By Ariel Celebrating the Cozy to Stave Off the Winter Blues Though hygge is a defining characteristic of the Danish people, the term originates from a Norwegian word that means “well-being.” Just like the concept of well-being, hygge is nuanced, complex, and hard to define. It has been described as “the art of creating intimacy,” “coziness of the soul,” “like a hug without touching” or – my personal favorite – “cocoa by candlelight.” Hygge is a sense of safety, created through your physical, emotional, and social environment. It is experienced with all five senses – touch, taste, sight, smell and hearing. To the Danes hygge is both a noun and a verb. “Would you like to come over tonight and hygge?” Its derivative, “hyggelige” is both an adjective and an adverb. “That lamp is so hyggelige!” But to me, hygge is permission to celebrate winter – as best I can.
As someone who didn’t grow up in Denmark – or has even been to Denmark for that matter – hygge has become deeply personal. Winter is exceptionally trying for me. I suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). This means that, I am especially sensitive to changes in light. As soon as the days start diminishing, I start experiencing symptoms of depression. I feel hopeless or worthless. I lose interest in activities I usually enjoy. I feel sluggish and agitated. I am depressed. Some people call it “winter blues,” but don’t let the whimsical name fool you, when people experience SAD there is nothing whimsical about it.
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By Brianna
Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon
When Monkey first started pulling up on furniture and learning to walk, we didn’t have much furniture for her to explore along. I wanted to encourage her to keep learning to walk, but I knew the walkers of my childhood were discouraged by childhood development professionals. The old walkers are now considered dangerous, and possibly even discourage walking. But Monkey was starting to push around empty diaper boxes, and was pulling up on everything she could find. So I did my research, and found a number of great toys for a little one to push around. We ended up buying the one I thought would have the most utility past this finite stage of Monkey’s development.
Enter, the Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon. This beautifully designed wagon, based on the Radio Flyer wagons we all know and love, is perfect for beginning walkers. There’s a bar, just within reach, for a little one to grab and pull themselves up on. The wheels offer a little resistance, so that the wagon doesn’t roll away while baby is trying to stand up. Monkey had a blast pushing her wagon around and loading it up with her favorite toys (and the dog’s toys, for that matter). There’s even a bumper on the front, to protect both the wagon and your furniture and walls.
By Brianna
How to Talk So Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7, by Adele Farber and Elaine Mazlish
Summary:
In October 1980, Adele Faber and Elaine Mazlish published How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk. It became a bestseller in the world of parenting books, and has stayed relevant in the ensuing decades with various updates. In January 2017, Faber’s daughter, Joanna Faber, wrote a more specific version of this classic guide with her friend, Julie King. Joanna and Julie both grew up with their parents using the principles in the original How to Talk, but found they were still sometimes stumped when it came to the very young children in their lives. After many workshops, they wrote How to Talk so Little Kids Will Listen: A Survival Guide to Life with Children Ages 2-7. This book takes the principles and tools from Faber and Mazlish’s original, and focuses with laser intensity on the specific issues that come up with children between two and seven, with many real life examples of the teachings in action.
By Ariel
My daughter is an artist, and pen on wall is her medium of choice. If she is asking me for something, it is usually for a pen. “Give me pen?” she plaintively asks. Ten minutes later I am staring at a wall in need of a good magic eraser-ing. Even when I strapped her into her high chair! She somehow used her toddler voodoo and scooched over to the wall, because it was obviously in desperate need of sprucing up. Thanks Bean. I have been on the hunt for creative activities that 1) don’t involve too much damage to property and 2) aren’t susceptible to little chompers. The Bean is not actively teething at the moment, but still feels the needs to chew on everything. One of many options that I came up with was a magnetic drawing board. I remember loving mine as a kid! Plus a magnetic drawing board is easily mobile. This is a huge plus for our family; we seem to constantly be returning from or packing for our next road trip.
By Ariel
I embarked on the parenthood journey full of ideals and goals. But with a husband that works abroad half the year, some things simply were not doable when relying on me, myself, and I to get it all done. The WeeSprout Double Zipper Reusable Food Pouch was one item that made my to-do list a little less daunting. The WeeSprout Double Zipper Reusable Food Pouch has a wide opening that makes filling a cinch – no funnel necessary. The pouches are safe to freeze, which makes batch cooking a possibility. Plus, with both a writing space and see-through window, you can conveniently see the date-produced or content at a glance. The pouches’ double-zip closure seals completely. I still place the pouches in a zip-lock before placing them in the diaper bag because I am overly cautious, but time and time again the pouches prove this is an unnecessary additional step. Not one leak!
By Ariel
Duck & Goose Find a Pumpkin
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AuthorsAriel and Brianna are friends who met while working in a library. Now they collaborate to develop life-enhancing book club experiences. Archives
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