Real Clever Moms

Breastfeeding and soon-to-be breastfeeding clever moms:
Follow the link below to enter!
Win a Medela Freestyle Hands-Free Breastpump from Nature’s Child - Wholesome goods for Mothers and Babies

My mom made our son Ethan one of many hand-made Halloween costumes this year. He is going to be a cute little clown. Ethan is 21 months and just starting to learn about ‘canny’.

My husband and I dressed up using ideas for halloween costumes for couples. We were a one night stand with a pregnant Hooters girl. We were definitely a hit this year. We always enjoy halloween costume parties.

Sometimes, I get tired of carrying the same old diaper bag. In fact, in a former life, I used to be a big proponent of the small, chic, unusual handbag. Since it’s hard to fit wipes and sippy cups into small, chic spaces, I’ve morphed in to an unwilling proponent of the bigger bag. I’ve found a big bag to get excited about, though, and it’s stylish, to boot. Created by Michelle, who is based in Houston, TX and mom to a son with Asperger’s syndrome, these bags (dare I say it?) put the “fun” back into functional. You can check out her collection at Hypernoodle.

I’ve recently found a sewing blog I love… despite the fact that I don’t have a daughter, and I barely have time to sew. Nevertheless, Kathleen’s sweet creations inspire me, and I love the fact that in addition to sewing for her girlies, she also finds time to sew giveaways. Check out the Pinata Pinafore Giveaway here. Ole! ~ Elisa

Over here at Real Clever Moms, we love giveaways. We are suckers for giveaways. We skirt very close to being OBSESSED with giveaways for moms, new parents, and people in general. So, we want to share some of the excitement with you. mod*mom has some of the best giveaways we have seen, including bedding from kukunest and compostable diaper starter kits from gdiapers:

If you start spending all your time during naptime looking at new products and entering comments, just don’t blame us. Check out some interesting baby gifts

In honor of Saint Patrick’s Day, we’ve got some fun, green ideas. Feel free to use them any day.
1. Recycle a Board Book into a Lift the Flap Book for your Toddler
Repurposed books are all the rage now among artsy types, but your kiddo won’t care about that. What she will enjoy is lifting the flaps of familiar places and objects to see friends and family underneath.

2. Reuse a Safe Water Bottle…
and stop using those BPA-leaching plastic ones that end up in landfills. Amazon offers SIGG Bottles for babies, kids and adults, as well as the Klean Kanteen, and Gaiam offers an inexpensive alternative to the popular brands:

Read the rest of “Green Ideas” »

Okay, we admit it: this post is really for moms who knit. And how many moms who knit also have TIME to knit??!! Not so many, we know. But this is the cutest knitted sweater ever, and we wanted to share the link to the pattern so that you can drool or dream about when you had time to knit, or maybe even get motivated to carve out some time to make this adorable sweater… imagine it in chocolate brown with the ears lined in pink! Some moms knit while spending couch/TV time with hubby, and on a quick and easy pattern like this, it might just be possible (to finish before next fall, that is). Pattern available at Woman’s Day Crafts.

Sometimes, you just have to share the love… and these booties do the same. Hand crocheted and felted by a mother-daughter team based in Portland, these darling booties will keep your baby’s feet warm, and a smile on her face. (Boys’ designs available, too!) Click on the picture at left to visit Pretty Little.

If you’re pregnant and concerned about maintaining good health during your pregnancy, there are several exercise options available for you. Yoga is a popular form of exercise for pregnant women. Here’s why:

Yoga can reduce nausea – Many pregnant women experience weeks, if not months, of morning sickness. Yoga helps decrease nausea and can drastically reduce the terrible stretch of morning sickness.

Read the rest of “Yoga for Pregnancy” »

When you’re strapped for time, you need something quick and easy to make for dinner. Crock pots are absolutely necessary for any mom who is short on time. Enjoy these 5 great crock pot recipes (but be sure to start early in the day!):

Creamy Crock Pot Roast

Ingredients:

2 pound beef roast
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 onion (diced)
6 carrots (sliced)
6 potatoes (cubed into small pieces)
Water

Directions:

Place onion, carrots and potatoes at bottom of crock pot. Dredge roast in flour and placed in lightly greased pan. Brown on both sides in hot oil over high heat. Place roast in crock pot over vegetables. Pour soup and 1/2 can water over roast. Cover and cook on low for approximately 10 hours, or 5 to 6 hours on high.

Read the rest of “Super Easy Crock Pot Recipes” »