http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/secrets-direct-sales-11622313

Looking for a unique way to honor the moms in your life this Mother’s Day? Make a donation in their name to MotherWoman, a local non-profit that provides mom’s groups, postpartum support groups and political action. For a donation of $10 a flower bearing the moms name will be hung in a local business in Northampton and Amherst. You will receive a lovely acknowledgement card to send to the mom.

A few years ago, my friend Laurie and I drove into Times Square and had a Barefoot Books booth at the Twentieth Annual Indy And Small Press Book Fair.

It was a fun weekend, eating great food in Brooklyn late at night and watching a woman strike yoga poses in the middle of Times Square at 7am. A true New York experience.

The main speaker the first night of the event was Former Democratic Congresswoman Pat Schroeder. Before she spoke she came right to our booth and grabbed a copy of The Story of Divaali. 

Have you had a brush with fame?

Some of Barefoot’s wonderful Audio Cds are on sale, regularly $19.99 they are on sale for $4.99!

Our favorite is “Giants, Ghosts and Goblins” narrated by Jerry Nelson, the voice of The Count on Sesame Street

These CDs are perfect for car rides, down time and are a great alternative to TV. Because they are so beautifully narrated, I love listening to them when my kids are not the car. The Barefoot Site has an audio clip so you can hear for yourself.

Also on sale, The Adventures of Odysseus

My life has changed dramatically in the past six months. My oldest started kindergarten and I went back to work full-time. With my son starting a new school, it was like I was entering a new school as well. New parents to meet, play dates to plan (or in my case, favors to watch my kid while I have afternoon meetings, thank you friends!) It was funny, but I had the new school jitters like him, will I be cool enough for school, will my kid get invited to birthday parties? Of course, all of this is the case.  One of the great things that happened is that I was lucky enough to be invited to join MotherWoman.

Since I moved to the Pioneer Valley, I had heard about MotherWoman.  MotherWoman is organization founded by two moms who had a huge awakening when they became parents and needed a place to safely talk about what was happening in their lives. When they looked around they found infant massage, baby yoga; all activities focused on the child and not a group focused on the mothers. So they started a group themselves. The group is place with no judgements, no advice, no kids. A place to speak uninterrupted. It is amazing to say out loud, “my kid really made me so angry today” and see 10-12 heads nod back at you.

We meet once a month. There is lots of laughter, a few tears and plenty of chocolate. I do not leave the group with answers but leave knowing I am not alone in this journey, that many, if not all of us, are learning as we go. Many of the woman in the group I did not know, but some are Moms from school. We don’t get time to really talk on the playground but it is nice to get a nod when your kid is having a tantrum that you are not being judged, that they understand.

To learn more about MotherWoman and start a group of your own, visit www.motherwoman.org

One of the great pleasures of my Barefoot Business is getting to help local non-profits with fundraisers. One such organization is New Haven Leon.

Their mission is:

The New Haven/León Sister City Project is a progressive, binational, grassroots organization that fosters a partnership between the communities of Greater New Haven, Connecticut and León, Nicaragua. Our mission is to promote social justice. We work to form fair and respectful relationships between the people of our two cities. Through delegations and other exchanges, we strive to understand and celebrate our respective cultures. In León, we engage in sustainable economic, human, and community development projects. In New Haven, we educate our neighbors about Nicaragua and about local and global effects of policies of the U.S. government and international economic institutions.

Through their work they create programs and provide much needed support to children in Nicaragua. They have become an affiliate with Barefoot to have a book drive. Any purchases made through their link will go towards buying Barefoot Books in Spanish for their Community Education Programs.

Please click here to have your purchase support this great cause!

To learn more about the Barefoot Books affiliate for your blog or fundraising needs, click here

I am so excited to be the featured blog on Kids Craft Weekly! Amber loves Barefoot Books too and asked me to do a giveaway for her readers. Enter to win a Whole World Activity Pack. This includes the Whole World Mini Edition with sing-along CD and the brand new World World Fun Eco Activities Pack. This includes fun activities about recycling and conservation.

To enter, please comment below about your favorite Barefoot Book. If you’ve never heard of Barefoot Books, please visit my Barefoot Books site and mention a book you like. The contest will end Sunday, November 9 at 12am (EST).

Good Luck

Dawn

My son and I sat down last weekend and opened Arthur Of Albion, one of Barefoot’s newest titles. It is a comprehensive volume of the stories about King Arthur, The Knights of the Round Table, Lancelot, etc. I forgot how much I enjoyed these tales until I revisited them with my son. One of my favorite summer reads in elementary school was the Once and Future King and I must admit that I grew-up in a Disney house (my parents went to Disney World on their honeymoon) and loved Sword in the Stone.

You know my son really loves a book when he asks me not to sell it and keep it as our home copy. I happened to order two and was so happy to sell it at the Northampton Montessori Fall Festival last weekend. I had been meaning for a a few years to go to this event but feel privileged to have been invited to have a booth. If you’d like your order to benefit the school please enter EV 27 at check out.

There are many new beginnings in my house this Fall

My son started Kindergarten, my daughter is turning 2 and I returned to work. Of course I have always been working. I have been home with my daughter and running my Barefoot business for two years. It was hard to say good-bye to this special time. I shed many, many tears. More than I thought I would because I have an older child and I sent him of to daycare. But this was different. I was home with my little one. Once I accepted my new job, I realized it was real and that my life was going to change very quickly. It was nice that I had a few weeks to say goodbye to this time in my life. We went to Woodstar and had coffee and a muffin and I cried. We went to the Northampton Parents Center to play with friends and I cried. I told anyone who would listen and a cried. It was nice to know I have so many people to talk to.

All that being said, I have to say that I enjoy being back in the workplace.