Arianna is a Family Sponge contributing writer and I just love everything that she writes, including this article about her journey as a car free family. My husband and I have been on a simple living journey for a few years now, and recently downsized to a one-vehicle family. We ride our bikes as much as possible [...]
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Birdsong : A literary gem
Written by contributor Rachelle Gilmore, who also happens to be an awesome friend. We LOVE the library. And I mean LOVE. As a mom of two kids we make a trip weekly. Sometimes twice a week. My son, 2 years-old, loves working out the puzzles and grabbing the basket of crayons to color (scribble) a [...]
POSTED BY ON September 12, 2012 | Comments { 5 }
Explaining September 11 to your kids with a book
Ozma Bryant shares how to talk to kids about the tragic 9/11 attack on September 11, 2001. Explaining September 11 to your kids is not always easy, but it gives you, as a parent, a chance to talk about this tragic moment and how it changed our world and the people who live in it. [...]
POSTED BY ON September 11, 2012 | Comments { 3 }
How to slow down and be present with your child
Guest post written by Michelle Long, M.A. of Bloom Retreat It seems as though the world around us is speeding up at an accelerated pace. We are rushing from appointment to appointment, taking our kids from one activity to the next, working multiple jobs, and trying to maintain a busy household. Our children are growing [...]
POSTED BY ON September 6, 2012 | Comments { 2 }
Calm Down Jar
When Melissa of Green Owl Art featured the calm down jar on Family Sponge last spring, I was in love. Not only do I love mason jars, but I love new ways to get my wild children under control. We do time outs and talk it outs, but they don’t always work. Nothing always works, [...]
POSTED BY ON September 4, 2012 | Comments { 0 }
Green living tips for the kitchen : Pots and pans
Written by Beth Strouse at Sunshine on the Inside Melanoma, Organic Apples and Cast Iron I’m not sure any single event can stimulate significant life changes more than a health scare. I personally found this to be true following a melanoma diagnosis earlier this year which motivated me to seriously analyze and improve my overall [...]
POSTED BY ON August 27, 2012 | Comments { 4 }
In her Shoes: When Hope is Taken Away
Guest post written by Arianna Carlson of For the Love of Motherhood From the time we are young we have hopes. We hope we’ll make friends at school. We hope the cute boy will ask us out. We hope to get into college. We hope we’ll get a good job. We hope we’ll fall in love, get [...]
POSTED BY ON August 21, 2012 | Comments { 10 }
Books and Cookies: Yes to literacy!
Unplugging the family is always high on my list. We got rid of our TV 8 years ago, but over the years our home has become filled with different kinds of screens. Say hello to the iPad, the iPhone and my 27-inch iMac. We are a tv-free family who is completely plugged in. So when [...]
POSTED BY ON August 7, 2012 | Comments { 1 }
Chudney Ross’ Favorite Children’s Books
Books and Cookies is a fantastic book store in Santa Monica that embraces early literacy to the fullest. Lined with favorite children’s books and fun new ones, this store is a gem. If you haven’t checked out our tour, you should do so. You might even find inspiration for a reading area in your own home (The teepee is [...]
POSTED BY ON August 7, 2012 | Comments { 0 }
“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken”
As a mom, I find myself trying to rediscover who I was during my pre-mommy days. All though there are pieces that remain, I find it challenging (okay depressing) to keep up with all of my interests while juggling motherhood. And then add in Pinterest, awesome mommy blogs like The Pioneer Woman, and glaring eyes [...]
POSTED BY ON August 3, 2012 | Comments { 2 }
The benefits of cloth diapers
Guest post by Wendie Hays of Simple Urban Living When I was pregnant with my first child, I did quite a bit of research on cloth diapers and decided to use them. Everyone thought I was crazy. I was told “That won’t last! You’ll switch to disposables.” Well, now I’m on the tail end of [...]
POSTED BY ON July 30, 2012 | Comments { 7 }
Can Shopping Save the World?
Family Sponge is full of world changers. Yes, you. It might be the small steps you are taking (like buying organic apples or reusing bags) or the bigger steps (like buying second-hand or ditching paper towels). Whatever stage you are in your world-changer journey, we love it and are excited to be on this journey [...]
POSTED BY ON July 24, 2012 | Comments { 3 }
Taking care of mom
“Remember to secure your own oxygen mask before assisting others with theirs.” That’s the safety protocol on any flight you take. Let’s face it, you aren’t much help in an emergency if you haven’t taken care of yourself first. The same thing applies to parenting. Sure you want your kids to eat healthy, sleep well [...]
POSTED BY ON July 5, 2012 | Comments { 7 }
Stability in Moving with Children
Guest post written by Arianna Carlson of For the Love of Motherhood Moving to me is like having a fresh start. It’s finding a new home, making new friends, embarking on an adventure. Whether you move around the block, several miles away, clear across the country or world, each move offers new opportunities. I grew up [...]
POSTED BY ON July 2, 2012 | Comments { 10 }
How to be more eco-friendly with a paperless kitchen
Have paper towels become your best friend in the kitchen? You usually use paper towels for just about everything – wiping up the counter, cleaning up pet mess, wiping your kids spaghetti sauce face, cleaning your bathroom mirrors. Have you noticed that paper towels are thin and you have to use a million of them [...]
POSTED BY ON June 28, 2012 | Comments { 6 }
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HOW TO BE SORTA-CRUNCHY•••
Join our simple living + world-changing journey!
1. Adopt a plant-based diet with green smoothies
2. Start using coconut oil (for almost everything)
3. Ditch the paper towels and use cloth napkins
4. Make Trash to Treasure Art Projects with your kids
5. Unplug the TV and reconnect with your family
6. Furnish your home with second-hand treasures
7. Be the change you wish to see
8. Teach your kids responsibility and effort with important work—chores.
9. Save the world we live in and bike around town
10. Upgrade your kitchen to eco-friendly pots and pans
1. Adopt a plant-based diet with green smoothies
2. Start using coconut oil (for almost everything)
3. Ditch the paper towels and use cloth napkins
4. Make Trash to Treasure Art Projects with your kids
5. Unplug the TV and reconnect with your family
6. Furnish your home with second-hand treasures
7. Be the change you wish to see
8. Teach your kids responsibility and effort with important work—chores.
9. Save the world we live in and bike around town
10. Upgrade your kitchen to eco-friendly pots and pans
