Wishing you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

We’re on Holiday break until 2010.

I turn the other cheek to “you”. The “you” that finds comfort in being malicious and unkind. The “you” who finds joy in spreading falsities. My response to “you” is this:

When we are faced with such hostility we can choose to react on instinct, to defend, to justify, to attack and ultimately to feed the ugliness of this dysfunctional theater, but in doing so we allow it to become a part of us. Eckhart Tolle¹ describes much of this beautifully, and may summarize it best in his words: “Whatever you fight, you strengthen, and what you resist, persists.”

-Today’s World – Karma, Reflection and Kindness.

It is disappointing that there are those few of you who find my success to be threatening. That feel you need to have your presence known with each degree of success I earn and that seem to feel that attempting to tear others down is a way to build yourself up. My success is based on a true and honest heart and most importantly it is based on integrity. Integrity is defined as an adherence to moral and ethical principles. For me this holds true in every detail as well as holistically. Any one of you have the potential to be as successful – but your first goal should be to apply the energy you use to attack me to improve your own life skills. I am well aware that some of “you” are individuals that are known in the WAHM community yet hide behind anonymity and innuendo. Sadly, there are also those few that are simply wanting to “belong” to something regardless of the ill intent, the falsehood or those it injures. As women, we should stand up for and encourage the success and empowerment of our gender. I will forever strive to be a champion for us as women; women who not only want to do meaningful work, but who also find great meaning and success in being wives, partners and mothers.

We love the holiday season and this year Stinky Couture™ was excited to announce the adoption of a new tradition, our version of Secret Santa. Do you know someone that is kind, considerate, cares for others and is rich in all things that matter? Stinky Couture™ wants to be a Secret Santa for a special someone. With your help someone deserving will receive a beautifully gift wrapped Stinky Couture™ gift pack for their sweet baby this holiday season. Gift pack will include a Stinky Couture™ Signature Series™ fitted cloth diaper and a pack of yummilicious Stinky Couture™ baby wipes.

Please submit your nominee to CustomerService at StinkyCouture.com with “Secret Santa” in the subject line. Please do include your nominee’s full name, email address and a short description of why you feel that they are deserving. Submissions are being accepted through Saturday 12/20.

Save that receipt as you may need it. Being that the holidays are a time to shop we thought it a must to share the following information:

One in Three Children’s Toys Tested by www.HealthyToys.org Found to have Significant Levels of Toxic Chemicals Including Lead, Flame Retardants, and Arsenic
Some Products on Shelves this Holiday Season Will be Illegal to Sell in February
Environmental Health Groups Hold Toy Testing Events Nationwide and Urge Manufacturers and Gov’t to Phase Out Most Harmful Chemicals Immediately

(Ann Arbor, MI — December 3, 2008) – The Ecology Center, a Michigan-based nonprofit organization, and partners across the country today released the 2nd annual consumer guide to toxic chemicals in toys at www.HealthyToys.org. Researchers tested over 1,500 popular children’s toys for lead, cadmium, arsenic, PVC and other harmful chemicals in time for this year’s holiday shopping season. One in three toys tested were found to contain “medium” or “high” levels of chemicals of concern.

-HealthyToys.org

As parents we only want the best for our children. Yes, we believe in Santa Claus and his trusted reindeer. We want our children to squeal with delight on Christmas morning at what they find under the tree without it being hazardous to their health. We found the information on HealthyToys.org to be a useful guide when purchasing toys for our children. We hope that you too will research before you buy.

Happy Holidays!

Meet 10 month old Katie, August winner of the Stinky Couture™ photo contest. Photo submitted by her mama Tori.

Having recently invested in an industrial machine, I wanted to share. I am only giving a small peek as I had to crop my work schedule whiteboard, which is to the right. Not that any of you would be able to read my scribble, though I am quite sure that you’d try being that the customs list is on in it. The machine is powered by a 5.6 Amp motor under the table with a clutch activated belt drive connecting to the upper assembly. With all this torque it cuts through multiple layers of fabric effortlessly. The biggest challenge and been learning to control the speed and power, a challenge I welcome.

We received so many great pictures! Choosing this month’s winner was not easy as you all have such beautiful babies.

April’s winning photo is of Caden, 3 months, photo taken by his mama Lisa. We got quite a kick out of the photos submitted by Lisa as she submitted several photos showing Caden in a variety of moods. This was our favorite as sweet Caden was trying oh so hard to sit up and show off his Stinky Couture™.

Our beautiful niece came into the world on Monday.
8.9 pounds ~ 21 1/2 inches

We LOVE your babies in Stinky Couture™! We are excited to announce the official start of the Stinky Couture™ photo contest. The contest will run monthly starting March 1, 2008. Winners will be chosen monthly from the previous month’s photo submissions with a cutoff of midnight Mountain Time on the last day of the month.* April 1, 2008 we will announce the first winner and every 1st thereafter. The winner will receive a Stinky Couture™ fitted diaper*. When submitting photos, please keep it real. We love babies and we love them as they are whether that be happy, messy, cranky, hungry, fussy, sleepy. So get competitive, HAVE FUN and we’ll look forward to seeing your sweet babies in Stinky Couture™!

Submissions can be sent to “photocontest at stinkycouture.com”
* Diapers will be YPS (you pick size)
*All photo submissions to date will be considered for the month of March.