Tiny Oranges – Fresh, fun blog for OC moms

This great find was sent to me by a fellow mommy blogger named Julie.  I think this is the CUTEST idea!  Here is what she writes..

“You know those nostalgic moments when you go in the basement of your parent’s house, dust off the old photo albums, flip through the 2×4″ sepia pictures, and smile at each one, trying to remember where you were and when it was? Our children realize how lucky they are to have digital cameras today. I can take six of the same photographs of my daughter. She smiles in half and of the half, her eyes were open in only one. So that’s the one I print! The one in my old photo album? The only one my mother took: Not smiling, eyes closed. And I don’t have a clue how old I was. I guess 6 months. My mother tells me I was more like 1. Ugh…

So imagine my delight when I found Picky Sticky: round stickers, 4″ in diameter, that announce ages (0-12 months; 1-12 years), celebratory months, and even count progress of pregnancy by the week. Picky Sticky comes in girl-friendly and boy-friendly.

How it works: Step 1) Get baby;   Step 2) Put baby in onesie (white works best);   Step 3) Put said sticker on said onesie;   Step 4) Take picture (or 6, if you’re like me). VOILA!

This is my daughter, Hailey, sporting Month 3’s sticker.

I actually did get some of her smiling, but I think she looks like a little doll here (Ahh, she melts me).

Pros: Different colors; Different Styles; Easy to use; No sewing, tape (or anything else crazy!) required; Comes on easily/comes off easily

Cons: What cons? (No, I don’t work for them…!)

So for less than $20.00, you can record your child’s milestones through a photograph (or yours if you’re pregnant!). What better way to truly capture a moment. LOVE THESE.”

Visit Julie’s blog, Farber Family Adventures, for more product reviews, giveaways, and to see her Hailey’s version of the old dusty sepia colored photo album!!

This is an awesome find by a local mom!   She writes…

“I’m a breastfeeding mom to a 10 week old and just started the Stroller Strides workout.   It’s a great way to get out and get active again and take my baby with me!  So, I’m sure I’m not alone feeling a bit of pain in the chest area when I started working out again 6 weeks postpartum.  That stretched out jog bra from BEFORE I was pregnant just doesn’t quite cut it anymore!  Plus, during my maternity leave, I’m finding I’m in my workout clothes for a good part of the day.  I always have good intentions that I’ll get out for that walk soon!  My Stroller Strides instructor recommended the Fiona bra by Moving Comfort.  I found it at Roadrunner Sports in Laguna Hills or many online retailers. It’s a bit on the pricey side, but WELL worth it!  The velcro straps come down easily and also adjust if you need a bit more or less support.  It think it will be great even when not breastfeeding for this reason. It also comes in sizes up to DD/E, which is hard to find in a jog bra.  So, happy pain-free running to new mommies!!”

Hey mamas!  Have a tip to share?  Want to be a guest blogger?  Email me at jennifer@tinyoranges.com  and let me know!

Since the holidays are right around the corner, Jenny of the fabulous Jenner Rose Photography wrote me a guest blog on the importance of a holiday picture!  She is offering an amazing mini holiday session deal right now – details below. Here is what she writes:

The importance of the Holiday picture

“Ok I admit it.  I am a picture junkie.  If there was a twelve step program for this sort of thing I probably should have taken it a long time ago.  I guess it is only fitting that I ended up as a photographer.

December is a time for a lot of good things, but for me the best part happens to be the collections of pictures I get in the mail.  I get giddy every time I hear that magical little mail truck leave my house.  I run out grab the newest stack of holiday cards and rip them open as fast as I can like a little kid on Christmas morning.  When I open a Holiday card and there isn’t a picture I’m still like the kid on Christmas morning who is expecting that exciting, awesome toy but instead it turns out to be a shirt..

Most of us have facebook pages and e-mail accounts and now get tons of picture updates year round, but we never print them out.  I know some people think, ”I just posted pictures.  Why should I send one out?”  My answer to that is:  tradition.  I love the old fashion feeling of hanging all the pictures up in my house during the month of December (sometimes longer, for the ones I really like).  In today’s technical world sometimes it’s just nice to go back to the way things use to be.

So please, please, please….before you seal that envelope make sure there is a picture in there.  It doesn’t even have to be done by a professional (but it doesn’t hurt ).  I just want to see you, your kids, and even your dog, smiling back at me…  year after year after year. “

Jenny still has a limited amount of spots available for her  holiday mini sessions (but they are going quick – so book as soon as possible!)  The session is $100 and includes an online gallery and CD of 10 – 15 images.   For a full description of what this mini session includes, click HERE.  Make sure to visit her blog and check out her fabulous work!

For information on her packages all year round contact Jenny at jenny@jennerrose.com or 949.306.1087.

www.jennerrose.com

This guest blog was sent to me by a first time mommy to a little boy.  I checked out the website and listened to some samples. So cool!   Here is what she writes:

“I’ve started to notice my 10 week old little guy seems easily distracted when I breastfeed in front of the TV or talk on the phone (pardon me!).  He seems very soothed by music – it almost puts him in a trance.  So, I went looking for some lullaby music that’s better than the annoying tunes we’ve been repeating in his infant swing.  I discovered Rockabye Baby on iTunes and it’s amazing!!!  Rockabye Baby puts together lullabye versions of your favorite rock bands.  Everything from The Beatles, Bob Marley, No Doubt and U2.  I purchased the Radiohead (my husband’s favorite band) and U2 albums and put them on our iPod.  I’ve set up the iHome docking station and clock in the nursery which has a sleep timer on it also.  It’s a great little routine we started and I think he really responds to the soothing tunes.  Plus, the experience is great for me too hearing our favorite tunes during our middle of the night feedings!”

Hey mamas,  want to be a guest blogger?  Got something you want to share?  Email me at jennifer@tinyoranges.com.  Include your mailing address and I will send you a $5 Starbucks card as a thank you!

When I got the title of this guest blog I just couldn’t resist!   Just typing the can-can line made me smile!  Sarah is a mommy of 3 little ones and  wrote a guest blog on the virtues of canning.   She writes…

 “Have you noticed how inexpensive apples are lately?  Fall fruit is getting ready to go into full swing!  Why not preserve this fall’s bounty with a little project at home?  Canning and freezing fall fruit is an easy way to teach your children about eating in season and allows your family to eat seasonally (and inexpensively) year round.  My five-year old knows that we when we run out of my canned applesauce, we don’t have more because it’s not apple season.  She will be the first one out into the orchard this fall.

If you are up for canning, I recommend the website PickYourOwn.org.  This gives detailed information about the tools you need, the ratios of fruit to jars, and basically everything you need to know about canning.  You could also pick up the Ball Blue Book of Preserving from any of your favorite booksellers.  These resources will have you canning like a pro in no time.  I buy organically grown pears from my CSA for around 80 cents a pound, can them in the lightest syrup possible, and end up with a nutritious product that is also a great deal.  We pick apples from a local orchard and I buy bushels of seconds, meant for baking.  I put my crock pot to use and make batches of applesauce; our family favorite recipe involves a little brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice.  The main challenge is having enough to can and to eat.If you are more the freezer friendly type, you can easily preserve this fall’s bounty.  The best way, in my opinion, to freeze apples is in cobbler or crisp filling portions.  Prepare the fruit the way your favorite cobbler or crisp recipe recommends and then freeze in gallon bags, flattening out to remove all air bubbles and make for easy storage in your freezer.   Usually, when I am making one cobbler, I cut enough fruit for two and freeze one set.  It saves time and money.

Have fun preserving the best fruits the fall has to offer!”

P.S. Thanks Sarah for the great idea!  I had friends that were looking into going to Julian to pick apples.  Click here to see  the list of orchards.   What a fun family activity…