Tell the G8 to follow through

The Financial Times ran an article yesterday with a lead that could =
hardly be more alarming: “Leaders of the Group of Eight rich nations are =
set to backtrack on their landmark pledge at the Gleneagles summit in =
2005 to increase development aid to Africa to $25bn a year.”

It is astonishing that there is even debate within the G8 as to whether =
or not they should keep their promises. But the fact that there is a =
debate adds urgency to our call to the G8 to deliver on their =
commitments.

Tell the G8 to follow through on their promises, click below to sign our =
petition:
http://www.one.org/2008g8/o.pl?id=3D389-23978-3sH2D_x =
&t=3D2

Petition text:

We call upon you to build on recent success in fighting extreme poverty =
by delivering your commitments on healthcare, agriculture and education =
and by helping citizens in developing countries in their efforts to =
improve governance and fight corruption.

This potential reversal comes at a time when we are seeing results from =
investments in development. For example, thanks to distribution of bed =
nets and increased access to anti-malarial drugs, in Rwanda both deaths =
and cases of malaria have dropped by two-thirds since mid-2006.

As malaria still kills around one million people a year, it is clear =
that we must replicate success stories like this. But it won=E2=80=99t =
happen if the G8 backtrack on their commitments.

Please tell the G8 leaders that aid works and is desperately needed:
http://www.one.org/2008g8/o.pl?id=3D389-23978-3sH2D_x =
&t=3D3

Thank you for your voice,
Josh Peck, ONE.org

Mindful Mama

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE A MINDFUL MAMA?
Check out this exclusive interview with Ani Difranco!
http://mindfulmamamagazine.com/media/p/26.aspx

This interview kicks-off the Mindful Mama photo/art/essay contest, inviting moms across the country to speak their mind – and heart – about parenting in today’s world. Over $10,000 in baby gear and eco-friendly prizes will be awarded to top submissions.

Ani DiFranco is a pioneer of women’s music. Nominated for several Grammys, Ani owns her own record label – Righteous Babe Records-and now her own performance venue in her home State, New York. She was recently on NPR’s World Café, Jay Leno, and the cover of Mothering Magazine. Ani is a self-proclaimed feminist, participated in the march for women’s lives in Washington DC in 2004 and was the first musician to be honored with the “Woman of Courage Award” by the National Organization of Women in 2006. Ani’s daughter, Petah, is 18 months old and was born at home.

The grand prize winner of the Mindful Mama contest will be awarded an all expense paid trip to see Ani DiFranco perform in NYC. Two nights at the Westin New York at Times Square, spa package and babysitter included. The runner-up will win a Green Nursery, including stylish furniture, organic crib bedding, a natural crib mattress, non-toxic paint and window coverings.

Category winners will receive top-of-the-line gifts for mom, baby and home.

Prize sponsors of the contest include over 20 companies that are leading the way in health and sustainability for families: BabyBjorn, Baby Planet, Baby Star, Bebe au Lait, Be Present, Britax Bumkins, Ellie’s Homestore by Eco Products, Dansko, Evenflo, Green Nest, Happy Baby, Hunter Douglas, Kushies, Kuster, Lansinoh, Maggie’s Organics, Medela, Moby Wrap, Natracare, Natural Mat, New Chapter, Nordic Naturals, Pangea Organics, RW Knudsen Family, Scandanavian Child, Summer Infant, Traditional Medicinals and World of Good.

For more details on the contest visit www.mindfulmamamagazine.com.

Send submissions to editor@mindfulmamamagazine.com

Tea Time

I borrowed an idea from my dear friend Jenny and put juice in Lillian’s tea pot. I busted out a little box of animal crackers that I’ve been saving for a special time and taa daa!!! The tea party is our favorite thing to do again!

Now, does anyone think it’s weird that my kids can’t seem to keep their pants on? I’m trying to keep them clothed, really, I am. But every time they go potty their bottoms disappear! And why do they always sit with their legs under their butts? I’m amazed that Clayton isn’t doing it in this picture!

In other news, as some of you may know, I’ve been irritated by all of the things in my kitchen that are the color peach!  The countertops, the accent tiles in the backsplash and the accents in the floor tiles.  Well, I eliminated one!  I hand painted the accent tiles in the back splash!  Yay!  They are now black with a design that complements the panel over the range.  Let me know what you think!

Happy Thanksgiving!

In an attempt to have a low maintenence Thanksgiving at our house this year, we bought a small turkey (the same size as my sweet babies were when they were born!) and only picked “a few” of the side items to make! Ok, so why do I feel like I’ve cooked ALL day??? I tried to stretch it out so I wouldn’t feel paniced at the end, so maybe that has something to do with it?

Anyway, I did a salt brine on the turkey only for a few hours because I didn’t want to overdo it (especially for mom). Then I followed Alton Brown’s recipe, but I decided not to stuff the turkey. I made AB’s dressing and just cooked it with 2x the broth and in 2 pans in the oven. It turned out really yummy! I also made cherry jello and added cranberries to it. Then I turned the kitchen over to Andy to make mashed potatoes and gravy.

We sat down for dinner at around 5:30 and it sure was yummy!

I’m also proud to report that our Thanksgiving was almost entirely organic! I found some really great stuff at Costco, including the turkey! Costco always seems to have a great selection of organics and mostly their prices are a lot better than at the grocery store. I was a little sad at just how much this meal cost us, but I think if I go back to my partial organic method at the grocery store, we’ll do better and stay within our budget! Budget, smudget! Budgets are so hard this time of year!

Before the Turkey festivities got started in the kitchen, Lillian and I sat down to make some handprint turkeys! Poor Clayton was too sick and irritated to even put his hand on the paper! Lillian glued some really LONG legs on her turkey and then we wrote what we were thankful for.

Lillian is “thankful for leaves and trees and bushes and lady bugs and flowers and hearts and love and turkey and my mama and gran Jan and gran Gracie and horses and acorns and Clayton and daddy and gran Debbie.”

Janna is “thankful for my beautiful family, good food to eat, clean air to breathe and the mountains outside my window!”

Happy Thanksgiving!