I've just posted a link on my fbook about the giveaway.

I'm already a fan of Clean on fbook :)

I'm already a fan of LuSa Organics on fbook :)

A scent combination I'd LOVE for you to carry... nag champa and patchouli. Truly hippy and absolutely lovely. The sweetness of nag champa really accents the woody smell of patchouli.

What's not to love? Clean gives me a calm, centered place to visit and remind myself that there IS more to the world (and to parenting) than what pop culture would have you believe. And LuSa Organics gives me delicious products I don't have to feel guilty for using. :)

First, I have to say that this bit was inspired: "The other day I had the revelation that I brought all of this stuff into my own life. I bought it or accepted it as a gift and I dragged it home and shoved it into my already full world. I own it, literally and figuratively. Time to pony up and clean the shit out." I agree 100%; we bring things in one or two at a time, thinking that we need more because we have all the others just like it scattered throughout the house. For example, I recently went through and consolidated our pen box. We had well over 20 ballpoint inkpens, plus several gel pens, some pencils (both mechanical and traditional), and about _8_ permanent markers. WHO NEEDS THAT MANY WRITING UTENSILS!? I put them all into baggies (or shifted them to some other home that needed them) so I wouldn't feel like "I can never find a pen; I need to get more pens." Sometimes, just consolidating our 'stuff' into groups will help us from bringing more and more into the house. When you can see just the sheer ridiculous amount of similar items you have, it's a lot less tempting to bring 'one more' in. Right now, having only read chapter one, my push to clean out 'stuff' is more about making room for us to LIVE in. How can we wrestle with our toddler on the living room floor if DVDs and books and puzzle pieces and blocks have spilled across the entire walkway? How an we eat a quiet, relaxed meal together if art projects and mail and magazines that we're going to read 'eventually' are colonizing the kitchen table? I'm hoping that we'll be able to do more together, and spend less time picking our way around the gathered 'stuff' that doesn't represent US but rather our weak moments when we bought 'just one more.'

I was so happy to see this post! Hurrah for the whole family! :) - E

My heart sings with you, darling. He is gorgeous, and I am so happy that he is such a strong soul. - E

What a fantastic idea!! Unfortunately, Jacob is still very much in the put-everything-in-his-mouth stage (nearly 18mos and still wanting to explore his world with his tongue.... sometimes to the point of laying face down and licking the floor). But I will keep this in mind for the fall/winter when he will (maybe?) be done with this intense oral fixation. Luckily, the summer has been warm enough that I've been able to do water play nearly every morning, and I don't mind so much him putting water in his mouth. http://well-naturally.blogspot.com/2010/06/summer-mornings.html (for delightful toddler-and-water images) We've even done a few experiments with food coloring in the water, to his delight... although I somehow always end up with blue or green fingertips for days after... :P - E

What a beautiful bump. <3 And what a beautiful little boy Finn is growing into! I love having been a part of his journey so far... and look forward to "meeting" the new one, one s/he arrives. - E

I adore this idea! I'll have to try it with Jacob soon - he loves new experiences. :) - E

Yikes! And congrats! I'm sure you'll survive the experience. <3 If anyone can, you can, Meg. - E

What a sweet message to your little man. Here's to Finn, on making it through year one! "The days are long, but the years are short." - E

Yay Finny!! You're walking!! (and yay to you too, mommy!) - E

Darlin, if you ever start making clothes to sell, PLEASE let me know; I LOVE the things you sew for Finn, but I can neither master the art of sewing or find the time to sit down and do it. The few times I try, I find that having Lupus makes sewing nearly an impossibility (yet another thing to chalk up to unfortunate circumstances), but I LOVE the things you make and definitely covet them. So if you decide to start selling them, give me a hollar and I will be right there, credit card in hand. - E

I adore your products. Your lip balm is my new addiction. My 12-month-old son adores it, too (he has learned the phrase, "Do you want chapstick/lip balm?" and will tip his head up and back and part his lips slightly). I will keep my eyes open for more discounts in the future - right now, I don't have $50 extra to spend... even though I almost certainly could quickly find $50 worth of products to stock up on, haha!

Jacob just had his first haircut recently... it was not a popular thing with him. I have pictures of him red-faced and squalling. - E

Oh, how lovely! I would love the chance to try these out. Even if I don't win, that coupon is too good to ignore! - E

How fun! I made a little simple cardboard box into an object permanence box, showed Jacob how to insert and drop a little plastic baby spoon, and then open the box to retrieve it. Twenty minutes later, he'd finally had enough. His delight was wonderful... and watching him try to see what ELSE he could fit into the box was hilarious. They are amazing people, if you just let them be. - E

He's such an adorable dumpling! It cracks me up hearing him repeat "cat" over and over. It's like Jacob... when he wants to nurse, he'll walk over to me saying, "Mama nurnur! Mama, mama, nurnurnurrrr!" Once they get a word, they bludgeon it to death. :P - E

Oh, you darling! You're about to make me give in and buy a new sewing machine! The Husbeast may take exception, since we just bought a new camera... *L* - E

Oh, so jealous!! I've stalled on Jacob's Waldorf doll (for about a month!) because I can't seem to make it work in my head on how to do the hair. Literally, the doll is done (hand-stitched while I watched Jacob play and crawl) but it's poor bald, lumpy, Frankenstine's-monster-esque head keeps me from saying "Done!" I do like the little cap on the doll... seems to simplify things quite a bit! I don't suppose you know of any how-to's for it? Also? LOVE the doll you made Finn! Very cute! - E

Oh my gosh! I actually told Chris I wanted one of her necklaces for Mother's Day. Wouldn't it be serendipitous if we won a giftcard? - E

Fantastic shirt and cap! I wish our sewing machine was younger than me, and therefore useful for sewing. *L* And Finn is just getting more and more gorgeous. Jacob always enjoys seeing photographs of him - he notices baby faces and wants to point them out to me and make sure I'm noticing them, too. - E