Midwestern Housewife

SCIENCE IS EVERYWHERE

2012-01-21T09:16:00.000-05:00

Everything outside is under 1/4 an inch of ice, so we decided to use our front walk for a science lesson!

Which melts ice faster, large salt pieces (rock salt) or small ones (table salt)?

We shook rock salt on the right side of the sidewalk, and table salt on the left side.

RESULT....rock salt melts ice faster, but table salt melts more evenly!

For the little ones, this is simply a matter of "bigger melts faster but smaller spreads out better"....for bigger kids this is a great example of surface area and diffusion rates.

Here are some fun videos we watched to understand how ice melts.

GAME ON

2012-01-05T23:29:00.000-05:00

Well, we got our fancy new smartphones and OH. MY. GOODNESS! If it could cook and/or clean.....people would marry these things!

The first thing I did was install email, Kindle, Facebook, and Netflix. Then I downloaded a few free games just to see how they looked on the phone.

The great thing about a free game is that if you don't like it then you uninstall it and you're just out some time, so I picked four that were highly rated.

Shoot the Apple
Slice it
Words with Friends
Where's My Water

I played Shoot the Apple for 5 minutes before it got boring. It was like a poor man's Angry Birds.... and I get bored with that game as well.

Then I tried Slice It, which had potential. You just slice shapes into the goal number of equal pieces, but then you suffer through adware to the point that it got old after 10 minutes.

On to Words with Friends! It's basically Scrabble, but you don't have to sit there and wait for your opponent to think. You play and then move on to something else until your phone lets you know that it's your turn again! This is fun if you're playing several games at once. I have 8 games going and I like always having someone sending me a response, but if I only had one game then I'd get impatient waiting (hours, sometimes days) to get a reply.

Fortunately, Where's My Water turned out to be the hidden gem! It's released by Disney, so the graphics are awesome. The goal is simple - get the water through the pipes and into the tub....but each level is harder then the last! You might have to race slime, or remove weeds, or slide trap doors to give poor Swampy his bath! I played the free version straight through and promptly shelled out a whole $1 for the full version! The best part is that, unlike a lot of strategy games, you can invest as much time as you want! If you only have a few minutes, just get the water to the tub on one level, but if you have longer go for a "triple duck" and check your collection for bonus levels!

UPDATE: I found another great puzzle game for older kids or adults....Cut the Rope! It's similar to Where's My Water, but you're trying to get a piece of candy to a frog. Also, I finally found a game for the kids....Fruit Ninja! It has three different levels of play...with or without bombs or a timer....and the "zen" mode is even easy enough for Pumpkin!

FIRST TUESDAY FUN

2012-01-03T11:50:00.000-05:00

I just found a great new activity!

The first Tuesday of each month Lego stores around the country offer classes on how to make various models (this month it's the cobra pictured above) and then your child can take the model home!

This activity is for ages 6-16 and Legos are a great way to teach spatial skills, hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills, and problem solving!

Hint: if you don't live super close to a Lego store, check out that town for other events you can combine to make it a whole day trip. For instance, Indianapolis also has Family Day on the 1st Tuesday of the month, so your family could spend time at the zoo and then head over to the Lego store!

THREE FAVORITE WORDS

2011-12-30T16:07:00.000-05:00

In my ongoing love affair with the wii, I have discovered that I love seeing three little words together....

Wii. Educational. Free.

That's right, I found a great website that offers free Wii games that are educational! And not "educational" like learning social play, but educational, like math and reading!

I'm excited to try out this new site, and to find more! If you try it out, let me know what you think....and if you know of other free game pages, please share in the comments!

Here's the page I found....

Academic Skill Builders

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-25T15:09:00.000-05:00

This is one of my all time favorite carols....AND it was written by a Mainer!

Sometimes we hear a song so many times we stop hearing the words, so this year take the time to read the lyrics to this wonderful song.

I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
... Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”

Vent Tent

2011-12-21T10:36:00.000-05:00

One of the best things about getting cold in the winter is all the great ways to warm up!

My personal favorite is also a great impromptu lesson on air currents!

After playing outside in the snow and getting all wet and freezing, we come in, strip off our wet stuff and sit near a floor vent. Then I throw a quilt over our legs and we watch as the vent turns on and fills our blanket with hot air!

Not only do we get warm really quickly (careful not to sit directly on the hot vent)....it also provides a great chance to discuss air movement wtih little kids. We talk about how the blanket is like a hot air balloon and experiment with lifting the blanket to let different amounts of air escape.

Of course, the down side is that you've brought the kids attention to the floor vents, and it might not be long before they realize those holes are a great place to stick stuff...so you might end up with a second impromptu lesson on not blocking those air currents!

A Future Classic

2011-12-19T18:45:00.000-05:00

Normally, I'm a fan of leaving classics alone.

They're "classic" for a reason.

But in the case of The Nutcracker, I actually prefer a revision!

In 2007 the San Francisco Ballet did a version of the Nutcracker that moved the setting of part of the ballet from Candyland to the World's Fair!

The new setting actually makes the ballet more interesting for the younger crowd and my kids will sit through the entire ballet with the revisions!

If you're interested in viewing it, check your local library to find it free, or head over to Amazon's instant streaming to rent it for 3-days for only $1.99.

San Francisco Ballet's Nutcracker on Amazon

Flashback....Wii Style

2011-12-15T15:33:00.000-05:00

I might be more anxious for Christmas then the kids are!

After a little more research about the Wii, I discovered that the online features of the Wii are pretty amazing!

Not only will we be able to play our friends and family online (from other states!) but we can download classic games from the web! Which means I can play Rygar again....woo-hoo!

It's hard to find exact details online, but it looks like I'll have to buy a Wii card online for about $20 for 2000 points, and then classic games run about 500 points each...or $5 per classic download.

Click here to learn more about Wii internet features.

Bento: The Saga Continues

2011-12-10T07:08:00.000-05:00

I finally found a Bento solution!

Here are some of the ones I've been considering....

This one is my favorite, but at $30 plus,

it's too pricy for three small children.

(that and I don't think Monkey would appreciate it!)

This bento box is one of my favorites for Monkey,

and at $15 it's not as pricey as the doll bento,

but I'd still be put out if it was misplaced.

This one was my frontrunner for awhile,

at $8 each with two food compartments, it's a lot more affordable,

but there's no strap to hold the pieces together!

Then I discovered these containers, called "EasyLunchBoxes"

that function like Bento boxes, but are much cheaper and simpler.

Only $13 for four, and diswasher/microwave safe!

As soon as I saw them I remembered seeing something else....

Ziploc brand take & toss with divided compartments!

So I checked out the Ziploc brand at a local store and discovered that

they're on sale for $2.50 for a 2/pack!

$8 later and I now have 6 ziploc "bento boxes"!

I can't wait to fill them up with all kinds of fun foods

and edible art!

The Mas in Christmas Shouldn't Mean "More"

2011-12-07T11:30:00.000-05:00

I just read an article that starts out with this awesome comment....

"You're getting socks for Christmas and you’re going to be thankful for them, because instead of living this comfortably middle class lifestyle in warm socks, you could be a homeless, motherless, sockless child in a war-torn, third world country. Think on that a while, you self-absorbed American teenager"

My first thought was that every kid I know should be made to read this every year before making their Christmas wish list!

In fact, I think if the word teenager was deleted, that phrase could be printed on a card, attached to a warm pair of socks and given to most of the adults I know as a kick in the pants, myself included!

So, if you're like me and that quote made you realize how you're already caught up in the commercialism you hate about the holidays...check out this amazing wish list that allows you to give gifts to the underprivileged around the world!

In fact, I'm thinking it might be a nice addition to the Advent Activity to buy everyone in our family a pair of socks, read this quote together, and then decide on a way our family is going to make Christmas a little less about us and a little more about helping others!

Purely Puree

2011-11-29T16:15:00.001-05:00

Check this out...6lbs of sweet potato puree!

Just before Thanksgiving,sweet potatoes were on sale for 19 cents a pound,

so I bought 15lbs topuree and freeze.

Winter is the perfecttime for sweet potato puree,
especially my favorite Sweet PotatoChipotle Soup.

If you like pumkin, trysubstituting sweet potato in muffins, breads, and pies!
It doesn't taste exactly the same, but it's really close.

The puree is really easyto make and freezes well.

Simply peel the raw sweetpotato, wrap well in foil,
and bake at 350F for anhour, or until soft.

Then roll the potato outof the foil and into a bowl,
mash, remove to freezercontainer (or bag)
and place in the freezer.

A large potato is about 1 pound, or 2-3 cups of puree.

This method is *so* much easier then trying to peel a hot potato,
or taking the time to dice the potato.

I froze my puree in bags, 2 cups per bag,
since a small can of pumpkin puree is about 1.75 cups.

Wii? Oui!

2011-11-27T14:40:00.000-05:00

We're getting a Wii for Christmas!

This is especially exciting for me because I've never actually owned a gaming system.

My brother had a classic Nintendo when we were kids, and I can still complete the entire game of Rygar from memory (which is more impressive when you realize that we never even had the instruction manual). But my favorite games have always been computer games (anyone remember King's Quest?) so I never felt the need to own an Xbox or PS3.

However, the kids are starting to get into Wii at their cousins houses, so we thought it was time to get a starter set and a few games (and finally be able to use Netflix with the TV)!

I haven't done much research yet, but I did find a few pages I need to research more, so I thought I'd share them with you!.

Click here for a list of educational games

Click here for highest rated kids games

The set we're getting comes with MarioKart and I've heard good things about Drawn to Life and Mario Galaxy. If you have a favorite game, please share in the comments!

Indoor Adventures

2011-11-23T14:12:00.000-05:00

Another cold and rainy day!

I've heard that a recession is a good time to start a small business...

and if you live in my town I can even tell you what business would make you rich!

In a town of 100,000 we have two places to take kids in bad weather,

an indoor playplace at McDonalds and the library.

Which means we only have one place to be active

and one place to do quiet play and learning

if the weather isn't cooperating.

Today was a quiet learning kind of day, so we went to one of

my favorite childhood haunts....the library!

Monkey reading "Stellaluna"

Cupcake playing "Reader Rabbit"

Pumpkin watching Henri the frog pretend to be a green rock

You'll notice that I don't have any photos of the kids

reading actual books at the library, and that's because they don't!

Our library has an amazing children's area,

so we usually pick out books and movies to take home,

and then play trains, work on the computer area, or

check out the exploration and creative play corner!

Today we did reading, science, and math at the library,

and then brought home more books about travel, physics, and nature.

When Life Gives You Chex

2011-11-18T11:41:00.001-05:00

Is there anyone who hasn't made Chex Muddy Buddies in a pinch?

Chocolate and Peanut Butter together in less then 5 minutes? Yes, please!

So when I saw a recipe for Lemon Buddies on the cereal box I decided to give it a try. And it was soooo good!

Here's the link to the original recipe, but of course I had to tweak the recipe to make it faster and yummier! Below is the final version I came up with...but be careful, it's addictive!

Chex Lemon Buddies

1 box Rice Chex cereal (apx. 12 cups)
2.5 cups vanilla chips
1/2 cup margarine
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cups powdered sugar

Pour cereal into a *large* bowl.

Melt the vanilla chips (I used Wilton candy melts), margarine, and lemon juice in the microwave - aproximately 90 seconds on high. Stir well and pour over cereal.

Mix cereal until every piece is well coated and then pour into two gallon ziploc bags. Add 1.5 cups of powdered sugar into each bag, seal, and shake until coated.

Pour coated cereal onto a cookie sheet to dry.

Modern Media

2011-11-15T15:08:00.001-05:00

This week we’re learning about how news is shared.

Ironically, when we went to the local newspaper office, we learned that they DON’T share. At least, the receptionist told us that “we don’t do tours…or anything”. After which she suggested we visit the library if we wanted to know more about newspapers.

Now we all know I love the library, but I found it odd that the actual newspaper office was referring me elsewhere for information on newspapers!

Fortunately, once again our search engine came to the rescue, with this great video that not only shows how papers are printed, but gives a quick history of newspapers!

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xibgc_newspaper_news

Advent Calendar: A Gift of Presence

2011-11-12T07:03:00.000-05:00

This year, instead of little candies, or small presents, make your Advent “calendar” all about the gift of “presence”! When completed, this garland will be full of ways to spend time together with your family, enjoying time together and the season of Christmas!

To make the garland: cut out 24 paper shapes, all the same, or a few of each (snowflakes, trees, stockings, etc). You can use gift wrap, construction paper, or white paper. Choose 24 activities from the list below and write one activity on the back of each shape. It’s best to choose simple activities that you’re likely to do, instead of all the things you wish you had time to do! Attach the shapes to a length of yarn to make a garland (use mini clothespins, staples, string through holes, whatever)!

Each day in December choose an activity and countdown to Christmas! You can choose to number your shapes for specific days, but I like to just pull one down each morning depending on what I feel like doing (or whether or not there’s snow!)

Remember, you can make each activity as easy or as complicated as you like…make a gingerbread house from scratch, or use a store-bought kit…the goal here is to spend time together!

1. Decorate the tree and listen to Christmas carols
2. Make a garland for the tree (out of popcorn or fruit loops)
3. Make paper chains to decorate the rest of the house
4. Make snowflakes to decorate your windows
5. Take a family photo (formal or candid)
6. Go to a live nativity
7. Bake cookies to eat
8. Bake cookies to give away
9. See the downtown Christmas lights
10. Drive around neighborhoods to see their Christmas lights
11. Make a craft nativity (whatever is age appropriate for your kids)
12. Drink cocoa and play games
13. Watch a classic Christmas movie
14. Make a gingerbread house
15. Write to Santa
16. Visit Santa at the mall
17. Volunteer (food pantry, bell ringing, etc)
18. Buy canned food and take to a shelter
19. Make homemade Christmas cards for family
20. Make a birthday cake for Jesus
21. Decide on a family present for Jesus
22. Make and hang an edible gift for the birds
23. Read the nativity story
24. Go for a stargazing walk
25. Buy a gift through World Vision Gift Catalog or Heifer.org
26. Read the story of the candy cane
27. Be a secret santa for someone
28. Go ice skating
29. Go sledding
30. Build a snowman
31. Have a red/green night: foods, clothes, etc
32. Have a fancy dress dinner (eat in or go out)
33. Make a list of 25 things you are thankful for
34. Search town for all the Salvation Army buckets and donate in each one
35. Shovel someone else’s walk
36. Share your favorite Christmas memories with each other
37. Sort through your clothes and give some to the shelter

Baking Season

2011-11-08T10:29:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again!

After a hot summer avoiding the stove, and a busy fall enjoying every possible outdoor activity, I am forced inside by the first cold days of the year...and into the waiting arms of my kitchen. At which point I remember that I *love* to bake and start buying flour and sugar in bulk!

Fortunately, this reminder of my love to bake coincides with the beginning of the holiday season, so it's considered perfectly normal for me to bake anything that strikes my fancy and give it away to anyone who crosses my path!

Because if it stays in my house, it will be calling to me from the kitchen.

And who am I to deny a cookie that cries out to be eaten?

The strange thing about holiday baking is that it's almost like a mass hypnosis...the holiday season approaches and people everywhere flock to their kitchens to bake, and bake, and bake!

(of course, it's also the season some people flock to the mall to shop, and others flock to or from their extended families, but to each his own addiction)

In honor of this season I'm going to share one of my favorite holiday recipes with you!

Actually, I'm probably going to share several recipes, but for today here's the first recipe I shared on this blog, and a great gift idea! Simply mix up a batch, pour it into a pretty bag or jar, and label it for great inexpensive gifts for teachers, friends, or coworkers!

CHAI TEA MIX

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup sugar
1 cuppowdered nonfat dry milk
1 cuppowdered non-dairy creamer
1.5 cupsunsweetened instant tea
2 tsp ginger
2 tspcinnamon
½ tsp cloves
(optional: 1 tsp cardamom)

In a medium bowl, mix vanilla and sugar thoroughly (apx. 5minutes) and spread on a cookie sheet to dry for a few hours. When sugar is dry, combine all ingredients ina very large bowl. Blend 1 cup of themix at a time in a food processor until it’s a FINE powder. Store mix in an airtight container or Ziplocbag. To make tea, combine 1 tsp mix to 4oz of hot water.

Captain Oblivious

2011-11-05T06:32:00.000-04:00

In case you hadn't already guessed, I'm no gossip columnist.

I have no idea which celebrity is doing what, with whom, or where.

Which is probably why I'm surprised by information that's apparently been

public knowledge for over 15 years!

Here are some scenes from one of my favorite movies....

Sense & Sensibility

with Emma Thompson as Elinor and Kate Winslet as Marianne.

Here are Elinor & Edward getting married

Here are Marianne & Willoughby in love

And here are...wait!?!

Elinor & Willoughby?!?!

Yup, in real life they're married and have two kids!

And apparently they've been together since the movie...
15 years ago!

And if being surprised by decade old celeb marriages doesn't show you how oblivious I can be,

check this out....

Hugh Laurie plays Mr. Palmer and I never noticed before!

Seriously?!? How did I miss the fact that House/Mr. Little
is one of my favorite minor characters in this movie?

Needless to say, I will never watch Sense & Sensibility the same way again!

Little Comedian

2011-10-27T19:12:00.002-04:00

Cupcake just made up this joke....

"Choo-hoo, choo-hoo...what am I? An owl on a train!"

Not bad for a kid who ends knock-knock jokes with phrases like "purple peanut butter" and who believes that "unilings" are baby unicorns!

Serendipity

2011-10-21T11:26:00.002-04:00

I was up until 3:30, but I got the cake done!

Actually, it's a brownie. I'm not a huge cake fan and there's nothing like a big piece of fudgy brownie...unless it's a big piece of double layer fudge brownie with chocolate filling and marshmallow fondant covering!

Since the cake has to travel, I went with fondant for the topping. It holds its shape so much better then buttercream. But not yucky commercial fondant...the yummy marshmallow kind that takes this brownie "cake" from a sugary treat to an almost guaranteed diabetic coma!

It didn't take me long to decide that I wanted the cake to have an owl on it. Perfect for an autumn party and brown goes so well with pink!

Here's a painting I found online awhile back and just love....

Here's the cake that convinced me an owl cake would be perfect....

And here is the cake that I made...

The little cakes around the edge are actually oreos covered in leftover fondant. If you haven't tried it yet, check out this old blog post about how much fun (and how yummy) these little treats are!

I think the cake and the cookies turned out AWESOME! And I'm not saying that to brag, I'm just seriously surprised!

Remember the title of the post? Serendipity means "happy accident". In all honesty I was going for something a little different, but it wasn't working, so I kept tweaking until I came up with this. It's not exactly what I thought I wanted, but it still somehow ended up being exactly what I hoped for!

Serendipity...cake style!

Party Time

2011-10-19T10:48:00.000-04:00

Pumpkin is turning TWO!

Last year we did a big costume party, but this year there were too many schedule conflicts to get everyone together. On top of that, our backyard is a crime scene and the road to our house is closed for construction...so I wasn't sure I was going to do much of anything for a party this year.

BUT, of course we couldn't go without celebrating, so we finally decided to do a party at Hubby's brother's house. My SIL is taking care of the food and I just have to bring dessert! Have I mentioned that I *love* my SIL?!!!

It actually makes everything soooooo much easier because parties here mean cooking, cleaning, AND cake decorating (which then leads to more cleaning)...but for this party I don't have to cook or clean....just decorate the cake!

It does change a few things though. If I was having the party here, I could do more of a theme and decorate, and I could do any kind of cake I wanted. However, if I'm going to travel then I can't decorate very much and I need a cake that will survive the trip.

The actual party is going to be a weinie roast, so we'll be outside around the fire most of the time. That provides plenty of atmosphere, but I was thinking of bringing apple cider, caramel apples, and candy corn to really set the "autumn" mood.

So, the cake itself will need to be something that goes with a fall party, but also fits for a little girl's birthday.

Here are some of my favorites so far....

Book of the Week!

2011-10-19T07:42:00.003-04:00

I stumbled across this book at a local book fair and fell so completely in love with it that I ordered a hardcover version the next day! The book from the fair was a paperback in reasonable shape, but I got the hardcover version because I knew I'd want this book around for a long time.

Tomie DePaola is probably best known for his book Strega Nona, but after finding this book I discovered that he's written several religious books, including books about the miracles of Jesus and the parables of Jesus.

What I like best about this book is that the text is directly from the Bible, the stories are kept short to appeal to kids, and Tomie's illustrations are absolutely beautiful.

This is the perfect transition between children's books that summarize the Bible and the actual Bible and is definately designed to be read aloud by an adult while the child looks at the illustrations.

This book would make a perfect gift for almost any occasion. Personally, we just started reading ours on a regular old Thursday...but it would be a great gift for a baptistm, dedication, first communion, or Christmas!

As always, click on the photo above to learn more about this book! :)

The Classics

2011-09-23T07:32:00.000-04:00

I’m a huge fan of the classics.

Great stories have a way of grabbing our attention andholding onto us for much longer then the time it takes to finish reading thebook itself.

Classics are classic for a reason.

Which is why I always wince whenever I hear that there’s going to be a filmadaptation of one of my favorite books. I will never understand why Hollywood finds it necessary to alter theplot of a book that is already a classic....arethey trying to make it more classic? Attention Hollywood…it’s not possible! Get over yourselves and accept that sometimes you can’t make somethingbetter, but you can always make it worse!

That said, there are actually some movie versions that areworth seeing…especially if you want to share Austen or Dickens with someone whoisn’t likely to ever read the book.

Here are some of my favorites…..

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

Despite being over 15 years old, the 1995 BBC adaptation ofthis film is still unequaled. It issimply an amazing portrayal of the novel. While it is lengthy (over 5 hours) it is filmed in installments and canbe watched in shorter segments. If youlike this movie, you’ll love the book, and if you love the book, you’ll likethis movie.

A decade after the BBC version, Hollywood decided to make anew adaptation. However, I’m actuallyoffended by the portrayal of Darcy in the 2005 version. In the novel Darcy is the strong, silenttype. Great guy, but not much of atalker and a little too full of himself until he meets Elizabeth. She teaches him humility and he thwarts herpreconceived judgments. But in thismovie he’s just boring. He’s moody andshe’s sassy. Hollywood “modernized”their personalities….making her more brazen and him more sensitive…andsubsequently ruined much of the appeal of their characters.

I have to include the movie “Lost in Austen” here, becausethe idea is so intriguing. A modernwoman, and huge fan of Austen’s novel, manages to trade places with ElizabethBennet in a fictional past. Great idea,right? Yes, it’s a great *idea*…but poorly executed. If she’s such a fan of the novel, why doesn’tit occur to her to change her clothes? And how are we supposed to cheer for a “heroine” who is so crass andrude? Darcy falls for Elizabeth becauseeven though she’s poor, she’s perfect in every other way…spunky, pretty, andsensible. Elizabeth is basically a feistyElinor, while the heroine of this film is closer to a mouthy scullery maid.

SENSE & SENSIBILITY

Again, the clear classic is from 1995! The cast is great, the script was written bysomeone who obviously cared about being true to the novel. And, as a bonus it’s also short enough towatch in one sitting!

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1993) & HAMLET (1995)

In a stroke of genius Kenneth Branagh hired mainstreamactors to participate in movie versions of Shakespearean plays. And then Branagh actually kept the originaldialogue and simply enhanced it with beautiful sets and lots of emotion andgestures to help clarify the language. These movies are true to the original plays, while appealing to a wideraudience then traditional Shakespearean plays…although they still aren’t what I’dconsider mainstream movies.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS

This movie was so good that it made me want to read thebooks. I’d never been particularlyinterested in reading them because they struck me as war books, when in realitythey’re more fantasy adventure. Themovie isn’t a perfect adaptation of the books, but it’s pretty darn close.

THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE

The Chronicles of Narnia are some of my favorite books, and whenI found out that the movie version of the first book was being done by some ofthe same people that did The Lord of the Rings, I was actually excited. And they really did do a great job….exceptfor one not so minor change. Yes, theymade the characters older, and that was fine, but what really bothered me wasthat they made Peter question his destiny. In the books, the children simply accept that they need to save Narniato save their brother, but in the movie Peter delays taking charge and questionshimself and Aslan. Overall, I still likethe movie and they did a really good job, but be aware of that one plot change.

Mango Pineapple Smoothie (the novela)

2011-08-30T22:26:00.008-04:00

Once Upon a Time my dad and stepmother were visiting and we purchased some tamales at the Farmer's Market. Hand rolled duck and sweet potato tamales...yum.

I knew I had the ingredients to make fresh salsa and guacamole at home, but couldn't decide what to do for drinks.

That's when we stopped for a red light and saw that McDonald's had introduced a new mango pineapple smoothie. Now, normally the idea of buying any part of a mexican meal from McDonald's would make me cringe, but the berry smoothie is pretty awesome and the mango smoothies were only $1 each, so we took a chance.

And, BOY were they good!

So good, in fact that I've been trying to duplicate the recipe ever since....and I think I finally did it!

This recipe....like all my recipes....is super simple and relatively cheap.

You're going to need the following items...

1 can (16 oz) of pineapple chunks or tidbits (in JUICE)
1 can (30 oz) of sweetened mango pulp (I got mine at the international food store)
1/2 cup whole milk
1 tray of ice (~2 cups)

First, you need to drain the pineapple, because you only need the juice.

I suppose I should pause here and explain why you didn't just buy pineapple juice. Well, around here pineapple juice is $4 a can and we don't use it for anything else. But pineapple tidbits and chunks are $1 a can and make a great snack or pizza topping. And as a bonus, they come with....pineapple juice! So, it's like buying pineapple and getting the juice free, or buying the juice and getting a healthy snack free, or...well, we're waaaaay off topic now.

Back to the can of pineapple. Personally, I just open the top of the can so that a little of the top is left attached. Then I use the top of the can to hold back the pineapple pieces while letting the juice pour through the crack into the blender. I only do it this way because I wash (read: soap and water) the tops of my cans before use. Cans are stored in warehouses. Warehouses are dirty places and favorite haunts of rodents. Need I say more?

Now that the juice is in the blender, the pineapple pieces can go in a tupperware in the fridge...or more likely in bowls for the kiddos who are now underfoot and loudly declaring that they *need* food. Even though they have no idea what I'm making, the sound of the can opener has lured them from every corner of the house and convinced them they're starving. A bowl of pineapple is a great way to redirect them to the dining room.

Okay, we're on something like page 3 of this recipe and I've already made 2 rabbit trails and mentioned rats, so let's wind this novel up...

Combine pineapple juice, mango pulp, and milk in the blender. Add ice and puree to desired consistency.

Makes 6-7 cups for less then $5.

Note: this recipe also freezes well! Just microwave frozen smoothie at 30 second intervals on high, stirring to get desired consistency.

The Classics

2011-05-11T00:28:00.000-04:00

I’m a huge fan of the classics.

Great stories have a way of grabbing our attention and holding onto us for much longer then the time it takes to finish reading the book itself.

Classics are classic for a reason.

Which is why I always wince whenever I hear that there’s going to be a film adaptation of one of my favorite books. I will never understand why Hollywood finds it necessary to alter the plot of a book that is already a classic....are they trying to make it more classic? Attention Hollywood…it’s not possible! Get over yourselves and accept that sometimes you can’t make something better, but you can always make it worse!

That said, there are actually some movie versions that are worth seeing…especially if you want to share Austen or Dickens with someone who isn’t likely to ever read the book.

Here are some of my favorites…..

PRIDE & PREJUDICE

Despite being over 15 years old, the 1995 BBC adaptation of this film is still unequaled. It is simply an amazing portrayal of the novel. While it is lengthy (over 5 hours) it is filmed in installments and can be watched in shorter segments. If you like this movie, you’ll love the book, and if you love the book, you’ll like this movie.

A decade after the BBC version, Hollywood decided to make a new adaptation. However, I’m actually offended by the portrayal of Darcy in the 2005 version. In the novel Darcy is the strong, silent type. Great guy, but not much of a talker and a little too full of himself until he meets Elizabeth. She teaches him humility and he thwarts her preconceived judgments. But in this movie he’s just boring. He’s moody and she’s sassy. Hollywood “modernized” their personalities….making her more brazen and him more sensitive…and subsequently ruined much of the appeal of their characters.

I have to include the movie “Lost in Austen” here, because the idea is so intriguing. A modern woman, and huge fan of Austen’s novel, manages to trade places with Elizabeth Bennet in a fictional past. Great idea, right? Yes, it’s a great *idea*…but poorly executed. If she’s such a fan of the novel, why doesn’t it occur to her to change her clothes? And how are we supposed to cheer for a “heroine” who is so crass and rude? Darcy falls for Elizabeth because even though she’s poor, she’s perfect in every other way…spunky, pretty, and sensible. Elizabeth is basically a feisty Elinor, while the heroine of this film is closer to a mouthy scullery maid.

SENSE & SENSIBILITY

Again, the clear classic is from 1995! The cast is great, the script was written by someone who obviously cared about being true to the novel. And, as a bonus it’s also short enough to watch in one sitting!

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING (1993) & HAMLET (1995)

In a stroke of genius Kenneth Branagh hired mainstream actors to participate in movie versions of Shakespearean plays. And then Branagh actually kept the original dialogue and simply enhanced it with beautiful sets and lots of emotion and gestures to help clarify the language. These movies are true to the original plays, while appealing to a wider audience then traditional Shakespearean plays…although they still aren’t what I’d consider mainstream movies.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS

This movie was so good that it made me want to read the books. I’d never been particularly interested in reading them because they struck me as war books, when in reality they’re more fantasy adventure. The movie isn’t a perfect adaptation of the books, but it’s pretty darn close.

THE LION, THE WITCH, AND THE WARDROBE

The Chronicles of Narnia are some of my favorite books, and when I found out that the movie version of the first book was being done by some of the same people that did The Lord of the Rings, I was actually excited. And they really did do a great job….except for one not so minor change. Yes, they made the characters older, and that was fine, but what really bothered me was that they made Peter question his destiny. In the books, the children simply accept that they need to save Narnia to save their brother, but in the movie Peter delays taking charge and questions himself and Aslan. Overall, I still like the movie and they did a really good job, but be aware of that one plot change.

TRADITIONAL HUMMUS

2011-04-23T19:30:00.013-04:00

Some people love ketchup, in my house the favorite condiment is hummus. It's great with tortilla chips, veggies, and sandwiches! Not to mention that it's chock full of protein, takes about 3 minutes to make, and stores well in the fridge...all which makes it an ideal item to keep on hand.

Another plus is that it's super flexible. As long as you use chick peas as your base, you can change the rest of the recipe to suit your taste. Omit the garlic and add a dash of salt....add more or less chick pea juice to change the thickness.....substitute lime for lemon juice...or even replace the tahini (sesame paste) with a nut paste, like peanut butter!

This is Hubby's favorite version of traditional hummus and is nice and thick so it doesn't drip off your carrot sticks! This recipe is about as thick as a blender can take though, if you really prefer a super thick hummus, you'll have to break out the food processor.

TRADITIONAL HUMMUS
1 can drained Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
1 can undrained Chick Peas (Garbanzo Beans)
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
1 tsp garlic

Ready for the easiest directions ever? Dump everything into your blender and press "blend".

It will take a few minutes for everything to get pureed, but if your chips or veggies are all ready, you can feed hungry tummies within 3 minutes!

Mommy Cards

2011-04-21T09:56:00.005-04:00

As a SAHM I don't have a business card to share, but my hands are often too full to find the paper and pen in my bag.

Vistaprint to the rescue!

They now make "personal business cards" that contain as little as your name and phone number...or as much your photo, cell, email, address, kids' names, and more!

I love the one with the peanut. What a great (and polite!) way to remind babysitters, playdates, or teachers that your child has allergies.

Photo mommy cards are great for new friends who may not remember who you were by the time they get home! You can include a photo of you, your kids, or the whole family!

Pass them out on the playground, at daycare, or even use them on your diaper bag.

A Walk with Cupcake

2011-04-07T07:40:00.000-04:00

Cupcake, I like your new horse. What's her name?
Dora
Oh. Don't you already have a friend named Dora?
Yes.
Why don't you name your horse something else?
Because I need a HUNDRED Dora friends!
.....
Cupcake, let me put your horse into your bike basket.
Okay. Wait! She needs to be tucked in good. I don't think this works...let's put her in the stroller.
Pumpkin is riding in the stroller.
Well, Mama you can just carry her.
....
Wow, mama! It's a good thing we passed that bus shelter before the bus came, or we'd have to get on!
Cupcake, we could just tell him we're only walking by.
Nope, if you're here then you HAVE to get on that bus!
....
Mama, I want a unicorn birthday.
Okay.
And my cake will have a unicorn, and my balloons will have a unicorn, and my presents will have unicorn pictures.
Oh, wow.
And I want a pillow pet like Monkey's...but a unicorn.
Well, I'll see if I can find one.
And I want the game Monkey got...but with a unicorn.
Oh, I'm not sure that they make those.
They do. It's a UNICORN birthday, so they have to make them with unicorns!
......
Cupcake, you dropped your horse.
Oh no! She's so hurt! I'll have to put a bandaid on her!
She has lots of fur, so we'll have to put a special bandaid on that won't pull it off.
I know.
Oh, you do?
Yes, I have them here.
Oh. I don't see them.
That's because they're invisible. She's all better now.

Bento: Take 2

2011-03-18T02:28:00.000-04:00

I still haven't found a bento box I'm happy with,

but just when I think I should give up the idea of Bento

I see something like this....

Amazing!

Quail eggs, ham slices, meatballs, sausages, cheese slices,

and pressed rice make for a meal that's too pretty to eat!

Even this meal, which is much simpler to make,

is a treat just to look at!

It's amazing what you can do with pressed rice!

Details are done with nori, ham slices,

carrot strips, and tomato slices.

Even a few slices of cheese cut with a mini cutter

can completely change the attitude of a meal!

Now I just need to find a container that works well,

but doesn't cost so much that it can't get lost!

Value of Play

2011-02-11T21:34:00.000-05:00

Check out this great article on CNN!

LET THEM PLAY!

It's written by a sociology professor at Harvard, who claims that letting children (of all ages) play more will actually make a bigger positive improvement in their academics!

I love it when research discovers what some of us already knew - play time IS work time for kids!

The King's Speech

2011-01-26T07:43:00.000-05:00

The King's Speech is a wonderful movie, especially if you're a speech therapist, a student of European history, or a fan of any of the many talented actors brought together in this film.

However, the movie is particularly interesting if you happen to be a fan of both BBCs 1995 version of Pride and Prejudice and of the Harry Potter film series, because a considerable number of actors in The King's Speech, both major and minor roles, will then be shockingly familiar to you. If you also happen to have seen any of the Pirates of the Carribean movies, or Kenneth Branaugh's film adaptation of Hamlet, then you're in for a truly bizarre reunion.

In Pride and Prejudice, Mr Darcy is rich and aloof, but manages at last to win the heart of Elizabeth Bennet, who flatly refused to marry her cousin, Mr Collins, the heir to her father's estate and a raving moron.

In the Harry Potter series, Bellatrix Lestrange is a devoted and deranged follower of Voldemort, an evil wizard, who has returned to power because of the actions of the snivelling traitor Peter Petigrew. Voldemort is ruthless, and is reported to fear only one person, the powerful wizard Dumbledore.

However, in the alternate universe of The King's Speech, Mr Darcy is the Duke of Wales, not only richer then he was in Pride & Prejudice, but now third in line for the throne, behind his older brother, and their father...Dumbledore. If the idea of Duke Darcy isn't too hard to accept, the idea of King Dumbledore as his father begins to induce vertigo.

Duke Darcy's wife is none other than Bellatrix, who we must assume is still attracted to power, but has chosen to marry a potential heir to a throne instead of following the most evil dark wizard of all time. If you're not a fan of the monarchy, perhaps this amounts to the same thing.

Duke Darcy has a severe stutter, and this might explain why he is not married to Elizabeth Bennett...if he can't make the speeches which offend her so greatly, how can they reconcile and fall in love? Regardless, he has married Bellatrix and she finds Captain Barbossa, who has apparently retired from his life of piracy to become a speech therapist, and she convinces him to work with Duke Darcy on his stutter.

Just as your brain is really beginning to spin, the king dies, the prime minister resigns, and Darcy's older brother abdicates the throne. Duke Darcy is now King Darcy and the new prime minister is a gruff Peter Petigrew, who is confident enough to provide advice to Bellatrix. I suppose going from an evil wizard's servant to the prime minister of half the known world will do that for you.

Darcy has even managed to keep Barbossa on as his therapist, despite the concerns of King Claudius, who has left Denmark to serve as the archbishop of Canterbury.

Barbossa helps the King address his subjects successfully via radio. Indeed, the two become lifelong friends. Although perhaps the unorthodox friendship might have something to do with the fact that Barbossa has introduced the King to his wife, Elizabeth Bennett. It could be speculated that King Darcy remained friends with Barbossa to be near his wife. Indeed, his wife has already altered the course of Barbossa's life once, as his aspirations to the stage can never be realized as long as the rejected Mr Collins is the theatre manager.

Perhaps, Darcy and Elizabeth still have a chance of ending up together. After all, Barbossa may be a pirate, but a retired one might be easier to overcome, and kings and pirates have been warring for centuries. Indeed, the infidelity of the king might be enough to send Bellatrix back to Pettigrew for advice, and the two of them could seek revenge with the help of Voldemort. After all, in this alternate universe, there is no telling what might happen.

Deja Vu

2011-01-13T09:30:00.002-05:00

Imagine your husband surprises you by selling your beloved white 98 Accord and buying you an 01 Odyssey.

You're glad for the extra space (as you're 8.5 months pregnant with your 3rd child) but you're not completely ecstatic because, well....he bought it online from 1000 miles away, when you are 8.5 months pregnant....and the new van is GOLD. He couldn't have found a color you liked less without special ordering it. But he got an amazing deal on a great vehicle and color choice isn't nearly as important as owning the title yourself.

18 months later you reflect on what a blessing the van has been and discuss replacing your husband's old clunker that he just drives to and from work...a task which has become a bit much for a car that is 22 years old. (Yes, you read that correctly)

Then you get an email message - "congratulations! you've won the 1998 Accord". Hmmm. Was I bidding on an Accord? Have we finished saving for the replacement car? Have we even gotten our W2 so we could get an idea of whether our tax return will be enough to help purchase a car?

Um...nope.

But we have a car.

And it's waiting in Texas.

And...

it's....

GOLD!

(On one hand, I'm considering revoking Hubby's Ebay access...on the other hand, he got another amazing deal! Should I be surprised it was on a gold car? Not so much....surely it's easier to get a good deal on an ugly car! Besides there was a Packers car he almost bought - hunter green with gold interior - that I will be forever grateful he was outbid on!)

Christmas Trivia

2010-11-30T22:35:00.010-05:00

Here's a fun little holiday tidbit...

Did you know that the guy who sang "You're a Mean One, Mr Grinch" also voiced Tony the Tiger?

Now, be honest....will you ever watch the Grinch again without picturing Tony behind the camera?

Try This!

2010-11-30T10:02:00.006-05:00

Go to Amazon.com

Search for Lego Architechture

Be Amazed!

(my favorite is the Taj...but the Eiffel has 10,000+ pieces!)

Plumbing Drama

2010-11-02T01:12:00.000-04:00

I was not happy Monday evening.

I had a load of laundry in the washer and a second load on the floor waiting to be washed. While I was doing the laundry I was also cooking dinner and I happened to accidentally step on the pile on the floor. YUCK! Why was the pile soaking wet? They had been ready to wash, not fresh out of the washer!

I called the kids in the kitchen and asked them which one spilled something on the clothes. Of course, neither of them remembered spilling anything. I asked John, but he hadn't been in the kitchen and didn't notice that the clothes were wet.

It just didn't make sense, but after three kids, a lot of things in my life don't make sense anymore, so I just washed the clothes and put them away.

Later that night I put the kids to bed and came downstairs. I was picking up various toys and projects and had just finished putting the kids step stool back in the downstairs bathroom when SQUOOSH - the tiles under my feet sprayed water out!

A word about our downstairs. The floor plan is very open, so the front half is the living area, one fourth of the back is the dining area, and the final fourth is an L shape around a closed square. The closed square has four faces. One is a blank wall in the living room, one is a dining room closet where we store outdoor things, one is a recess in the kitchen housing the washer and dryer, and the last side is a closet for the water heater facing the hallway. The L around this square is the kitchen and hallway, and there is a half bath off the hallway.

So, if you were able to follow that speed tour, you'll realize that if the tiles outside the bathroom are going "squoosh" there are any number of culprits in the direct vicinity.

I began to suspect that maybe my children had been telling the truth when they claimed that they hadn't spilled anything on that pile of clothes. I also remembered a few small spots of water in the hall earlier that day, spots I had assumed were just from the kids not drying their hands after washing them in the bathroom.

I called to John and he did that guy thing - you know, look around, maybe poke or kick what they're investigating, and then go "humph" - then he told me to call maintenance in the morning.

I'll be honest. Our place has been in disarray for about 6 weeks. Between our trip to Maine, school starting, sewing projects, my online classes, homeschooling, and trying to switch out summer/winter clothes for 3 kids when the weather is going from 82 to 52....well, there was more then one pile of papers, projects, and outgrown clothes lying around!

So, I decided that having maintenance come the next day was the motivation I needed to get the last of the clutter put away. I stayed up until midnight getting the downstairs sorted, then got up early Tuesday and cleaned the upstairs. I doubted the maintenance men would go upstairs, but I was on a roll and it felt good to finally have everything in its spot!

Finally, around noon I called maintenance. I waited until Evelyn woke up from her morning nap, because they're infamous for coming at nap time, no matter when I call.

An hour later a guy showed up and told me it was going to be a clogged up washing machine drain. Before he'd even gotten halfway in the door. Before he'd even looked at the problem. You know, like I was just another silly woman who called maintenance about some silly problem that he was going to fix right away. I've lived here 5 years and these guys are still treating me like I must have riden the short bus to school if I'm home with my kids during the day.

Well, 5 minutes later, Guy 1 went outside and radioed Guy 2 to come look at something. G2 showed up and I heard words like "concrete", "main pipe", and "woah" coming from the hallway. Meanwhile I'm trying to keep the kids out of the way, but stay close enough to report what I hear to John. Yes, I make reports. I'm sneaky like that. I may not be short-bus-special, but I'm no construction expert and John always knows exactly what should be done, even if the maintenance guys don't. So, I corralled three kids while eavesdropping. Just another day in the life of a stay-at-home mom!

After Guy #3 showed up I found out that the leak was in the main pipe, which is in the concrete foundation. The entire building (our townhouse, plus 7 neighbors) would have to lose water. A professional plumber would be called. Jackhammers would be involved.

About then I began to question why I cleaned my house so that some maintenance guys could trash it.

I also thanked God that we're only renting and we're not going to have to foot the bill for this.

I didn't say either of these things out loud though. What I said was that I better get my kids out of their way because it looks like they have a lot of work to do. I left them my cell number, loaded the kids in the van, and drove to the library.

Three hours later I got a call that the leak was actually just above the concrete and it was fixed. Our tiles and drywall appeared dry, so they wouldn't need to be replaced, and an industrial fan had been put outside the dining room closet in case any water got in there.

I listened quietly, but I was thinking...HUH? The baseboard, tiles, and drywall were soaked, but don't need to be replaced? And there's a fan on the closet, but...they didn't empty it? Even though it's stuffed full of sports equipment?

This morning (at naptime!) the maintenance men returned. I had emptied the closet so that the fan could do some good, and the closet was declared dry. They did a lot of nodding and looking around the rest of the kitchen area and got ready to go.

Now, remember how I said that after 5 years they should know me better? And how I graciously offered to get my kids out of the way the day before? Yeah, that was just part of my evil plot. See, I've discovered that they don't listen to me. Maybe it's because I'm 20 years younger, or a woman, or a SAHM, but it's a fact and I've learned to live with it. And by "live with it" I mean work around it.

After listening to my report, John had insisted that the drywall had to be replaced, but it didn't look like that was going to happen, so as G1 & G2 were getting ready to leave I asked them about the drywall. They said it would be fine. So I asked if the baseboard that swelled would be okay. They looked at each other and came back inside. G2 stuck a moisture reader in the baseboard, it beeped and he said it was fine. G1 sighed with relief, and I asked if it was fine at the other end (only 20 inches away). G2 sighed, but since it was within reach he went ahead and stuck the moisture reader where I was pointing. The gadget screeched and the numbers quadrupled. Of course this got Joshua's attention, since he was glued to my side absorbing anything he could from watching the guys work, and he reached out and poked the spot in the drywall....AND IT MADE A HOLE!

Like I said, I'm no construction expert, but even I know that my 5-year-old should not be able to poke a hole in drywall with his finger.

G1 and G2 went back outside and called for reinforcements.

I took the kids upstairs. I put the baby to bed, with a loud fan to drown out the noise I knew was going to start downstairs, and made a tent in the playroom with Joshua and Helen. Then I told them we'd have a tea party for lunch and went downstairs to get some snacks.

I discovered six guys working in the kitchen (and I'm pretty sure there are only 5 maintenance guys on staff) and saw what was left of one of my hallway walls....

View from the hallway. You should be looking at a wall right now, instead you're looking through to where the washing machine hooks up. The bifold door on the right conceals the water heater.

As of now the plan is that for the next 24 hours we can't use our washing machine, and the various strollers, bike seats, coats, boots, helmets, etc will remain strewn about our living room, while one industrial fan blows in the closet and another blows in the hallway. This leaves about a five foot space downstairs that is actually safe for the baby to move in, so she's going to have to learn to love her exersaucer or we're going to spend even more time outside!

According to G2, we're really close to the weekend (really, Wednesday?) so tomorrow afternoon a professional drywaller will come to give an estimate but we'll probably be living with a hole in the wall and at least one industrial fan until next week.

So....how's YOUR week been?

Bento Baby

2010-10-12T02:09:00.000-04:00

How cute is this?

This baby girl is actually an adorable lunch container

called a "bento box"!

Remove the band and her hair is a bowl,

while her face and dress hide two more compartments.

It's like an American lunch box, but with a big

emphasis on healthy and CUTE contents!

How would you like to open up your lunch box

and find something as cute as this...

I'd love to do this with the kids lunches,

but a nice box runs about $30 and with three kids that's quite an investment!

Have you tried making a Bento lunch,

or do you know someone who has?

Jumping the (Halloween) Gun

2010-09-04T09:30:00.001-04:00

I love fall!

The changing leaves, the pumpkins, the costumes, the 90 degree weather.

Okay, there is something wrong when the first days of September are 90 degrees! But soon it will cool off and I can play outside all day without worrying about the baby overheating or the kids getting sunburn.

Plus, it’s always fun to come up with ideas for Halloween now and start working on the costumes together.

Sure, you could just go to Target and plop down $30-$100, but you’re homeschooling, so why waste money on the same costume everyone else can wear, when you’ve got 7 weeks to let your kids create their own?

I talked to the kids about options and we’ve decided that this year they’re going to be cowboys!

A big reason for this is that the VBS theme this summer was ranch, so we’ve already got hats and kerchiefs! A quick look through the closet revealed a white shirt and jeans for Monkey, and a white shirt with a brown tiered skirt for Cupcake. A trip to the resale shop sealed the deal with a pair of $4 cowgirl boots!

So, that just leaves a costume for Pumpkin. I’m thinking of making her be the cow. Poor baby.

Back to Basics

2010-08-20T16:33:00.006-04:00

This must be the week of food going natural!

Or more natural, since we're talking Goldfish and soda here.

I'm not a huge soda fan, but I had to try the new Throwback Pepsi and Mountain Dew. They're the old recipes...with REAL sugar!

I wasn't sure how'd they taste, so I was surprised at how much I preferred them...and if you have to drink soda, sugar beats corn syrup hands down.

Have you tried any of the "Throwback" products? What did you think?

Money Saving Tip

2010-08-16T12:10:00.001-04:00

I've never really cared for pork, so even though Hubby loved pork chops, it wasn't a dish we had very often.

And then I discovered that tenderloin chops taste *so* much better! (Yay!)

And then I discovered that tenderloin chops cost *so* much more! (Boo!)

So, I learned this little trick....

When whole pork tenderloin goes on sale (about $1.67/lb here) I buy a whole tenderloin for about $10. Then I have the guy at the meat counter cut it into one-inch slices...and I get tenderloin chops for half price!

And, for those of you who are thinking "isn't the person behind the meat counter called a butcher?" - yes, if they know anything about meat. But, if they're just a regular grocery employee who runs behind the counter to operate the slicer...not so much.

A Healthier Rainbow

2010-08-08T11:22:00.004-04:00

I'm so excited about the trend for children's food to be healthier and more natural!

After all, WHY does applesauce need corn syrup? Applesauce tastes better 100% natural!

But something just came out that makes my kids happy about being natural.

See, they love Goldfish crackers, and as a UConn alum I've always been a fan of Pepperidge Farms (based in Norwalk!)....but I've never let them have the colored ones because I'm not a fan of Blue 1, Blue 2, Red 3, and Red 40 - or really any ingredient that needs a number after it!

But Pepperidge Farms just altered the formula for colored goldfish to replace the food dyes with all natural colorings like concentrated watermelon extract! And, since Goldfish were on sale for 88 cents this week, Monkey and Cupcake now each have their own bag of colored Goldfish for snacks this week.

Yay for manufacturers using REAL ingredients!

How to Keep the Excitement Alive in Your Marriage

2010-07-30T16:26:00.001-04:00

You're at your grandparents on the lake in a relatively rural area of Maine. It's dark out and your husband is off enjoying the last evening of his fishing license while you put the kids to bed.

The phone rings.

It's your husband, saying "does Grampie have another boat?"

You immediately answer "what happened?"

He won't tell you, but wants you to find another boat. Finally, he admits that he ran out of gas in the speedboat and needs you to find a canoe or other boat to bring him some gas. Oh, and the wind is so bad he's drifted into a cove on the far side of the lake. You know, the side that is miles from the nearest road, full of swamps, bracken, probably coyotes, and the rumor of a bear. Yeah...that's where he is...in the dark.

Your brain begins to spin.

If the wind blew the speedboat into a far cove, there's no way a canoe has a chance. And you don't have a canoe anyway. In fact, you don't have a boat or know anyone else who has a boat! The only thing you do know is that everyone else in the house is sleeping or is going to sleep.

But if you don't get some gas over there, how is he getting home? He's not going to swim and walking is even less of an option in the dark. And did I mention that the Maine state bird is the mosquito? So, camping overnight in the open might require him to get a morning blood transfusion.

What do you do?

Well, first you hike over to the closest neighbor, who happens to be your grandmother's sister and the only neighbor you know. They don't have a boat, but they might know who does. Your great-uncle takes a flashlight and leads you back past your grandparents and further down the road then you've ever gone to a completely dark house. This guy is supposed to have a boat...but even though there are 5 cars in the driveway, there aren't any lights on! You knock. You pray. You knock louder. You pray more.

Finally... a man opens the door. He's wearing a swimsuit, or maybe his boxers, but you really don't want to know for sure, so you wait while your great-uncle explains the situation. 10 minutes later you're waiting on a dock, in your PJs (did I mention you forgot you were in your PJs?) for a strange man to take you across a dark lake. A strange man who may or may not be only wearing his boxers.

Once you're clear of the dock the man opens the throttle and you rocket across the lake. You pray that this man knows where the rocks are on the lake because it's *dark* and those rocks are BIG.

The sky is full of stars as far as you can see, but the wind is whipping your face so much that your eyes start to water. Then you ask the driver about rocks. He answers that he doesn't really know about rocks in this part of the lake. You pray harder.

You draw closer to the other shore and see a flashing light in a small cove. You tell the driver you think it's your husband, so he slows down...just as you start to pass rocks sticking up out of the water. Rocks that are so big they're sticking up out of water at least 12 feet deep. You thank God you made it this far alive.

There are so many rocks that you have to drift the last 100 feet to the speedboat. Finally, your husband has gas in the boat and you climb in with him. The other man quickly motors out of the little cove and waits for you. And waits. And waits.

The speedboat is bigger then his boat and when you lower the motor it hits muck. So you have to use the oars to push yourself out deeper, but the muck is so thick that it just sucks the oar out of your husband's hands.

15 minutes later, you and your husband each have an oar and the boat is deep enough to drop the motor and start it. But you have to pick it back up and clean it off. Meanwhile, you've drifted back into the muck. So you each use an oar to pole the boat back out and try again.

It works! Now you're boating back across the dark lake (at a much more reasonable pace then you arrived) while your husband watches for rocks and the other boat. You just pray, because you suspect that watching for anything in the middle of a dark lake at night is rather pointless.

It's a beautiful night. The stars are shining, the water and the trees are pitch black, and a beautiful harvest moon rises - an orange orb wrapped in a veil of cloud, hovering over the black trees. It's pretty darn romantic. Well, as romantic as it can be considering your grandparents just called to say the baby is awake and where-on-earth-are-you and what-on-earth-are-you-doing.

Finally, you arrive in sight of the dock, but it takes several passes and you still can't reach it. You ask your husband if you should just jump over and walk the boat to shore, but he says no. You consider jumping in anyway and then realize that if you sit on the bow then you can jump onto the dock the next time around.

You made it! You're on dry land! And the rope you used to tie the boat to the dock is wrapped around the rope you need to tether the boat to the buoy! So, you stand there with the flashlight and let your husband untie them, because apparently ropes aren't your thing!

.....

The next day you inform your husband that you think you need a coast guard patch for your girl scout vest and he asks you if you really showed up to help him in your PJs with a strange man in his underwear.

Amazima Ministries

2010-07-18T22:28:00.000-04:00

I love this blog. It inspires me, humbles me, and amazes me!

It's about a young woman who followed God's leading to move to Uganda, raising 14 orphans and feeding hundreds more each day!

Click this button to read about her journey....

It's a Deal!

2010-07-09T13:38:00.000-04:00

Two great deals today!

1. Once a year Chick-Fil-A gives free meals to anyone dressed like a cow. Yes, you read that correctly. So, guess what today is? Yup - get on your cow costume and head to CFA today!

2. Babylegs (which are great for kids learning to crawl and for potty training) is having a special to celebrate 10,000 Facebook fans. You can get a boy or girl 3-pack for only $10 with free shipping! Click here to see their sale page (which includes pairs of socks for $1/pair)!

Write Out Cancer!

2010-07-01T20:54:00.003-04:00

Here's a great way to help others at no expense to you!

If you join Shopping.com and write reviews in the month of July - $1 will be given to cancer research for each review!

Click here to learn more!

Days For Girls

2010-06-24T09:15:00.001-04:00

I haven't shared a chartity in awhile, so I'd like to tell you about

Days For Girls

It's a part of Project Thrive and its goal is to provide sanitary products to girls in 3rd world countries. Did you know that many girls around the world have to miss school because they don't have ANY sanitary products? Most of these girls are using leaves to absorp the flow! There really is such a thing as TOO organic!

Days for Girls makes helping easy! You can buy a kit (underwear, soap, and pads) for $4.50 each, you can donate items like ziploc bags/washcloths/soap, you can sew pads and mail them to DFG, or you can request kits for your nonprofit group to distribute!

At this time, DFG is the only nonprofit group I've found distributing pads overseas! This is a great group for you to support individually, or to get a group of friends involved to raise money or make pads!

Daily Deals!

2010-06-22T07:33:00.000-04:00

I just found a new site that I had to share!

Shopper.com is a cnet site and it posts amazing deals on everything from gadgets to shoes! My favorite feature is the daily deals menu, which lists sales that are usually short lived, but can save you 100's of dollars!

This is definately a site you'll want to check frequently!

Click here to visit their main page.

Click here to go to today's deals.

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T08:37:00.001-04:00

Bakerella is one of my favorite blogs and I've told you about her before, but in honor of Father's Day, here's a recipe/project you just have to try!

Cupcake hamburgers and sugar cookie fries? YUM!

Baby Steps

2010-06-18T09:37:00.001-04:00

If you're not quite ready to commit to cloth diapers, or you already do cloth, but need another option for vacations...or for church ladies and YMCA people who insist they know what they're doing with cloth and then return your child with their diaper on inside out (or backwards, or with their clothes tucked into it...I could go on forever on this one)...here are some "greener" options!

Seventh Generation Diapers
The most expensive and the hardest to find (depending on where you live) but also supposed to have gone the furthest in keeping baby and the environment safe.

Huggies Pure & Natural
Cost about the same as regular diapers, pretty easy to find, but not super green (for instance, the liner "includes" renewable material, but isn't made solely of renewable material)

Comforts for Baby "Touch of Nature"
Less expensive then most traditional diapers (even Walmart & Target brand, only available at Kroger and Fred Meyer, and actually greener AND cheaper then the Huggies!

The last brand is the one we've been using lately and we're very happy with them. We can get 36 size 2 diapers for $6.99 (regular price!) and they're made with chlorine-free pulp, annually renewable resources (liner & cover) and have a bio-based absorbant material.

The BPA debate

2010-06-16T08:24:00.001-04:00

BPA is a component of some plastics, and recent research has linked it to cancer, neurological issues, and reproductive problems when a young child or fetus is exposed. Unfortunately, most young children use plastic plastes, cups, bottles, and utensils, so the population most at risk is the population most likely to use the product!

Of course, after the research was released many companies began to remove BPA from their products, and then there was a backlash claiming that the research was faulty.

So, now parents are told that their child's sippy cup is dangerous, but also that the cup is fine and the "BPA scare" is junk science.

So what is a parent to do? As usual, research the research!

Here are some good links...

FDA BPA page
Scientific American
BPA wikipedia

Personally, since so many products have removed BPA I went with a "better-safe-then-sorry" approach and replaced all the kids plastic dinnerware with BPA-free versions. But, I made sure to replace with a product that had been around for awhile so I wasn't buying something that might have recently replaced BPA with some other questionable component!

Check safemama.com for a full list of BPA-free items (cups, plates, bath toys, etc) but I chose to go with munchkin brand because they've been doing BPA-free for a while. Their take-n-toss line has lots of great items, including utensils, and they have a plate/bowl/cup set with fish on them that are the perfect size for little ones.

Espresso Chili Buffalo Burger

2010-06-14T09:58:00.008-04:00

This is an attempt to duplicate an amazing burger from a local restaurant!

First, make patties from fresh ground buffalo meat. We get ours at a local organic food store, but one of our chain groceries carries it too! Depending on where you live, you might need to hunt for it (hunt buffalo, I'm hysterical today, ha ha!). I'm pretty sure you could use regular hamburger if the idea of hunting down ground buffalo with kids in tow makes you cringe!

Then combine the following...
•2 tablespoons chili powder
•1 tablespoon onion salt
•2 teaspoons ground cumin
•1 teaspoon sugar
•1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
•2 tablespoons coffee or espresso powder

Rub the patties generously with spice mixture and grill. (Buffalo is much leaner then beef and turns brown slower, so a medium buffalo burger will be much pinker then a regular hambuger)

Toast an onion roll and stack as follows...bottom of roll, burger, romaine leaf, tomato slice, goat cheese, and top of roll. Sliced peppered bacon, spicy mustard, or sliced onions may also be added at this point. And, of course, you can use other rolls or cheeses.

Serve with your favorite side salad, or homemade fries tossed in fresh grated parmesan and chili flakes!

NOTE: coffee (or espresso) and chili together is called "cowboy rub" - I just googled it to find the spice recipe, so if you prefer different flavors, try finding your favorite cowboy rub online!

Success!

2010-06-12T09:39:00.002-04:00

That was a researching record!

I figured that some big box store wouldn't realize what a great camera the d40 was and just try to get rid of it now that it was retired - and within the hour I found it at Best Buy for only $400!

Since I was saving toward another point-and-shoot I had almost enough money to buy it and Hubby gave me the rest for my birthday!

I got it in the mail today and I can't wait to use it! Although, I have to say that this probably wasn't the week for Hubby to also buy new photo software....I've got a lot of manuals to read!

My Two Cents

2010-06-10T07:14:00.003-04:00

The BH&G article got me thinking about what advice *I* would give about eating out with kids, so here's my two cents (and five years) worth of advice on eating out with young children....

1. Look ahead. Do a little research to see how family friendly the restaurant is. If possible, go online to see the menu and choose your food (and the kids) before you arrive. Then you won't be trying to decide between the chicken or the fish, while making sure no one uses their silverware as a weapon.

2. Ask for a booth or table near a wall. Booths are best for containing wiggly little ones and if you can get out of the line of traffic it will minimize distractions. Plus, if you're breastfeeding it gives you some privacy.

3. Minimize what you bring inside. If the building is free-standing you probably won't need a stroller, but if you're strolling the mall and decide to stop and eat, see if there's a place to park your stroller before you sit. Or if you get that table in the corner, tuck a folded stroller out of the line of traffic. Also, try to tuck your purse and/or diaper bag under a chair. The less clutter near your table the easier it is for your server and other patrons, and the faster you can get up and take the kids to the bathroom when they suddenly remember that they had to pee 10 minutes ago.

4. Ask for the child's meal to be brought ASAP, so it can cool before the adult meals arrive. Then *before* it comes, warn your child that they can't eat it right away, because it has to cool down. Depending on your child's age and personality you may need to get creative - telling Monkey "it's too hot" always worked, but Cupcake throws a fit over silly things like Mama trying to keep her from getting burned, so we had to tell her that "your food is waiting for the other food to come - they're friends". I know the idea of getting the kids food early and not giving it to them sounds insane, but trust me the server isn't going to set it aside to cool for you, in fact they're going to be *proud* for bringing it to your kids piping hot (I can't count the times this one has happened) so it's easier for kids to wait when only their meal is cooling then to see the adults eating hot food and wonder why they can't have theirs.

5. Come prepared. I have a special bag in the car just for bringing into restaurants. It has board books, small cars, coloring stuff, and other *quiet* activities. Most kids act up because they're bored, so keep them entertained and you'll reduce your stress and that of your fellow diners.

6. Eat together. Usually our meal arrives 5-10 minutes after the kids, so our food is hot and theirs is temperate and we can all eat together. This way the kids don't finish eating before we start.

7. Keep it familiar. We love to try new restaurants, but most kids are not adventurous eaters. Find something on the menu that is similar to something they already like. Alfredo is like mac & cheese, crepes are like pancakes, and kabobs are like hamburgers on a stick.

8. Watch the clock. You need to be done eating before your youngest is ready for bed (or a nap). If you know that Junior needs a nap at 1pm, schedule lunch dates at 11am. Don't set yourself up for failure by taking a tired child to a restaurant.

9. Tip well. Families take longer to eat (and make bigger messes) then couples and singles, so show your server that you appreciate their service.

10. Share. Go online and share with others what you thought. Was it family friendly or was everything glass and antiques? Was there stroller parking? A changing table in the bathroom? Or perhaps the tables were so close together that you could hear everything about the guy at the next table's love life? Help make someone else's meal a little more enjoyable by sharing online about the things you liked and didn't like.

Open Mouth: Insert Foot

2010-06-08T10:16:00.003-04:00

On Wednesday May 19th, Heather of Better Homes & Gardens published a web article called "The 10 Commandments of Dining with little kids".

Apparently, Heather felt that she had seen enough children (and parents) misbehaving at restaurants that she needed to set the record straight about what was, and was not, appropriate restaurant behavior.

The only problem was, Heather isn't a parent. So her advice included things like not letting the kids be noisy and not breastfeeding at the table.

Within hours the article had dozens of comments about how insensitive the article was, how breastfeeding is a legally protected act, and how Heather shouldn't be giving advice on being a parent until she was one herself.

As Hubby says "Everyone is an ideal parent before they have kids"

By the end of the day, the article had been amended to the 9 commandments (removing the breastfeeding commandment) and contained an apology, but negative comments continued about the overall tone of article. A Facebook page was even started to boycott BH&G until they issued a formal apology AND retracted the article.

Within the week the article not only contained two apologies and a link to a new article (written by a mom) but they also removed the text of the original article!

Here's how it looks now....

BH&G article

And here is the Facebook page boycotting BH&G until they retracted the article (it has 2,800 fans!)...

Boycott BH&G page

The surprising thing here isn't that a woman without children finds them inconvenient, but that the magazine allowed the article to be published! I would be very interested to see what articles Heather is assigned after this, and if anyone in the editing department got their *job* reassigned...or eliminated.

Snap Happy

2010-06-06T01:47:00.000-04:00

I love to take photos, and I love to research, so it goes without saying that I love to research cameras!

Cameras are almost as bad as computers about becoming obsolete the second you buy one, so I prefer to buy cameras that are at least 6 months old so I can check reviews and get a discount on an "older" model.

Usually I start with Cnet.com reviews to see what they think, but they're gadget people, so I also check Dpreview.com for a photographers viewpoint. But neither of these is perfect since I'm just an amateur trying to get a few photos of the kids...not a gadget hound (okay, not a HUGE gadget hound) or a professional photographer.

So I was very happy when I found KenRockwell.com which I really like because he keeps it simple! Check out his recommendation page!

I have loved Canon for years and all the P&S (point-and-shoots) I have owned were Canon (with fabulous results)! But I have to say that the kids are getting too fast for the slow reflexes of P&S cameras and Ken has me *almost* convinced that my dream dSLR should be a Nikon! I'm thinking a d5000 if they still sell it by the time I save that much, but I'm hoping (vainly?) that I might be able to get a deal on the d40, since it was discontinued in January. And so the hunt begins...

Clean Team: Whoops!

2010-06-05T06:40:00.002-04:00

Just when you thought the cleaning was done! Well, at least, I did!

Then Hubby took 3 days off so we could have an extra long holiday weekend...and we arrived home with a throughly gross van!

So, yesterday I let the kids bike around out front and enjoy the sunshine while I took everything out of the van (including several seats!) and detailed every inch! I also washed the car seat covers (but NOT the straps, that compromises their safety).

No money made from this, unless you count the money saved paying someone to do it, but I have to say that it makes me smile to see those clean carpets and know that there isn't a single sticky surface in there...for now!

Click here to learn how to detail a car yourself!

Five Buck Club: Update!

2010-06-03T17:50:00.006-04:00

AMC bought Kerosotes! I just got this email....

*********************************************

Starting June 18, our normal price for all movies, all day, any time Monday through Thursday* will be $5 – no club or cards necessary. On weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday and some holidays) before noon, you will also be able to see $5 movies at most theatres. The Five Buck Club will no longer be available or necessary after June 18.

*Upcharge for IMAX®, IMAX 3D, Digital 3D, ETX, ETX 3D, premium locations and special presentations. Not valid for weekday openings and holiday periods.

*********************************************

So, the Kerosotes Five Buck Club is gone - but the prices at AMC for weekdays are better (as long as it's not opening night).

See you at the movies! :)

Clean Team: Outcome!

2010-06-01T08:48:00.000-04:00

So...after all that cleaning, want to know the outcome?

I threw away a small bag of (broken and unsafe) stuff.
I repurposed (found new uses for) two small bags of stuff.
I sold 1 trash bag of stuff in a yard sale.
I took 3 trash bags of stuff to Goodwill.
I sold 1 laundry basket of stuff online.

Overall, I got rid of enough stuff to fill the back of a sedan...AND...I made $200! Half of it went to pay for a new battery for Hubby's car and the other half is buying a family pass to the pool this summer!

Safe & Happy Holiday

2010-05-28T12:15:00.003-04:00

For those of you who saw my other car seat post, you'll know that I keep my kids rear facing in their car seats until 2 years old.

What you may not know is exactly why. So, click here to find out...

Rearfacing Safety Article

This was the part that really hit it home for me....

"Research has shown rear facing to be 500% safer up to two years of age....500% may sound like a lot but numbers can be hard to grasp. In 100 collisions of rear facing kids, 8 rear facing children will die or become seriously injured. 92 will walk away fine. In 100 collisions with forward facing kids, 40 will die or become seriously injured. 60 will walk away fine. Those are large differences which help to save lives"

So before you travel this Memorial Day weekend, consider your 1 - 2 year old, and whether you're willing to settle for the legal minimum of safety, or do you want your child 500% safer?

Ridiculously Simple Homemade Yogurt

2010-05-26T09:57:00.000-04:00

1/2 gallon whole milk
1/2 cup Danon all natural plain yogurt

1. Pour milk into a crockpot, cover, and cook on low for 2.5 hours
2. Unplug, but leave lid on, for 3 hours.
3. Stir in yogurt, replace lid, and cover crockpot with a beach towel for 8 hours or overnight.

In the morning it will have the consistency of low fat yogurt, but you can strain it a little in a dishcloth to make it thicker, or even strain all the liquids out to make it into homemade cream cheese! I use it as-is with a little local honey for sweetener (or maple syrup - yum!) and a little wheat germ for crunch. Sometimes we add fruit slices or chunks, but fruit puree really thins it out, so beware or you’ll end up with liquid yogurt!

This is best if you start around 4:30 in the afternoon, so you’re stirring in the yogurt around 10pm and then can go to bed! Oh, and you can use any kind of milk, but the less fat, the less thick the yogurt will be. Also, some ultra-pasteurized or organic milks won’t set up, and if you leave your yogurt in the crockpot too long it will get sour.

The Crayon Project

2010-05-24T11:34:00.003-04:00

My nephew doesn't like the texture of regular crayons, so I've been doing some investigating into alternatives.

During my research I discovered that crayons don't have ingredients listed. They also don't sell the wax in bulk if you're interested in melting it down to make fun shaped crayons. And several websites show you how to make candles out of old crayons!

So...this got me digging a little deeper. It turns out crayons are nothing more then paraffin wax and coloring! So simple! I'm now looking into alternative waxes (soy?) and colorants!

While you wait to see how this latest project turns out, try this project: remove wrappers from old crayons, break into small pieces and put in mini muffin liners. Place liners in your mini muffin tin (filling empty places with water) and bake at 200F until the crayons are melted. Let cool and peel the wrapper from your new chunky crayons! This works best if you melt like colors together (shades of purple, for instance) and then stir well when liquid to form one uniform color.

Still loving Swagbucks!

2010-05-19T17:02:00.011-04:00

I thought I'd update you on Swagbucks and Superpoints!

Unfortunately, Superpoints is gone! I had almost enough for a $25 amazon card when the site went blank and hasn't come back. Apparently some of these sites just don't make it and superpoints was one of them.

On the other hand, I continue to be impressed with Swagbucks! It's been four months now and I've earned $45 in free Amazon gift cards! I haven't had any trouble redeeming them and I now have a cupboard full of new kid's dishes to prove that it's for real!

They just changed their points system, so you earn points faster, but it takes more points to get stuff. For instance, you can get swagbucks for using the toolbar, taking daily polls, and checking out special offers, as well searching online. But, it now takes 450 points to get a $5 amazon card instead of only 45 points. I was earning $10 GC a month easy, but after the change it went down to $5 a month. However, they made some recent changes and the points are adding up fast again.

If you haven't given SB a chance, you should check them out! I don't do anything but search using the toolbar and I've earned $45 in 4 months. That's $135/year and could make a dent in that Christmas gift list!

Click here to see my original entry about Swagbucks

Click here to register!

Click here to download the toolbar for easy searching!

Clean Team: Closets

2010-05-16T16:33:00.000-04:00

I know you're wondering, "if you've already organized all this stuff, why did you need a week to clean and organize?"

The short answer is: I have three kids and limited storage.

This means that while most of my house is well organized, storage space is at a premium! We have six storage areas: under the stairs, a coat closet, a linen closet, and three bedroom closets. Each one presents its own problems.

The storage under the stairs contains off season items. Camping gear, Christmas stuff, my collection of baking & candy supplies, the extra table leaves, etc. Most of the stuff in here stays, but I still sort through every year because random useless stuff tends to sneak in here...like the box the sewing machine came in and the broken kites.

The coat closet holds outside stuff - hats, umbrellas, coats, boots, etc. The baby's bike seat and stroller are also in there. We use this one the most, so we can't overstuff it, and I try to keep only "in season" things here. That means several times a year I need to go through and make sure the things that are going to be needed are easy to reach (bike helmets vs. sleds)

The linen closet requires the least effort. It contains sheets, blankets, towels, and assorted toiletries (since there's no bathroom storage). I go through this one about once a year the same way I go through the kitchen. Sometimes the towels need to be replaced, other times nothing needs to be changed.

The smallest bedroom closet is in the playroom and is inaccessible because of the way the toys are arranged. This was done on purpose because this is where Hubby hides his tools. We call it the storage shed and it's off limits to everyone but Hubby, so I don't clean it.

The largest bedroom closet is ours. Our clothes hang in there, with shoes on the floor, but we also store most of my craft and project stuff, as well as gifts for the kids and relatives, so this closet could probably stand to be cleaned out monthly!

The medium bedroom closet is the one that gets organized the most. It's in the kids bedroom and contains all of their stuff. Off season clothes, outgrown clothes, and the next size up of clothes are all stored in large Rubbermaid containers with labels. Smaller off season stuff is here too, like swimsuits, lifejackets, and baby gear that is too big or little. Since all three of our kids are growing at different rates, and the seasons change four times a year, this closet could easily require organizing weekly!

We are able to store more stuff then friends with twice the space because each storage area is distinct (seasonal, linen, tools) and well organized. Organizing each space at least once a year cuts down on clutter and allows me to know what my kids have or need, as well as *where* everything is when we need it!

Living Proof

2010-05-14T10:16:00.002-04:00

To let you know I practice what I preach, here's a photo of our playroom....

Notice the books on the wall (top right), the baskets under the train table (filled with train tracks, mega blox, and stuffed animals), and the three drawer plastic storage (lower left) for Monkey's car collection and Cupcake's ponies!

We also have a bookshelf, bucket storage shelf, and toybox of costumes on the opposite wall. My favorite thing is the map of the US with photos of the family and where they all live!

Clean Team: Toys

2010-05-11T16:46:00.001-04:00

Our kids share a bedroom so that they can have a playroom, but these tips apply to any room in which toys are kept - playroom, bedroom, living room, etc.

The absolutely most important thing to remember when organizing toys is....DON'T use a toybox! The toybox is not your friend. Whatever your child wants is always at the bottom and then they have to dump everything out to get to it.

The trick in organizing toys is to make each item visible and accessible. Bookshelves are a great way to store larger toys, buckets are good for smaller toys, and baskets are good for toys the child has a lot of (like train tracks). Books should be stored so that their covers are visible, preferrably on a wall shelf.

Plastic storage units with drawers are a fabulous alternative to toy boxes! They're see-through and kids can get what they want without dumping the rest on the floor. But skip the ones with the itty bitty drawers, hardly anything fits in those!

And before you find that toybox a new home, you might consider filling it with costumes or puppets...things that are lightweight and can be cleaned up in one armload!

Clean Team: Bedrooms

2010-05-09T15:58:00.004-04:00

The actual bedroom is usually pretty easy to clean...it's the closet that's the problem! The trick here is to accept that some things have to go!

Pull everything out of your closet and put it on your bed. Now sort into three piles...keep, donate, and unknown. If you wear it constantly put it back in the closet. If you haven't worn it in 3 years, donate it! If you aren't sure...put it back in the closet with the hanger backwards. In a few months, check and see if that hanger is still backwards. If it is, it's time for it to go!

Remember, keeping items that are the wrong size for over 2 years is never a good idea. Even if you do lose the weight, those clothes will be dated and you won't want to wear them. Donate the clothes, free up some closet space, and then when you lose the weight reward yourself with some new clothes!

If you think you can't afford new clothes, have a yard sale of the old clothes and earmark the money for buying new clothes! You can add to the account a little each month, or designate a certain dollar amount for each pound lost!

Clean Team: Living & Dining

2010-05-07T17:11:00.002-04:00

The best advice I can give on cleaning public areas is to get rid of all that clutter! I'm am constantly amazed by people who cram their living space with so much stuff that it begins to feel claustrophobic!

If it belonged to your favorite grandma - keep it and display it *alone* so that it can have the attention it deserves! If you found it at a yard sale and it's adorable and useless - please get rid of it!

Once your home is full of only things that are significant to you, you'll find that it makes both you and your guests more comfortable. And, as an added bonus, it makes your house easier to clean!

My living room has a leather sofa set, an antique trunk, an antique sewing table, and a TV armoire. There are 4 prints on the wall, 3 photos of the kids near the TV, and my great-grandmother's quilt folded on the trunk - but it's not just for looks, it's for snuggling and making tents. A few nice pieces and nothing extra. There's lots of room to move around and lots of room to sit. No one ever has to move stuff to put a drink down or worry that their children will hurt my stuff or get hurt. And if the downstairs is trashed I can clean it all in under an hour, including loading the dishwasher!

Clean Team: Kitchen

2010-05-05T13:25:00.005-04:00

My kitchen is relatively easy to clean because it's so small, but the same concept applies, no matter how big your kitchen is.

First, go through each cupboard and take out anything you haven't used in the past year. That will be sold or given away. Second, check the remaining stuff for wear and tear. Make a list of anything that needs to be replaced. Third, make sure that everything is stored in the most efficient way possible.

This year the kitchen clean up took longer because I replaced all of the plastic in the kitchen with BPA-free stuff. I used my swagbucks (yay!) to buy new tumbers and cereal bowls, BPA-free plastic storage containers, and stuff for the kids: cups, spoons, bowls, etc.

I'll be doing a post on BPA, but basically you want to avoid it in your plastics (as well as PVC and phylates!) Check safemama.com for more info on which plastic items are safest!

Back to Blogging!

2010-05-03T14:47:00.002-04:00

*sigh*

Apparently, when you take a week off to clean you realize how much you can get done when you're not online!

The bad news is that I've been gone for *weeks*, but the good news is that I've been crazy busy doing all sorts of things that I'm going to share with you!

Not only cleaning and organizing, but also crafting, decorating, and finding deals! So, check back soon!

Spring Cleaning

2010-03-14T20:11:00.000-04:00

We made it to spring break!

I'm going to take break from the blog as I clean up the house.

Each day I'm going to clean a different room (playroom, kid's room, our room, bathrooms, living, dining, kitchen, storage) and then I'll come back next week and tell you how it went and give you some tips on how I got the rooms clean and plan to keep them clean.

Also, I'll let you know what I did with all the stuff I got rid of and whether it all goes in a yard sale, or gets taken to Goodwill!

Awesome Gadget

2010-03-13T12:27:00.001-05:00

I've just discovered this amazing gadget.

Can you guess what it is?

******

No guesses?

It's a Boon Spoon!

A what? A soft plastic (BPA-free) spoon that holds 3 ounces of baby food. After baby eats a bite, you simply squeeze the body of the spoon to get another bite ready!

It's supposed to reduce feeding mess, but the fact that it looks really cool doesn't hurt! It's available in pink, orange, and blue.

If you've tried this spoon (or know someone who has) leave a comment to let me know what you (or they) thought!

Census Safety

2010-03-12T07:00:00.002-05:00

I got some useful spam for a change!

The following is an email I got with advice about the difference between a Census worker and an identity thief!

I'm passing it along because I think it's important to know that the ONLY thing you need to tell anyone is the number of people in your household!

********************************************

With the U.S. Census process beginning, the Better Business Bureau
(BBB) advises people to be cooperative, but cautious, so as not to
become a victim of fraud or identity theft. The first phase of the
2010 U.S. Census is under way as workers have begun verifying the
addresses of households across the country. Eventually, more than
140,000 U.S. Census workers will count every person in the United
States and will gather information about every person living at each
address including name, age, gender, race, and other relevant data.

The big question is - how do you tell the difference between a U.S.
Census worker and a con artist? BBB offers the following advice:

If a U.S. Census worker knocks on your door, they will have a
badge, a handheld device, a Census Bureau canvas bag, and a
confidentiality notice. Ask to see their identification and their
badge before answering their questions. However, you should never
invite anyone you don't know into your home.

Census workers are currently only knocking on doors to verify
address information. Do not give your Social Security number, credit
card or banking information to anyone, even if they claim they need it
for the U.S. Census.

REMEMBER, NO MATTER WHAT THEY ASK, YOU REALLY ONLY NEED TO TELL THEM
HOW MANY PEOPLE LIVE AT YOUR ADDRESS.

While the Census Bureau might ask for basic financial information,
such as a salary range, YOU DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER ANYTHING AT ALL ABOUT
YOUR FINANCIAL SITUATION. The Census Bureau will not ask for Social
Security, bank account, or credit card numbers, nor will employees
solicit donations. Any one asking for that information is NOT with
the Census Bureau.

AND REMEMBER, THE CENSUS BUREAU HAS DECIDED NOT TO WORK WITH ACORN
ON GATHERING THIS INFORMATION. No Acorn worker should approach you
saying he/she is with the Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau will not contact you by Email, so be on the
lookout for Email scams impersonating the Census.

Never click on a link or open any attachments in an Email that are
supposedly from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Also....If they ask you if you have a gun in the house...do not
answer. It's none of their business & could possibly lead to danger.

For more advice on avoiding identity theft and fraud, visit www.bbb.org

Car Seat Recall

2010-03-11T12:19:00.001-05:00

Wouldn't you know it....I blog about car seats and then there's a recall!

At this point Dorel hasn't issued an official recall, but if you own a Dorel car seat (Cosco, Safety 1st, Eddie Bauer) then you need to check the straps!

Remove the seat from the car, reach underneath and *pull* on the strap, away from the tension clip (the thing in front that holds it tight). If the strap moves freely, you need to call the number on the car seat and tell them that your seat is defective!

They should send you a new seat and a sticker to cover postage to mail them your defective seat.

A similar recall ocurred in 2007, so if you own any Dorel seat, check it out just to be safe! If you have a defective seat the straps won't tighten in an accident!

Recovery Meals

2010-03-10T09:41:00.001-05:00

Exciting title, huh?

Well, last week several of my friends had babies, and one is going to have surgery tomorrow, so I've been trying to figure out how to bring them some food to help as they recover. The problem is, I don't want to make them wait for their meal while I attempt to get 3 rowdy kids in the car with a hot meal at an appropriate hour!

I finally decided that instead of bringing a cooked meal at dinner time, it made more sense to bring frozen food that they could prepare easily. Once I decided on this, I realized that I could bring food for two days without much more effort!

So, I'm going to the store and for four people I'll get....

4 whole chickens, 4 small pouches of instant potatoes, 4 bags of frozen peas, 2 bags of wide noodles, 2 bags of frozen sliced carrots, 1 pack of celery, and 1 box of saltines (with 4 sleeves of crackers inside).

Then at home I'll divide the noodles into four 1-quart ziploc bags, wash and slice the celery, and divide the carrots and celery into four 1-quart ziploc bags.

Then I'll pack each family a bag with a frozen chicken, 1 pouch potatoes, 1 bag peas, 1 ziploc noodles, 1 ziploc carrots and celery, and 1 sleeve of saltines.

Lastly, I'll attach the following tag...

**************************************************

Here’s something to help you as you get back on your feet!

You’ll find in this bag…

1 whole chicken
1 bag instant potatoes
1 bag frozen peas
1 ziploc bag wide noodles
1 ziploc bag sliced carrots & celery
1 sleeve saltine crackers

Day One
Put the frozen chicken in a crock pot in the morning.
Add 1 cup water and sprinkle with seasoning salt & pepper.
Cook all day on low.
30 minutes before dinner, prepare potatoes and steam peas.
Serve white meat chicken with veggies.
Save remaining meat for the second day.

Day Two
30 minutes before dinner make 8 cups of chicken broth.
Bring broth to a boil over medium heat.
Add noodles, leftover chicken, and veggies and boil 10 minutes.
When noodles and veggies are tender, turn off heat.
Serve with crackers.

These recipes assume that you have a crock pot and chicken broth on hand. If not, contact me for alternate instructions!

Name (phone number)

**************************************************

Now if you're having a baby boom in your area, and you have several rugrats in tow, you have a quick and easy way to share a few simple meals with the new moms you know!

Favorite Things: Green Toys

2010-03-09T07:30:00.005-05:00

I found this adorable tea set for Cupcake's second birthday.

Not only can you actually use it (unlike so many now), but it's dishwasher safe! And it's made in the USA....out of recycled milk jugs! Oh, and it's less then $20!

So, overall I was feeling pretty proud of myself for finding such a great present for my little girl.

Especially when she and Monkey fell in love with it and insisted on daily tea parties! We even used this set for a tea party when Pumpkin was born, since the older two decided Pumpkin shouldn't have to wait a whole year for her first birthday party!

But just when I thought I couldn't love this tea set any more...I got a personal email from the company!

I had contacted them about ordering replacement parts (after all, it's been a favorite toy for almost a year!) and within 24 hours a real person emailed me back....to say that they'd be happy to mail me some free!

I was in shock! A company with great toys, great prices, AND amazing customer service? This I had to blog about!

So, if you have any little girls (or boys!) in need of a tea set, check out Green Toys! They also have dishes, garden tools, and trucks!

Exciting News!

2010-03-08T09:35:00.007-05:00

Pumpkin rolled over! She may have had this skill for awhile, but last night was the first time we witnessed it.

Why?

Because our older two spent more time on the floor and learned to roll over pretty quickly. In fact, at 3 months Monkey could roll completely across a room!

But, Pumpkin hasn't spend much time on the floor. It's not exactly a safe place with two tornadoes roaming around. (Did I say roaming? I meant running. Or maybe racing. Anyway - they're fast).

But last night Hubby and I were both home and he put Pumpkin on the floor and lay down next to her to keep her safe. Then the tornadoes came through and Pumpkin wanted to see where they'd gone...so she rolled over!

Of course, I ran to get the camera - and then with everyone there watching her she had no need to roll! So, I just sat there while Monkey and Cupcake told Pumpkin how proud they were of her, and brought her every one of her toys as a reward for rolling over!

Eventually the older two got tired of lavishing praise, or just distracted, and ran off again...and Pumpkin rolled right over to watch them...and I caught it on video!

Isn't it amazing what passes as excitement in a home with young children?

A Little Of Everything

2010-03-07T19:49:00.008-05:00

Do you think that you're a good multi-tasker? Check this out...

SunChips (yummy!) has a new 100% compostable bag (first one ever!) and will give you one for FREE (score!) if you become a fan on Facebook!

How's that for multi-tasking? Favorite things, going green, and a good deal all in one!

Click here to go to the Bag Giveaway.

Then just log into Facebook and register to get your coupon in the mail!

You've saved money, done something good (better?) for the environment, and gotten yummy FREE chips!

(update - this giveaway is over, but they promise another soon!)

The Anti-Spam Site

2010-03-06T09:43:00.005-05:00

A lot of spam could be avoided by one simple website: Snopes.com

All of those emails you get that are "urgent" - about the dangers of using your car remote, or not letting your kids in ball pits - are often false and a simple Snopes search will tell you if the story is true or urban legend!

For instance, after the earthquake in Chile I got several emails forwarded by friends and family from a "Doug Copp" about using the Triangle of Life method instead of ducking and covering. According to Snopes.com there is a little truth in using the Triangle of Life, but that doesn't mean that the duck-and-cover method doesn't work. The article says that buildings around the world withstand earthquakes differently and you need to know what is most effective in your country (in the USA, it's both Triangle of Life and duck-and-cover because of the construction techniques).

Often these mass emails have a grain of truth, but it has been blown out of proportion. The odds that snakes are hiding in every ball pit in the country are astronomical - but it's still reasonable to check before putting your child in one, because there could be choking hazards, or other dangers that aren't life threatening, but are worth looking for.

So, next time you get an urgent email, check Snopes before you believe it...and certainly before you pass it on!

Where Have All the Pumpkins Gone?

2010-03-05T14:05:00.005-05:00

When I heard that there was going to be a pumpkin shortage this year, I didn't take it very seriously. I figured we wouldn't get as many for Halloween, or canned pumpkin would be off the shelves for a couple of weeks.

Well, 4 months later I want the shortage to end!

Fortunately, Hubby cooked and pureed a couple after Halloween (yes, my Hubby rocks) so I was able to get through the first few months of the shortage with pumpkin muffins and a pumpkin pie, but now it's been 5 weeks since I've had a pumpkin muffin and I'm getting desperate!

In fact, last night I pulled out my pumpkin muffin recipe and tried using sweet potato instead! (hey, sweet potato pie is like pumpkin pie...remember, I said I was desperate?)

Turns out - it was delicious! You could never convince someone it's a pumpkin muffin, but no one in my family knew it was sweet potato until I told them. And then they just said "okay" and asked for another one.

Don't believe me? Try it for yourself!

Here's my recipe...just substitute 2 pounds baked sweet potatoes for the pumpkin!

3 c sugar
3 c flour
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp cinnamon
4 eggs
1 c olive oil
30 oz pumpkin, pureed
2 tsp baking soda
3 tbls water

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, in the order indicated. Pour into 2 loaf pans, or 24 muffin liners. Bake at 350F for 1 hour (for bread) or 30 minutes (for muffins). Bread and muffins freeze well. Microwave a frozen muffin on high for 30 seconds and it's ready to eat!

An Advil for the Car Seat Headache

2010-03-04T12:42:00.013-05:00

Car seats are a lot like cars.

They've all passed basic safety tests and beyond that - it's a maze to find the one that fits you best! So, I'm going to share a little of what I've learned in the past five years, so that hopefully I can make your choice a little easier!

If you tend to buy a new car right off the lot, with lots of extras...then the Britax is for you! A high end seat, with lots of features, and the options to buy replacement cover styles, or even collegiate covers!

If you're a safety girl (or guy)...then check out the Radian 80 XTSL. It has the highest crash test ratings of any car seat made. The Britax Marathon and the Graco Nautilus are right up there in the safety ratings too!

Or, perhaps you like longevity? The Radian 65 and the Britax Marathon both seat children from birth through 65lbs! The Graco Nautilus is only forward facing, but converts to a booster seat for kids up to 100lbs!

If you're a traveler and prefer a car with lots of storage and comfort, check out the Graco Nautilus, it has a *sturdy* cup holder and 2 cubbies built into its armrests! Or if traveling means lugging the car seat, check out the Radian, which folds flat for travel!

For those on a budget, the Cosco Scenera is one of the safest convertible seats and can be found at Target, Walmart, Kmart, or Sears (as well as online) for only about $50.

And for those with limited space, the Radian is one of the few car seats that can fit 3 across the back seat of a sedan!

How do I know all of this? Car seat technicians. People who are trained to help you find the right seat and install it! You can find these people at car-seat.org to help you find a seat, and then call your local hospital or fire department to find out who in your town can help you check for proper installation!

I know you're wondering, so I'll tell you now....we put our kids in a Graco Snugride for the first 6 months (it's easy to transport a sleeping baby!), then a Scenera (rear facing) until they're 2 years old, and then a Graco Nautilus for 2 years and up. So, Pumpkin is still in the Snugride and the other two each have a Nautilus.

I would highly recommend just getting a Radian or a Britax from birth and being done...but I really love the convenience of the snugride, and all that storage space in our Nautilus, so we just invested in a Scenera to fill the gap between the two seats (and, yes, we use the same snugride and Scenera with the kids and then buy their own Nautilus - so we better have that last baby before the Snugride expires!).

Some important points...

...Car seats EXPIRE! Yup, usually 6 years after manufacture!
...75% of car seats are installed WRONG! Have yours checked!
...Register your car seat, so they can contact you if there's a recall!
...Not all car seats fit all cars. It is possible to buy a seat that just
won't fit in your car safely! So, make sure to save the packaging and
receipts until you have it checked!
...Remember that laws are the *least* amount of safety your child requires. Just because you *can* turn a 1-year-old forward facing, doesn't mean they're ready - their neck muscles aren't developed enough for forward crashes until closer to two! And legally you can put a 4-year-old in a booster - but boosters are designed for kids who can sit still - and can your 4-year-old do that?

Activia Challenge

2010-03-03T08:34:00.003-05:00

I've heard of Activia yogurt and that it's supposed to be good for you, but beyond that I hadn't given it any thought.

We already eat a very healthy yogurt, and I'm actually looking into making my own, so why try another brand?

Well, my mom called the other day *raving* about how wonderful Activia yogurt was! She said that she felt better, wasn't as bloated, and that she wanted me to try it.

To be honest, usually when my mom raves about something I just smile and nod and ignore it (she raves about a lot of stuff) but this time I decided to look into it. After all, I like yogurt!

I checked out Activia online and discovered that the "challenge" is that your body will be better regulated after 2 weeks of eating Activia once daily.

Not to get too detailed, but regularity wasn't a concern for me....however, I was intrigued by my mom's comment that she wasn't as bloated. I've been feeling very bloated since the birth of my third child, and I decided that it couldn't hurt to try the challenge.

I'm now on day 6 and so far I haven't noticed any differences, but I'll let you know in 8 days what the final verdict is!

If you've done the Activia challenge - how did it work for you?

Fairy Lights

2010-03-02T09:59:00.005-05:00

When I first saw this photo I thought "wow, another thing I'd love to have, but can't afford"! And then I read the article and realized that they're actually upcycled...egg cartons!

Upcycling is simply finding a new use for something without having to go through the whole recycling process. So turning Hubby's shirt into a dress for Cupcake is upcycling! This concept used to be called 're-purposing' and was frowned upon by people who liked spending too much money - but now it has a trendy new name and is becoming fashionable!

So, check out this tutorial to make your own fairy lights and then comment on this post to tell me some things that you've "upcycled"!

Midwestern Housewife For President!

2010-03-01T10:25:00.000-05:00

Not really - but I do need your votes!

I discovered this amazing new site called Spoonflower where you can (are you ready for this?)...design your own fabric!

As long as it's in a Jpeg format you can turn it into fabric! You choose the weight, the style, and the amount of fabric.

You're limited to original designs, but if you're good with a camera or Photoshop you can turn almost anything into fabric and make some amazing sewing projects!

And...you can enter the fabric you design into weekly contests!

This week I entered the contest to design the new Boba baby carrier and I need your votes (one per IP address March 1-7) to win $500!

Click here to vote for my fabric "Autumn Walk" - a marigold yellow fabric with a foreground of white leaves falling in a geometric pattern! You'll have to scroll through the 17 pages to find it and then submit your vote...so it will take a few minutes!

Pray for Chile!

2010-02-28T18:13:00.007-05:00

Unless you've given up media for Lent, you probably know that Chile had an 8.8 earthquake on Saturday!

We actually have a friend from Chile here in the USA as a missionary...in Ohio.

(Does that strike you as strange too? I'm used to hearing about people from Ohio going to Chile on missions, not the other way around!)

Well, our friend ministers to the international population and she was actually in China on Saturday, so she sent me the following email.

******************************************************

Dear friends,
It is 1 am (Sunday) here in China and just a couple of hours ago I heard the news about the massive 8.8 earthquake in Chile, my home country. I have been trying to get a hold of my family (several of them) on their cell phones and home phones, but no calls are going through... The earthquake struck Chile after 3:30 AM Saturday (Chile time) and it was centered near Concepcion, about 200 miles southwest of Santiago (the capital city). Multiple aftershocks continued. My whole family lives in cities that were affected. PLEASE join me in prayer for them!! A tsunami warning has been issued as well. Pray that I would soon hear from them and that everyone would be safe! Please pray for peace for me. THANK YOU SO MUCH!

******************************************************

Thank the good Lord, the Tsunami never occured, but please keep my friend, her family, and her country in your prayers!

Technology vs. Nature

2010-02-28T08:15:00.001-05:00

The downside of having wireless internet is that it is prone to the whims of the local weather. Our cell phone is also subject to this weakness.

So, if you stop by and notice that I haven't written anything yet that day (like last Friday)...it's often because the forces of nature are reminding me how lucky I am to live in this century, by taking away my modern convienences of wireless internet, cell phone, indoor plumbing, and electricity.

Okay, not really. I have electricity. (okay, okay...my plumbing is fine)

But life without a phone or computer is practically medieval! Not to mention really bad for my waistline, because if the weather is bad enough to effect the electronics, then it's often too bad to go out...so the kids and I stay home and bake "surprise cookies" - also know as Sugar High cookies! And, yes, they're aptly named!

Deal Alert!

2010-02-26T22:13:00.000-05:00

***if you have a Gymboree***

Gymboree has all of their sunglasses on sale for $5!

That's Gymboree quality and though-the-roof-adorableness for WalMart prices!

Birthday List

2010-02-25T06:31:00.001-05:00

Monkey’s birthday is next month and he gave me his birthday list:

Watch
Rollerskates
Machine for making candy after lunch
Machine for making ghosts
Some electricity
A tornado

Something tells me that he’s not going to get everything on his list!

Search & Win Update

2010-02-23T07:05:00.004-05:00

It's been a month since I joined Swagbucks and 10 days since starting Superpoints, so I thought you might be interested in how it's going.

Swagbucks is my favorite, simply because it's easy. I get 2-3 swagbucks a day, which adds up to about $10 in Amazon.com gift cards a month. It's not much, but it requires hardly any effort and all those cards add up over time. I have two people that I referred, but they've only earned me 5 swagbucks so far.

The jury is still out on Superpoints. They give you 500 points for signing up, but then they're super stingy! I've earned 115 points in 10 days and my friends have earned me 102 - so at that rate I'll earn a $5 Amazon gift card a month. Granted, that makes a total of $15 a month between the two sites, so I'm going to stick with Superpoints for a little longer and see if the pace picks up.

Oh, and if you're doing Swagbucks and you haven't heard - Thursday is their 2nd anniversary and they're giving away lots of swagcodes, "mega" search rewards, and other stuff! Plus, they're supposed to be something interesting in the newsletter on Friday. So make sure to do lots of searching this Thursday and check the newsletter Friday!

Help is a Click Away

2010-02-22T09:10:00.001-05:00

I often get emails asking me to click a link and then click a button to donate money to a cause, but I rarely keep the email after clicking.

This is unfortunate, because if I had saved those emails I would be able to help by clicking every day! Yet again, my desire to keep some sense of order in my life has unwittingly over-ridden my desire to help.

Fortunately, I found a website that has several “click” causes on one page! Feed the hungry, feed the animals, save the rainforest, and breast cancer - to name a few! Each cause has its own tab at the top of the page, and each tab has a button you can click to donate to the cause!

And, the best part is - each cause has a HTML button that you can add to your blog to remind you to click every day! Check out the buttons below, and click on each to learn how to get your own, or to donate to the cause by clicking the donation button on that page!

Favorite Things: Envirosax Bags

2010-02-21T00:28:00.000-05:00

I never leave the house without an Envirosax bag!

And I mean that literally – I carry one in the diaper bag. And I have another stashed in my purse…and the van’s glove box…and the emergency bag in the trunk.

The thing is, they’re super handy! They have the capacity of two grocery bags, hold the weight of up to 2 gallons of milk, and fold up super small! Plus, they’re made really well and are washable! Oh, and they come in beautiful patterns!

They’re perfect for bringing home the kids’ dirty clothes, carrying swimsuits and towels to the pool, hauling loads of groceries, or just sitting quietly in the corner of your bag until you need them!

Those reusable bags you get for $1 at most stores? They don’t wash well. They take up a ton of room when stored. They have the capacity of one grocery bag. And most of them are ugly.

Those other bags that you can fold up small? They’re not made as well. I’ve tried them. Most of the fabric begins to pull with minimal abrasion, and the seams tear quickly.

NOTE: if you’re super handy with a sewing machine you could make your own version of Envirosax with rip-stop nylon! Just google “reusable bag pattern”!

Confession

2010-02-20T21:22:00.000-05:00

I am a dork.

Not a nerd or a geek, but a plain and simple dork.

Why? Well, because completely obvious things often escape my attention.

For instance, all the stuff for my 17th birthday disappeared the weekend before the party, and I didn’t question it. I also didn’t question when my mom asked me to help her clean her friend’s pool, which we’d never done before, and was a totally random thing to do. Are you seeing where this is going? I didn’t…and was shocked to arrive at my *surprise* 17th birthday pool party!

Ironically, there are things I get long before others catch on. My step-father? Yeah, saw that coming. Their divorce six months later? No surprise.

People, I get. Words, I get. Numbers, I get. But completely inconsequential, and yet totally obvious things right in front of my face? Yeah, those I miss.

So, the point of this confession? Mashed potatoes.

Are you confused?

Good. Now you know how I felt, when at the age of 31 I discovered instant potatoes.

Yes…I’m that much of a dork. I honestly thought that everyone, everywhere, peeled potatoes if they wanted to mash them. Cafeterias? I just thought they bought cheap potatoes that tasted funny.

The upside of this, and the reason for my confessing something to you that might make you question all my advice, is that I have spent the past year experimenting with instant mashed potatoes. And, I have to say, that I wasn’t missing much in my 31 years of ignorance! Real mashed potatoes are *so* much better then instant potatoes.

However, it *is* possible to make instant potatoes that taste close to the real thing! There are two secrets to success: buy ONLY “Idahoan” brand instant potatoes and don’t follow the instructions!

Simply fill a saucepan with as much water as you’d like to have mashed potatoes. Bring the water to a boil. As soon as it boils, turn off the heat and pour in some potato flakes. Stir quickly to combine. You want the mixture thicker then you want your mashed potatoes to be, so you may need to add more flakes - but do it quickly, before all the water is absorbed. Add enough butter and milk to the mixture to thin it to the consistency you prefer. You can even mix in some sour cream, garlic, or spices!

Now, on busy days I put a whole chicken (or roast) in the crockpot, and when we come home it only takes me 5 minutes to add veggies and mashed potatoes to the meal!

NOTE: there are other instant potatoes that are also made from 100% real potatoes, but they don’t taste the same as Idahoan! (Trust me, I’ve tried) Also, my “recipe” only works for the bulk potato flakes, not the small packages of flavored Idahoan potatoes.

Goodbye New Car Smell

2010-02-19T14:23:00.001-05:00

Like most families we have two vehicles.

Like most families with both vehicles paid for, one vehicle is reliable and the other is our "beater"....just an old car for Hubby to drive 5 miles to work and back.

BUT, *unlike* most families...the "beater" vehicle is 20 years old! Yup, we have a 2001 van (that's mine!) and a 1989 sedan!

I'm very grateful to have two vehicles that are paid for, but I have to confess that I have long dreamed of the day when we'll be able to afford to have two NEW cars! Two new cars that we got to pick the color of, and that have that lovely new car smell! Ah, I can see it (smell it?) now!

Except.

Well, except that I just learned something troubling. Apparently, a car loses 20% of its value the *second* you drive it off the lot! Yikes! A $30,000 car loses $6,000 in value on the drive home! That’s a little scary.

And, even more shocking? A new car loses 70% of its value in the first four years! So, that same $30,000 car - if you bought it this year, I could buy it in 3 years for only $9,000!

Granted, a lot can happen to a vehicle in four years, but if you’re a careful consumer then having that new car smell just doesn’t seem worth the $21,000!

Walkin' On Sunshine

2010-02-18T23:50:00.003-05:00

My first blog award!

Sara over at My Frugal Fun Life sent me this Sunshine Award! Sunshine Awards are peer awards, and each blog is allowed to pass the award on to their 12 favorite blogs! (Thanks Sara!)

Here are 12 of my favorite blogs...

Inchmark
5 Orange Potatoes
Our Adoption Journey
Under $1000 per Month
Along the Daisy Path
Finding My Feet
Mommy Meals
Carol Leigh Daily Photography
It's Almost Naptime
Room To Grow
At Home with Vickie Bensinger

Rules of Acceptance...
Put the logo on the sidebar or within a post
Pass the award on to 12 bloggers who brighten your day
Link to the nominees within your post
Let the nominees know they received this award
Link back to the person who gave you this award

Cornstarch Dough

2010-02-16T11:54:00.002-05:00

We're snowed in again, so it's craft day!

We made cornstarch dough (using this recipe) but we halved it because there are only 3 of us.

The dough had a very interesting texture and was a little crumbly, but the kids loved playing with it. Monkey made a tower, Cupcake made a "present" (she's two - it's basically a pile of dough), and I made a bowl, but I'm thinking of re-making it into a dog, just to see how it turns out.

Tomorrow we'll paint our sculptures with watercolors - or maybe get out the shovel and tunnel our way to freedom!

Gluten Free

2010-02-15T13:21:00.015-05:00

Several of my friends are on a GFCF (gluten-free, casein-free) diet, which basically means that they can't eat anything with wheat or milk.

I have to say - I'm a huge fan of both wheat and milk. In fact, carbs with a glass of milk might be my favorite food group!

Fortunately for those with allergies or health concerns, the internet is full of gluten free websites (you just have to modify recipes to omit casein) and Amazon.com has *lots* of GFCF cookbooks.

I've found some great resources that I've passed on to my friends, and now I'm sharing them with you too! So far, I have two GF blogs, three GFCF cookbooks, and one GFCF online bakery!

If you have any favorite GFCF sites or books, post them in the comments!

Gluten Free Blogs

A Year of Slow Cooking

Gluten Free Mom

GFCF Cookbooks

The Autism Mom Cooks

Mother Necessity

Make It Fast, Cook It Slow

GFCF Online Bakery

Shabtai

Chocolate Fondue

2010-02-14T13:32:00.005-05:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, here's a recipe for rich chocolate fondue! This sweet luxury is considered an adult treat, but lots of kids love to dip their food!

You'll need 1 bag of chocolate chips and 1 cup of cream. The best chips are Toll House brand (they have a higher fat content and melt better). I use semi-sweet, but you can use milk chocolate, if you prefer.

Pour all of the chocolate chips into a heat proof container, and add 1/4 cup of cream. Microwave for 30 seconds on high and stir well. Then microwave for another 30 seconds and stir for 2 minutes. At this point, the mixture should resemble hot fudge, but if your chips still aren't melted, return them to the microwave one more time.

Once your chips are melted and mixed smoothly, add 1/2 cup cream and combine. If you prefer a thicker fondue, then you're ready to serve! If you prefer a thinner fondue, add the final 1/4 cup of cream and mix until well combined.

Serve fondue with various "dippers" - fruit, marshmallows, cake cubes, pretzels, or even potato chips!

For variation, add a dash of coffee grounds, some flavored extract, or some butterscotch chips to the fondue!

Happy dipping!

Milestones

2010-02-13T16:23:00.007-05:00

I should have known, when I woke up to Monkey saying "I already went downstairs to make Daddy a marshmallow sandwich to take to work" that it was going to be one of those days.

I had learned long ago that having creative children meant having a chaotic life, but I'd been enjoying a lull in the general madness for a few days.

And then...

Today was going to be the big day – Cupcake’s first haircut! We would go to the salon and then a nice lunch, just the two of us. I had waited 2.5 years for her hair to get long enough to put up in pigtails, and then another two months so that when we got her hair cut, it would still be long enough to put up.

Everything was going pretty well - kids up, dressed, and fed - and then I went upstairs to get ready, leaving Hubby downstairs to watch the kids.

When I came back down the stairs the first thing I noticed was LOTS of hair on the floor. Lots of long, dark hair on the floor. Since Cupcake and I are the only two in the family with dark hair, or hair longer than 2 inches, I knew immediately that it was her beautiful hair on the floor. And when Monkey saw my face and ran to hide behind the couch, it was a dead giveaway that he was the guilty party.

Fortunately for all of us, I had known this day was coming. My brother had cut my hair when we were little, Hubby had cut his own hair, and countless friends had told me stories about what their children had done with scissors.

However, I have to admit, that in the many times I had wondered when my children would participate in this rite of passage – I never once imagined that they would do it with their father sitting *right* there! (To give him credit, he and pumpkin had fallen asleep in the recliner, but I would have hoped he’d take the scissors away from our 4-year-old before he got comfy!)

Cupcake and I still went to the salon and lunch, but she’s sporting a pixie cut several inches shorter then I had planned, and all her pretty hair elastics will have to be stored away, while we wait (again) for her hair to grow longer!

Another Great Idea

2010-02-12T17:29:00.015-05:00

UPDATE: superpoints is gone! I was saving for a $25 amazon gift card...when the site went down and hasn't come back. Apparently, there are a lot of "reward programs" online and most of them don't make it. If you signed up under me - I'm sorry this didn't work out! I hope you signed up for swagbucks though, because they seem to be the real deal!

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If you haven’t joined Swagbucks yet, click here to learn more!

If you’re already a fan of Swagbucks, let me tell you about another way to earn free gift cards - SuperPoints!

Superpoints is a lot like Swagbucks, but only your first 10 searches are eligible to win in a day. However, you can also win points with the “super lucky button” (which you simply press to see if you’ve won), by completing opinion surveys, or by participating in special offers.

Obviously, there’s some overlap there, so I’m currently using my Swagbucks account to do online searches and my Superpoints account for surveys and the super lucky button. I haven’t decided which program to use for special offers, but I’m leaning towards Superpoints because their rewards catalog seems to have better choices….you can even save points for a luxury car!

They also have a great referral program. Like Swagbucks, you get points as your friends get points, but unlike Swagbucks there isn't a maxium you can earn.

Right now Superpoints is offering 500 points (enough for a $5 Amazon gift card) simply for joining!

Click here to register!

In Praise of Cloth

2010-02-12T06:48:00.001-05:00

When I was pregnant with Monkey I never gave a second thought to the fact that I would use disposable diapers…until a cousin asked if I had considered cloth.

After talking with her for a few minutes, I agreed to look into cloth diapers and later that week I went online to do some research.

I fell in love with cloth diapers immediately!

Gone were the pins and plastic pants - I was able to choose from options as diverse as organic cotton and handspun wool to all-in-one diapers that worked just like disposables! There were even diapers that fit from birth through potty training, so that you didn't have to keep buying new diapers as your baby grows! Not to mention that cloth diapers allowed for a wide range of colors, fabrics, and styles that were much more attractive then disposables!

Aside from the dizzying array of choices and colors, cloth diapers attracted me because they were significantly less expensive then disposables. The average person spends over $2500 on paper diapers in 3 years, in contrast with an average of $500 for cloth diapering.

Are you thinking "but they're gross"? Well, let me point out to you that wet cloth diapers don't require any more handling then wet paper diapers. And you can buy flushable liners that catch the poop, so that you can just tip it out - right into the toilet. Which, by the way, did you know you’re supposed to be doing with disposables? Seriously. It’s written right on the side of your diaper package that “any fecal matter should be put in the toilet before putting the diaper in the trash”. (Surprised? So was I!)

In addition, I’ve had some unexpected benefits in my 5 years of cloth diapering. My children have never had a diaper rash while wearing cloth, but they have gotten diaper rash when wearing paper diapers on vacation! Also, while on vacation it seemed that the paper diapers didn’t always hold everything in, while I have only ever had one “blow-out” in a cloth diaper! Finally, I've never run to the store because I'm out of diapers – I just throw more in the washer when I see that the pile is getting low!

So, if you’re using disposables, or thinking of it…have YOU considered cloth?

Click here for an FAQ on diaper types

Click here to see a selection of each type of diaper

Tomato & Feta Pasta

2010-02-11T08:22:00.009-05:00

2 Tbls olive oil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 clove minced garlic
28oz can petit diced tomatoes
4 tsp dried parsley
2 Tbls lemon juice
12 oz angel hair pasta*
4 oz feta cheese*

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Add oregano and garlic, saute 30 seconds.
Add tomatoes, parsley, and lemon juice.
Cook two minutes or until heated through.
Set aside to cool.
Cook and drain pasta.

In a serving bowl, combine pasta and warm tomato mixture. Stir in feta cheese just before serving.

Serving suggestions: in the summer use tomatoes fresh from your garden and add some sliced chicken breast. In the winter, serve with Sweet Potato Chipotle Soup for a warm and filling vegetarian meal.

*I use whole grain pasta and tomato basil feta!

Learning to Help

2010-02-10T08:20:00.004-05:00

As a mom I sometimes feel that my brain is atrophying.

There are days that I don't complete a sentence, or if I do it's more likely "don't hit your sister with a hot dog!" then something to do with literature or current events.

I also feel negligent in the amount of help I am giving others. My children occupy so much of my time, energy, and money that there isn't much left to give...and yet I wish there was.

So I was very glad when a friend directed me to FreeRice.com!

This website allows you to quiz yourself on topics like Art, English, Math, and Geography...and for every answer you get correct the advertisers pay for 10 grains of rice through the United Nations World Food Program!

10 grains of rice might not seem like much, but if you answer 10 questions correctly, you've donated a bowl of rice to someone in need! And kept a few of those brain cells from dying!

And FreeRice.com isn't just for frustrated professionals-turned-housewives-and-mommies! This website would be a great way to quiz your homeschoolers, or you could set up a fun family quiz night - boys vs. girls, or kids vs. parents! Think of it - bonding, learning, and giving all at once!

So, check out FreeRice.com - maybe next time you sit down for a bowl of cereal you could answer 10 questions and donate a bowl of rice for someone else's breakfast?