What I am Working on...and Some Sea Pets

A few weeks ago I discovered the craft of needle felting. On my first attempt I sat and made a little gnome family, complete with dad, mom, baby, and toddler. I haven't had much time to foster this new craft, but was able to get out my materials last week and make a new addition to the family. I decided to make an older daughter, then decided to make her pregnant and with dread locks...just for fun! I thought she made the family complete and am now ready to move onto creating some other fun images using this newly discovered craft!

On the knitting front, I am still plugging away on my shawl, but have started a new project that I am really excited about! My oldest daughter picked out some beautiful yarn by Plain and Fancy at the Estes Park Wool Market. We got out my favorite knitting book, Barefoot Knits, a few weeks ago and she picked out a skirt that she wanted me to knit for her with the yarn. The Spiral Skirt has been very fun to knit so far and I hope to get it done before the end of summer!

Lastly, I wanted to talk about these great new Sea Pets we just got. I couldn't resist these cute little toys and knew my kids would just adore them. There is not much to them, which I like, and the kids can really use their imaginations and also just have a new pet to care for. The wrist garlands with attached sea creatures and ribbons are great for any age. My kids have been wearing them for 2 days and enjoy running around with them, putting them in a sea made of play silks, feeding them, and even sleeping with them. I am a big fan of the simple and nice looking toys, and these Sea Pets are exactly that!

Enjoy

~~HMM

Honest Scrap Award

Yesterday, I was awarded the Honest Scrap Award from a dear friend, Heather of Shivaya Naturals. It was something I needed yesterday...a little confirmation that there are people out there who care about what I have to say. I enjoy writing my blog and hope that it brings some sort of inspiration and fun to my readers.

So, thanks Heather....now what is the Honest Scrap Award? I am to write 10 honest things about myself, then pass this award onto other bloggers who I find brilliant. Sounds easy enough, but wow, 10 honest things....I'll do my best :)

Here we go...

1. I was born in Canada and some times wonder if that is where I should be living.

2. I always wanted 2 sons...but of course love love love having 2 daughters!

3. I went to 4 Colleges before settling on one in Durango Colorado and graduating with a degree in Sociology.

4. I got married in between 2 trees, lakeside, wearing a $30 sundress and Birkenstocks.

5. I long to have dreadlocks one day...not sure this will ever happen.

6. I am ready to get another tattoo and am trying to narrow down exactly what I want.

7. I love hosting get togethers at my house.

8. I am ready to move back to a small mountain town and simplify my life.

9. I love meeting new people and making new friends.

10. I have lived in many many different places in my life, including, Toronto, Halifax, Winnepeg, Denver, Durango, Bayfield, Summit County, Greeley, San Antonio, Lubbock, Loveland....

I would love to pass this award onto the some amazing women who's blogs I thoroughly enjoy reading on a daily basis! Thanks ladies for all you do :)

Waldorf Mama

Mountain Pulse

Darcys Knotting Knitter

Chubbas 'n Boop

Enjoy

~~HMM

Simple Joys This Summer

We have had some amazing weekends so far this summer. We have spent our time camping, hiking, visiting with family, going on picnics, and just enjoying time with friends. These have been great experiences, but I started thinking about how much fun the kids are also having during the week. I have been so busy that I haven't really planned much for the kids. Despite this, they have managed to come up with great simple ways to have a lot of fun. I love seeing the excitement in their eyes when they discover a rolly polly home, get into the dress up box, or take a trip to the pool. Kids really enjoy the simple things in life and this is a real lesson we can learn from them!

Some simple fun this summer:

Eating carrots straight from the garden

Creating stronger bonds with their friends

Playing with their cousins

Water balloon fights

Bug watching

Dog sitting

Learning to ride a bike

Trips to the neighborhood pool

Playing in the backyard blow up pool.

Hope you are enjoying the simple things this summer!

~~HMM

Happy Independence Day

We enjoyed a nice Independence Day at home with friends...just how we like it. Lots of food, drinks, fireworks, swimming, good conversation, and fun! Here's hoping you enjoyed your holiday weekend as well!

Feature Friday: Doll Cloth Diapers and Slings

My kids are used to slings and cloth diapers, because it is something that is so common in our household. So, when they play with their baby dolls, they naturally assume they will wear cloth diapers and be carried in some kind of baby carriers. We used to fashion play silks into baby carriers and diapers, which worked OK until we found something that worked much better!

Little Monkey Pouches is a company run by a homeschooling mom of 4! She makes slings, skirts, burp cloths and more! After ordering some doll cloth diapers and doll slings and seeing how much my kids love them, I decided to add them to the shop. The kids absolutely love carrying their babies around in slings designed to fit their little bodies. And the cloth diapers are so wonderful, because they can use and reuse them as much as they want without them getting ruined.

For the month of July, Hip Mountain Mama is offering all our doll slings and doll diapers at 20% off. We would love it, if more kids out there got a chance to start practicing cloth diapering and baby wearing at an early age. Let's send the message, that this is normal so when they become parents they will know exactly what to do!

Happy cloth diapering and baby wearing,

~~HMM

Not Yo Mama's Grilled Cheese

When I first saw this recipe, in Vegetarian Planet, I have to admit I cringed a little. Apples, onions, and cheese just didn't seem to go together very well. But, the more I read through the recipe, the more intrigued I became. So I gave it a shot and it turned into one of our favorite family dinners. It is quick and easy to make and perfect when paired with a green salad, cole slaw, or even a fruit salad. Even though we love this little sandwich, it is still something I don't make very often. It is so good, that I feel like it is best served on a special occasion or just every once in a while.



If you are now intrigued about this recipe, please try it and let me know what you think! Here it is:

Green Apple and Brie Sandwiches with Quick Onion Chutney

Vegetarian Planet by Didi Emmons

2 tbls olive oil

2 1/2 cups sliced onions

2 tbls brown sugar

1 tbls balsamic vinegar

1 granny smith apple sliced very thin

4 large slices bread

3-4 ounces Brie cheese sliced thin

1. Make the chutney: In a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, heat 1 tbls of the olive oil, and add the onions. Saute them for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Then stir in the brown sugar and the balsamic vinegar. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions turn deep brown, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, and let the chutney cool.

2. Spoon the chutney onto 2 pieces of bread, and layer apple slices on top. Layer the slices of Brie on top of the apple. Top each sandwich with the remaining pieces of bread.

3. Heat the remaining 1 tbls of olive oil in a large skillet or on a griddle over med. heat ( I used my George Forman Grill). Place the sandwiches in the skillet or on the griddle. Place a skillet or a sandwich press on top of the sandwiches to weigh them down. Pan-fry them until they are golden brown on one side, about 3 minutes, then turn them over, and turn the heat to low. Lightly cook the sandwiches on the other side. Take the sandwiches off the heat once the cheese has melted. Cut in half and serve immediately.

Happy eating!

~~HMM

Vedauwoo, Wyoming Camping Trip

One of our favorite things to do during the summer months is to go camping. Summer seems to go by very fast with all the visitors, vacations, and music festivals that we enjoy going to, so fitting in camping trips can be tricky. At the end of May we sat down with the calender and selected the few weekends that we were free and vowed to spend these weekends camping. We headed down to the Sand Dunes earlier in the season, and this past weekend we decided to head up north to a beautiful spot in Wyoming.

Vedauwoo, Wyoming is an amazing area in the Medicine Bow National Forest and if you are a climber, this is the place for you. Huge rocks surround the camp area and there are many places to explore for the experienced climber to the curious 2 year old.

We found a campsite that was perfect for our 3 families with 6 kids. With a 5 year old and a 2 year old, we have had to change our ideas of camping. Before kids we used to set up camp anywhere and be happy with it. These days we make sure to be in a camp ground, in a safe camp site, and with friends (the kids are much happier if they get to camp with their friends).

The 6 kids had such an amazing time and will have memories of the discoveries they made and fun they had. There was a dance party on a large rock, many trip out to "Rattlesnake Rock" to find tiny animal bones, long hikes, and playing in streams.

As for the adults, we enjoyed the long hikes and playing in streams as well. We also really enjoyed sitting around the campfire until late at night, laughing, learning about each other, and ending the trip better friends then when started.

Camping trips are always very special to me. The memories they make and the bonding experience with friends is something I hold very dear. I'm not sure we will make it out again this year, but hopefully we can sneak in another trip at the end of the summer! I hope you are enjoying your summer so far and have a lot of fun to come!

Enjoy

~~HMM

Namaste Hermosa and Mini Clutch

At Hip Mountain Mama, we are just crazy about Namaste and their products. We are very lucky that every time they come out with a new product, we are one of the first to see them in person. The latest and greatest bag that Namaste has come out with is the Hermosa. This is the largest of all the Namaste Bags and, in my opinion, the best all around bag they have come up with. If you are looking for a great knitting bag, this is it! It's got everything from a rear document pocket to a water bottle pocket. The Hermosa is an excellent knitting bag, but also makes for a great craft bag, travel bag, or a stylish diaper bag. We have these in stock now in all 5 gorgeous colors, including a very striking black!

The Namaste Clutch has been around for a long time and we all love it! There was a lot of discussion around the water cooler that Namaste should come out with a smaller clutch, so everyone was thrilled when the New Mini Clutch made it's appearance! This clutch is just so perfect and cute as a button. With a detachable shoulder strap, it's got everything you need for a night out on the town or an evening at your local knitting circle. Hip Mountain Mama also has these in stock now for immediate delivery in all 5 colors, including black!

If you are a Namaste fan, then these are must haves! If you are new to the Namaste world, then this is a great place to start!

Namaste

~~HMM

Feature Friday: Blue Avocado Reusable Bags

Taking your own bags to the grocery store is a standard these days. I no longer get funny looks when I hand my reusable bags to the grocery store clerk, in fact, you might get a funny look if you don't bring your own bags. There is even a store in our town that doesn't provide plastic or paper bags anymore, you must bring your own.

So, now the problem is which bags to use and reuse? I have used a lot over the past few years and have been happy with most of the bags I have found, mostly the ones you get at the grocery store for $.99 or even free during special promotions. These bags have been great, but after a year of heavy duty use, they are starting to wear down.

A few months ago I discovered Blue Avocado bags and fell in love! If you are dedicated to bringing your own bags, these are the bags for you. Blue Avocado bags are made from recycled material, are very sturdy and durable, and are the cutest bags I have ever seen! They are large enough to carry tons of items, but still pack down small for easy storing.

Recently I started selling these bags to a lot of people in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and New York and realized that these are becoming the hottest reusable shopping bag on the market. And once you start using these bags, you will understand why they are so popular!

First, there is Carry All Pak bag. This is a must have bag that carries all your other bags as well as 20 lbs of groceries.


There are interior mesh pockets to either carry your other Blue Avocado bags, groceries, or your keys and wallet.

There is also a hook that you can attach your Pod Bag to.

Next there is the Chil Insulated Bag. This bag is wonderful to keep all your frozen and refrigerated foods cool or hot for up to 3 hours. You will no longer have to worry about stopping off for another errand after getting groceries. You can also use this to take on a picnic or road trip to keep your food cold or hot.

Then we have the Multi Use Gro Bag. The Gro bag also holds 20 lbs of groceries and is a very useful and adorable bag to add to your collection...a must have!

The Stuff and Go Pod Bag is the perfect bag to always have handy in your purse or car. It stuffs into itself so can easily fit anywhere and is very convenient for unexpected shopping trips. Make sure to have several of these around so you never get caught without your bags.

Handy hook that hooks right onto the Pak Bag.

And, lastly there is the Veg Produce Bags. Stop using those plastic produce bags, and whip out one of these reusable produce bags. They work perfect for any produce at the store as well as for storing at home. They hold up to 10 lbs of produce and each purchase contains 2 bags!

Make sure to check out our Starter Kit, which includes 1 Pak bag, 1 Pod Bag, and 1 Veg (which includes 2 bags). This is the perfect way to get started with your Blue Avocado shopping experience!

Enjoy

~~HMM

Freezing Greens

I am fairly new to growing veggies. This is our third year to grow a garden, but the first year to attempt kale and spinach. To our excitement, they have really been thriving. I am positive our compost has a lot to do with how well our garden is growing this year (and all the rain we have had). I have been happily plucking spinach and kale from the garden every morning, before I even get dressed, to put in our breakfast smoothies.

I started to realize that I needed to be plucking more or else it is going to go bad or the bugs will eat it. So, I went out and harvested a ton of the greens for freezing. We now have a ton of kale and spinach in the freezer to use this winter and are awaiting the next round of kale to come up in the garden.

I used to be very intimidated by freezing produce...like it was going to be this big huge task that I would never be able to complete. Well, I was wrong. I went to my friend google and asked how to freeze greens. Google showed me many websites that calmed my fears and showed me step by step how easy it is to freeze greens.

In a nut shell, you harvest, you wash, you blanch (2 min in boiling water), you soak in ice water, you drain, you freeze....easy peasy!

If you are interested in freezing greens or other produce, just go to google and type in "freezing greens" or "how to freeze strawberries", etc. I found a few different methods for freezing my kale and below is the method I went with.

Have fun!

~~HMM

Harvest your Kale wash it in the sink with water

Blanch your kale, by submerging in boiling water for 2 minutes


After the 2 minutes is up, transfer the kale from the boiling water into a bowl of ice water for about 2 minutes (save the boiling water for the next batch)

Then you can either lay it out to dry, or put it in a salad spinner. I just dried it a bit in a towel then put it in the zip lock freezer bag. You can use a vacuum sealer if you have one, or do what I did. Zip the bag closed all the way except for one little opening big enough for a straw. Stick the straw in and suck all the air out, then zip it shut all the way.

Then label your bags and stick them in the freezer! All done!

Summer Time Fun

Summer is here and our days have been packed with fun activities. We have been enjoying fun crafts, nature hikes, afternoons at the pool, riverside picnics, and working in both the organic vegetable and xeriscape gardens.

Last night we added another fun summer time event to our long list of why we love summer. We attended a free kids concert put on by the local public library. Every Tuesday through the summer there will be a kids concert at the Foote Lagoon. This is a great chance to get your kids out of the house. They can sing and dance and maybe even meet some new friends.

Last nights concert was Eric West. He was very entertaining with his use of homemade instruments and audience participation. Our kids were laughing, singing, and having a great time. We really enjoyed ourselves and are looking forward to next week.

If you live near Loveland come out next week and join us. If you are not in our area find out if there is a similar program in your area. Check with your local library or city government to explore what free children concerts or entertainment events are available. These types of events are fun for the whole family and a great chance to meet your neighbors.

Cloth Diapering with Happy Heinys

We are huge cloth diapering advocates. Not only are they good for the planet, but they are good for your baby and ridiculously cute. Think about how many diapers one child goes through in a life time and then think about where these diapers end up. There are many many reasons to use cloth diapers and you can read about some of these at the Real Diaper Association (if you are a parent of a child who is in disposable diapers, I strongly urge you to read through the information provided at this website).

Now, if the thought of using cloth diapering is just too overwhelming for you, don't worry. I was overwhelmed when starting out and so is just about every mama. It is very important to know, that it is not hard, in fact it is very easy. Putting the diaper on is just as easy as putting on a disposable diaper. When taking the diaper off you just place it in a pail until you are ready to wash. If there is poo poo in the diaper, just place the poo poo in the toilet and rinse off the diaper with a sprayer, then place it in the pail. When washing diapers there is a ton of information on which detergents to use and we found The Diaper Jungle's chart to be very helpful.

Now, which diaper to choose? I have used several different kinds on my daughter and I have found that the one size pocket diapers are the best. First of all, they are the most economical choice because you only have to buy one size to last until potty training. I find the pocket diapers are the best because you can stuff them with whatever you need and they are very easy to use and wash and reuse!

At Hip Mountain Mama we knew we wanted to offer cloth diapers. We offered a brand of diapers a while ago, but could only offer them at a special order which made it hard on our customers. After much research we have finally settled on a brand we love and trust. We are proud to announce that we are now carrying Happy Heinys Cloth Diapers and accessories. We have come to truly love this company and their diapers. Sienna has been happily wearing her Happy Heinys and has had such great success with them.

Not only are we carrying diapering items, but we also added a few Happy Heinys items for Mama. For the breast feeding Mama we are now carrying reusable Hemp Breast Pads. We are also carrying reusable Mama Pads, over nights and regulars, in some really great colors.

So, come on over and check out all the great new products Hip Mountain Mama is now offering. As a special offer to all of our loyal blog readers we would like to give you a coupon code for 10% off on all our Happy Heinys products (all orders of $75.00 or more). Just use the coupon code "Heiny" any time all summer long (2009) to receive your 10% discount on all Happy Heinys diapers, diapering accessories, and Mama products.

Happy Diapering

~~HMM

Helpful Websites

The Diaper Pin

The Diaper Jungle

Real Diaper Association

Father's Day/ Summer Solstice

We wanted to do something special for our dad on Father's Day. He is an avid hiker who is working on climbing the Colorado 14ers (all peaks over 14,000 ft). We decided that the best way to honor our great daddy was to do what he loves. So we called some friends and headed for the hills. It worked out great that Summer Solstice fell on the same day because it was a great day to be outside enjoying the sun and a change in season.

We drove up the canyon to a nice hiking trail and headed out for an adventure. The girls enjoyed the wild flowers, cactus, and bugs but we did not see any animals. After about a 1 mile walk we arrived at a lookout where you could look down to the river 500 feet below.

After the hike we had a picnic along the river. It was so relaxing to eat a nice lunch while listening to the sounds of the river passing by. The girls threw rocks in the river, ran around, and just had fun in the sun. The weather here has been much cooler than average so it was so nice to have a warm sunny day to celebrate the beginning of summer.

Five Friday Finds 6/19

1. New Native Organic Cotton Diaper Bag- This isn't your traditional diaper bag and, in fact, if you are a new mom this bag probably won't suit your needs. It is on the small side for a diaper bag so is more suitable for moms with older kids who don't feel the need to carry a million kid things with them. I decided I wanted a more casual bag for summer, so have been carrying the Olive with Khaki trim for the past week and love it! My favorite feature is the 2 deep outside pockets that I use for my keys and phone.


2. Kathe Kruse Waldorf Dolls- My kids now each have a Kathe Kruse doll that they just adore. Sienna has a doll and wagon and Magnolia has the Waldorf Feng Shui Water Doll. You are going to pay a high price for these quality made dolls, but it is well worth it. The kids will play with these dolls through their entire childhoods and I will hang onto them to give back to them when they have kids of their own. In my opinion, it is much smarter to buy quality toys that you will keep forever, rather than buying cheap toys that will get thrown away because they break easily.



3. Dr Bronners Lotion- Over the past few years I have tried tons and tons of different organic and natural lotions trying to find the best one. About a month ago I finally settled on Dr Bronners and am very excited to have found something I love. Dr Bronner lotions come in 4 different scents, Lavender Coconut, Lavender, Patchouli Lime, and Peppermint. Dr Bronner has been around for many years and has a great line of products. We use a lot of their products in our home and love them all!

4. Mothering Magazine- I have been reading Mothering since my first daughter was born over 5 years ago. I have learned so much about natural parenting through this magazine and have also found out about many great products, learned of new recipes, and met many amazing people. If you don't already, I would highly recommend subscribing to Mothering Magazine!
5. Hyland's Teething Tablets- If you have a teething child, you know how hard it can be. You just want them to be out of pain and you want to do it as naturally as possible. I was introduced to Hyland's Homeopathic Teething Tablets 5 years ago and since then we have gone through many many tablets. They work, and they work naturally to help your child have some comfort during a very uncomfortable time!

Summer Time Dinners

It hit me the other day how different our meals become once summer time comes around. For the past 3 years we participated in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) where we would receive a bag of produce each week. We had no say in what was in the bag, it just came every week and was different each time. It was always very exciting to find out what we would be eating for the following days to come. I could never plan my meals, it would always just be a random "hodge podge" of food laid out on the table. Some days I would throw everything into a stir fry, other days it would be a large veggie soup, and some times we would have corn, zucchini fritters, melon, and baked potato fries.

In the winter, I plan my meals every week. I know exactly what we will be eating and I prepare for it. So, when summer time rolls around it is very fun to let loose of the rigid plan and just eat what we have on hand. This year we decided to take a break from our local CSA and we expanded our backyard garden quite a bit. Monday was our first "hodge podge" meal from our garden, and it put a smile on everyone's faces. We grabbed some lettuce, sugar snap peas, kale, and spinach and made a meal out of it all. We created a large green salad and made a green smoothie with the kale and spinach. To go along with this we spread some beans on tortillas and placed them in the toaster oven for a crispy and delicious addition to all our greens.

Summer time dinners are so much fun and I can really notice the difference in how I feel when I eat local, organic, and vitamin rich foods. If you don't have your own garden, consider shopping at your local farmers market or joining a CSA to get the freshest and healthiest food for your body!

Enjoy

~~HMM