NieNie pillow, A  limited edition Nesting Pillow  from Heather's "personal stash of treasured fabrics", using a vintage reproduction fabric that we thought matched Stephanie's lovely style, and a lubricious chocolate brown organic french loop baby terry.

Valued above $87.00

100% off the bid amount will go the the Stephanie Nielson Fund Paypal Account 

Blessed Nest Nesting Pillows are filled with 100% organic buckwheat and organic canvas insert.  Your limited edition NieNie pillow has many uses.

The unique attributes of the organic buckwheat hull filling assure stability and flexibility, while allowing air to circulate. This provides stable body support and proper positioning for the infant, making feeding more comfortable for both child and caregiver. These properties also make it beneficial as a sleeping pillow, for support during pregnancy and childbirth, and even to make lap-top computer use more comfortable.

We will  be sending  a "half dozen chocolate eggs" ( our buckwheat filled Nest Egg in chocolate terry ) to the family for a
 little comfort during  their recovery, and include a message from the winner of the auction if  you would like...
 because chocolate makes everything better.

After the auction closes, we will be selling 3 more NieNie Pillows ( with the remaining treasured fabric) for $87.00 plus $10.00 shipping. 1/2 of the sale will go to the NieNIe Recovery Fund. 

 Return September 1st to purchase a NieNie Pillow, celebrating Stephanie and Christian.

AUCTION RULES AND INFORMATION

This Thursday August 28th, 2008 Design Mom will be hosting a silent auction. Blessed Nest will be participating this Thursday. We will have a Nesting Pillow up for auction. The auction will be open through Sunday evening and the winner will make their payment directly to the NieNie PayPal fund for recovery.

Please find personal updates from their family here

You may also donate to their financial welfare, please click on the button below. All funds will go directly to Stephanie & Christian and will help pay for their medical bills as well as their household management as they recover.

See you on Thursday! Get ready to bid and please visit Design Mom to bid on other items as well! The latest is that over 40 items are up for auction on this day!!

Tuesday Tip: re-use  Yogurt Cups

There are so many uses for empty yogurt cups....

1) snack cup

2)crayon/pencil holder

3)plant seeds and  watch them grow

4) collect them and stack them. Toddlers love to stack, knock down and stack again

When you're all done ...mail them to TerraCycle. This is a wonderful fund raiser for schools!

"Every year millions of yogurt containers end up in garbage and landfills. Stonyfield Farm, the organic food leader and environmental pioneer, is partnering with TerraCycle in a pilot program aimed at collecting used yogurt containers and reusing them as planting pots. TerraCycle will then sell planting pots to large retailers who currently use black plastic planting pots, millions of which are discarded by consumers every year."

TerraCycle will pay up to .05c a cup. They also take old snack wrappers, plastic juice wraps etc.....

Amazing- waste not ....

Today we wish you a very Happy and joy filled Birthday!!!

We wish you joy, peace and happiness as you pursue your talents and dreams!

My two special assistants and head cheer coordinators send you a happy birthday wish too and this home made card with love and

"pretty sparkles" quote from girls 

                             Happy Birthday we wish you joy, laughter and dreams come true! Thank you for blessings us!

Heather had the opportunity to attend the Natural Living conference as a vendor last year. It was wonderful to make connections and new friends. All though we won't be attending this year because of all the changes going on at our Blessed Nest; I will be posting the best of natural living from last year and a giveaway!

Our natural living change this year was moving our production to Middle America. We are setting up shop and bringing in business to a beautiful part of the country lacking in job opportunity. Next week we will be interviewing for a few seamstress positions for our growing flock.

The only one traveling in the next few months might be me. I would love a vacation reason to visit my dearest friend and partner in business. Nothing about this business our little nest feels like "business". I’m truly loving every minute of my life in the nest and out. (yes, even the trying times…) We love to nurture women naturally

Speaker Annie B. Bondo

source for post Holistic Moms newsletter

Under Pressure defined :

A compelling or constraining influence, such as a moral force, on the mind or will: pressure to conform; peer-group pressure

We are under pressure. We place ourselves in our own pressure cooker to perform. As moms we never feel as though we are doing enough and we often compare ourselves to other women who seem to have it all together. How do they hold it together, look so great and have a clean house? Well , a good guess is that they don't have it together and neither do you or I. Why do we look to others and society and give ourselves a grade? Why do we  feel as though we don't measure up?

Society, has done a horrible job the past few decades portraying real beauty! Our children are placed  under pressure. Eating disorders are on the rise and if asked most women let alone girls ages 8-17 would tell you they are not happy with their appearance.  We are all beautiful and all though we might not judge someone else on their looks; we are the biggest judge of our own self image and appearance. We have been ingrained to think a certain way about our bodies.

At 43 I can honestly say that I am comfortable with who I am and how I look. My positive self image did not come easy. From age 10-25 I had a very poor self image and struggled with eating disorders. I now eat healthy and strive to be at a healthy weight not because I am using society  to measure my worth or looks but because I want to be healthy for me and my family. I have two young girls and I just hope that they will continue to have a healthy outlook on life. With all the "pressure" on girls out there this will not come easy.

Girls today are under more pressure than ever. More than 90 percent of girls want to change at least one aspect of their physical appearance, with body weight ranking the highest.

The Dove Self-Esteem Fund  was established to inspire and educate girls about a wider definition of beauty and is committed to reaching 5 million girls globally by 2010 with self-esteem programming.

The DSEF is part of the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty  , a global effort designed to widen today’s stereotypical view of beauty. The Fund is a global project, which consists of a network of local country initiatives linked in strategy and direction by a global steering group. In each country, the DSEF supports a specific charitable organization to help foster self-esteem.

In the U.S., the Fund supports uniquely ME!, a partnership with Girl Scouts of the USA that helps build self-confidence in girls ages 8-17 with after-school programs, self-esteem building events and educational resources. In the United Kingdom and other countries, the fund supports Body Talk, an educational program about body image and self-esteem in schools. Since 2006, Dove has conducted nearly 2,700 self-esteem educational workshops around the world.

Thank you to Dove for taking such a big step in educating and changing the negative self  image so ingrained in women today.

My youngest has a tendency towards asthma. She is doing much better on a mostly gluten free and organic diet. Sophie was really sick before she was one with bronchitis.

 During the Spring after playing outdoor she has coughing attacks.  I'm going to try the below tip whenever she has an attack.  

I had such an amazing week with the girls! We went to Little Corona  ( a beach on the Newport Coast in Southern CA. ) The beach is filled with coves and tide pools. I went here as a kid but have not been back for years. There is a pretty big hike down to the coast. I haven't felt brave enough to lug two small children, beach umbrella, sand  toys etc....my fear? That at the end of a sun filled day of body surfing and tide pool exploring , I would have two small children and stuff to carry up that very steep hill.

It worked out well. We had a blast and Tabitha ran up the hill. Our 8 year old little friend helped Sophie march up the hill and I made it with all the stuff.

Here are some fun summer pictures....

My best shot. My little -big girl. This picture shows how spirited she is. How fun she is. How she has a love for the water and learned to love and "fear" the waves this day. My little big girl starts K-5 this year. We plan to come down to this little corner of the world throughout the school year....learning about sea creatures and what the yellow flag with the black ball means (swim with caution) the life guard gave them a little education as the girls drilled her about the meaning of all the flags....

What a fun day. A fun life!

Did you have joy in your summer days this week?

for more of Best Shot Monday visit Tracy here

This week I will have some fun summer surprises to post. Great pictures for Best Shot Monday. Tips on Tuesday, a powerful review on Wednesday and your Organic Nursery on a budget part 1.

I will post between sprinkler runs and bike riding with the girls.....Have a wonderful week.

Classic ‘60s TV and Music Icons Return With New Comedy Shorts on Cartoon Network, Music Videos, Website, and Live Entertainment

My daughter Tabitha (age 5) and I had the opportunity to review this fun and funny group the Banana Splits!

The Banana Splits are a kids/costumed rock band made up of Fleegle (a dog), Drooper (a lion), Bingo (a gorilla) and Snorky (an elephant). You will find them hanging out in their very colorful Banana Pad cracking jokes and writing songs! They came onto the scene in 1968 as hosts of “The Banana Splits Adventure Hour,” a show created by Hanna-Barbera Airing on NBC.

Our funny, creative and oh so musical pals are back! As Tabi and I took the tour around the Banana Pad we laughed, sang and danced. The site is wonderfully simple and eye candy to the soul!

It is truly a kids web site that I enjoyed. What I noticed first about this new site was the design and structure. They’ve  thought of everything! One thing my daughter loved was the page loading. Funny I know, but they use a animated % loader  until the pages reach 100% loaded. The pages load quickly ( unlike most animated sites with lots of color). My daughter moved her shoulders and sang while the numbers went up….

3%-10%-30%-53%-..oh mom look 74%- 83 % yeah 100% lets go!

Her favorite part of the site is the joke room. The Banana Splits tell silly eye rolling jokes (well eye rolling to adults). Tabi retold every joke with confidence and is excited to have some new jokes to tell!

I really limit the time my children spend watching TV. I try to choose educational programs or at least funny, fun kids shows that I can stomach as well. There aren't many to choose from…let’s face it. We all get sick of the sing songy lyrics on most kids shows. The music created by our beloved pals well, ROCKS!  I love the songs. They make me smile and lighten my load for the day. There are a few groups out there such as “They Might Be Giants” that I love as much as my kids do. I know we will be adding this CD by the Banana Splits to our collection of family friendly music that Rocks!

So much of what is new and supposedly improved for kids out there disappoints me. It is nice to see that kids can still be kids, enjoy the art of silly jokes and simple toons! Thank you to our new friends at Banana Splits . They're providing fun for the whole family! 

I probably shouldn't let my 5 year old review this site right before bed time…..her 3 year old sister came running out of her room to join in on the fun. Quote from little miss SoSo age 3….”cute doggy!! Fun, Fun…I sing…..oh..pretty.. (The site that is)”

Quote from Tabi age 5…” I really like the Banana Splits…(with a BIG smile) they are really fun!” Tabi placed the really cool poster we received from the Banana Splits in her very pink princess room. Now that is a huge compliment to Fleegle (a dog), Drooper (a lion), Bingo (a gorilla) and Snorky (an elephant).

When asked “who are they?” (by her friends)…she tells them , “you’ll see them soon…they’re the Banana Splits!”

Starting Tuesday, September 2, The Banana Splits can be viewed in all-new comedy shorts and music videos on Cartoon Network. They will also soon be launching a new website, DVDs, live entertainment as well as music CDs.

view the Banana Splits web site now