Sunday Surf

I'm joining Authentic Parenting and Hobo Mama for Sunday Surf. Share your best reading of the week, and link up your post at either blog!
For more great reading, visit Hobo Mama or Authentic Parenting for the latest Sunday Surf and linky.
Happy Surfing!

Crafts

Kid-Friendly Printmaking - Valerie of the Frugal Family Fun Blog uses foam stickers and a small paint roller to make some simple prints.

No-Mess Marbled Paint - Another quick project idea from the Frugal Family Fun blog. Unfortunately, all Baby T did was sprinkle glitter all over the house. He couldn't care less about actually playing with the bag of paint when we were done putting the ingredients in it.

Kids and Parenting

Mamatography Week 2 - Momma Jorje is taking a photo a day to capture her life in 2012. These candid photos capture her beautiful life with a preschooler and a newborn.

Bonding with Kids - A compilation of pictures at Natural Parents Network that shows all the different ways parents and caregivers snuggle, inspire, and connect with their kids.

Nope Nada Ixnay Negative Pass Decline - Zoie from TouchstoneZ experimented with only saying "yes" to her kids. Read about how it changed their attitudes and made her feel more connected to her family. I would love to try this in general. It's so funny how easily "no" slips from your lips and how difficult it is sometimes to say "yes."

Talking About Race with (White) Kids - Lauren at Hobo Mama explores how talking to kids about race (rather than pretending race differences don't exist) can help promote tolerance.

Birth

You Call That Prenatal "Care"? - Melissa of Vibrant Wanderings talks about the care--or lack of it--she has received so far in her pregnancy. From nurses who make uneducated comments and contradict themselves to processes that are in place that make you feel like a number as opposed to a patient, Melissa honestly shares her experience, which unfortunately happens all too often.

Recipes

Baby's First Birthday Cake - Little M celebrated his first birthday on January 19th, and I made him carrot cake cupcakes. Sweetened with carrots boiled in fruit juice and raisins, this healthy first birthday cake tastes great and has fiber, iron, and nutrients. Best of all--it looks like a cupcake!

A Healthy Snack for Nursing Mothers - Megan of The Other Baby Book shares a recipe for a melt-in-your-mouth snack that's easy to make and easy to grab as you're hungry and heading out the door.

Maple Cinnamon Swirl Bread - It's too bad I just polished off six caramelized banana and sweet potato pancakes, because I want to make this recipe shared by Abbie of Farmer's Daughter. It's almost too beautiful to eat!

Inspiration

This video of a talk by Simon Sinek describes how the most successful leaders became that way: by leading with the "why" rather than with the "what." In light of me working on my business, this really hit the right chord. I've known the "why" all along, and I've been refining that. The "what" is still coming, a little more slowly. But it helps to reiterate that I'm on the right track. A few months ago I wrote about how I feel like I've taken the meaningful path in life. I haven't rushed anything, and I'm grateful for all the experiences I've had along the way--experiences that have shaped who I am now and what my business will become. So anyway. This video is a must for anyone driven to lead and inspire.

Do you have IKEA furniture? I discovered a new website that shows you ways to embellish basic IKEA designs. So I've been poring over ways to make Baby T's new loft bed cooler, like making a castle bed. Maybe then he would actually sleep in it.