Modern Twist Kidz Placemat Makes a Masterpiece Out of Mealtime

Mealtime. It summons an array of emotions from delight to dread. Will your tot actually eat what you put in front of her? Will baby throw all of the expensive, organic produce you chopped into finger-sized bits directly onto the floor? While sitting down with wee ones to dine can be dicey, you now have one surefire way to make the experience entertaining at the very least...

Stick a Modern-twist Kidz placemat at the helm of your babe's booster seat and let her learn her ABC's and hone her coloring skills while you work on sneaking eggplant into her quesadilla.  Made of hand silk-screened food-grade silicone, these stylish placemats may be colored time and again with washable or dry erase markers, and they are free of BPA, latex, lead, phthalates and PVC. Additionally, they are non-porous and germ-free.

Modern Twist offers so many adorable designs atop their kidz placemats, which may all be viewed here. I love that they are eco-friendly, will easily fit in with the aesthetic of any home, and may be handed down to multiple children so all may feed the appetite of their inner artist.

Back-to-School Teacher Bouquet (Score Your Kid Some Serious Extra Credit)

For those of you with kids who haven't headed back to school yet... here's an adorable, super easy way to brighten you child's teacher's first day back in business.

When I walked Miss O to her first day of school last fall, we were following closely behind a woman who had a bright and beautiful bouquet of sunflowers perched in a vase comprised of colored pencils. When I complimented her sweet offering, she told me she simply glued the colored pencils to a tin can, and voila, a teacher-friendly vase. The standard pencils above look great too...

Yet another "I wish I had thought of that" moment in my life. But I will be keeping this gift in mind for other occasions in which a teacher gift is on my list.

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Goddess Garden Organics Kids Sunscreen is Our Top Pick this Summer

Hot sunny days have arrived, and the sunscreen is now being slathered on. Swim lessons and plenty of outdoor summer activities are around the corner, so I'm thrilled to have found my go-to sunscreen for summer: Goddess Garden Organics Sunny Kids Natural Sunscreen. Before I get into why this sunscreen is so great, I'd like to highlight the fact that Miss O is now at an age where she worries about her appearance -- so no more sunscreens that leave a white "ghostly" residue will suffice. Which is why I'm going to mention that I *love* this product because not only does it go on like lotion, it is sheer and completely soaks into the skin in mere seconds -- leaving no trace that it has even been applied. This is also a great thing for Mr. A, who squirms during the entire application, so the easier and more quickly it absorbs, the better!

You know by now how bad it is to buy chemical laden sunscreens which can actually cause more damage to your skin than not wearing sunscreen in the first place! But high integrity products from Goddess Garden Organics are made with certified organic ingredients, they're chemical free, and they boast the following qualities:

• Water Resistant to 40 minutes with SPF 30 broad-spectrum UVA/UVB coverage
• Dermatologist Recommended
• Biodegradable, Reef-Safe, Cruelty Free, Vegan, Non-GMO, and Non-Nano
• Packaged in recyclable tubes!

Additionally, this sunscreen has received a top rating by EWG as one of the best non-toxic sunscreens on the market.

Goddess Garden Organics offers an entire range of sunscreen products for babies, kids, everyday use, and facial use. They also have spray sunscreens if you prefer that type of application -- and their variation is the only mineral sunscreen that goes on in a continuous spray without the use of hormone disrupting chemicals or flammable alcohol.

And of course I love that this company was founded in 2004 by mom and entrepreneur, Nova Covington who created Goddess Garden Organics for her daughter Paige, who was allergic to chemicals in traditional bath products.

Now lucky for all parents, we get to reap the benefits of this trailblazing mama. I am thrilled to have found such an effective, safe, worry-free and easy to use sunscreen for all of our adventures in the sunshine!

Purchase here!

Farm to Table Kale Chips

Growing my own food has been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. So to see kale spring to life to produce such a bounty beneath our kitchen windowsill is a treat beyond measure. Mr. A calls these plants, "kale chips" because that's his favorite preparation of the leafy green. We love kale chips in our house- and it's a wonderful, easy way to get your kids to eat those often dreaded green veggies. Read on for the results of our first kale harvest!

Organic Cotton Tweet Birds Sing for Spring

Whether you have a spring baby on the way and you want to decorate the nursery in due spirit, or you're looking for a way to mark the change of seasons or the Easter holiday around your home, these sweet little birds are singing your tune. They're designed in Brooklyn and handmade in India using organic cotton -- and they'll surely add some chirp to any perch.

DIY 3D Lollipop Valentine's Day Cards!

Looking for a super cute Valentine's Day card for your kiddos to hand out to their classmates? These 3-D lollipop Valentines will certainly be a big hit! Learn how to make them after the jump!

INTERVIEW: Lucy Postins, Founder & CEO of The Honest Kitchen

I am a huge fan of The Honest Kitchen, which makes all natural dog and cat food for fur babies. See our previous coverage of The Honest Kitchen products here and here. I love that The Honest Kitchen was founded by a woman, Lucy Postins, who is also the CEO. Her mission to produce healthy, high-quality, non-GMO pet food for beloved cats and dogs has taken off into a thriving and successful business that's enabling her to really make a difference in the health and the quality of life of countless animals. Please read on for my interview with Lucy Postins!

Eco-Friendly Nativity Scene For Children

I am absolutely *smitten* with this adorable Nativity Scene I just ordered from Etsy shop Treehouse Kids.

I have been searching for a kid-friendly Nativity Scene since Miss O was born, and nothing really enchanted me. But these precious peg people are so blissfully simple and sweet that I couldn't resist buying the set for Miss O and Mr. A so they can interact with them all season long and really learn about the true meaning of Christmas.

Gorgeous Advent Calendar Made from Toilet Paper Rolls from Maya Made

One of these years, I will get around to making a homemade Advent Calendar. And when I do, I hope it is as gorgeous, green and innovative as this beauty from Maya Made.

Who knew toilet paper rolls could be upcycled into something so classy, festive, and important --counting down the days to Christ's birth.

See the DIY details here!

Image via Maya Made

DIY: Make an Ice Cream Stand out of a Cardboard Box!

We recently bought Miss O and Mr. A a bookcase, which arrived in a very large box. When I see the endless capacity for creativity inherent in cardboard boxes, I automatically dream of what they could become. In this case, I asked my husband to transform a box into an ice cream shop complete with ice cream cones to sell. And boy did he deliver! Read on for more details!

Gold Paw Series' Cozy Eco Fleece Pullovers Will Keep Your Pooch Warm this Winter

This post was written by Petite Planet pet correspondent, Tracie Berger.

With fall here and winter approaching, I needed to find a comfy, cozy, lightweight but warm jacket for my Dalmatian Nina. Being a single-coated breed, Nina isn’t exactly a fan of cold weather and she is often found slightly shivering in weather below 80 degrees! That’s why the Gold Paw Series Stretch Fleece is a great find. Made with recycled polyester, this popover fleece jacket is a superb year-round option to keep Nina snuggly warm and happy. With a high neck and spacious armholes, the Stretch Fleece hugs Nina in all the right places and fits perfectly. Read on to learn more about this fantastic coat for dogs.

Sip in Sustainable Style with Reusable Glass Straws from Glass Dharma

My motto: "baby steps toward changing the world" may be easily put into practice with the simple act of banishing plastic straws from your life at home and on the go. Did you know that around 500 MILLION disposable plastic straws are used in the United States alone every DAY? To give you a concept of what that looks like: this many straws would fill more than 127 school buses every 24 hours! Not to mention the fact that plastic contains the harmful toxin BPA, and that plastic straws never biodegrade.

So what's one baby step you can take to green the planet and your family's lifestyle? Opt for one glass straw that lasts a lifetime, as opposed to a disposable, one-time use straw that pollutes the earth and your body. Read on to learn about our new favorite mealtime accessory: glass straws from Glass Dharma.

Singing About the Solar System

This is such a cute, educational video and a surprisingly beautiful song about the solar system. We're watching this video and drawing the planets today!

Everyone Hand Sanitizers Tell Back to School Germs to Back Off

Self-proclaimed germaphobe that I am, I keep a bottle of hand sanitizer within close reach everywhere we go. When Miss O was in preschool, her teachers literally wrote "wash hands" in their daily schedule 3 times, which equaled once an hour. So I was surprised to learn once she hit kindergarten, washing hands became a luxury in a jam-packed day where going to the restroom to suds up and scrub away germs before eating was unheard of.

So I started sending Miss O to school with a small bottle of hand sanitizer in her lunchbox and in her backpack so she can always eat her snack or lunch with clean hands.

EO Products recently debuted a fantastic new line of hand sanitizers under their Everyone brand, that come in a gel or a spray and feature appealing scents of coconut + lemon and peppermint + citrus. These awesome sanitizers are made with plant-based ingredients and essential oils and they are completely non-toxic and sans chemicals and other harmful additives. They are free of parabens, triclosan, and artificial fragrances, and they contain non-GMO ethanol to fight germs, and plant-based glycerin and jojoba oil to keep hands moisturized as opposed to sticky. Miss O and Mr. A prefer the scent of Everyone hand sanitizers above and beyond any we have used previously.

Additionally, all EO Products are plant and essential oil based, made with only pure and organic ingredients, and contain NO ­ disodium EDTA, sodium lauryl, phthalates, petrochemicals, chemical preservative, silicone, propopylene glycol, detergent, mineral oil, EDTA, aluminum, sulfate, and  they are Gluten-FREE. No animal testing is ever done, and every product is non-GMO verified.

On top of all this goodness, Everyone Hand Sanitizers cost only $2.99 for a 2 ounce bottle of spray or gel. That's a huge bargain in the world of green hand sanitizers, which typically cost double that amount for the same size!

Stock up on these gems at Whole Foods or purchase them online for a discounted price of $2.24 -- especially before flu season strikes!

Organic Wabbit Baby Blanket from Mezoome Designs Wraps Kids Up in Sustainable Style

Summer is already coming to a close! That means crisp fall mornings and chilly evenings are just around the corner. There's nothing better than getting all snuggled up in a beloved blanket to keep warm and cozy. Mezoome Designs' sweet Wabbit baby blanket will wrap little ones up in sustainable style. The two-layered 100% soft organic cotton blanket features a bold, delightful design created using eco-friendly dyes. The sweet, personable little rabbit depicted on the front makes this baby accessory a blankie and a lovey all rolled-up into one.

Storybook Blocks Stack Up to Literary Fun

Stories have always been the building blocks of my life. Whether I was reading the Chronicles of Narnia as a young child, dreaming up tall tales, writing in my journal or cut to present day -- telling stories for my career.

So these clever Storybook Blocks really enchant me. The designer places illustrations from actual storybooks onto poplar wood blocks. Each block is finished with a water-based, non-toxic sealant. I love that kids can delight in a great book and then have a tactile experience with the pages -- manipulating the story into endless configurations. Available in a variety of beloved books, Storybook Blocks are also reasonably priced and would make a stellar birthday gift for the toddlers in your life.

Fit for a Prince! Royal Baby Spotted in an aden + anais Organic Muslin Swaddle!

We couldn't live without our aden + anais swaddles for Miss O and Mr. A, and we're traveling this summer using them as our in flight blankets. So we were thrilled to see that Kate and William's little prince is already being wrapped in these sweet, sustainable swaddling blankets! Read on to learn about our experience using aden + anais muslin swaddles!

Happy Summer

I hope you are all enjoying your summer and soaking up every bit of love and laughter with your children. I'm trying to drink up time spent with my kids like the last drop of lemonade on a hot day. Fairy festivals, swimming, arts and crafts, library jaunts, travels, long play dates with cherished friends. Here's hoping you and your family have a good old fashioned summer filled with all the people and activities you love the most.

New Documentary Unacceptable Levels Examines the Everyday Chemicals Polluting Our Lives

Please watch this trailer and view Unacceptable Levels in the theater, online or anywhere you can, so we may all understand how to better protect our families from harmful toxins and chemicals.

Personalize Your Kids' Belongings in Style with 'Write Your Own' Labels from Emily Press

When it comes to labeling your kids' stuff, there are certain types of moms. There's the permanent Sharpie marker mom who leaves an indelible mark across T-shirt labels and on the bottom of drink containers, there's the hand embroidery type of mom who sews her little girl's name lovingly into her personal belongings in cursive writing, using perfectly contrasting thread. And then there's me. I'm the type of mom who fishes a ballpoint pen out of the glove compartment as I pull up to said event where my kids clothing and gear need to be labeled, and I quickly search for the tag to scrawl their name in ink that bleeds to the point of being illegible.

So you can imagine my thrill when I learned about Emily Press Labels -- specifically their new Write Your Own Labels, which are non-PVC and BPA-free (and their packaging is made from recycled content!). They are the ideal answer for moms like me -- who want an easy, stylish way to label kids' belongings sans the ballpoint pen and the sewing kit.