Sunday, December 29, 2013

NEW to TTH: Accessory Edition

At TTH, we're not content to just stay with "the usual" when it comes to our stock. New products become available and we receive feedback from our customers on what they'd like to see us carry. We're okay with stepping outside of our box to bring the people what they want! This edition of  what's new to TTH is all about accessories.


The first accessory is one of the more, uh...personal nature. A new trend in the area of women's personal care is The Lunette Cup. This is one of the products you suggested...and we delivered! Save money in the long run AND help the environment by no longer throwing away pads and tampons. Another win-win in the world of living green. Not only do we stock the cups, but also the Lunette Feelbetter Liquid Wash and the Lunette Cupwipes. We're a one-stop shop for this area of personal care - and don't forget about our Knickernappies Menstrual Pads for those who prefer going that route.

Now moving on to some accessories that you won't want to keep hidden...oh man, have you checked out these beauties yet? These are knotted statement necklaces that will provide your teething babe with something safe to chew on while still being a gorgeous accessory for you! Who says being a mom has to be drab? Not us! [Side note: These are great even if you don't have a nursing wee one. In fact, Andi picked one up for herself earlier this summer and she is W-A-Y past the nursing stage!]


You can also go from drab to FAB with one of these beautiful Zolowear Pleated Breathable Mesh Slings. Perfect for any season, the 100% polyester mesh dries quickly and is very breathable. Available in Midnight Eclipse and Summer Solstice, these have become a sought-after carrier for many moms and their sweet babe. Comfort for baby and style for mama? Talk about a win-win!! It is a must for your winter vacation or for heading to the pool.



Advocacy bracelets are now in our TTH shop as well! Choose from 3 different phrases (Keep Calm and Use Cloth, Breastfeeding is Bestfeeding and I Love Cloth Diapers) and wear your mantras on your arm!


We haven't forgotten about the kidlets; they need fun accessories too! That's why we now carry the Pookie Toquie - perfect for those cooler fall temperatures. Available in pink and red, these hats are not only super sweet - but versatile! Get this...The unique design can be worn in countless styles, including The Executive, the Donald Trump Comb-Over, and the Princess Leia. Wondering how? Check out the YouTube video for the how-to...and for a good giggle!

Check out these items - and many more - on our website, or set up a time to drop by our shop to see these items in person. There's something for everyone!

Friday, December 27, 2013

Boxing Week at Tiny TreeHugger

Happy Chanukah
Happy Holidays
Merry Christmas
Good Tidings to You
& Happy BOXING Week! 
[& for next week - Happy NEW Year!!]

We are celebrating the end of a fabulous year and would LOVE for you to join us.



Our FREESHIP code is at a NEW surprise lower rate until December 31st, compared to the $150 and $99 thresholds before! Enter it upon checkout to see if your order applies!



Visit our shop.
Visit us on Facebook
or our private group.
Visit us on Instagram @tinytreehugger
Visit us on Twitter @tiny_treehugger
Visit us on Vine @PamTinyTreeHugger

We have TONNES in store for 2014 so be sure you are connected with us!







P.S. My FAVE product I pulled off the shelf this week - is the NEW Delish Naturals Sea Salt Scrub. Perfect addition to the hot bath & book & quiet "me" time after the kids are in bed [& maybe a glass of wine too!]...

Monday, July 22, 2013

AppleCheeks Winging It Tshirts

Who's ready for these?? 
  Please limit your order to TWO t-shirts per order per household.
Fill your cart with more than $50 worth of AppleCheeks products and your order ships FREE!
Just select "local pickup" upon checkout.
Not valid on previous or pending orders, nor detergent and heavy/bulky items.

www.tinytreehuggerdiapers.com

Friday, July 5, 2013

Kids and Failure

I don't know about your kids, but mine aren't good with failure.

They both take piano lessons [taught by yours truly], and boy oh boy - if they don't get something right the first time, it's crisis-time. I don't know how many times I have had to give them mini-lectures...er, I mean pep-talks about how you need to put effort in to get success. If you got it all right the first time, there would be no point in having lessons, etc, etc...

Same thing with when we play games together. They are getting better at this, but sometimes when they don't win it can cause a bit of a scene. We never played games with them "letting" them win; we wanted them to get used to the fact that sometimes they will lose...and that's okay.

As adults we still struggle with this, so it's understandable that it happens in kids too!

But how do we make them realize that failing doesn't have to be negative? That failing is okay.

I came across a blog post that talked about exactly this. You can read the post here if you want it in its entirety [and you should!] but here's a quote from the post that I wanted to share with you:

"If you raise your kids to make the connections between practice and failing and learning, you set them up powerfully for a lifetime."

Nobody succeeds all the time; everybody fails. But it's what you do with those failures that makes all the difference.  The post goes on to say:

"The easiest path to empowerment is to choose an attitude that is powerful in the face of everything life brings. And one of the most important places to have a great attitude is with failing. Give your kids a framework they can work with their entire lives!"

What is YOUR attitude when it comes to failure in your own life? Remember that your children are always watching...and how you react to these kinds of situations may end up playing out with how your children react in similar situations. Are you setting the example that failure is okay?

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My name is Andrea (Andi) and I have the privilege of working part-time alongside Pam to help her with "a little of this and a little of that" as she strives to bring superb customer service to all of you through her Tiny TreeHugger business.

I am a 34-year-old mostly stay-at-home mother of two girls (aged 7 and 9) and have been happily married for almost 12 years. I am a Pepsi-loving, game-playing, guitar-learning, Nutella-craving girl [among many other things that make me ME]. I cloth-diapered my girls when they were babies and enjoyed the cost savings as well as the feeling of
helping the environment - one cloth diaper at a time.

Thanks for checking in and I'll see you again both on this blog and on Facebook!

Wednesday, July 3, 2013

NEW and RESTOCKED: sleeping & teething

Ahhh...sleeping & teething. Two things that can cause the biggest headaches for Mamas with little ones. Well, we're here to help in both of those areas!


Tiny TreeHugger is happy to reveal some brand-new products that we now offer in our shop, beginning with Lulujo Baby Swaddle Blankets.  Their dual-layer muslin is finely woven from 100% cotton and come in a large size (48"x48") which allow for multiple uses. Use these blankets for swaddling, nursing, as a crib blanket or even a portable crib sheet! The light-weight material also helps your baby from becoming over-heated.





While we're on the subject of sleeping, check out the ErgoPouch Natural and Organic Sleeping Bag which we now carry.
The natural fibres [bamboo and organic cotton] absorb and wick away moisture, keeping baby warm but not sweaty. Stretch inserts in the top and side panels allow freedom of movement and reduce the risk of entanglement, while a two-way zipper gives easy access for diaper changes. Easy to use, easy to wash, and great for sensitive skin, these sleeping bags should go on your wish list!


As for the teething aspect -  well, we've got you covered there too! Not only do we of course regularly stock various sizes and colors of amber and hazelwood, but we also recently got a brand new stock of these adorable must-have jChews teethers! 100% BPA free silicone teethers that babies really want to sink their teeth into! Choose from the milk-chocolate chocolate bar or one of the bright, funky colors of either the skateboard or the smart phone.





And last - but certainly not least - is a restocked item that is a good aid for both sleeping AND teething. Yes, I'm talking about the oh-so-popular Wubbanub Pacifiers! We are stocked up with all sorts of friendly animals just waiting to become your baby's friend. My [Andi's] personal fave is the giraffe, but you should really check out the variety of other options too - they're all so cute!



Any of these items would be great for your own little ones OR they also make great gift ideas! Head on over to our website to get more information on these and many other products that we carry.

Monday, May 13, 2013

Honouring Mothers: Jenni's Story

I have struggled with the pain of endometriosis since puberty. All my female relatives on both sides of the family had lost their uterus by 30. Due to such a high genetic probability of complications my sister and I were both put on birth control pills at 14 in the hopes it would slow down its advancement. We were told if we wanted to have children to have them early.

Time flew by. I married my husband at 28 in 2010 but was waiting for a permanent teaching contract before trying for a family. No contract was insight when I had my period for the entire month of February 2011.  My doctor told me I could try for a baby or she was going to go in and "scrape" the endometriosis lesions. If there was too much she would have to take my uterus.

So instead we tried for a baby. I was terrified it would take forever. My cousins tried for years but it only took us 3 months to get pregnant. I had a wonderful typical pregnancy.

Jan. 31, 2012, two days before Beanie's due date, contractions started at 3 am. It was mostly back labour. At 10 am, contractions were 5-7 mins apart and we made our way to the hospital. We stayed for several hours, walking the halls, however, I wasn't dilating so they sent me home. Several times over the next couple of days, we would go back to the hospital, 50 mins away from home, and be sent back because I wasn't dilating. Friday night, Feb. 3rd, we went back and I refused to leave. The OB on call, "accidently on purpose" broke my water and I finally started to dilate. Despite my original natural birth plan, they gave me an epidural and morphine, which allowed me to get some rest for the first time in 4 days.

Feb. 4th, Saturday morning at 8:30am I started pushing. After 2 1/2 hours of pushing, Beanie was good and stuck because she compacted, meaning her arm was above her head, and posterior. They had a specialist come in and try to turn her. He got her half way. The specialist and the OB started arguing about what to do. The specialist wanted to do an emergency C-section but the OB wanted to try forceps. The specialist was, "No, this girl has been labouring for too long, the baby is too stuck, we will lose them." The OB was all, "No, she can do it." The compromise was trial by forceps in the OR. They began to prep me for surgery and I was all, "Can I still push?" and they team was all, "Go for it."

As I was about to get wheeled to the ER, the nurse noticed, "This baby is coming!"

At 11:56 am, with a full room of people, doctors, student doctors, nurses, the neonatal team, I managed to get her out. They whisked her away because she was 1 on the scale and they had to recussitate her.They didn't even tell me if she was a boy or a girl. It was very traumatizing. After what felt like forever, she finally cried and they laid her on my chest. She was severely cone headed, black and blue and required physio for her compacted arm but she was beautiful.

I love her so much. I am internally grateful for her, even if I was in labour for 5 days.

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Wow, Jenni - what a story! Thanks for sending that in as an entry to win a $20 gift certificate to our shop. Thank you to the rest of you who also participated. Entries were accepted until 11:59pm last night...stay tuned for the winner!

Friday, May 10, 2013

Honouring Mothers: Jane's Story

Like other stories on your blog, my husband and I have also struggled with infertility, went through all the tests and were referred to Heartland.  We endured the wait to be seen, the wait to do the tests, the wait to go through the procedures and meanwhile my biological clock was going tick, tick, tick.  

Not only were we dealing with the fertility drugs and tests, I was trying other things like acupuncture, herbal teas, yoga, physiotherapy, all in hopes of trying to boost our fertility.  After a long discussion with my husband when he pointed out that I was going a little insane, I realized I was taking on the full responsibility of our future family.  This was very stressful to say the least which probably contributed even more to the problem.

Around the same time, we attended an information evening at Adoption Options Manitoba and learned about private domestic adoption.  It took us a month or two to sort it all out in our heads and hearts, but we decided that this was an option we wanted to look at.  I think it was meant to be because in just over a year, we brought home our son when he was 3 days old.  He is now two years old and the love of our lives.

I find Mother’s Day to be full of very mixed emotions which have only become more complicated since we adopted.  I remember all those years of trying to bury the pain on Mother’s day.  I’ve identified with the pain of all of those who are desperate to be able to celebrate the day.  I have the joy of finally being able to celebrate as a mother.  But I also have seen the pain that is felt by mothers who have made the hardest decision any mother can make – to place their child in other peoples’ hands because it is best for the child.  They are the mothers who probably have the hardest time dealing with Mother’s Day because they have made the ultimate sacrifice for their child by putting the child’s needs ahead of their own, which is ultimately the true definition of a mother.  

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Thank you for that, Jane...it was our first story of adoption - beautiful! Thanks for entering to win a $20 gift certificate to our shop. As for the rest of you - get your story in...contest ends May 12th at 11:59pm! Click here for all of the details. Everyone has a story to tell...we'd love to hear yours!

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Honouring Mothers: Krista's Story

 I was with a great guy who I thought I was in love with. I would spend the night, we would cuddle. I thought we were growing close. We had said our "I love yous" early on in our relationship.  Than one day he stopped answering my texts/phone calls. He told me he was done and did not want to date me anymore.
So with heartbreak I moved on. I thought this would be the last time I saw him. Boy was I wrong!

A week after we broke up I bought a pregnancy test and sat on the toilet and watched the two although faint pink lines show up. I didn't know what to do. I called my best friend and he came over and helped me through it all. 
 
I was still in college, sharing a house with a bunch of people, I was in no position to bring a child into the world. 

First thing I did was call my ex and tell him I was pregnant. I was told to abort that he didn't want this baby. 
I cried and cried. I believe in a woman's choice but I could not choose abortion. I was born to be a mother. I had dreamed of this very moment most of my life. I chose to keep the baby and deal with whatever came my way. I was in the last year of college. I could do this. I looked down at my belly that day and promised this peanut I would focus on him/her.
   
I eventually heard from my ex who said when the baby was here he wanted a blood test. He didn't believe it was his. I was a mess when he said that. It destroyed me. I had at the moment loved him. How could he say such a thing? So it was clear reconciliation was not going to happen. 
 
I brushed myself off and said I could do it by myself. One way or another. I will wait to find the love I had been searching for. Little did I know that one the guys who was moving in to the house would change my life forever. He was tall, handsome and extremely intelligent. We found ourselves talking about politics and hanging out. Than Halloween night in 2008 we decided to date.
 
I burst out in tears, preparing for him to toss me aside. Who would want to date someone who was 3 months pregnant with another mans baby?! He assured me that he didn't care. We continued to date. I told him in all honesty and. sincerity that if he could not handle it that I would understand. I did. I would understand if he needed to walk away. So we enjoyed our time together even as my belly grew.  Through the mood swings and other not very sexy pregnancy symptoms he was beside me.
   
I kept my distance and a shield over my heart until one night. It was after he returned from a trip to see his parents in Alberta, we lived in Ontario. We cuddled and he told me that he had a talk with his parents. In the end his father asked him if other than me being pregnant if I was perfect for him. He said yes and when I heard that I was able to let go of my apprehension and we continued our journey together.
   
We had our bumps (and I clearly had mine) and finally the day came when it was time to deliver. He brought me to the hospital,  stood by my side. Laughed at my silliness while hopped up on pain killers. My son was born at 10:30am. I looked over at my boyfriend and tears were rolling down his face. I fell even more in love with his man. Even as he held my son.

Little did I know that my son and him would become inseparable and have such an amazing relationship. Calling him daddy too. My son has an evolving relationship with his biological father but this is special.
 
Two years later we welcomed a beautiful baby girl. Who is a perfect addition to our family. Our children are the surprising results of my decision to keep my son. I was scared that day, sad and full of questions. Today I have the answers to the questions I had been trying to figure out that day.
  
I am a stay at home mom,  my husband works and I have the joy of watching them grow everyday and I help shape them as people. I would not change a thing. Indeed every Mother's Day I remember those two pink lines and the fear I had and appreciate it even more.
  
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Thank you for sharing your story, Krista! And you too have now been entered to win a $20 gift certificate to our shop. As for the rest of you - there's still time! Click here for all of the details. Everyone has a story to tell...we'd love to hear yours!

 

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Honouring Mothers: Angela's Story

I never wanted to be a mother.  At least that's what I told myself and my boyfriend when I was eighteen.  I mean, who would want kids right?  They're messy, loud and so needy. As an eighteen year old, I was interested in only a few things: myself (what 18 year old isn't superficial?), my friends and the bar.  Kids would not fit into this.  Lucky for me, my boyfriend agreed that we wouldn't have children.

Fast forward ten years.  We were now married (on our 10th year anniversary), but children were still not a topic of conversation in our relationship.  That is until my niece was born. I can't exactly describe the feeling I had when I first met her, but I knew when I looked at her little face, I wanted one of my own.

Now remember, my husband didn't want any children and now his wife (who he assumed was on the same page as him) was asking for a child.  It took two years to finally convince him to start having a family of our own.  Great!  So I should just go off birth control and poof!  I'll be pregnant right?  Not even close.  Month after month, I would stare at a minus sign on those pregnancy sticks.  I would look at it for a long time thinking I must have done something wrong in order for it to be a negative sign.  I thought, "Did I pee on it long enough?  Maybe if I tilt it downwards, it'd show a positive sign." Still nothing.

After one year of trying, we decided that we needed help, so a referral to the Heartland Fertility Clinic was made.  The wait times were very long so we needed to wait another five more months to get in to see a doctor.  I was stressed, but we kept trying for our baby. After trying for five more months, I was still seeing negative signs...... Until December 20, 2009- one day before our appointment with the Heartland Fertility Clinic.  We were overjoyed!  The doctor at Heartland was quite impressed that his 'job was done' and closed our file.  Nine months later, we welcomed our beautiful baby girl.

We agreed that we would only have one child.  However, two years and four months after our daughter's arrival, we welcomed her brother into the world.  He was a complete surprise to us (we'll save his story for another day) and he made our family complete.

My house is often messy (the dishes can always wait), it is VERY loud (I think we all love to hear ourselves talk) and my children are constantly asking for help with something.  And I would not want it any other way.  I am so very happy with my family and I am blessed to be a mother!

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Thank you for sharing your story, Angela! As a thank you, you have qualified to be entered to win a $20 gift certificate to our shop. As for the rest of you - you can enter too! Click here for all of the details. We hope to have our inbox [info@tinytreehuggerdiapers.com] flooded with entries - everyone has a story to tell...we'd love to hear yours!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Happy Birthday to AppleCheeks and qualify to WIN

April is AppleCheeks birthday month and they turned FIVE this year. We are proud to be one of their longest standing Manitoba retailers, as we have been carrying them since we started just four years ago.


Aren't these ladies fun!

You're going to PEE yourself with this giveaway!!

It is our BIGGEST AppleCheeks giveaway EVER.

Drum roll pleeeeease...








For every $20 spent on AppleCheeks products between April 15th and 30th you get 1 entry to WIN a Microterry Starter Kit!

This includes:
3 AppleCheeks Envelope Covers
9 Microfleece Inserts [you can also pay the difference to get bamboo instead]
1 Zippered Storage Sac
1 Set of Bamboo Wipes
Retail value - $124.50

That's not ALL! After we draw the winner of the starter kit, we will draw another name to enter to win 1 of 2 FULL TIME BOTH SIZE Kits [retail value - $850] from AppleCheeks!

So what are you waiting for? Click here for our full lineup of AppleCheeks Cloth Diapers and accessories. Don't see what you are looking for in stock? It could be on the way! Contact us to see.



Thursday, April 11, 2013

Honouring Mothers: Lindsey's Story


I had always wanted to be a young mother. Being an only child, I also wanted to have LOTS of kids, at least four, preferably 6. My husband and I got married just before we turned 20, and we started trying for a baby when we were 22. The plan was perfect, go to Europe for 3 months, come back pregnant!

Before we even left for Europe things weren't right. After I stopped birth control, things just didn't return to normal. I went to the doctor several times and he advised me to wait it out. And wait we did, for an entire year. At this point I got fed up with waiting and demanded he do something about. Little did I know how much more waiting I would have to do. I got referred to a OB/GYN, had an ultrasound. They saw something funky so I got scheduled for an MRI. Everything was normal, except for a few cysts on my ovaries. I got referred to another OB/GYN who was more knowledgeable with infertility. She diagnosed me with PCOS. I tried charting, and several medications before I got referred to Heartland fertility clinic, because nothing was working. Heartland is the only fertility clinic in Manitoba, so the wait times are very long, even just to get that first appointment. Through Heartland I tried more medication and had surgery. I was now 26 and nothing had worked thus far. We finally got to sign up for our first fertility treatment, an IUI. In January 2012 I injected myself with medication and had the procedure done. In October 2012 my miracle baby boy was born, exactly 5 years after we began trying.

Infertility was a very hard road to travel. It seemed never ending. It seemed hopeless. It was filled with questions. It was filled with hurt. It seemed like everyone was getting pregnant around me with the greatest of ease. Every new pregnancy announcement was another stab in the heart. I cried A LOT.

But here I stand on the other side of infertility, and I can truly say it was all worth it. Every step in this journey lead me to my precious Tallet Reid. Being his mother is the greatest blessing in the world and I would go through all the waiting and all the hurt for him a hundred times over. It has made me a better mother. It has made me a better person.

I am thankful that I had to travel that road. It has helped me to relate to MANY other women who are struggling as I have. I think my story can give hope to those who are still in the 'waiting' period of their lives. Yes I know the waiting is long, but there is hope. There is always hope!

Lindsey

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Thank you for sharing your story, Lindsey. Very touching! Besides opening up about her experience, Lindsey has also qualified to be entered to win a $20 gift certificate to our shop. You can enter too! Click here for all of the details. We hope to have our inbox [info@tinytreehuggerdiapers.com] flooded with entries - everyone has a story to tell...we'd love to hear yours!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

honoring mothers: what's YOUR story?

Chances are, the majority of you reading this are mothers.

Either mothers of grown children [maybe even having grandchildren already!] or mothers of young children or somewhere in between. Maybe you're a first-time expectant mother or you are a hopeful expectant mother. Perhaps you're even a mother waiting for your precious adopted child to be brought home.

Or maybe you're a mother at heart, still longing for your dream of a child to come true, wondering if it will ever become a reality. Maybe you suffered through a miscarriage [or two] but at one point did have life growing inside of you. Maybe you even gave birth to a child only to lose him/her in the days, weeks, months or even years that followed.

Whatever category you're in, you are a mother. A mother in action, a mother in waiting, a mother in spirit. And all of those roles are important; they all tell a story.

A couple of weeks ago I watched the movie "What to Expect When You're Expecting" [with Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez] and I was impressed with the various situations that they covered in that movie. From planned pregnancies to surprise pregnancies. From adoption to fertility treatments. From easy pregnancies to really difficult pregnancies. From miscarriages to a story of multiples.

It got me thinking that every mother has their own unique story of how things came to be. There is no ONE way to become a mother. A mother with a houseful of children running around is no more of a mother than the woman who is longing for her belly to swell with child. A mother with a child who does not share her blood is no less of a mother than the woman who biologically birthed her brood. A mother can be someone with her arms full...or her arms empty.


So, what's YOUR story? With Mother's Day coming up we thought it would be interesting to honour mothers by hearing some of the different ways you have become a mother [or are hoping to]. Do you have the story of the happy and busy Mom running her home with children underfoot? Do you have a story of someone who tried for months, or even years, to get pregnant before finally getting their miracle child(ren)? Do you have a story of adoption? Are you parents of twins - or even triplets? Would you be willing to share your story of miscarriage? Some stories are definitely more difficult to tell than others. And while we don't love the fact that there are heart-breaking stories out there, we want to honor those mothers too by allowing them to tell their story. And to give the chance for healing - either for the one telling the story, or for someone else who will be reading the story.

Your story can be about your journey leading up to pregnancy [or adoption]...or it can be about your labour & delivery experience. It can be about the pain of a miscarriage or the trials of fertility treatments. It can even be about those first few weeks and months at home after baby was born.

You can email your stories to info@tinytreehuggerdiapers.com with "MOTHERHOOD BLOG POST" in the subject line and we will choose a few to feature every week on the blog from now until Mother's Day. Posts will be published at our discretion. Every post sent to us [even those not published] will be entered into a draw for a $20 gift certificate to our shop. You can choose to use this gift certificate to splurge on yourself [which of course would be well deserved!] or you can choose to bless another mother with it.

**By emailing us your stories [and pictures] you are authorizing us to use them in full or in part either during this Mother's Day feature or sometime in the future.** 

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

I'm a believer! [healing amber review]

After Christmas, I came down with a n-a-s-t-y cold/flu and from that stemmed an infection with my growing-in wisdom tooth - apparently things like that can happen when your resistance is lowered [who knew?]. At first I tried wearing my new amber bracelet that I got as a gift, but it wasn't long before I took it off in defeat and resorted to Advil...after Advil...after Advil [until finally going to the dentist and getting antibiotics to fight the infection]. And I was just hoping that Pam wouldn't ask me to write up a review on this popular item in her shop. Ha ha, great review huh? Don't worry...keeping reading!

Well, last week the pain from that barely-poking-through wisdom tooth started up again and I figured I'd give the healing amber another shot. After all, the pain wasn't nearly to the extent as it was the first time when even my beloved Advil could barely touch it. Maybe this would be helpful this second time around when the pain was at a more "normal" and tolerable level.

Pam strongly suggested that I keep the bracelet on ALL THE TIME for full effect, so I've done just that this week. It went on my wrist Monday morning and hasn't come off since, not for a single second.

And guess what?

It's working! Now, a lot of you who already have these bracelets/necklaces probably aren't surprised to read that. But those of you who maybe haven't tried these before might be a bit more on the skeptical side. Let me assure you - I was one of those people until this week. I mean, they're beautiful accessories, but aside from that I didn't think that they could really be that beneficial.

But I was wrong.

Towards the end of Monday [the first day wearing it], I was really wanting to take some Advil but I was determined to stick it out and allow time for the amber to "do it's thing." And it didn't take long. Three days in and I haven't had a desire to take any form of medication since that first day. Oh, the pain in the tooth isn't 100% gone - it may take the removal of said tooth for that to become a reality - but now it's nothing more than a faint [and somewhat annoying] reminder that I have a tooth coming in.

So yes...I am a believer in healing amber! Are you?

Healing amber bracelets and necklaces are available in adult and baby sizes and can help with teething pain, headaches and other things like growing pains in young children.

[Did you know that you can do a review of our products too? If you have an item from our shop that you have tried - and loved - we'd be happy to hear from you! We'd love to feature your review right here on this blog if you are willing to share! Email us at pamj at tinytreehuggerdiapers.com]

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My name is Andrea (Andi) and I have the privilege of working part-time alongside Pam to help her with "a little of this and a little of that" as she strives to bring superb customer service to all of you through her Tiny TreeHugger business.

I am a 34-year-old mostly stay-at-home mother of two girls (aged 7 and 9) and have been happily married for 11 years. I am a Pepsi-loving, game-playing, guitar-learning, Nutella-craving girl [among many other things that make me ME]. I cloth-diapered my girls when they were babies and enjoyed the cost savings as well as the feeling of helping the environment - one cloth diaper at a time.

Thanks for checking in and I'll see you again both on this blog and on Facebook!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

NEW from Boba Baby Carriers!

Introducing the NEW Boba Wrap print - Stardust!
The simple design, free of buckles, straps or buttons makes it perfectly comfortable for both you and your baby, simply tie the material snug against your body and achieve a perfect fit every time.

Also the BobaAir in Blue. 
BobaAir is the lightest, sportiest baby carrier out there and we hope that this first-of-its-kind addition to your baby carrier collection will make that freedom together you have with your family even more effortless (and help spread the benefits of babywearing, too

Available and ready to ship or pickup today!


See the remainder of our Boba products by clicking here!

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

For the love [or hate] of laundry!

"You know it's laundry day when ________________."

If this statement looks familiar it's because Pam posted it on the Tiny TreeHugger Facebook page the other day.

I have to admit, I was surprised at the number of people who replied by saying that every day was laundry day in their house.

I have always wanted to commit to doing a load of laundry every day, keeping up with the piles rather than only trying to conquer them when they are over-flowing...and overwhelming.

But alas, laundry is the bane of my existence [even though I no longer have babies in cloth diapers to add to the loads] and it just hasn't happened yet. Everytime I look at Mount Laundry, however, I'm reminded of how good of an idea a laundry schedule actually  is! I know once I would get into the routine of it, I'm sure it would be smooth sailing. But getting started - that's the kicker!

I receive subscribed emails on a daily basis with home organizing tips [that I admit, I hardly ever actually read - and NEVER follow through on], but this one about laundry caught my attention a bit more. And I'm actually considering putting it into practice...shocking, I know!

I like how realistic this article is - which you can read here or by clicking on the photo above. It talks about 4 questions you need to ask yourself before getting started:

Question 1: How Many Loads Of Laundry Are You Responsible For In A Week?

Question 2: How Often Do You Have The Opportunity To Wash Laundry?

Question 3: What Types Of Things Need To Be Washed, And How Often?

Question 4: Do You Like Or Hate Doing Laundry?

I like all of these questions - especially the last one - as it makes you look at things realistically. There is no right or wrong way to do laundry; you have to find what works for you and your household. For example, if you hate laundry you need to decide what is the better option for you: To get it done in small doses so it doesn't seem so much at once? Or to do it all on one day to get it over with so you're not thinking of it every single day?

So how do YOU do your laundry? Daily - like several people suggested on Facebook - or do you put it off as long as possible [like me - *insert sheepish grin here*] and then get buried underneath the seemingly insurmountable task? If you are thinking of starting up a laundry schedule, I encourage you to check out this article in its entirely. It even comes with a free printable!

(And while we're on the subject of laundry - did you know that Tiny TreeHugger has many laundry products? See, we're so much more than just diapers! From Laundry Tarts Stain Removing Sticks to Rockin' Green Laundry Detergent to Baby Bear Wool Dryer Balls [no need for fabric softener or dryer sheets with these!] - we've got your laundry needs covered from start to finish!)

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My name is Andrea (Andi) and I have the privilege of working part-time alongside Pam to help her with "a little of this and a little of that" as she strives to bring superb customer service to all of you through her Tiny TreeHugger business.

I am a 34-year-old mostly stay-at-home mother of two girls (aged 7 and 9) and have been happily married for 11 years. I am a Pepsi-loving, game-playing, guitar-learning, Nutella-craving girl [among many other things that make me ME]. I cloth-diapered my girls when they were babies and enjoyed the cost savings as well as the feeling of helping the environment - one cloth diaper at a time.

Thanks for checking in and I'll see you again both on this blog and on Facebook!

 

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

All About the Love: Valentine's Promo!

Valentine's Day is coming up and since we're all about the love over here at Tiny TreeHugger, we want to show our appreciation of your support by having a give-away! Up for grabs is this beautiful amber necklace...times two! Yes, that's right - there will be TWO lucky winners this time. Keep it for yourself or give it away as a gift - it's up to you!

Follow the instructions below to get maximum entries and good luck!!

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

ps: A separate contest will be run on Instagram coming soon! 

Monday, January 14, 2013

A Tough Subject - Bullying 101

As a parent, I worry about bullying. I worry about my girls being the victim of bullying...and I also worry about the possibility of them being the bully.

As much as we all want to believe that "my child would never do that" - it's that kind of ignorance that fuels this bullying epidemic.

Did you know that "one in seven Canadian children between the ages of 11 and 16 have been bullied"? (statistic taken from here) Or that "one out of 4 youth are bullied, one out of 5 youth are the bully and 282,000 high school students are attacked each month across the country"? (taken from here).

So if nobody thinks their children are bullies...then where is this all coming from? The sad truth is that bullying happens every day. Far more than what we probably think. And likely by kids who we wouldn't have thought would do it. Those statistics I quoted above are frightening enough - but here are some diagrams (source: here) that clearly show that bullying is already in full swing in Grade 1 already!

Percentage of students who reported being victimized in the past two months.

Percentage of students who reported bullying others in the past two months.

Percentage of students who reported both being victimized and bullying other students in the past two months.

And if that isn't enough, how about these statistics (source: here)?
  • 25% of children in grades 4 to 6 have been bullied
  • Bullying occurs once every 7 minutes on the playground and once every 25 minutes in the classroom
  • In majority of cases, bullying stops within 10 seconds when peers intervene, or do not support the bullying behaviour
  • Adults who were bullied as children are more likely to suffer from depression in adulthood.
  • Between 10% and 15% of high school students are victims.
  • 11% of secondary students bully other youngsters at least once a year.
  • 31% of students say they would participate in the bullying of a young dislikes.

So what exactly constitutes as bullying? According to this site, punching, shoving, teasing, spreading bad rumours, keeping certain people out of a group, getting certain people to "gang-up" on others are all forms of bullying. And here is a chart (taken from the same site) that shows which forms of bullying are the most common.

I don't even want to look up the statistics of young children who take their own lives as a result of being bullied. I can hardly stomach the statistics that I have already posted.

So how can we stop this epidemic? How can we make sure that our children are not the bullies? We can work on saving the environment one cloth diaper at a time - but what about working on saving our children too?

Like the stats above show, bullying begins at a very early age. But as my girls continue to get older [they are 7 and 9 now], I worry even more about the "tween" years. And with the age of technology being where it's at, the fear of Cyberbullying is just one more added element to worry about.

We need to all take it upon ourselves to teach our children that any form of bullying is wrong. And to teach them how to stand up against bullying that they might witness at school or elsewhere. Whether it's because someone doesn't have the latest trends in clothes, they have braces, don't fit "the mold", are overweight, don't listen to the "cool" music, are too smart, are not athletic enough, have freckles or acne, don't smoke or drink, or are gay. None of that should make a difference on how someone is treated.

And not only do we need to take it upon ourselves to teach our children that...we need to live by that standard as well. Kids are a sponge and they watch our every move and listen to every conversation even when we don't think that they are. If they hear us gossiping about someone, or whispering about someone's fashion sense that might be different than ours, or see us staring at someone overweight...they will pick up on that and are that much more likely to adopt those habits as well.

It all begins at home. Our example. And we need to put down the shield of ignorance that we cling to that it couldn't possibly be our children who are doing this. We need to keep our eyes and ears open to what is happening around us.

It could save lives.

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My name is Andrea (Andi) and I have the privilege of working part-time alongside Pam to help her with "a little of this and a little of that" as she strives to bring superb customer service to all of you through her Tiny TreeHugger business.

I am a 33-year-old mostly stay-at-home mother of two girls (aged 6 and 8) and have been happily married for almost 11 years. I am a Pepsi-loving, game-playing, guitar-learning, Nutella-craving girl [among many other things that make me ME]. I cloth-diapered my girls when they were babies and enjoyed the cost savings as well as the feeling of helping the environment - one cloth diaper at a time.


Thanks for checking in and I'll see you again both on this blog and on Facebook!