LOVE THIS BUMPER MAGNET!
It’s produced by The Save the Ta-tas Foundation, a private not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the advancement of breast cancer awareness, education, prevention, and research—and laughter as good medicine.
You can, in fact, clad your entire family in shirts and accessories to proclaim support. Don’t miss the all-natural Boob Loob, to help make breast self-exams easier. With each purchase, 5% of the price is donated to the foundation, to fund its efforts. You also can make a tax-deductible contribution via the foundation’s website. Be sure to check out the “Show Us Yours” link.
For those of you brave enough to permanently affix something to your bumper, the foundation also makes stickers you can attached to your rockin’ kid-hauler.
Heck, “the girls” proceed us all anyway, so why not?
— Mama Kate
January 25th, 2010
A little bird, who is in the know, alerted me to the amazing Adorable Kinders. Handmade in the US, these classic rag dolls are also culturally diverse - available in a wide variety of nationalities. My husband and I recently adopted an amazing little 11 month old boy from Ethiopia, so representation of other races and cultures in our household just became even more important than it already was.When I saw Adorable Kinders, I got excited. And I was right to be… Zachary arrived under our tree this year, and is a welcome addition! The craftsmanship of this handmade doll is awe-inspiring. Its sure to be an heirloom passed down through generations.This fantastic mom-owned business is absolutely amazing and has been a long time in the making. Originally, Aranza, the mother who makes the dolls, began the company and it’s vision with her son Ivan after he graduated highschool. Unfortunately, Ivan passed away unexpectedly. Understandably, Aranza ceased to work on the handmade dolls.Years later, Aranza decided to make Adorable Kinders Ivan’s legacy while creating local jobs and helping the US economy.The rag dolls are vintage looking and absolutely beautiful. It doesn’t end there…part of Ivan and Aranza’s vison to have the dolls be educational has also come to fruition. Your child can take their new doll to “eSchool” with the unique code that comes with your doll. The eSchool is fantastic!!!!Education, imagination, handmade and local? Perfect.Mama Jen
January 4th, 2010
Mamas,
Check out the article “The 7 Foods Experts Won’t Eat.” It’s pretty interesting. Prevention magazine asked food safety experts which foods they avoid. It’s short, but I found it good food for thought for reconfiguring the ole grocery list when it comes to buying healthful things for my family.
—Mama Kate
December 10th, 2009
Gals—
Thanks for your suggestions! Here there are to share, in another rundown of great reads:
“Derby Girl” or “Whip It” by Shauna Cross
“A Gate at the Stairs” by Lorrie Moore
“Cutting for Stone” by Abraham Vergese
“The Help” by Kathryn Stockett
“Still Alice” by Lisa Genova
“Those Who Save Us” by Jenna Blum
“A Suitable Boy” by Vikram Seth
“The Glass Castle: A Memoir” by Jeanette Walls
“Women of the Silk” by Gail Tsykiyama
“Beneath the Marble Sky” by John Shors
“Beautiful Boy” by David Sheff
… and his son’s “Tweak” Nic Sheff
“Sonata for Miriam” by Linda Olsson
“Outlyer” by Jim Harrison
Santa Baby, if you’re reading this, I’d love to find anything on this list under the tree on Xmas morning.
—Mama Kate
November 23rd, 2009
French company Peau-Ethique beautifully offers the trifecta in responsible clothing. Handmade–check. Fair trade–check. Organic–check.
They carry lovely soft lingerie and pajamas which you can peruse for yourself…They have also added a knit collection for babies that will have your little one singing “La Vie en Rose!” These Peruvian knit outfits are absolutely gorgeous and perfect for baby…The entire Peau-Ethique site is full of beautiful items that are good for the planet and for the people who make them.
Mama Jen
November 20th, 2009
For years I’ve struggled to put my diaper bag into the basket of strollers, and I have had no idea that there was a solution out there… I bet you have found yourself in the same position!!
Leave it to Skip Hop, a company that makes hip and stylish diaper bags to have a bag, called The Saddlebag which attaches to your stroller frame for hands-free stroller time—like blue-tooth technology for your diaper-bag! Fantastic!!!
I adore mine and got it at 
, a site that will have you drooling all over the place…great stuff there!!! Mama Jen
November 3rd, 2009
Mamas,
It’s getting to be that time of year again, at least here in Madison, Wisconsin, where we’ve got snow days to keep us hunkered down. For me, that means putting the kids to bed early (or trying to), and snugging up to the fire with a glass of porto and a good read (maybe some chocolates, too…).
Here are a few reads I’ve really enjoyed this past year—some of them quick, some of them deeply engaging, some with an adventurous bent, some just plain fun. I’d probably be doing you a greater service by giving you a synopsis of each, but who has the time?! So, I’ll spare you my own summary/review. Suffice it to say, I think they’re worth your spare time (when and if you have any, that is!).
The Little Giant of Aberdeen County (just finished it last night… read it obsessively over the weekend … just fab) by Tiffany Baker
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
The Time Traveler’s Wife (still haven’t seen the movie…don’t plan to) by Audrey Niffenegger
Julie + Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously (still haven’t seen the movie…want to) by Julie Powell
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (OK… who hasn‘t read this. Will need to get my hands on “Displaced,” her ex-husband’s book to be.)
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Kahled Hosseini
Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson
Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri (one of my all-time fave authors, and her Interpreter of Maladies a fave read)
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistri
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt’s Darkest Journey by Candice Millard
One Thousand White Women: The Journals of May Dodd by Jim Fergus
CURRENTLY ON THE NIGHTSTAND: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami, One Hundred Love Sonnets by Pablo Neruda, Theodore Rex by Edmund Morris … and White Tiger by Aravind Adiga and Snowflower and the Secret Fan, both good, but it’s taking me a year to get through them…literally.
NEXT UP: Coop: A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting by Michael Perry (a fab Wisconsin I’ve been infatuated with since I read his Population 485…check out his web site); The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski; and some books by Wendell Berry
I’d love to hear what reads you’d recommend … because when I finish the “next up” handful, I’ll need some ideas. Please submit as a comment below, and I’ll compile and share with momappealers.
—Mama Kate
October 28th, 2009
Still wearing that cardigan from 1989, or do your jeans have a comfortable 12 inch zipper? Maybe you’re not in that category, but your wardrobe needs some freshening. Throw out the scrunchies and join us for our own special “What Not to Wear” featuring boutique owner, Patricia Shoppe & personal shopper Bonnie Raimy! Get fresh ideas for your wardrobe and get advice on what may or may not be good on you! There will be complimentary goodie bags filled with gift certificates and samples to help you find your inner hottie. Now, who doesn’t want that??? New fashion ideas? Personal Shopper? Sign me up!
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20th 10-11am Sip free coffee as part of our Coffee Talk series every 3rd Tuesday of the month. Kids are welcome!
Coffee Talks are hosted by 
and MomAppeal.com
October 16th, 2009
Move over Laurie Berkner… there’s a new gal in town at our place. My tinies are loving the tunes of Little Miss Ann, aka Ann Torralba, a hip 5′2″ mama from Chicagoland who makes great music for kids and plays live shows. (She’s also a former Chicago public school teacher and current Old Town School of Folk Music instructor.)
We’ve been digging her latest CD “Clap for Love”—it’s her second—on the dance floor at home and as we travel to and fro in our hot set of wheels (read: minivan). Her style: overall fun and engaging, a little bit folk infused with some lilting melodies, rocking-out songs, world tunes, and even indie aspects, too, for parents to love (I swear I feel some Wilco, my fav, chaneling on one song). She’s reworked some traditional songs, and also has several originals, and many songs are more than just fun: they feature great messages for kids (be your own bird—i.e., be an individual!) My 4-year-old loves the “Counting by Fives” song, and my 3-year-old loves “Around the Kitchen” (cockadoodle-doodle-do). And, they’re both smitten with “Good Morning,” featuring a call and answer with Torralba’s daughter, Olivia. Pretty much, my kids are just smitten with the whole album. Me, too.
You can listen to some of her tunes on Land of Nod’s web site (and purchase both albums there). Be sure to visit Little Miss Ann’s web site directly to purchase either of her CDs or check in on her performance schedule (Chicagoland and Wisconsin gigs) and read-up on the hot, thumbs-up reviews she’s gotten in the music press.
—Mama Kate
September 26th, 2009
While Mama Jen has crib sheets on the brain, please join me in a shout out to her. Mama Jen, Dadio James, and Big Sis Eve have just had the most wonderful addition to their family—they’ve adopted a sweet little boy named Will Musa. It’s been years of waiting—and an incredibly busy summer of preparation—but finally, they were able to travel to Ethiopia to bring sweet Will home. Congratulations Mama Jen!
—Mama Kate
September 21st, 2009
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