you still haven't found the perfect card.

Some of you haven't even looked for the perfect card yet. That's OK, because Treat has you covered.

1. Visit Treat and browse their hundreds of Christmas card designs.
2. Once you select your favorite design(s), upload photos, edit the fonts and text.
3. Order by 2 p.m. ET December 17 and they are guaranteed to arrive by Christmas Eve.

I love Treat cards. Love. So do the grandparents!

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I seriously drool over the children's clothes at Tea Collection. Well, ok, only pretend drool — otherwise, the clothes would get messy! The great news is Tea is offering FREE SHIPPING in time for Christmas — TODAY only!

Use code SLEIGHBELLS on Sunday, December 16, to get your items shipped free for the holiday.

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Today is the last day to order via FedEx 2-Day at Amy Adele. Enjoy the Express Shipping Sale through Sunday, December 16: $9.95 to get your order by Christmas!


(The image says tomorrow, because it was made yesterday. Ya dig? Order today.)

Amy Adele offers personalized and charming stationery for kids, women, and families. The custom flat cards, folded cards, playdate cards, thank-you notes, address labels, invitations, announcements, and stickers make wonderful gifts for little girls, teachers, hostesses, coaches, new parents, and more!

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Free Shipping this weekend on all orders at Wild Dill. Do all of your holiday shopping from the comfort of your home.

Enter code freeship at checkout for free shipping.
Hurry - Offer expires on Monday, December 17

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

Save, avoid the crowds and have fun shopping at www.wilddill.com!

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Save an additional 20% with code SAVE20 on all Shutterfly orders. Offer valid 12.15 & 12.16 only!

Stack the 20% coupon on top of the photo book sale at up to 50% off and create a truly memorable and personalized gift this holiday season.

We're giving photo books to all the grandparents this year. I love making giftable heirlooms with all our favorite images!

Giveaways:

• Giveaway: One Set of Classic Beads & a Year’s Subscription to iCyclebeads Online App From Cyclebeads — $25.95 ARV {12.29; US}
• Giveaway: 3 Copies of Kindle Book “I Create My World” by Connie Bowen- $21 ARV {12.22; Worldwide}

Find more amazing giveaways at my Natural parenting giveaways linky! There are a ton of new ones: baby carriers (Beco, Moby), DivaCup, wet bags (including my favorite, the Planet Wise wet/dry bag), Cyclebeads, wool dryer balls, training pants, and several fetching cloth diapers! Add your own giveaways, and enter to win something sweet to brighten your holidays:



(The above is the Natural Parenting Giveaways linky,
transplanted here for your convenience.
Link up if you have a giveaway to promote!)

Surf with us:

We 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.

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1. Authentic parenting - Meditation and Play

2. Hobo Mama = Bring on the joy