Spotlight on Acupuncture for Humanity!

Have you always been curious about Acupuncture but never had the opportunity to try it? Have you tried it and loved it but perhaps it isn't affordable for you? Either way this is a great opportunity at an unbeatable price! Each month the fine folks at Palm Beach Shared Acupuncture practice will hold an evening of group acupuncture / meditation and intention setting guided by live music and aromatherapy. Not to mention a portion of the proceeds go to help a new charity each month. This month the chosen organization is Habitat for Humanity!

A charity near and dear to my heart since my  days in construction and their neighborhood revitalization projects. Habitat has transformed the lives of more than 4 million people around the world. They aren't only known for building homes, but also for building communities and hope. To learn more about this organization and all that they do you can visit their website here.

Where?

Boynton Beach Woman’s Club

1010 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach, FL 33435

When?

November 20th 7-8 pm

(Doors open at 6:30, starts promptly at 7)

What will the treatments entail?

While lying on your yoga mat, four thin, sterile, single-use needles are placed into the wrist and ankle areas by

State Licensed Acupuncturists. The needles are generally left in place for 20-45 minutes.

What I will need for the session?

Bring whatever will make you feel comfortable (e.g. yoga mat, pillow, blanket to lay on, or blanket to cover

yourself if cold etc.). Wear comfortable clothing. You will be asked to remove socks and shoes because needles

will be placed around ankles and wrists. Please bring your own water.

Cost is $40 and a portion of the proceeds goes directly to Habitat for Humanity

Register here for this month's session or get info / dates on all future sessions.

Hope to see you there!

Essentially Yours,

Erika

Growing Back..

We've recently acquired a plot at the Boca Raton Community Garden, a spot we waited over a year for! A great place for novice gardeners like myself looking to grow their own food. In an effort to take part in a sustainable future we have secured this plot and even planted our first seeds, anxiously awaiting our harvest. We go as a family and tend to this plot, hoping to instill some value in the process of planting a seed, caring for the garden and patiently awaiting, quite literally the fruits of our labor.

Studies show that children are ten times more likely to eat vegetables they've grown themselves. Not that we really have a problem with that, our boys are thankfully excellent eaters and will grab broccoli first on a table full of assorted foods. They have never shied away from anything green and leafy, and their snacks consist of fruits and veggies not packaged crackers or yogurt pouches chock full of sugar / preservatives/ additives, etc..

We often go after a full day of Seedlings and water the garden, we end up having a mini-picnic while discussing things like what is growing, how long it will take and why we pull the weeds from our garden. I knew we would be modeling sustainability and the natural responsibility for the food we ingest, but I wasn't prepared for the pockets of sweetness we would endure in the process. Their natural wonder for the world around them makes this experience all the more delightful and fulfilling.

Walking past all the plots and discussing what other gardeners are growing, I've learned that they can identify between parsley and basil. They can recognize when a radish is ready to be picked, and they can even tell when pests have gotten to some greens. It amazes me how quickly, when given the opportunity, children will immerse themselves so deeply, so presently in their natural surroundings that they instinctively learn and grow. I suppose it falls under our belief in immersion play, process art and natural evolution. It's one thing to read the research, feel the call to change your lifestyle, but to watch it unfold before your eyes is a glorious feeling. Akin to the feeling you get when you first saw this young life enter the world and take their first breath. Bearing witness to the unfolding of their personalities and the developing of their curiosity is  nothing short of miraculous. 

The Boca Raton Community Gardeners donate a portion of their harvest to the Boca Helping Hands, a community based organization dedicated to making a difference. They provide meals for those in need and work closely with the Boca Raton Community Garden throughout the seasons. Join us in volunteering our hearts and our time for Family Cooking Night at Boca Helping Hands, Thursday December 11th! We will be there!

"The seeds we sow today determine the kind of fruit we'll bear tomorrow."

-Unknown

Essentially Yours,

Erika

The Ultimate Mom's Night Out!

It's official... Mommy bloggers know how to par-tay!

I had the pleasure of joining my fellow mommy blogger and partner in crime Modern Boca Mom for some good ol' fashioned mommy fun at Mom Baby and Beyond's Ultimate Mom's Night Out!

Between meeting a ton of new vendors with awesome products, hanging with some new awesome blogger friends and raising money for an excellent cause, there was no shortage of fun at this first annual event.

I did what any reasonable mom would do when she's managed to break free from the nest for a few hours, I found the wine table!

Wines for Humanity is an awesome company that connects two of my favorite things, wine parties (duh) and raising money for charities!
Here's how it works, you host a wine tasting at your next party, everyone has a great time and learns about terrific wines and the proceeds go to a charity preventing homelessness. It doesn't get much better than that! There were quite a few "party" vendors who offered services for hosted parties, but I'd have to say this was one of my faves.

Everyone knows I'm pro "baby-wearing", I wrapped my youngest and never looked back! These wraps however are gorgeous! No reason you can't wrap and still be fashionable!

Dreamcatcher Wraps are beautiful! This non-stretchy fabric is imported from the Czech Republic and Germany. It's soft, durable and colorful! Plus it promotes something near and dear to my heart, Babywearing!

The Lil' Marc table stopped me dead in my tracks! It's as though the potty gods had poured their mercy upon me and offered up a solution to my potty troubles at home!

It isn't easy helping little guys learn to properly use the toilet, UNTIL NOW! This pint sized urinal is great party convo if nothing else! I couldn't wait to bring one home (yes I bought one, you would too!) and try it out with my two boys, they just love being able to go pee like daddy and now they can!

Our next stop on the blogger train was at the Nommerz table. These "treats without cheats" were dee-lish and perfect because this mommy was starving!

I'm convinced it's the only reason I survived the rest of the night! Their protein bites and bars are all natural, organic, gluten and dairy free. Right up my alley!

After that yummy treat I had to hit the Keurig coffee bar (yes, I said coffee bar. They thought of everything!), I've heard so much about this new Keurig model 2.0. I needed to get a look for myself! So okay, when I first heard of Keurig I thought it was a total waste of time and money. What's the sense of buying a coffee maker that only brews a cup at a time, I would have to keep the coffee maker I already have for holidays and parties. Not anymore, the 2.0 model comes with cup sized serving and now carafe sized serving as well! NOW, they have my attention! I've been going back and forth with the hubster on whether this is right for us, I'm so glad I was able to try it out because it is most definitely for us!





Look who I ran into at the coffee bar! My good friend and fellow blogger Lindsay from You Are The Roots!

There is a wonderful sense of comraderie between bloggers, no shortage of that at this event. It was a pleasure meeting some new ladies all with such diverse contributions to the blogging world.

We all gathered at the awesome Insta Cam  booth! Here I am posing with some of my new friends; Newsy Parents, April Go Lightly and Susy Pops! Can we talk for a minute about her cake pops? They were so popular this blogger couldn't get a taste! A room full of pregnant women and hungry mommies cleared her gorgeous cake stand in minutes!

Time for a little pampering!

The ladies at Jamberry were happy to take care of that! These nail decals were adorable and super easy to apply! This was definitely one of the popular tables!

I happened to fall in in love with the Budsies table...

A company that brings your child's artwork to life in the form of stuffed animals! This idea is genius! 

Providing thoughtful gifts while fostering a child's creativity, win / win!

This crunchy mama couldn't help but be drawn to the beautiful setup at the Jolie Bloom table (her gorgeous hair stopped me dead in my tracks honestly), everything smelled great!

I can't wait to try some of her products, her blog is adorable you guys should definitely check that out too!

Overall it was a great evening filled with fun, laughter and tons of prizes. There was a great raffle with some pretty cool products and the proceeds went to a great cause. The real reason we all joined together, for more awesome Turtle Power for James! The Coral Springs community as well as surrounding communities have really come together for this local family, it was truly an honor to be a part of this awesome event. Anything that brings people together in the name of compassion and kindness makes this hippie heart beat just a little bit faster. There is already rumor of #UMNO15 with Mom, Baby & Beyond, I can't wait!

Besides...

Us mommy bloggers really know how to have fun!

Essentially Yours,

Erika