We lost the TV and found bowling dates, sleep, and a travel budget
While in college, we gave up TV in order to see more of each other. Seven years and two kids later, and we’re still without TV — and it’s enabled us to live more richly!
From a salsa jar conception to the hospital birth we wanted
Three months before the baby was due, my partner Patty and I took the birth class. I’m so glad we took the class together — the yoga teacher taught us a lot about exercises we could do during labor, breathing to help through the contractions, the benefits of avoiding interventions, and how a labor doula could really support our decisions to have the birth we wanted.
What can pregnant vegetarians eat to boost their iron levels?
I am about eighteen weeks pregnant, and I’ve had low iron since my iron was first checked at 12 weeks. The catch is, I really don’t like to eat meat, and it appears the very best sources — in terms of easy absorption — are meat, fish, and poultry. I just bought lentils, quinoa, kidney beans, and spinach, and I am going to dig up some recipes (and I know to combine them with vitamin C). I really wonder if this will suffice — or do I need meat?
Wedding decor-turned home-decor and a tent in a bright green and blue room in this week’s reader photos
Start your week with our collection of interesting articles on the web and photos from our readers. This week: a tent bed and a serendipitous score from a movie theater. In these Clicky Links you’ll find lots of sites to waste a little time on.
Click through, too, to find our links on submitting YOUR stuff to Offbeat Home!
I’m Human: a video from Alabama middle schoolers talking about what makes us different
The broadcasting team at Liberty Middle School in Madison, Alabama, is currently rocking my world. They put together this incredibly simple, yet incredibly powerful video called “I’m Human.” The video features students standing against a wall, each holding up a sign that tells you how they’re different. One is Christian, one is spoiled. Another is Mexican, and one girl has lost a friend — all of this in the first forty-eight seconds.
Let’s talk about making your own not-so-perfect crayons
Imagine my surprise when I come downstairs one night to find that my husband, who is so far Pinterest-free, has embarked on his own crayon-making adventure. He basically took all of our son’s broken and worn down crayons of similar shades, melted them, stuck them in the fridge, and VOILA: new crayons were born.
Tips for letting your sports fan freak flag fly… even with two babies in tow
Every family has different traditions. About four or five years ago we started the family tradition of going to a Toronto Marlies hockey game over the holidays. This year we took our four-month-old twins Molly and Jack to their first real hockey game. After an hour of preparation (one diaper per baby per hour, plus one extra, three extra sleepers, two teethers, three soothers, 32 ounces of food, Baby Tylenol, gripe water, plastic bags and wipes) we were on the subway heading to the Air Canada Centre.
Touring the country with your band… and your baby (part 2)
What we’ve learned is that traveling with a baby isn’t a whole lot different than a regular tour — you just have, well, a baby. You might stop a little more frequently, or you might not — at least no more than if you have a tiny-tanked bandmate. You still stop to stretch your legs or to get gas, and that’s when you pop on a fresh diaper and feed the little guy. You set out to explore a city, and you stuff the little fella in a sling or carrier, and off you go.