Annemarie’s Awesome Links

Some stuff to read to brighten up another cold weekend. Put on Neflix for the kids, make yourself a coffee and pretend you’re hanging out at MOMs.

When you feel like you don’t make a difference, read this.

Can you not invite February? (I think that anthropomorphizing things and then texting with them is hilarious.)

Perfectly accurate video shows why moms get nothing done. This baby reminds me of Clara like whoa.

From our Facebook group, but good enough for a repost: Sex is tricky.

Tablets aren’t rotting kids’ brains.

What to say to your friend who is infertile.

Being thin didn’t make me happy, but being fat does. This one got me thinking. Here is the article it came out of.

Why feminist ads don’t actually help the feminist cause.

Mindfulness in the empty moments.

Kids go through phases.

And finally, beauty is everywhere.

Annemarie’s Awesome Links

I missed last week, so bonus extra links this week!

Here’s a laugh: famous paintings photobombed by a cat.

Why preschool shouldn’t be like school.

Looking for more mindfulness? Try this 30-day minimalism challenge.

A letter to brand new moms: it doesn’t get easier, but you get better at it.

You have plenty of time to love them later – I loved this one.

If you want kids, don’t get a pet. (Too late for me, but wow does this ever resonate.)

There is no science behind homeopathy. Save your money on those cold remedies for tiny ones.

14 babies who just had their minds blown. (Gif post, so it’ll be a little weird on mobile browsers.)

Simplicity doesn’t happen overnight.

If you’re crafty, this link is going to trigger a shut-up-and-take-my-money response.

Seriously, stop using your smartphone in bed.

Why you should tell your children how much you make.

Have we turned social media into this century’s whipping post?

If you want to follow your dreams, you have to say no to the alternatives.

And finally, this is possibly a repost, but I’m going to link to the poem at the bottom of this post in full because it’s beautiful and resonated with me today.

 

Wild Geese
You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert, repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting–
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
–Mary Oliver, Dream Work

Have a lovely long weekend, friends.

Annemarie’s Awesome Links

This UK ad of women getting sweaty is super motivating.

Bible verses where “you shall not” has been replaced with “can u not.” Hilarious.

Technology has not necessarily made us more stressed out.

How we can help young girls stay assertive.

Parenting lessons from tribes around the world. A really different perspective, and I absolutely want to read his book.

An interesting take on dealing with  sibling rivalry.

Eff dark chocolate. (Contains swears.)

The truth about your smile – my teeth feel a lot cleaner since I read this.

Put yourself into perspective.

To fall in love with anyone, do this. And here are the 36 questions – maybe try it for Valentine’s Day!

Have a great weekend!

Annemarie’s Awesome Links

Let’s start with something lovely, shall we? Here are 30 beautiful birth photos.

This is what the underside of an iceberg looks like.

I found this absolutely fascinating – the likely cause of addiction.

The proper mechanics of how to do squats. Then do them all the time.

If Hermione was the main character in Harry Potter – I actually almost prefer this to the original storyline.

People aren’t usually mean.

What babies can teach us.

24 diagrams for healthy eating.

11 words to teach your son (well, child) before he turns 6.

And finally, my issues with Goodnight Moon. I have read it nearly daily for five years so I laughed A LOT.

Have a glorious weekend in this lovely weather!

Annemarie’s Awesome Links

For the first time in 2015! Here we go.

When real life doesn’t look like a lifestyle blog – a nice reminder that there’s more to life than Pinterest/Instagram shots.

In case you missed it the last time it went around, why babies in Finland sleep in cardboard boxes.

My lovely wife in the psych ward – a sobering look at the reality of serious mental illness.

13 amazing life hacks. I cracked up hard.

A nice article on the reality of coparenting.

The risk of material parenting – this one is pretty eye-opening, if you tend to give material rewards or take things away as a form of discipline. Also super relevant to our simplicity parenting session.

21 parenting tips – there’s some good stuff in here, even if you’re no longer a n00b. And the link to the last roundup is great too.

Mommy, somebody needs you – sniffle.

You just had a baby.

What happens to your brain when you become a mom. Fascinating!

And finally, one model tried on 10 pairs of size 16 jeans. Spoiler alert: sizing is CRAZY BEYOND ALL REASON and here is the proof.

 

Have a lovely weekend, friends!

Annemarie’s Awesome Links

It’s the Christmas edition! For all your free time (well, maybe bookmark this for the magical hour when the kids are entranced by their presents).

14 snapshots that summed up parenting in 2014. I love this roundup.

How to make a proper cup of tea.

The benefits of gentle discipline.

I’m totally starting this Christmas tradition.

A thought-provoking essay on children and beauty and perceptions.

How to stop fighting about screen time. The screen time part is interesting, but the idea of changing the framework of how quality time is presented is a really great idea.

This is sobering. Although it doesn’t apply to most of us currently, it may apply to our partners: your lifestyle has already been designed.

15 finance tips for 2015.

This was a perspective-changer too: the exponential benefits of eating less. Food and eating as a social justice issue.

How to teach kids to cook, so that they can take over Christmas dinner next year. (One day…)

And this article is a lovely dispeller of birth story competition: 10 ways c-sections and vaginal deliveries are the same.

 

Ok! That’s a hefty list of thought-provoking stuff. Happy Christmas, and I hope your holidays are full of love and peace and joy and just the right amount of chaos to keep it fun.

Annemarie’s Awesome Links and Happy News

I don’t know why I’ve been hoarding my links, but there are many, and lo, they are awesome.

Vivian wanted me to pass this along: We welcomed our baby boy into the world on Friday afternoon, Nov.14. We’ve given him the name Ezra Jacob Thiessen Unger. He weighed a cute little 6 lbs. 5 oz. and he’s doing really well. So far my recovery after the cesarean birth is going OK, though I’m definitely feeling the limitations of my body! We’re thrilled to have Ezra as part of our family. Thanks for all your thoughts and well wishes leading up to this birth!

YAY! Congratulations, Unger family!

On to links (lots of these are funny this week so maybe do a few Kegels to prepare):

Hashtag Advent (I love Anglicans).

And 40 days of Advent love and gratitude (warning: autoplay music on that site)

Not funny, very true: Are you the default parent?

Domino magazine’s 26 favourite design blogs, if you need some eye candy

Ok, get ready, because the rest of these all cracked me up like whoa.

Turn your princess-obsessed toddler into a feminist in 8 easy steps

How to interview your doula – PERFECTION.

Things children do that are unacceptable for adults to do

This is way late now, but the trailer for Daylight Savings, The Movie

Taking one letter out of movie titles is hilarious

Did you read A Wrinkle In Time as a kid? If so, here’s dirtbag Mrs Whatsit.

Women rejecting marriage proposals in art history, and unhappy mothers in western art history (there are more in the series – click through them for more lolz) (they are EVERYTHING.)

Sacrilege at its best: Bible verses in which praying has been replaced by truckin’.

This was relevant to me this week, so I’m sharing in case you share my struggles: how to fix a bra when the STUPID underwire pops out and fills you with unutterable rage and the air turns blue with your swearing.

Everyone should write down the crazy stuff their toddlers/preschoolers/kids say, because it is comedy GOLD. Exhibit A.

Annemarie’s Awesome Links

A nice and odd assortment for you this chilly Wednesday.

The gospel of parenthood according to Tina and Amy.

A teacher shadowed her high school students and was horrified.

I’m pregnant, so why can’t I tell you? (NOTE: this is the title of the article I AM NOT PREGNANT)

If you have any influence over the people who buy gifts for your kids and don’t want an avalanche of stuff this Christmas, send them this: 15 non-toy gifts for children.

You don’t need a toaster to make toast.

10 things no one tells you about being married and the 9 most overlooked things in a marriage.

The original SIDS researcher has come out and said that bed-sharing is not dangerous. Thank goodness, because I think most of us have done it at some point.

How to get a big life. (Contains swears.)

Have a great Hallowe’en! Put on lots of layers for trick-or-treating and enjoy your kids’ candy guilt-free – we’ll just call it a tiny piece of what they owe you.

Annemarie’s Awesome Links

Last week was all about the parenting gig. This week, I branch out.

Stressed out? Do some colouring. It’s totally a thing.

50 reasons your toddler is awake right now.

How to make a simple salad. Because I honestly had six pieces of pie this weekend, so YAY SALAD. (But always, always yay pie.)

What kids around the world eat for breakfast.

Shine Theory – because I will never stop sharing anything that promotes women working together instead of tearing each other down.

This story made me tear up. Losing a years’ worth of knitting? And then finding it again? Magical. Such a happy story.

A fun little video on the science behind PMS.

Why asking “do you need anything?” is pretty much useless.

Improving house esteem, or, why Pinterest is like thinspiration for our homes.

Happy Hump Day!

Annemarie’s Awesome Links

First: some links related to last week’s session from Maggie.

Here’s one about a minimalist family in the suburbs: http://www.becomingminimalist.com/

This one is minimalism for two single guys but with some great food for thought and ideas: http://www.theminimalists.com/

The family that’s down to 1 pint of garbage a year, Zero Wast Home blog: http://zerowastehome.blogspot.ca/

A sample of the Lean approach at home: http://www.leanblog.org/2013/10/lean-do-try-this-at-home/

And now a round-up that’s entirely parent-related.

 

This one’s been around, but in case you missed it: How parenting is killing marriages.

Everybody loves Pixar movies. Here’s the trailer for the next one.

Being a stay-at-home parent is a luxury for your spouse. An interesting take.

We’re the first generation of parents in the age of iEverything.

10 commandments for the at-home birthday party.

Parenting the first vs second child – hilarious.

Self-care for highly sensitive moms, because not all moms are extroverts.

Tiny overlord is getting stronger – also hilarious.

Another post in the Motherhood Around the World series, but this time, expats who live in the US. So interesting, especially after reading all the others!

Mark Bittman on getting your kids to eat, or at least try, everything.

And finally, this has been around for ages, as in I got it as an email forward in high school and kept it as a Word document, but it is still hysterical. A parenting test.

 

There’s a lot this week! Snuggle up with your beverage of choice after bedtime and read until midnight. Don’t worry, we all do it.