What We've Been Up To

We here at All Done Monkey have so many exciting things in the works that we can’t keep it to ourselves anymore!  Here is a preview of what you have to look forward to in the coming months, but first, a recap of our current projects:

Ongoing

1. Go Orange Campaign Against Childhood Hunger:  As we announced earlier, we are so proud to be a part of this initiative, which involves ordinary people throughout the US and beyond.  It is such an inspiration to see what they have been doing in their communities.  Although my little Monkey and I haven’t been able to be as active in this as I had hoped, due to illness and preggo exhaustion, I will be sharing with you ideas and activities from around the web, including ways you can get involved in your own community to support this important cause. If you aren’t following us on Facebook, you are missing all of the action!  While I will be sharing resources from the campaign on the blog,  you will find much more on our Facebook page, including statistics and articles on everything from how to start a food drive to how to talk to your child about hunger.  Remember to check the Moms Fighting Hunger Facebook page for all of the latest.
2. Culture Swapper: This is the second month’s we have been participating as a co-host to this amazing collection of multicultural ideas for kids, along with Kid World Citizen and the Culture Swapper’s creator, Worldwide Culture Swap.  Last month we had an amazing collection, and this month looks to be just as amazing, with activities and recipes from all over the world, including the US, Latvia, England, France, Malawi, Tahiti, Thailand, and India!
3. Blogging Carnival on Bilingualism: At the end of every month, bloggers from around the web come together to share their stories and tips about raising bilingual children.  We were so pleased to be included in the July and August carnivals and are happy to announce that this month we will be hosting!  Keep an eye out for this exciting collection on the last Thursday of September.  We can’t wait to see what everyone has been up to this month!

Upcoming

In the next several weeks we’ll be doing guest posts for some wonderful blogs.  The topics include a fall craft, a book review, a review of our local train museum, and a tribute to those suffering from breast cancer.  We also will be featuring some wonderful guest posters here, so stay tuned!  Here are some other upcoming projects, in roughly chronological order:

1. Baha’i Mom Blogs: The sharp-eyed among you may have noticed this adorable new button in our sidebar.  It was designed using the artwork of an amazing artist (more on her in a future post) who generously allowed us to use her work for our site.  The Baha’i Mom Blogs blog ring is a project very near to my heart, and I am proud to have played a small role in getting it off the ground.  The participating blogs are (fittingly) very diverse in their approaches and topics covered, but the common thread is that we all base our blogs on the principles of Baha’i parenting, which you can read more about on our website, where you can also find a full list of the participating blogs and websites.  Starting tomorrow, I will be featuring one of these blogs a month, to help introduce them to our readers and give you a flavor of the wonderful bloggers we have the privilege to work with!
2. Kid Lit Blog Hop: We are excited to be working with Renee of Mother Daughter Book Reviews again.  The Summer Weekly Reading giveaway she headed was a huge success!  She has again assembled a great team of bloggers, including many of those that participated in the book giveaway, this time to host regular linkups of children’s book reviews.  The first one will be next week, so get ready to find some great new reads to enjoy with your little one!
3. Kid Blogger Network Playdate Blog Hop:  Petunia of Go Kid Yourself is heading this fun blog hop, which will feature ideas on playdates from kid bloggers all over the web.  We can’t wait to see what everyone links up!
4. Cinderella Around the World: This is the brainchild of Becky from Kid World Citizen.  Each participating blogger will review with their little one a version (or two) of the Cinderella story from a different part of the world.  Every continent will be represented!  My little Monkey and I will reading Cinderella stories from Spanish America and the Southeastern US.  We are so excited to participate.  As he would say, “Ready, get started!”
5. Fall Linkys: This series was started by Alecia of Chicken Scratch NY.  If you are looking for a place to find great ideas for fall, this is it!  We will cover everything from decorations to recipes to the big day itself – Halloween!  We are proud to be hosting the Fall Kids’ Craft linkup, so stay tuned for some wonderful activities to do with your little monkeys!
6. Pinterest Scavenger Hunt: Arah of ArahBella’s Vintage Finds is spearheading this super fun contest, which will start October 1.  Each day you will receive a new clue, directing you to a specific post on a different blog.  Participants have the chance to win a fall-themed prize at the end of the hunt.  Look for more details soon!
7. Random Acts of Kindness series: I was inspired, as so many people have been, by a blogger who spent her last birthday committing random acts of kindness.   A friend encouraged me not to let this fall into that big dustbin called “Great idea!  Maybe someday…” and so I have assembled a dream team of some of my very favorite bloggers, who have each committed to having a Random Acts of Kindness day with their little ones.  Starting in November, we will share the experiences of one of them every week.  Prepare to be inspired!  Also, look for an opportunity to share your own random acts of kindness!
8. Maternity leave: As we prepare for the arrival at the end/beginning of the year of our Baby Monkey, I am working on lining up guest posters for my maternity leave.  So while we are taking time to snuggle with our new little one, you will be enjoying some wonderful articles on a wide range of topics, including babywearing, cloth diapering, and more!  And so even though I know you will miss us, these posts will be so great you may be a little sorry to see us return 😉

What have you been up to lately?  We’d love to hear about your upcoming projects!