I have no idea why the holidays bring out the crazy in everyone! It seems like everyone is operating on a high frequency and everywhere I turn it is chaos. I’m trying to remain zen and it is just not happening. But thanks to WishGarden Stress Relief, it has become a bit more manageable! Since I’m still nursing, I went with the pregnancy solution Stress Relief. There is a full strengthDeep Stress or Serious Relaxer available. The Stress Relief is made with relaxing herbs like Lemon Balm leaf, Linden leaf and flower, Passionflower aerials, and Milky Oat tops which are safe to take while nursing and during pregnancy.

You can take the tincture 2-3 times a day as needed with a glass of water. The tincture helps nourish and refresh your nervous system while allowing you to put your stress in perspective. The Stress Relief  does not make you drowsy or tired, but does take the edge off. Being a mom of 2, being on high alert is a must, so I love it doesn’t make you feel groggy! Stress Relief comes in 1, 2, and 4 oz. bottles from $12.99-$36.99.

WishGarden Herbs has a full line of herbal remedies for pregnancy, postpartum, breastfeeding, babies, children, and adults. Be sure to check out their large selection of herbal tinctures to help with common ailments!

Be sure to join WishGarden Herbs newsletter, FB page, Pinterest, or Twitter to stay up to date on sales, promos, and more!

Sample Disclosure: The opinions expressed above are honest, accurate, and not encouraged anyway by monetary donations. A sample free of charge was received from said company, as stated within the editorial.

It is the season for parties- not just birthday parties- so this post is for you! Sometimes it is just easier to have disposable plates and cups when entertaining. Adding several loads of dishes to the clean-up isn’t fun. But I often felt guilty about throwing away all those plastic plates and utensils. That is why I was happy to find a brand that offers convenience without harming the environment!

Susty Party manufactures responsibly made party goods. They create compostable, non-toxic, recycled, regulated, USA made cups, plates, utensils, straws, banners, napkins, and more! They have a nice variety of colors and options of material content. They carry sugarcane, bamboo, palm leaf, starch, recycled plastic, FSC wood, and PLA corn plastic supplies.

 We were sent the November Party Kit for review- though we did change the pink cutlery to the natural wood. The November Kit included:

• 50 10 oz FSC Cup
• 24 “10” Green Plates
• 24 Natural Bowl
• 50 Grey Straws

The kit serves 24 people, so this is a wonderful value pack for large get togethers, company functions, birthdays, holiday parties, cookouts and more.

I loved the durability of the plates, bowls, and straws! They were thick and sturdy, so no worrying about food leaking through or being flimsy and dumping food out. They are compostable and made with grass fiber and tapioca starch. They can hold varying temps from -30F to 420 F! There are 9 color choices of bowls and plates, and 4 colored straws to choose from to match your party decor. Check out this awesome story about the Susty Party plates, bowls, and straws. You can get the plates in sets of 8 for $6.99, bowls in sets of 8 for $4.49, and straws in sets of 50 for $6.99.

The FSC Wood Utensils were awesome! I love that you can personalize your utensils with stamps or your own artwork. The utensils are compostable, are splinter-free, and are heavyweight. Though, you should keep them below 110 F. They are made from birch wood that was sustainably harvested. The utensils are just wood with no coatings or nasty chemicals. They worked just as good as stainless utensils- even the knifes. You can purchase the utensilsin sets of 50 for $12.99 each.

While we used mason jars for lots of our cups, I really did like having the paper cup option. I think both were used equally. The 10 oz. FSC paper cups are great for hot and cold beverages and are lined with a biodegradable PLA made from corn starch resin. They can hold beverages as hot as 200 F. The cups are plastic-free and elemental chlorine free. They are available in packs of 50 for $8.

Be sure to like Susty Party on Facebook to receive their exclusive discount and sign up for their monthly newsletter to get even more savings! 

BabyElan {daily} Sample Disclosure: The opinions expressed above are honest, accurate, and not encouraged anyway by monetary donations. A sample free of charge was received from said company, as stated within the editorial.

I wanted little man’s birthday bash to be as eco-friendly as possible. 90%of his decor was recycled into his nursery, all of the supplies were made with sustainable products, and the food was mostly organic. When I was shopping around for eco-party goods, I came across GreenPartyGoods and fell in love! GreenPartyGoods has a huge selection of eco-friendly plates, napkins, banners, decor, cupcake everything, toys, gifts, party favors, and so much more! We were sent several items to match our theme that included: mason jar lids, paper straws, owl napkins, owl sugar toppers, and bamboo boats. But lots of our other supplies can be found there as well- including the Susty Party items.
One of my favorite items was the Bamboo Serving Boats. These adorable boats are available in 4 sizes- 3.14″, 7″, 8.5″ and 9.5″ and are great for all sorts of appetizers. The boats are made out of bamboo sheaths, so they are compostable and biodegradable. They are very lightweight, but work very well. I love how festive they are!  They range from $4.50-$7.70 for packs of 12-24.
We wanted to use mason jars as much as possible, and I fell in love with these adorable lids! They are great for holding straws and preventing huge spills- though they will still leak if tipped over and not caught in time. GreenPartyGoods has 3 different sets of mason jars with lids ranging from $4.50-$32.99 for value packs. I also love you can use the lids with tea light candles to get a design on your ceiling. GreenPartyGoods has a huge selection of paper straws with a variety of colors in the Chevron pattern, stripes, rainbow packs, and polka dots. The straws are biodegradable and made with food safe soy inks. They are the best, affordable plastic straw alternative for large groups. I do love our stainless steel and glass straws, but paper straws are only $3.50-$8 for packs of 144!  You can also use the straws for crafting, making cake banners, for cake pops, and other baking needs. The recycled owl napkins were a perfect touch to the party. I found the napkin holder in the $1 section at Target, so I got really excited when I saw the napkins. They are 3 ply recycled napkins with adorable 3Dish owls. They work great for beverages, kids, or to use as a small napkin. They are sold in sets of 20 for $4.95. I came across the “owl nests” on Pinterest and thought they would be perfect for our theme. I made them by melting chocolate chips, adding peanut butter, folding in chow mien noodles and letting harden in muffin tins. On Pinterest, they used jelly beans. When I saw the sugar owl toppers, I thought they would be even better. The 1.25″ sugar toppers come in packs of 120 and are great for cupcakes, cakes, or any other edible item you would like to decorate. They are made with regular sugar and no hfcs. The owl sugar toppers are $25.50.
GreenPartyGoods also has new flat sheet metal cookie cutters! They include 3-5″: Gnome, acorn, forest tree, fox, squirrel, and owl.  You can get the whole set for $17.99!

Be sure to check out GreenPartyGoods other woodland themed items like plates, washi tape, edible strips and more!

 Be sure to follow GreenPartyGoods on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter!
Sample Disclosure: The opinions expressed above are honest, accurate, and not encouraged anyway by monetary donations. A sample free of charge was received from said company, as stated within the editorial

I love that there is sustainable art and art for a cause. I fell in love with Children Inspire Design a couple of years ago and was really excited about their Global Compassion project last year. With every Global Compassion print sold, money was donated to 20 pregnant women and children of Kenya which was able to feed them for a month!

 Children Inspire Design uses recycled paper for creating all of their collages and the prints are then printed using recycled card stock and soy ink at a certified green print studio. Not only are the prints gorgeous, most have a positive message!

When planning the woodland party, I thought about Children Inspire Design’s Forest Collection and thought it would be super cute as decor. And then would end up in little man’s woodland room. When I was talking to Rebecca, the designer, I found out about her other line of printables for parties! She was gracious enough to send prints and printable files and they were the perfect finishing touches for the party. We were sent the Nature Collection 8X10 set, plus a Hedgehog print. The collection includes Owls, Turtles, Birds, and Trees. They look wonderful together or spread out in the same room. The whole set is currently on sale for only $60! You can also purchase each separately for $22. I was reading the Children Inspire Design blog and came across a post about DIY corkboard frames. I had some leftover IKEA cork placemats and thought they would be perfect for the project! I decided to use Washi Tape as a border since it doesn’t hurt paper and works really well. I think it makes the print really pop- especially when hanging in his room! You can find step by step instructions here or get creative and make your own frames with other materials! We were also sent the Children Inspire Design recycled garland. The garland is handmade using recycled paper (book pages) by women’s cooperatives in Mexico and Haiti to provide handmade, heartfelt decor for your child’s space.  The garland is 12 feet and can be used in nursery’s, play spaces, family areas and more. My daughter colored the natural garland to match our party decor. She used colored pencils, so it was a faint color. Colored garland is also available- $12 each strand.

The printables were a ton of fun for personalizing the party. The PDF kit comes with a happy birthday Banner, cupcake wrappers, party hats, gift bag copy, garland, invites, thank you notes, placemats, place cards, and a welcome sign. I am totally in love with the whimsical designs! The whole woodland birthday PDF kit is $15 and you print them yourself. I took the file to Staples and had them print on cardstock for the best results.

Place Cards

Cupcake Toppers

Gardland

Note card

Happy Birthday Banner

The printables were loads of fun. Even though I didn’t design them, I felt like I had a big part of the decor. From the printing to cutting and finding ways to display. We hung the banners from the twine and used washi tape to hold them together.

DISCOUNT: Get 20% off Children Inspire Design by entering BabyElanDaily20 at the checkout!

 Be sure to follow the Children Inspire Design blog for freebies, DIY, crafts and more! Also find them on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest. 

Sample Disclosure: The opinions expressed above are honest, accurate, and not encouraged anyway by monetary donations. A sample free of charge was received from said company, as stated within the editorial.

Coming up with lunch ideas for E has been difficult while trying to juggle work, home life, and an active little one. Luckily, Weelicious just came out with a new cookbook, Weelicious Lunches: Think Outside the Lunch Box with More Than 160 Happier Meals, and it is packed with great ideas for children of all ages! Weelicious teamed up with Stonyfield and all of the Yo-Getters got sent a copy for review.

We found out that E is lactose intolerant 2 months ago, which has added to our lunchbox woes. She’s had the signs for years, just no one picked up on it. Since she has been dairy free, we’ve noticed a huge difference! But on the downside, she hates not being able to have YoKids Yogurt and other childhood diary staples. I’m so thankful for Stonyfield’s Soy yogurt cups, so she doesn’t have to go 100% without yogurt.

The Weelicious Lunches Book has several yummy yogurt recipes that we’ve been able to substitute with the soy and E is loving it!

One of our favorite recipes has been the pb&j yogurt swirls. They are made with yogurt, peanut butter, and jam and you can add the mixture to bread or even tortilla shells to change things up. The Stonyfield’s Soy Yogurt has worked great, but you can also use Greek or regular yogurt. E has loved taking these to school or enjoying as an after school snack.

Another one of our favorites is the chocolate chip granola bars! One batch can last 2-3 school weeks which is a huge $ saver. They are super easy to make and I love the recipe can be altered to add different ingredients like nuts, dried berries, quinoa, rice crisps…

Weelicious Lunches contains 160 lunch recipes like:

• Chicken Satay Bites 
• PB&J Pancake Sandwiches 
• Pumpernickel Tuna Melt 
• Chicken Salad Roll Ups 
• Chopped Veggie Salad 
• Tomato Soup with Grilled Cheese Croutons 
• Carrot Hummus 
• Cinnamon Pita Chips 
• Chocolate Graham Crackers 
• Nature Cookies 
• Cinnamon Roll “Sushi” Sandwiches

They have everything for the pickiest of eaters and even for the more developed palates. Weelicious started as homemade babyfood resource and has grown over the past 6 years. You can find over 1,200 recipes at Weelicious.com with videos, pictures, and more. Check out the video below!

You can get Weelicious Lunches: Think Outside the Lunch Box with More Than 160 Happier Meals online for $13.95-$20.80.

*Disclosure – I received a complimentary copy of the Weelicious Lunches cookbook from Stonyfield, as part of their yo-getter program. I was not compensated for this post or for my time, and as always, all opinions are my very own.

“Reasons Mommy Drinks is a fresh, insightful, and hilarious collection of the various struggles faced by new parents—from mommy groups and single-people envy to the end of maternity leave—with a well-deserved cocktail recipe to go with each one. This must-have resource will help sleep-deprived new moms survive the baby years with their sense of humor, if not their lives as they once knew them, intact.”

The book is written from the perspective of a nursing mom, which I truly appreciate. There are quite a few mocktails (non-alcoholic) drinks listed with the recipes. My favorite page is the She Can’t Drink page with the accompanying drink a Eighteen-Year-Old Glenlivet, “If you are going to have only one drink, make it count.”

Parenting is hard and Reasons Mommy Drinks is a great comic relief for parents who need to know they aren’t alone. You can get a copy on Amazon for $2.51-$12.99.

About the AuthorsLYRANDA MARTIN EVANS is an award-winning advertising copywriter who is currently a Creative Director at one of Toronto’s top advertising agencies. She writes and performs sketch comedy, and her former life as a bartender informs the book’s delicious drink recipes. FIONA STEVENSON is an award-winning brand marketer who is frequently leveraged as an industry expert and corporate host. A former journalist, she is also a trained improviser, and sketch comedy writer and performer. TOGETHER, they are the creators of the popular blog Reasons Mommy Drinks. They both live and work in Toronto.

 As a member of From Left to Write, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.

Boba Family has a collection of award winning soft stretchy wraps, soft shell carriers, and on the go lightweight carriers. All of Boba’s carriers, with exception to the Air, are made out of 100% cotton, with organic cotton options. Boba’s are designed for all shapes and sizes and both mom and dad will enjoy wearing their baby. All of Boba’s carriers are designed for your baby to be facing forward since forward facing carriers place too much pressure on a baby’s pelvis and spine.  Their Wraps are free of buckles, straps, plus snaps- basically just a long piece of fabric that you can create your own carrier with. I was sent the Organic Boba Wrap to review and I wish I would have had this when little man was born! I love the stretchy feel of the wrap and how close it brings your baby to you. I have been intimidated by wraps (until now!) and thought trying to tie them in a parking lot would take too much time. Boy was I wrong! It takes maybe 30-45 seconds to get adjusted, which is about the same time it would take to get your baby into a stroller.

The stretchy wrap is perfect for lounging around the house and is very lightweight. It feels like a really soft tee shirt. It’s not too hot to wear, even in 90 degree weather. It is also great to wear on walks, shopping, out and about, to dinner, basically where ever you are going and bringing your baby with you! The wrap is made out of 95% cotton with 5% spandex for the stretch- with the organic cotton option. I love the added stretch since it isn’t too tight around your baby’s legs. The wrap also allows you to be able to breastfeed discreetly.
Little man is now almost 19 pounds. So if you do not tie the wrap tight enough, it will not work for his weight. I’ve had numerous babywearing pros tell me that a stretchy wrap isn’t advised for an older baby, but I’ve been able to perfect the tie of the wrap so it works just like a woven. TheBoba Wrap is safe for newborns all the way up to 35 pounds. Boba also gave 2 other tips for carrying a heavier baby in the wrap:

1. Make sure the fabric is spread all the way to the back of the baby’s knees. Covering baby’s bottom with the fabric is not enough. Your baby needs a seat. Imagine yourself sitting on a hammock. Would you want the fabric bunched up behind your hamstring or would you want it all the way to the back of where your knee bends. To really make a seat, your baby’s legs should be flexed and widespread. Like the babywearing expert from Canada says, your baby’s bottom and legs should look like the capital letter “M”. Bottom down and thighs at least parallel to the floor.

2. Baby’s bottom should be above your belly button. You’ve probably heard countless times that stretchy wraps are only good for the baby’s first several months. As long as the fabric is spread all the way to the back of your baby’s knee and your baby’s bottom is sitting above your belly button, it is tough for the baby to go anywhere. Wearing your baby higher is safer. *You can read the full article here and also see a picture of a 5 year old being worn (with no sagging) in a wrap!

Boba Wraps are available in 1 organic color– Khaki for $60, in gorgeous prints for $45, and in 7 color options for their classic Wrap for $38. 

Be sure to follow Boba on Facebook,Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram! 

Sample Disclosure: The opinions expressed above are honest, accurate, and not encouraged anyway by monetary donations. A sample free of charge was received from said company, as stated within the editorial.

A controlling mother, a missing daughter, and a family who is desperate for love. This post was inspired by the the psychological thriller Mother, Mother by Zoren Zailckas. 

This month’s bookclub hit pretty close to home. E was diagnosed several years ago with a high functioning autism spectrum disorder, PDD-NOS (pervasive development disorder). She has always leaned more on the Aspe side of things, so when I read one of the characters in the book was diagnosed with Aspergers, I knew I was going to somehow relate. I was just shocked at who I related to.

E started 1st grade this year and I’ve been a mess making sure things go smoothly for her. I had her retested over the summer so her new diagnosis (still the same) could help her teacher understand and help her. My biggest fear is for her to hate school and for her to give up. Or for her to get bored and begin making trouble. I worked with the school beforehand to make sure she was placed in the right classroom, and when I heard from several moms that her new teacher had a communication problem, my control issues set in.

I swore after last year I wasn’t going to sign up to be the room mom and I wasn’t going to overbook myself with volunteering. So, what do I do at the meet the teacher day- I signed up to be the room mom and a handful of class parties and such. As I walked out of the classroom I was yelling at myself for doing it, but I felt like I needed to be somewhat in control. I needed an insiders view to make sure things are running properly and E is getting the best education possible. I couldn’t let someone else handle it.

After 4 weeks of school, it’s taking every bit of me not to pull her from public school and to homeschool her myself. There is a serious lack of communication with her teacher and I have no idea what is missing from other things in the classroom. I’m trying to relinquish control, and after reading Mother, Mother I even more want to learn how to let go because I don’t want to end up hurting her in the long run. I know she needs the social piece to school and I have to keep reminding myself of that. She doesn’t need a controlling mom making her choices for her.

I think most parents have the best intentions and want the best for their kids. Not many mean to manipulate or control their children in a harmful way. I know I often don’t see my mistakes until way after. Life is hard without a disorder, I can only imagine what it must be like for E. I want to raise her to think for herself and to do things her way- not mine. I just wish letting go is as easy as it sounds!

Join From Left to Write on September 19 as we discuss Mother, Mother. As a member, I received a copy of the book for review purposes.