School Supplies on a String

How cute would wearable school supplies be for your middle-school daughter's first day jewels?? Found these on MiniEco - I think they're insanely adorable for back-to-school. Especially with a uniform!! :)

Goat Milk Organic Undies

We had a little yeast infection scare with Freida today... Brought her in to the Doc because she was complaining of pain each time she used the potty yesterday. Turns out, thankfully, she doesn't have an infection, just a slight irritation/heat rash. Crisis (and a round of antibiotics!) avoided.

But it got me concerned about the possibility for little girls - especially newly potty-trained - developing bacterial infections down there. Especially in the summer. Tight moisture wicking bathing suit bottoms, sweaty little undies rubbing against denim cutoffs, millions of too-excited-to-properly-wipe trips to the toilet, and much too many sugar-laden freeze pops just up the odds.

Even though Freida has been wearing 100% cotton undies, I decided to have a quick look around the web for lightweight, loose-fitting, cotton panties. Happened upon a shop filled solely with the most simple European-style organic cotton underwear separates for kids - right out of NYC! Got quite a blast from the past when I laid eyes on these singles --- my own mom had me wearing organic cotton pointelle undergarments just like these until I was in the 5th grade! Well, now I understand. This line of Goat Milk kidswear is so charmingly organic, it makes me feel like I can put the closest thing to nature on her delicate little body. Light, simple, soft, and natural. You can check it out here, and you can also pick some up at Sweet William shops in NY.

  

Rad Pops

Calling all summer-loving sweaty little boys: these have got to be the most rad ice pop molds ever!! Sailboat, Rocket, and Robot pop molds (set of 6), $10.00

Pure Peach Pops

Naturally it was my sister-in-law Rivky (I love your new-kosher-product radar!!) who introduced me to Trader Joe's Peach Pops; a freeze pop of natural proportions. Made simply of puréed peach + some fruit juice, this push-up-pop nixes the chemicals, dyes, and artificiality of iconic American summer chilling.

To be quite honest, while Freida seems to love these freezr-treats, I personally happen to think they taste like a tube of frozen canned peaches (good and refreshing, but not delicious and fresh!). Though, I did think of something these would be totally tubular for: Bellinis!! Seriously, who can pass up that sumptuously fizzy and refreshing cocktail?? The only complication in a Bellini is that the most important component is fresh peach purée - voilà! Girls night out just got a whole lot cooler. Simply combine 2 oz. peach purée and 4 oz. sparkling white wine (I love this most made with Prosecco!), and let the chilling begin. Summer happy hour simply can't get any sweeter!

P.S. If you have a young baby at home and have been making and storing your own baby food, or interested in trying it out, here's a way you can both benefit! Buy some fresh, ripe, organic peaches, score the base of the fruit, and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes, and then immediately plunge into ice-cold water to stop the cooking process. Remove the skin and get to puréeing (check out this neat little gadget for super-easy baby food production!!). Store and freeze for baby, and use reserve for these summer cocktails... take a deep breathe and inhale the sweet peachiness of parenting after hours! :)

City Find: Wagner Farm

During our first week here in Skokie, we took a morning trip to a little historical tribute to farming families in Glenview, IL: Wagner Farm. We've passed by this little farm-life restoration many times on previous visits during our treks to Glenview's Trader Joe's (Hello Skokie. Get on the TJ bandwagon!), but for some reason we never thought to stop, until now. We had a wonderful morning learning about dairy cows, fresh chicken coop eggs, and watching the sheep try to stay cool in this humid Midwest heat.

Wagner Farm is one of the very few still-standing farms of Cook County, and is surrounded by vibrant suburban life, homes, and major roadways. The Wagner family owned, lived, and farmed on this property from 1855 until the death of Rose Wagner in 1997!!! It now functions as a museum-like tribute to this farming families history. Aside from the farm animals and green gardens, there are indoor interactive exhibits where children (and adults!) can learn about whole food and it's origin, including their "shop through history" 1930's grocery store. Also on location and open for exploration is the original farmhouse - the home of the Wagner family - with furniture and all! So interesting!

Their tagline is "If your kids think that milk comes from a carton, corn comes from a can, and chicken from a cellophane wrapped package - it's time to visit Wagner Farm!". If you're in the Chicagoland area and looking for some fun and educational trips to do with young children in tow, I'd highly recommend stopping by for a visit. You can check out more about the farm and it's programs here.