Do you live Barefoot?

When Milena was a baby, some of our favorite books to check out from the library were the “Cleo the Cat” books, and our car rides were filled with the sounds of Putumayo CDs. It wasn’t until recently that I realized they (plus many of our other favorite books) were from the same publisher: Barefoot Books. I was even more excited to learn that Barefoot Books offers their readers a chance to become Barefoot Books Ambassadors, allowing me the chance to work from home while doing what I love: staying at home to raise my daughter while sharing these wonderful stories with my friends and neighbors!

Barefoot Books products are all about exploring our planet, other cultures, and ourselves. As an avid reader who’s mother to a 2 year old who already has an expansive library, I know how difficult it is to buy books for a book lover. Barefoot Books make great gifts, because they’re not available in most stores (although they’re so lovely, you may be tempted to keep them for your own family!).

As your local Barefoot Books Ambassador, I can help you find the perfect books for your kids or just the right collection of products to give as a gift. You can order online through my personal marketplace (KidsReadBarefootBooks.com). If you live in the Madison area, you can also order directly through me. I’m also available for home parties, fundraisers, and more! You can follow me on Facebook: Kids Read Barefoot or e-mail me for more information: kidsreadbarefootbooks@gmail.com.

Do you live Barefoot? I’d love to hear about your family’s favorite Barefoot Books products!

Mikayla’s Grace

Mikayla’s Grace is a local non-profit that supports families with a baby in the NICU and those who have experienced the death of an infant at Madison Area hospitals by providing NICU care packages and angel memory boxes that offer both practical and emotional support for the parents.

The organization was started by Mike and Melissa Terrill and was initially inspired by their second child Mikayla Grace who was born too soon at 24 weeks, and went to her Heavenly home after a short 36 hours with them on this earth. Their first donation was to St. Mary’s Hospital in where their daughter Mikayla was born. In memory of Mikayla’s first Heavenly birthday on June 24, 2011 they donated 12 Angel memory boxes, 20 NICU care packages, 66 books, and 28 gowns with matching booties and hats. They are currently working on our goal to donate another 20 angel memory boxes and 20 NICU care packages on October 7, 2011. Go here to see how you can help. You can also help support Mikayla’s Grace (and the families it helps) in other ways:

Mikayla’s Grace is hosting the first ever Forever in Our Hearts Remembrance Day in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month here in the Madison area on October 15th. This Remembrance Day is to honor families who have lost babies through pregnancy, stillbirth, or in early infancy. This event is being planned by local bereaved parents and our non-profit because October is the nationally recognized month of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness as proclaimed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. October 15th was then envisioned as a day for families and friends to come together to remember and honor babies who left this world too soon. You can read more about it on the website.

Mikayla’s Grace is also currently up for the Pepsi Refresh Project with the opportunity to win a $5000 grant. This grant would allow them to to donate a year supply of NICU care packages and Angel memory boxes to BOTH St. Mary’s and Meriter hospitals in Madison.

In order to win this grant, Mikayla’s Grace needs to get enough votes to be one of the top 20 projects in their category. Anyone can vote, for up to five different projects each day, from now until September 30th in three different ways. So each person could vote for the organization three ways each day.

People can vote three ways each day, at this link:
http://www.refresheverything.com/mikaylasgrace

1. By signing in with their Facebook login
2. By signing in with a Pepsi Refresh account (takes just a few minutes and they do not send spam mail)
3. Texting 108258 to Pepsi (73774) to vote from a mobile phone (Standard text rates apply).

You can also POWER VOTE by entering in codes from underneath the caps of Pepsi bottles or on the packages of multipacks.

Just Between Friends Local Consignment Event

Didn’t find what you were looking for at the fall Half-Pint Resale or Moms of Multiples sale? Well, get ready for the HUGE Just Between Friends/Dane County East Kids and Maternity Consignment Sale. The event is back at the Waunakee Village Center this fall.

The event kicks off with presales on Thursday, September 29. The public sales run on Friday, September 30 (9am-6pm), Saturday, October 1st, (9am-6pm, 25% off sale) and Sunday, October 2nd (9am-noon, 50% off sale). A special sales event for first-time parents, grandparents and foster parents is planned for Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 with door prizes including a new $250 stroller.

Just Between Friends/Dane County East is doing its part to help area families turn their unneeded items into cash. Consignors price their own items and tag them using a free, easy, online bar code system. They can earn 65% of the sales price, 70% if they volunteer.

The event brings together thousands of new and gently used children’s and maternity items and makes them available for other families to purchase at great prices. Families will find great deals clothing, costumes, baby equipment and furniture, DVDs, books, toys, bags and much more. This and other locally-owned and operated JBF events help thousands of families save money each year. In addition, many consignors chose to donate their unsold items to a local charity extending the benefits to families even further.

Come shop and save at the JBF Dane County East sale at the Waunakee Village Center (333 S. Madison St., Waunakee, WI). Contact us through JBFDCEast@gmail.com, on Facebook, danecountyeast.jbfsale.com or www.jbfsale.com.

Also, watch for their first ever Winter/Holiday event at the East Side Business Club in Madison from November 12-14.

MadisonMamas.com

There’s a new resource for Madison area parents! MadisonMamas.com is a website that lists hundreds of links for pregnancy, groups, classes, activities, fitness, services, dining and shopping. Features showcase local events, specials, books, project ideas, recipes, decor, new products and much more. You can also post questions and comments to other local parents on their Facebook page: Madison Mamas

I’ve already found the website extremely useful for finding new kid-friendly places to shop and eat in the area. The site is so well organized, it’s simple to find exactly what you’re looking for. And I love the “Features” section – it’s given me some great ideas! (and MadisonMamas.com was kind enough to feature RM blogger – and local Barefoot Books Ambassador – Kat yesterday! Thanks, ladies!)

Are You Ready for Some Resale?

Both the Moms of Multiples and Half-Pint Resale are this weekend!

The 8th Semi-Annual Half-Pint Resale is Friday Sept. 9 – Saturday Sept. 10 at the Goodman Community Center (149 Waubesa Street). Public sale runs Friday from 2 – 9 pm (volunteers and consigners get to shop in the morning) and again Saturday 9 am – 12 pm, followed by the Half-Price sale from 1 -5 pm.

For more information you can check out our recent blog post or visit the Half-Pint website.

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The Mothers of Multiples Fall/Winter Resale is Saturday, September 10th at Keva in Middleton. Shopping is open to the public from 10 am – 12:30 pm with a $2 entrance fee.

Shoppers should arrive 1-2 hours before the event to Check-in (the earlier you arrive, the closer you are to the front of the line).

“Imagine over 100 sellers all in one spot selling boys and girls clothing sizes 0-16, shoes, baby equipment, maternity clothes, nursing items, strollers, car seats, videos, books, toys and many other items that will fit into a baby’s or child’s world! You do not have to have twins or triplets to shop as many of the items are sold individually. Don’t miss this resale event! We sell only high quality, gently used items at a fraction of the retail price.”

Go here for more information regarding the sale, including rules and guidelines. (no children are allowed at this sale)

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And if this weekend isn’t enough, the Just Between Friends Fall Kids & Maternity Consignment Sale will be held at the end of this month! (more info on that next week)

Madison Parks – Big Rig Gig

Fire Engines … Dump Trucks … Front Loaders … Skid Steers … Tractors!

Do your kids get excited when they see a big dump truck rumbling by or police car flying down the street? Put your imagination in gear, grab your Bob the Builder hard hat – and head on down to Madison Parks’ newest event, the Big Rig Gig, on September 17 from 9 am -noon at the Goodman Pool Parking Lot (325 East Olin Avenue).

Kids of all ages can climb on, explore, and get up close with their favorite big rigs including a skid steer, snow plow, tractor, cherry picker, front loader, fire engine, dump truck, police car, construction trucks, and much more! Get a chance to meet the employees who drive and operate these vehicles.

Schedule
9 am – 9:45 am: No Horn Zone
9:45 am – Noon: Noise Zone

Event Details
Admission is FREE! Concessions will be available. Limited parking will be available at the Goodman Maintenance Facility located behind the Goodman Pool at 1402 Wingra Creek Parkway.

Pipers in the Prairie

Engage your senses and rejoice in the season at Pipers in the Prairie, the Aldo Leopold Nature Center’s spectacular fall fundraising gala, Saturday, September 17 from 4:30 – 8 pm.

This family friendly event offers a unique and unforgettable seasonal celebration unlike anything in Madison! he eveningg commences with harvesthors d’oeuvress, Irish dance demonstrations, nature activities for the kids, a silent auction and scotch tasting, as Celtic music enchants with its ethereal and enchanting melodies..

As twilight descends, guests will hear a faint beating of drums in the distance. As they assemble outside the beat grows louder and faster – then suddenly stops – silence! Anticipation rises as a lone piper is heard in the meadow – other bagpipers from the Madison Pipes and Drums and Celtic Brigade Pipe Band, in full regalia, join him as they march up the trails to serenade the guests and lead them to the bonfire wood. Suddenly the wood pile erupts into a magnificent bonfire and lights up the night sky with its brilliance, and the threat of old man winter is driven off for at least one more day.

Don’t miss this unforgettable evening of enchanting and unique entertainment featuring:

-Complimentary Wine, Beer and Non-Alcoholic Beverages

-Hearty Hors D’oeuvres & Decadent Desserts

-Tasting and Judging of Highland Libations

-Captivating Celtic Music by West Wind

–Nature-Themed Silent Auction / online & onsite (bidding now open! See below.)

-Nature Activities for Children

-Prairie Drama by the Green Man

-Irish Dance by Cashel Dennehy

-Pipers in the Prairie & Drummers on the Drumlin

-Spectacular Festival Fire and more!

Registration:
608-221-0404×3
Registration Form

Fee:

Adult/$75
Child (5-17)/$25
Toddler/free

* All proceeds directly benefit children’s programming at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center.

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The Pipers in the Prairie Auction is now open for bidding. There are tons of exciting, one-of-a-kind packages to choose from, featuring art, tickets, collectibles, sporting goods, gardening tools, gift certificates and more from over 100 local businesses and artists!

The auction is open now until noon on Sunday, September 18. There are still dozens of packages that haven’t been bid on, and they’re adding new packages weekly, so bid today to get great deals on exclusive packages and support our children’s educational programs here at the Aldo Leopold Nature Center.

Bidding is easy too! Just click here and you’ll be directed to the auction site. If you have questions, feel free to e-mail devcomm@naturenet.com or 608-216-9374.

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The Aldo Leopold Nature Center is located at 330 Femrite Drive, Monona.

Madison Public Library Fall Kidspages

The Fall 2011 issue of Library Kidspages is now available. Grab a paper copy at any Madison Public Library location or print it off from the web site. The Fall 2011 Library Kidspages lists all of the events from September 1 through December 31 for children ages 0-12 at the Madison Public Library. Copies in Spanish are also available here.

Want to receive notices of upcoming programs by age? Sign up for the email newsletters – Library Kids, Books for Five Year Olds, Booked for Teens, and others.

Pinterest

Do you know about Pinterest? It’s basically an online bulletin board with unlimited space and unlimited “pins” – a fantastic way to bookmark your favorite sites – and I LOVE it!! (and am ever so slightly addicted to it.) I think it’s something every parent should check out!

I only joined a few weeks ago, but have already found so many great activities and craft ideas for Milena. Cornstarch driveway paint has become a weekly “must” at our house:

I can’t wait for fall to arrive so I can make this labyrinth out of leaves:

I’m excited to have Milena make this hand print Christmas tree to hang in our home:

And these “kissing hands” are such a great way to remember your kiddos’ first day of school each year!

I’ve also found quite a few great ideas for myself and our home as well.

You need an invite to join Pinterest. I have a few, and will gladly e-mail them to the first few people who comment (please include your e-mail address). And I’m sure other RM mamas and readers will help out the rest of you!

And once you join, you can follow my boards here.

Wonder Bugs – Aldo Leopold Nature Center

This summer we signed Milena up for the Wonder Bugs preschool program at Aldo Leopold Nature Center. This week was her second-to-last class (we learned all about ants!). We have had so much fun learning and exploring!

“Introduce your toddler or pre-school aged child to a safe and wonderful natural world. This program is specifically designed for children ages 2-5 (before entering kindergarten). Each week, we’ll explore a different seasonal topic through hikes, outdoor exploration, music, puppetry, songs, stories and more.”

Going into this summer camp, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Very few places have classes for 2 and 3 year olds, so I was really excited about the opportunity, but nervous about what the classes would be like. I was pleasantly surprised at just how wonderful they are!

Every week focuses on a different topic (parents are able to sign their children up for one class or multiple classes). Each begins with a discussion about the topic: for example, in our “Antsy Pantsy” class about ants today, we first looked at large toy ants to see the different parts, legs, etc. We talked about what ants eat and where they live. Our teacher, Miss Nicky, always does a great job keeping the kids’ attention and encouraging them to participate and shout out answers (right or wrong). Milena LOVES Miss Nicky!

All sessions involve some time outside where the kids can attempt to see the insect/plant/etc outside in its natural habitat. Each session also involves a snack and sometimes a craft, which often tie into that week’s topic.

Wonder Bugs Objectives:
1. to provide an opportunity for parents to interact with their child in a natural setting
2. to foster a sense of wonder for the natural world
3. to foster admiration and respect for the land

We LOVE Wonder Bugs, and we’re excited about the fall program sessions coming up. Aldo Leopold Nature Center also offers Wonder Bugs Family Days September 24, October 22 & November 19 from 9:30 -10:45 am, which take place on Saturdays (perfect for working parents!) – though they often repeat the topic covered during the week, so be sure to check before signing your child up for both!

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Go here for information about the fall Wonder Bugs program sessions.

For more information about the Aldo Leopold Nature Center and its other events and programs, go here.

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The Aldo Leopold Nature Center is located at 300 Femrite Drive in Monona. (608) 221-0404