Kiddie Tips Parenting Tips

meal of oats

2012-02-03T19:46:00.000-08:00

The girls eat Quaker oatmeal a couple of times a week. I make them the rolled oats ~~hidden~~mixed with some hearty steel cut oatmeal which I buy in bulk. Be efficient and make extra for the week. Mix in your milk (regular, almond or soy) and sweetener (brown sugar or honey) before refrigerating in a glass bowl. Efficiencies – You only clean that stickyoatmeal pot once a week and when you are ready to eat it again, just zap thebowl in the wave. Throw the blueberries, strawberries or bananas on just before serving. View organic oatmeal andsteel cut oatmeal here. Check out Alton Brown's steel cut recipe. On the run? Jamba Juice makes the tastiest steel cut oatmeal topped with bananas, blueberries or cinnamon apples. Laaahve Laaahve!

sausage efficiency

2012-01-26T21:01:00.000-08:00

2012 is all about efficiency. This year, I will provide tips onincreasing efficiency in your meals, parenting, shopping and living. As you know, I enjoy quick tips so some ofthese blog will be well…short, simple and EFFICIENT.

Home made sausage from Healthy Green Kitchen

Sausage. The girls love love breakfast sausage and probably feast onthis twice a week. But I abhor thegreasy sticky hands after forming refrigerated sausage rounds. Keep it frozenand then take a really sharp knife and cut slices. My other tip is to cook it on my knock-off GeorgeForeman indoor grill. Efficiencies - Less mess, way easier to clean, the grease drips off intoa nice cess pool. And your sausage havethese cute grill marks. View organic breakfast sausage and indoor grills here. Here's a recipe to make your own sausage.

Lappie top

2011-12-30T05:56:00.000-08:00

VTech Brilliant Creations Advanced learning laptop

Another big hit for Christmas this year was a VTech Brilliant Creations Advanced learning laptop. We bought a Barbie one at Costco for only $32, but the mediocre games, two color screen, lame graphics, and Barbie theme made me return it. The My Own Leaptop laptop @ 21 bucks is great for 1-3-year olds because it only has 6 learning stations that are very basic. I do like that you can choose from 8 email messages and personalize them for your kiddie to enjoy. Here's why we love the VTech laptop: LCD color display, animated graphics, 120 learning activities including foreign language and Math. It also has a back-light so it works well when you travel at night and your kid can create and save letters and art. Read more reviews here.

I read the whole book!

2011-12-29T03:15:00.000-08:00

My little 4-year old is getting ready for the big K next year. For Christmas we bought her BOB Books Sight Words Kindergarten...and she is in love reading now. Sight words are common words appearing over and over in your kiddie's reading. You get 10 little books for 12 bucks on Amazon. Each book has simple stories and short vowels. There's also lots of repetition and your little one will feel very successful after reading a 12 page book. Read on...

BOB Books

Ice cream cone cupcakes

2011-12-21T23:40:00.000-08:00

Betty Crocker Ice Cream Cone Cakes

They love ice cream. They love cake batter. Slap them together and they will fall over with joy. I'm making these tasty treats for Belle's upcoming 5th birthday. Here's what you do: Mix your cake batter according to your recipe, place cupcake liners into muffin tins, pour in the batter, place ice-cream cones on top and bake 15-22 minutes. Cool, remove liner, frost and sprinkle with love. Here are some organic cake recipes. Send me your pics and comments when you make this one!

Almond milk

2011-12-16T20:59:00.000-08:00

I am lovin' some almond milk. Nutritional bene's: less calories than milk, low sugar, no cholesterol and a lil protein. I ~~hide~~ mix it in the girls' waffle and pancake batter, oatmeal, and cold cereal. I also throw some in my decaf chai tea. Here's the recipe for making almond milk at your casa. My other love is almond meal. Read more here. Yum.

crayon making

2011-11-28T22:47:00.001-08:00

Make new crayons from recycled ones!

Yes, you and the kiddies can make crayons. Too easy. Take the wrappers off your broken crayons, place them in greased muffin tins. Place in a 275 degree oven for about 10 minutes. Pour into lightly oiled (they pop out easier) candy molds or into cookie cutters placed on a foil lined cookie sheet. Then put them in the freezer for another 10 minutes. Instant fun and crazy colored crayons. Great inexpensive recycled Christmas gifts.

Toothless Fairy

2011-11-11T12:43:00.001-08:00

This week I introduced the Toothless Fairy and the girls ate it up. This fairy loves candy, not your kid's baby teeth. Just leave the sweets and she (you) will leave a small gift in return. Here's what happened: the girls picked three pieces of their favorite candy from their loot and the rest was left for the fairy on Monday night. In exchange, the fairy left a new hat/glove/scarf set for each girl the next morning. I dumped the rest of candy in the community bowl at work. Next up...Valentine's day.

Eco-friendly orange days

2011-10-25T21:29:00.000-07:00

Here's are four ways to make your Halloscream a little greener...
1. Borrow a costume or buy a gently used one.

2. Hand out organic candy (yep it exists) or pencils, stickers, etc
3. Instead of buying a trick or treat bag to collect the lute, make one or use an eco-friendly shopping bag.
4. Carve the pumpkin and cook those fiber rich seeds with a lil butter and salt for about 40 min at 400. Yum.

no sugar soda

2011-09-17T14:03:00.000-07:00

The girls loved it. Every Friday and Saturday we have movie night with air popped corn and a 1/2 can of sprite. But last night I served Talking Rain sparkling water with lemon lime flavoring with their corn. No sugar. No sodium. And oh so tasty. FYI - one can of soda has about 27 grams of sugar which equals 7 teaspoons of sugar. Yuck. Or enjoy soda smartly with Sodastream - a great way to make soda at home and use less plastic bottles. Use lemon, limes and oranges to add flavor or buy the lower sugar Sodastream sodamixes.

Jam on it

2011-08-23T23:15:00.000-07:00

Making strawberry freezer jam is pretty darn easy. I made eight jars for the girls in oh....30 minutes. Here's what you do: mash strawberries, mix in sugar, add pectin (thickens), pour into containers, let sit for 1 day and then place in freezer. The girls love jam on their pancakes, almond meal waffles, biscuits, peek a boo eggs, in smoothies, and on PBJ's. The best thing it tastes like fresh fruit. Makes great presents too! Get on it.

Picture from For the love of cooking

almond meal

2011-08-15T21:23:00.000-07:00

My kiddies love pancakes and waffles. Here's a few tricks I use to add protein and less sugar to their morning treats. If you make these from scratch or by the box, substitute half the mix or required flour with almond meal which is just ground up almonds. Buy it at Trader Joe's for cheap. Cut the sugary syrup by topping the pancakes with warmed blueberries mixed with a little raw honey. You could also throw some freezer jam and coconut flakes on top. Here's the Everyday Paleo pancake recipe. Yummie.

cavekiddie diet

2011-08-02T23:06:00.000-07:00

Way back illions of years ago...our ancestors ate veggies and meat...no bread carbies. I kinda like carbs, Janae really loves carbs but I also see how they make us tired, feel full but empty, and hey...make us wanna eat more crabs. I started the family on a modified cavekiddie diet, also known as Paleo, stone age diet. We are still eating dairy. From the book Paleo Everyday, Sarah Fragoso suggests a kiddie on-the-go breakfast of a hard boiled egg, almonds, frozen blueberries. Sound filling? You'd be surprised. Fragoso bodly suggests you ditch the pop tarts, bread, flour, and chips and opt for pumpkin seeds, almond butter, coconut milk, almond meal and tons of veggies. Read her blog here.

Free bowling

2011-07-18T21:20:00.000-07:00

Oh... free feels so good. This summer kids + bowling = free. Sign up at http://www.kidsbowlfree.com, find your nearest lane, print your coupon, take the kids to local bowling arena, and throw some balls for nada. Gotta love this. Have an old bowling ball that you want to re-purpose? Check out this cool way to spice up your garden.

honey child

2011-06-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

It's spring and our allergies have kicked in. So a few weeks ago, I went to our farmers market and purchased a jar of local raw honey for $16. The girls and I are allergic to grass, pollen, dust mites. Digesting a wee bit of local honey each day can slowly build your immunity. It's working. Combined with sporadic nasal rinses and daily doses of Costco's Kirkland Signature Aller-tec we are all doing better. No sinus infections in the last three months! Read more here.

barrettes

2011-06-10T22:06:00.000-07:00

The girls and I just made some fab little hair barrettes. All you need are: feathers, a piece of felt, a hot glue gun, an alligator pinch clip, silk flowers, and beads. You can buy all of this at Michael's. Here's the skinny - cut a small square piece of felt and hot glue around the barrette so it covers all sides. Then hot glue the feathers one at a time onto the felt and finish with a flower. Or you can stuff a few beads through a feather, then glue gun to the felt on the barrette. Here's an eco-barrette made with organic cotton. Kinda pretty and super easy.

we fly

2011-05-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

We got back from "the land" last week and the girls flew for the first time. Here are seven fly tips to ease your trip with the kiddies. 1. Bring snacks like trail mix and fruit. Or you could buy an airplane meal for $10. 2. Huh? I said, ear plugs work. They will slowly equalize pressure against the eardrum. Try Flents ear stopples eco-friendly ones. 3. Stuff an extra shirt in your purse. Your baby could throw up from the turbulence. 4. Save money and stow your kid's luggage on the plane. 5. Pass out the gum or sip water. Swallowing and yawning as the plane is pressurized opens the ear-to-throat connection. 6. Pack a small blanket for plane naps. 7. Bring crayons, pencils and workbooks to pass the time. The kiddies will love to pull the seat table to play. Have fun!

disneyland food tippies

2011-04-30T07:33:00.000-07:00

We are in the magical land of happiness. Our first family vacation. Here are my seven cost saving foodie tips for eating at Disneyland. 1. Bring snacks. They don't mind, meals are expensive and your kids are too excited to eat full meals anyways. 2. Bring water. Or you can buy it at the park for $3-5 a bottle. We bought a case at the mini mart near our hotel. 3. Find the hotel buffet breakfasts that let kids eat for free. 4. Pack cereal, paper bowls, spoons in your luggage and buy the milk and bananas at the mini mart. Great afternoon snack and/or cheap breakfast option. 5. Eat dinner at Ihop. Kids eat free@ Ihop after 4pm when an adult buys a meal. What kid doesn't want pancakes and strawberries for dinner? 6. Avoid the park food courts and opt for the restaurants. You get more bang for your buck$. 7. Do the character dinning (see pic). Great memory. Just realize that's what your paying for. It's $35 per adult and $19 per kid. We had a tasty breakfast at Ariel's Grotto while the princesses strolled around. The girls loved it. Bring your camera and keep snappin' and bring your appetite, because they will keep the food flowin'.

earth friendly snack bags on sale

2011-04-20T18:56:00.000-07:00

In honor of Earth Day, Mama Luvs is having a sale! Get 30% off your entire purchase with free shipping on all orders through the month of April! Use code "SMDF Earth Day" to nab this exclusive savings. Mama Luvs snack bags have new springtime fabrics. These are perfect for summer camps and packing meals for daytime adventures at the parks and beaches this spring and summer! - Taken from http://www.seattlemomsdealfinder.com

spring showers

2011-04-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

Enough with the rain. We live in the pacific northwest and the induction of spring only means more rain. Sigh. Besides going to the movies and indoor germ infested kiddie centers, here are some other ways we are beating the showers around these parts...roller skating, ice skating http://www.rinktime.com/skating_rinks/wa/washington_skating_rinks_arenas.cfm, library visits, painting pottery (like Paint the Town), or check out volunteer matches at http://www.volunteermatch.org/

springing forward

2011-03-16T23:06:00.000-07:00

Bye bye winter. Hello daylight at 8pm. So hard to put the girls to bed when it's flippin' bright out. Enter Eclipse Thermaweave curtains. I bought mine at Target for about $25 for two panels. And they work great! Not only do these triple weave construction window coverings help keep your babies napping and slobbering longer, you will save 25% on your home heating and cooling costs. Gotta love saving a lil cheddar. Read more at www.eclipsecurtains.com.

tasty glue

2011-02-28T00:56:00.000-08:00

Edible Glue. You might refer to it as Ranch Dressing either delightedly or with distaste. I'm going with the latter. But the girls love dipping their veggies in it. And I am all for my babies getting their veggie fix on. I refuse to buy the bottles at room temp because the artificial smell of glue really shines on these. Here's my workaround - O Organics refrigerated Buttermilk Ranch or any buy cold organic version. You could also make your own! And not the MSG laden powdered kind where you add mayo. Weelicious has a recipe with the following that I made, that's not so bad. Here it is: Ranch Dip- 1/4 Cup Yogurt (I use Greek Yogurt), 2 Tbsp Vegansaise or Mayonnaise, 1 Tbsp Fresh Chives, chopped, 1 Tsp Lemon Juice, 1 Tsp Dijon Mustard, 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder, 1/2 Tsp Onion Powder, Salt to taste. Makes 1/3 Cup. Happy dipping.

dirty candy

2011-02-17T20:54:00.000-08:00

I forgot Valentine's day is like Halloween. All that darn candy. I have a friend who lets her kids eat as much as they can stand on the first day and then the bag disappears. Our bag is still around and the girls have it on their mind as soon as their tired eyes pop open. Here's an eco-friendly trick to get rid of the love day treats - compost them! If you don't have a compost bin, you could just place them deep in your house plants or outdoor plant soil. Or you could take them to work and let your co-workers gobble them up. Here's some more tips from my eco-buddy over at Green Halloween http://greenhalloween.org/blog/?tag=how-to-compost-candy

cold mice

2011-01-28T06:35:00.000-08:00

Ice cream good. Mice bad. An ice cream mouse...tasty. We made these the other night at pre-school family night. Here's what you do - place a scoop of ice-cream or frozen yogurt into a cupcake liner and then let the kiddies decorate it to make a mouse. Use vanilla wafers or mini cookies for the ears, craisins or jelly beans for the mouth and eyes and a pretzel stick for the tail. Make it organic by using - Julie's Organic Ice Cream and Newman's Own baked pretzels.

allergies and congestion

2011-01-14T06:04:00.000-08:00

Janae has had chronic sinus infections for oh...about a year. Her symptoms? Yellow snot, headaches, and severe congestion. Her pediatrician has been treating it with antibiotic which clears the issue but the infection pays a visit 2 months later. So she had an allergy back prick test. The cause? Dust mites and grass. We have now encased her pillows and mattress, kicked up the air purifier, dutifully vacuum her room twice a week and wash her bed linen once a week in hot water. And she does a daily sinus rinse (nasal irrigation) and a prescribed steroid nose spray - fluticasone. It's working. Want a homeopathic sinus recipe? Just mix iodine-free salt, baking soda and water. Allergy Buster is a homeopathic nose spray option. And instead of the antibiotic, I now give her the allergy tablet cetirizine when her symptoms flair. Allergy shots are another option if your kids can deal. There are side effects to everything, so do your research.

manners baby

2011-01-06T22:45:00.000-08:00

We actually started the "Can I be excused from the table?" a month or so ago. Had to. Here's a taste of what they were doing - sitting and eating children, 4 minutes in, getting up, walking, running, playing, food in mouth, food on floor, mess. I was done. Tonight we sat down to eat dinner. TV was off. I had the girls tell me things they could do to show good manners. Eat with your mouth close. No talking while eating. Saying excuse me when someone is talking or you walk in front of them. They sat the whole time. Talking. In his weekly blog, Rosemond says - "We will spend at least as much time helping our children develop good manners as do helping them get good grades in school, which means we will cut back significantly on the time helping with the latter (in consideration of the fact that good manners, which are expressions of respect for others, will take one further in life than will good grades)." Read more at www.rosemond.com

Happy resolutions.

Feeding the Reindeer

2010-12-23T20:45:00.000-08:00

Santa is almost here. While he delivers presents and chows down on the treats you and the kids baked, his reindeer are outside starving. Hello. Ok, well they're hungry, so here's a recipe to fuel em- Mix 1 cup of oatmeal with 1 tablespoon colored sugar crystals or substitute the crystals with colored glitter for the bling effect. You can even add birdseed to the mix but not with the glitter recipe. Take the kiddies out and sprinkle on the lawn the night before santa makes his annual round so he can find your casa. Make the dust with the kids, bag it, and hand it out to the neighbor kids or you could buy reindeer dust on Etsy.

smencils

2010-12-18T07:21:00.000-08:00

Need an original fundraiser or stocking stuffer? How about a gourmet pencil that smells like watermelon or chocolate? 100% recycled newspaper smencils and smens come in fruit, holiday and valentine scents. To maintain the tasty scent, they come in individual corn-based biodegradable freshness tubes. The verdict - The pencils write well but use a really good pencil sharpener.

solar christmas

2010-12-04T21:29:00.000-08:00

So we set up our freshly cut tree, I turned Pandora on with the "Holidays with the Temptations" and the girls started decorating. While the fake vs real tree debate lives on, there are options like replanting your tree or just recycling the bugger so it can be mulched. Save some energy and try keeping the lights on for shorter periods. And check out these solar powered Christmas lights. LED lights are always better too and easier to find. Now go make some ornaments with the kids!

poppie tarts

2010-11-17T22:25:00.000-08:00

Confession. I haven't made these yet but I will tomorrow. You ate them, your kids some how have tasted them either because you bought them or someone gave 'em one. I blame my girls' pop tart intro on daycare. They love them. I refuse to take a nibble. So I googled a "healthier" version minus the trans fat, artificial flavors and high fructose corn syrup: 2 1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tblspn sugar, 1 stick cold unsalted butter, 1 egg, 1/3 cup ice cold water,
jam or preserves (such as Smucker’s Simply Fruit or Polaner All Fruit), and 1 cup confectioner’s sugar. Heat oven to 375 and check the rest of the recipe and frosting out here, Let me know how yours tastes!

Apple Cider Vinegar

2010-11-10T21:20:00.000-08:00

Belle has been fighting a cold off and on for a few weeks. So I tried some ACV. Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar has some natural bacteria-fighting agents containing stuff like potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, iron, etc. Feel a cold coming? Mix 2 teaspoons of ACV into a cup of water and chug several times a day. I also threw some carrot juice to mask the taste but you could also add honey. The vinegar will help rebalance the body's acid level. Chest cold? An old school home remedy touts soaking a piece of brown paper in vinegar then sprinkling one side of it with black pepper. Place the peppered side of the paper on the chest, cover with a towel, and relax for 20 minutes. For better results, purchase the organic ACV or make your own with this recipe. Here's more interesting things you can do with ACV.

welcome to crayon town

2010-10-27T22:32:00.000-07:00

My good friend Darlene has a crayon town. In her carport. The little area is all recyclable refrigerator boxes which you can snag from Home Depot for FREE. Then grab scissors for the windows and doors, crayons, and a little shipping tape to create tunnels and help the town stay standing. Let the kiddies play, crawl, and draw while you sit and reeee-lax. Check out these soy crayons or eco-friendly recycled star crayons. Happy coloring.

Organically Yummy

2010-10-21T22:16:00.000-07:00

Ever have your little one eat a whole carrot and say "Thanks mom!" Every other Tuesday I get a box of organic veggies and fruit from Full Circle Farm for $30. Delivered to my office. There's something about receiving these boxes that makes my girls go bananas. And I can customize my box to our favorites or let Full Circle surprise me. I also get two new recipes featuring items from my box. Organic costs more of course, but it really tastes better, ask my little carrot eater, and it's better for your fam. Give it a peek.

pumpkin eater

2010-10-15T06:20:00.000-07:00

So you bought a pumpkin for your kiddies, you carved it using a template, it's on display...now what? Eat the inside. Simmer the pumpkin seeds for 10 minutes with salt then bake them for 20 minutes on 350. Seeds are a fab source of zinc and amino acids. Then take the slimy orange guts which are loaded with the good stuff - potassium, fiber, and vitamin E and make pumpkin bars or 36 of these tasty pumpkin recipes. Of course you can compost the carved pumpkin after Halloween. Your dogs can even eat the pumpkin innards, just be careful, it can act as a laxative. Here's other stuff you can do with your orange ball.

40 ways

2010-09-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

There are 40 ways to skin a cat and a few ways to have a pet hamster. Here's one. Janae turned 5 last week and received a pet hamster. I am not a fan of furry small creatures. This one works though because it has 4 wheels, a cute pink piggy nose, and it comes with a name. Jilly. A Zhu Zhu pet. Battery operated at $8 each. All the rage with the kiddies. It even squeaks and of course you can buy scarves, hats and blankets for it, a hamster tunnel, sleeping dome,and other absolutely unnecessary but cute items. To be eco-friendly you could for go the plastic accessories and use shoe boxes for tunnels and sleeping areas for your child's new pet. If your crafty, you could even sew clothes and blankets for it out of left over fabrics or unwearable, ill-fitting play clothes. Peep these at Target, Toy R Us, and any other toy laden dynasty that makes your kiddies run wild.

Flying Fruit - Kid Tips

2010-09-11T08:31:00.000-07:00

"Mommie, I'm hungry. I want a snack please." I hear this alot. Like, everyday. More and more, the choices are fruit and veggies. Do you want a banana, peach, cantaloupe or some celery with peanut butter? I ask. I rarely buy fruit roll ups, fish crackers and other easy, processed, cheap options. And with the delicious, nutritional, expensive fruit (sometimes organic), comes the fruit flies. I hate it. Here's how you kill em. Pour 3 parts apple cider vinegar and 1 part dish detergent into a shallow flat dish. Talk about building it and they will come! They love the sweet scent, dive in and die. To mask the scent of the vinegar and to memorialize their quick passing, I usually light a soy candle. Nectarine, anyone?

Nanana boo boo - kid tips

2010-08-22T17:12:00.000-07:00

My dear mommie made these for us back in the day. We eat them with syrup and lately my kiddies love jam on theirs. Peek a boo eggs. Think french toast without the cinnamon. You take a piece of 100% whole wheat toast or sprouted grain bread and make a whole in the middle. Belle likes when I use the star cookie cutter for the shape in the middle. Place bread in a hot pan with a little melted butter and crack an egg in the hole. The girls like their eggs cooked through so I flip it after the bread browns and begin to poke it so the yolk cooks. Serve with syrup, jam (I love love Smuckers Simply Fruit) or butter. This is a good one for car rides to school or daycare!

Frightful Swap

2010-08-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

The last thing I want is another landfill kiddie Halloween costume. That's why I have made a commitment to always buy a gently worn one or snag a freebie. So you can imagine my excitement when I learned through my Facebook friend Cory of Green Halloween that there's now a National Costume Swap Day to encourage eco-mommies to organize or swap out their kid's costumes. Here's more details. Back to planning mine...

mommy i can't breathe

2010-08-05T21:15:00.000-07:00

Janae has had 5 sinus infections and nose bleeds over the past year. Ridiculous. Her symptoms: headaches, stuffy nose and when her nose does drain, it's a fabulous yellow and pea-green color. The band-aid fix was amoxicillin (the stinky pink antibiotic) and when that stopped working, her pediatrician (at my request) put her on a stronger antibiotic. We also tried a sinus rinse for kids, claritin, benadryl, and natural allergy tablets. Nothing worked My poor little girl. So I took her to a Ear Nose and Throat Specialist last week and she prescribed a nose spray with antibiotics to clear her passages and a cream to rub inside her nose to take away the dryness and impending nose bleeds. The verdict - she can breathe! And she likes squirting her nose with spray and most of all sticking her finger up her nose with the ointment.

cheap mommies

2010-07-30T21:35:00.000-07:00

I love a bargain and I heart free. Target has their toys at 75% off right now. Seriously. I found out from Thrifty NW Moms. This local blogger knows all the deals and welcomes you to share your tips on freebies, discounts, etc in Washington state. Like them on Facebook and get tweets.

clothes for play - kid tips

2010-07-18T18:13:00.000-07:00

There's a bin of clothes in the girls' closet that's just for outdoor and messy play times. Each time a piece of clothing gets an untreatable stain or unrepairable hole, I throw it in the bin. Going outside to play? Grab an outfit from the bin, I say. Remember...this is the year of consuming less and reusing...and what a great way to salvage a cute outfit that still fits: let them sport it while they paint or create tasty mud pies. Here's and eco-friendly sprout smock and an eco-friendly sand set.

slinging your junk

2010-07-13T21:07:00.000-07:00

We had a g-sale a few weeks ago. I had the girls pick 10 toys to sell and they got to have a lemonade stand. I made eco-friendly sale signs from used cardboard boxes. When I have a sale, I price everything like it's 4pm and I want to go inside. Think dirty cheap. Most of my junk was a buck and the kid's clothes were 3 for $1. My tips on g-selling - Sell when your neighborhood has their annual sale, have your friend, siblings, parents bring their stuff over so you have a nice selection, spread your junk out so people don't have to dig, price it to sell, and buy a dozen donuts to sell for breakfast. I held my sale from 8am-2pm and then gave the rest to charity. Do not bring your cast-offs back into your casa. Here are some more tips on having a fabulous sale.

Repitition - Kiddie Tips

2010-07-02T06:45:00.000-07:00

I'm tired of the sock ghost sneaking in and stealing my girls' socks. I can't seem to find sock mates. Ever. This was until I started buying the same brand, the same size, and the same style of sock. I shop Fred Meyer (one stop shopping - less traveling, less gas) and buy the Hanes brand girl socks with cute little pink, purple, green and blue polka dots. This store always has their undies and socks on sale. Always. Last time I bought two packs of socks with four pairs and paid ohhhh...$6.99. Hey, and I'm that kind of mommy who doesn't mind pairing an older sock to a newer one - they just need to be the same style. Here's some eco-friendly feet coverings.

3 whines your out

2010-06-18T00:22:00.000-07:00

We have a new rule in the house. Each time you whine you get a warning. On the third warning you get a time out. And mommy gets silence. Mommy like. Seriously, this parenting gem is working. Of course it depends on the kid and if they hate time outs. Mine do. Give it a shot. Here's 6 other ways to stop whining. Cheers.

watch them break down

2010-05-31T16:52:00.000-07:00

How about a chemical diaper burn so bad, it's eating your baby's skin? This has been the tale for too many parents and little wee ones including my sis-in-law. Not fair. The culprit? DryMax in Pampers diapers. These bad boys have been on the market for two months and claim to be thinner and "the brand's driest diaper ever". Horrible. My new niece Ivy (pic right) now sports a gDiaper. Biodegradable and flushable. Nice diaper. Here's the recipe: Little gPants are cotton, with a hint of elastene for stretch. Snap-in liners are made of breathable polyurethane-coated nylon, similar to what's used in sports clothing. gCloth inserts are four layers of soft microfleece and hemp/cotton. And yes, they encourage you to flush them. Watch the biodegradable video. And like them on Facebook. Happy planet. Happy baby.

thred up - kid tips

2010-05-24T22:53:00.000-07:00

Speaking of consuming less...here's a fab way to swap your kiddie's gently worn, too small clothes with another kid's. And you don't even have to host a playdate. My friend Darlene referred me to this site Thredup a month ago. I'm hooked. Forget consignment stores, this is the new way to shop. Create your log in and grab some of your kid's clothes they refuse to wear or have outgrown. Do not, I repeat, do not take pictures. Post basic info on the clothes, like sizes, what season they are, click on three color themes of the set of clothes, and sit back and wait. If you find a box you like, pick it and pay $13. I got lucky and picked a box with 11 dresses, size 7/8. Yep. Just got them today and Janae about fainted with joy. This was cheaper than going to a garage sale! If someone picks your box, they will pay Thredup by paypal, and you will get a link to print out a free shipping label. Just throw the digs in a USPS medium flat rate box and the postwoman will pick it up from your casa. Check them out on FB and their parent site Shirts.Thredup where you can swap adult designer shirts online.

Reading Step 1 - Kid Tips

2010-05-21T20:47:00.000-07:00

So we are still on step 1 of "How to Teach Your Baby to Read". Each week I show the girls 25 new words a week. Here's what's working the best: I show a set of 5 words on Monday three times a day. Usually once before they go to school and daycare and then two more times when we all get home. On Tuesday, I add 10 new words and thrown in 10 more new words on Wednesday. Thursday and Fridays are just showing all 25 words again. By Friday the girls have seen the first set of words 15 times. I can tell it's working. Janae begins reading the first set of words as I hold them up by Wednesday. If you have tried to teach your kid and stopped, try again! If you are thinking about doing it, try! Ages 0-5 are the best ages for kids to learn. Be patient and positive. Do not give up. Keep it fun! Keep it short. Do not test your baby, just show them the words.

Reading babies - kid tips

2010-05-07T20:06:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. I was curious when I saw some infomercials with 13 month old babies reading. I mean really! So I whipped out my library card and checked out (gotta heart free) How to Teach your Baby to Read. The book explains for example, a 3 year old who is missing part of his brain who learns how to crawl, then walk, then read! When he enters 1st grade he is reading at a 7th grade level. Our kids have so much potential and we wait so long to give them the opportunity to learn! So never one to not pursue some kiddie opps, I am officially teaching my toddlers how to read.

Here's the skinny on step 1: create 100 flash cards of words your child loves, show them in sets of five, one at a time, 3 x a day for a week. Each day add another set of five cards. You show them for one second each, don't test them, just say the word and move to the next. Keep it fun, painless and make sure you give them mad props with a big hug after wards and let them know how proud you are! Step 2 info is coming. Too tired to make the cards? Order some here.

Play Station - Kid Tips

2010-04-26T18:48:00.000-07:00

In the past two months, we have had a pizza station, burrito station, fruit station, and pancake station. What are these you ask? Food stations are a fun way for your kiddies to create their own meal. Takes an itsy bit more time BUT the kids will love it! Here's my version of a burrito station. It's not complicated. Really. In little bowls or plates set out in a row (organic where you can): taco shells or tortillas, ground beef or cut up chicken, pinto beans, lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheese, olives, and anything else you can think of. Then ring the bell to start the fiesta. The kiddies will love making their own meal and will more than likely eat what's on their plate. Plus it's never too early to start family style eating and allowing them to help clean up.

Peeing at Daycare - Kid Tips

2010-04-09T00:43:00.000-07:00

I thought I would never say this but I am still potty training. Sigh. Daycare and mommie separation have regressed my little Belle to wetting her undies. Frequently. She holds her pee and waits until the last moment to go. Most times she makes it. So to assist her in falling in love with the toilet again, I have introduced a bathroom bunny that she fondly named Mommie. She takes Mommie with her every time she goes potty. This worked for five days but quickly lost it's luster. So today we went shopping. I let her pick out an electronic princess game. Here are the rules: She can only play with this toy at daycare and in the ladies room. Let's see if this works. Here are some eco-friendly potty training products. Por favor share your potty training tips in the comments section.

Pink Milk

2010-03-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

Somehow another fictitious character has invaded our little space. Lola. As in Charlie & Lola. She loves pink milk, I did, and my girls...well they can't stop talking about it. It really is their "favorite and best" too. As a 70's latchkey kid I mixed the Nestle Nesquik Strawberry powdered mix with milk on a almost daily basis. But as a mostly conscientious mommie, I have refused to buy it. So in my aim to consume less this year, I decided to whip up a healthier version when Janae begged for it yet again. I threw 5 cut strawberries, 1.5 cups milk, and a tsp of sugar into a blender and pureed it for a half a minute. Janae had seconds. Horizons makes a strawberry organic milk too.

biscuits baby - kid tips

2010-03-08T19:40:00.000-08:00

I have perfected homemade biscuits. And we can't stop eating them. Really. This is a Paula Deen recipe that requires no crisco. Just butter baby. Here are my tips on making flaky, slap ya kid biscuits: where you can, use organic ingredients; after you cut the biscuits, let them rest in the pan for 20 minutes; let your kids play with the dough scraps and flour. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes and they will melt in your mouth. I'm not kiddin'.

pop up breakfast - kid tip

2010-02-14T06:55:00.000-08:00

Belle asks for them almost daily. "Mama, will you make pop up pancakes?" Can't blame her. They are so tasty if your fond of eggs and syrup. I nabbed this recipe from Make and Takes (see their pic). Here's the skinny on the recipe: In a blender mix 1/2 c milk, 1/2 c flour, 3 eggs, 2 tblspn melted butter, & dash salt. Bake for 12-15 minutes at 400* in well greased muffin tins. Here's a gluten free version. We dump jam, butter and syrup on ours. Yum.

Cool Signs - Kiddie Tips

2010-01-24T19:24:00.000-08:00

Ever been to a potluck and want to know exactly what you're grubbin' on? Ask no more. Pick up one of these Make and Take Baking Dishes with a write and wash dish lid. Very cool. And if you happen to have a teen kiddie in the pad, scoop up a reusable magnetic Student Driver sign. Ummm...good luck with that one.

like new

2010-01-16T11:14:00.001-08:00

I could have bought a new one but I didn't. In my quest to consume less, I chose to contact paper the girls white table. The table was stained from two years of breakfasts, sticky snacks, messy arts and crafts projects, permanent markers, and water colors. The contact paper put a $7 whole in my wallet and the table looks fabulous. Just like new. Milk paint was an eco-friendly option, but I didn't want to fuss with sanding and, well, painting.

Corn Dog Muffins

2010-01-08T08:50:00.000-08:00

She became hooked at the fair. So last night when I announced we were having chili dogs. Janae replied "Oh, we are having corn dogs?! Yes!!" Instead of saying "No", I put on my Iron Chef hat and accepted the challenge of creating a healthier alternative to the fried favorite: a baked corn dog. Here's how I retained my title as Iron Chef Mommy: I boiled an all beef Kosher Hebrew National hot dog, shoved a stick into it, and dipped it into a way to runny whole grain cornbread mixture (it needs to be really thick). Upon baking, it just ran all over the greased cookie sheet. But she loved it. I stepped up my Food Network skills and created a few corn dog muffins too. My second attempt to please the kid judges looked like this: I boiled another Kosher hot dog, cut it up a few times, added the remaining runny cornbread mix to lined muffin tins, placed the cut up hot dog into the muffin mixture, and baked for 15 minutes. More love from Janae and Belle. Here's a version where you can add cheese.

ornaments with a purpose

2009-12-30T05:21:00.000-08:00

I saw a bumper sticker the other day that said, "Consume less. Share more." Ahhh...music to my ear wax. Can you say re-purpose and reuse? Clearly, we can't save every recyclable thing for a future project because that's hording (see A&E's Horders) but how about, for instance, creating a CD Christmas Ornament with the kids. Or instead of buying new holiday ornaments and decorations, how about asking family members to gift you decorative items they aren't using anymore. My mom-in-law passed on some hand made 70's retro ornaments from my hubby's great grandmother and a few he had created in grade school. The girls think their fun, I didn't spend a dime, and we didn't contribute to the landfill.

merry christmas baby

2009-12-21T07:08:00.000-08:00

I am too creative and cheap to buy gift tags. So I went online and found some downloadable print and color Christmas Gift Tags, gave them to the girls, and let them add their special crayon touch. Very homemade, cute and inexpensive.

We also attended a kid's Christmas party. The hosts asked us to bring a canned food item for the local food bank and a dozen cookies per kid. At the party, we made tube sock snowmen, candy ornaments (I would not stop inhaling the gummy bears), and did some near the fireplace caroling with instruments. All of the cookies were spread out on a table and the kids walked around the table, choosing, eating and moving on to the next treat. The girls and I made and brought pink frosted shortbread cookies like Uncle Seth's and chocolate chip peanut butter cookies (we used organic chocolate chips and Trader Joe's organic peanut butter). The pink ones went the fastest but I am not sure they tasted the best. I loved the haystacks that Jayden and her mom brought. Here's the recipe. Merry Christmas!

DAYCARE

2009-12-02T17:21:00.000-08:00

I am anticipating going back to work soon so I have been making my list and checking it... well more than twice. If you are joining the game of finding a childcare center, take some notes first on what you really want in a daycare and talk to some of your working mommy friends. Here are some qualities to look for: safety, clean record, staff attentiveness, location to home, cost, outside play, cleanliness, and pre-school curriculum. Keep in mind, there are licensed in-home day cares (cheaper & less structure), day care centers (more expensive & more structure), family or friends (familiar, even less structure, cheaper or free). Try to take your little one at least twice to play before they begin attending. Glam it up by calling it a school not daycare. Here's a site providing more info.

Gym School

2009-11-12T15:24:00.001-08:00

Belle is quite envious of Janae attending school. To give us something to do while her big sis is away, I enrolled her in a local parks and recreation 4 week "Kinder Gym" for a back breaking 21 bucks. Three times a week for 50 minutes. She loves it. They do circle time, sing songs, and play with and on inside toys you couldn't fit into your bathroom. Each Friday is bring your helmet/bike day and the kids trike and bike around the gym and fill up at the toy gas stations. Very cute. We also attend "Library School". Our local library has free toddler time in the mornings. You bring your kiddo, and the Librarian does all the work. She reads stories, sings songs, leads arts and crafts, the kids play with puzzles, and get their hands stamped at the end of the 30 minutes. Check your local mall, library and parks and recreation for inexpensive and free kid activities.

Pumpkin Bars

2009-11-03T08:49:00.000-08:00

Janae's preschool had sibling day last week and the school cook showed us how to make pumpkin bars. She used raisins but those aren't a fav in our casa so we used chocolate chips. Yummy. Here's what you do. Takes only 10 minutes to prep. Preheat oven to 350. Grease one 9x13 pan. Mix all wet ingredients: 2 eggs, 1 cup of canned pumpkin, 1/2 cup oil or melted butter until well blended in a large bowl. Mix dry ingredients: 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup of raisins or chocolate chips, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1 tsp salt into the wet mixture. Pour into pan and bake for 25 minutes. We had them for breakfast with milk. Dee-licous.

Re-purposed Organization

2009-10-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

I don't buy many boxes of wipes anymore since I have Belle 99% potty trained. Whew! But I've been stashing empty wipey boxes thinking I would find another use for them. Here are five ways I re- purposed them: 1. Hair ties and barrettes. 2. Puzzle pieces. If you have the bandwidth you could even take a picture of the puzzle when complete, print it and paste it on the outside of the box. I cannot claim to have ever done this but it sounds type A fabulous. 3. Toy jewelry box or itty bitty annoying toy parts. 4. Crayons and markers. 5. Cotton balls and ear sticks. Wanna buy a fashion forward, refillable and eco-friendly wipey box or case? Peek these out from Babies in Bows.

School Daze

2009-10-15T16:49:00.000-07:00

So Janae started preschool a few weeks ago. The first day was great for her and bad for Belle. Picture this: a four year old happily getting on the school bus and smiling as her two year old sister runs and screams after her bus. Two year old then sprawls herself on the house floor and throws the biggest fit known to any toddler. Here are my five tips to kinder and gentler school days. 1. Pick out two of their favorite outfits and let them choose which one they want to wear to school. 2. Get the lesson plan from the teacher talk it up over dinner each night. 3. Take them to school before it starts for open house and any other excuse. 4. Create and follow routines consistently at home. Think structure. 4. Be patient. Janae finally fell in love with school during her 4th week. Belle now waves goodbye without squirting out a single tear. Joy.

Click

2009-09-23T09:45:00.001-07:00

Janae snagged a cool kiddie pink camera for her 4th birthday. Her Papa bought her this Vtech KidiZoom at Walmart for $39. She loves the sounds it makes with each picture snap, adores the fun photo frames you can add to each pic, and I am amazed at how easy it is to use. It also has games and comes with a baby pink USB cord. Digital cameras are eco-friendly when you compare them to the plastic disposable ones. You can reuse them, print only what you love, and there's less packaging. Click.

VaniDream

2009-09-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for the miracle cream. Stop here. Vanicream skin cream takes that annoying eczema itch away, redness, and dry skin. I use it on Belle twice a day: right after bath time and before I put on her clothes. It boasts no common chemical irritants like parabens, fragrances, dyes, lanolin, etc. The moisturizing cream is very thick and the lite lotion is great for the face. I scrapped using DOVE and Ivory and now use the Vanicream cleansing bar on my face and in the shower. The soap has helped the maddening dry skin and itching subside. You can buy online @ www.psico.com. at Walgreen's or contact them for a list of stores. Just dreamy. Really.

Shower Me

2009-09-03T07:56:00.001-07:00

The girls love to take long splashy baths. Like really long. Like hands turning to prunes long. And with long bath times comes abundant opportunities for a wet and moldy shower liner. I finally became disgusted with the cheap $4 toxic shower liner I picked up at Walgreen's. It was headache stinky and attracted mold and mildew. Our new liner is a non toxic, PEVA, earth friendly, chloride free shower curtain. Maytex makes it and it doesn't stink, has a pretty blue tone, and wipes clean with a damp cloth. It retails at $12. Less cleaning, less headaches, and worth the cost.

Silly Trixs

2009-08-26T09:19:00.000-07:00

I trick my kids almost daily. I hide organic cocoa puffs by mixing them into the General Mills brand. I also mix cheerios with the organic version. Their 2 and 3 year old palettes can discriminate between the organic and heavily processed. "No mommy! Tastes funny," Janae will say pouting over her bowl loaded with organic love. I mix them in a Tupperware container, recycle the boxes so there is no trace, shake it and serve. Haven't seen an organic version of Trix yet, have you?

Carbon Free Kiddie Fun

2009-08-11T17:12:00.000-07:00

What can you do outside with the tykes that's fun, inexpensive and carbon free?

1. Take a 15 minute walk around the block. Bring a brown paper bag to collect interesting flowers and rocks.
2. Sell lemonade in the neighborhood. Use eco-friendly cups and organic juice.
3. Bike to a local park. Play and ride home.
4. Make mud pies and water the garden using the pool water.
5. Summer sprinkles? Throw on the rain gear and let them splash.

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A Pink House

2009-07-31T08:29:00.001-07:00

"So I hear you have a pink house?" the nurse asked laughing. "Apparently," I replied not too happy. A pink painted house (see pic) would have been Janae's dream come true. But instead it was my living summer heatwave nightmare: both girls with pink eye on the hottest day of the year. Lucky mama. Pink eye is contagious so if you see some yellow discharge or your kid wakes up with yellow crusted eyelashes or they keep rubbing their eye or hey, they just have a red eye. Welcome to the club. The doctor prescribed a 5 day dose of antibiotic eye drops which cleared up the symptoms in 24 hours. Here is an herbal remedy, some home remedies and some doctor recommended ones. If your house is pink, wash down all door knobs and frequently used toys, change all the bathroom towels and bedding, and keep washing everybody's hands. Hourly.

Green Thumbs

2009-07-21T08:10:00.001-07:00

I thought we had brown thumbs. But it's been confirmed. They are green. The girls and I have ventured into gardening. And to prove our worthiness, we have eaten some pole beans, made pink peonies flower madly, and yesterday we saw itty bity baby cucumbers, lettuce and squash taking up space. Not bad for 2, 3 and 30 something year olds. I'll come clean. The pole beans, cucumbers and squash were sprouts but we did grow the lettuce from a seed. We used organic gardening soil to re-pot the sprouts and planted the lettuce in veggie pots. You can buy organic seeds online here. The girls love watering the plants and veggies and Janae really likes to pick and eat the beans. We used veggie pots to keep it easy but here are 7 tips to planting an organic garden. We're still waiting for the carrots to sprout. Hmmm...too late?

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Free Stuff to Do

2009-07-11T21:26:00.000-07:00

Oh how I love free kid stuff. This past week we did two fun, entertaining, free events with the girls. At 10am, we went to our local Regal Cinema for a free kid movie - they offer this three days a week on multiple screens with two flick choices. Janae was engrossed. Belle got a little restless so I bought some popcorn. She stood, munched, watched and talked. Luckily the lady in front of me had a two year old in her lap so she didn't mind Belle's chomping and muttering in her ear. Afterwards, they gave us Costco waters, oranges, and coupons to Charlie Safari. It gets better. Outside there was complimentary huge inflatable slide. We also went to our local elementary school for the playground pals program for kids ages 2-12. Here's the schedule: free hot lunch, playground time, art and crafts, guest speakers, snack time, and playground time. All free and staffed. Check your local school district for similiar programs.

eco-swimming

2009-07-06T08:39:00.001-07:00

Be honest. Are you still throwing diapers on your kid and dipping them in the pool? My hand is up but I'm stopping. Really. There are eco-friendly alternatives to the non-disposable, land filled, soggy swim disposable diaper. Kushies makes a very hip option - an environmentally sound waterproof, washable, terry-cloth lined wrap style diaper. Love it. I actually have one of these and forget to use it. That was until my sis-in-law told me her son Asher is in a chlorine free swim class (very cool) and she just bought one similar to the picture. If your wee-one goes wee wee or #2 in the pool, it won't pollute the water. Surfs up. Now if only I could get Belle potty trained...

Make your Dough

2009-06-27T07:33:00.000-07:00

Kate Gosselin actually inspired me to do this. And with the tough economic times I figured I should try. Yes, I made my own dough. Edible playdough. The ingredient's are simple: 1/2 cup of peanut butter (I used Skippy's Natural Extra Chunky), 1/2 cup powdered milk (I used powdered buttermilk), 2/3 tbsp honey, and a little flour. Mix and start playing. Janae was a fan but Belle spit it out. They did have fun slicing it with mini cookie cutters and plastic knives. You could also buy some eco-dough by eco-kids. It's not edible but it's made from plant, fruit and veggie extracts. And you can order it free of gluten, dairy and soy. Now, go play.

Protect the Planet. One Snack at a Time.

2009-06-18T23:28:00.000-07:00

If you pack snacks and lunches for the kiddies and yourself, you probably are still using BAGGIES. Shame on you. Shame on me. Most times I try to use Tupperware but I have peeked a better alternative. An eco-friendly, washable fabric bag with water-resistant, BPA free lining. If you use one of these five times a week for a year, you will save our precious earth from 260 land filled one-use plastic bags. I just ordered and received mine from Mama Luvs at a recommendation from a sis-in-law. The girls love the color: hot pink polka dots on a lime green background. I heart the easy Velcro closure. For those of you in the Seattle area, Mama Luvs will come to your playgroup for free to do a product demonstration. And you get a free snack set just for hosting. Make a dent, and buy one.

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Online Scrapper

2009-06-09T14:58:00.000-07:00

I am a millennium mommy. I only scrap online at Shutterfly and I love it. I started hard scrapping with all the colored paper, photo book binders, cutters, and pictures in 2004. And it not only broke my wallet but my space. I just never had the room I needed to spread out. I have created at least seven photo books online in the last three years. I make one each year of my family and then every other year I make one for the grandparents as Christmas presents. I get creative with what I can't physically paste into the book. For instance, I took photos of Belle's hospital birth card and the hospital menu, changed both into a sepia tone and placed them in the photo book. I also took Belle's welcome baby cards and typed the welcome message as text next to these pictures. Not the same but hey it works. It's also more eco-friendly to online scrap. Less paper. Since I blog each month about the growth and giggles of the girls I add some of my blog notes as text to the books as well. It's amazing how creative you can get with these!

She's got curls curls curls

2009-05-28T23:25:00.000-07:00

Janae's curly hair type is 3c. The best way to care for her mane is to wash with shampoo with no sodium lauryl sulfate or I co-wash with a conditioner, detangle with a wide tooth comb while hair is wet, use a handful of Pantene's Relaxed and Natural Conditioner (high in moisture), and then Kinky Curly Curling Custard (think natural gel snot). This double threat combo will yield elongated, defined and moisturized curls. All hair is different but if your kiddies have curly hair, check out this site where I have gleaned most of my hair wisdom. To keep her fun locks from matting I pull it back at night into a high ponytail or I make two braids and add more conditioner. In the A.M. I usually spritz it with water and then do the conditioner and curling custard. Pass this tip on to all your mommy friends with curly haired babes.

Pop your Corn

2009-05-15T08:43:00.000-07:00

The 4pm afternoon snack in our casa is usually popcorn. I use this air popper and add a little bit of butter and salt once the hot corn hits the bowl. It's one of the healthiest, tastiest, low calorie whole grain snacks. Here are some tasty popcorn recipes. Using an air popper or the stove is eco-friendly cuz there is less packaging. Plus it tastes better than microwave and it's cheaper! There are some yummy organic microwave popcorn alternatives if you just don't want the fake buttery taste and the fuss of cooking your own popcorn. The girls love their own individual bowls and I usually use clean out plastic cool whip tubs or brown paper bags.

Take a Hike

2009-05-08T07:54:00.000-07:00

Looking for something eco-friendly and fun to do with the kids this spring or summer? How about taking a hike or a camping trip at your national park? Check this site out for a map of all the US parks. Some parks have short paved hiking trails (bring your stroller) or day hikes for older kids. There's nothing like being outside with your family, enjoying nature, looking at the birds, rocks, mountains, beautiful scenery, AND getting some exercise. Plus if you live in Washington State, any day with a sun peek, is a good day to get out of the casa. The Washington's National Fund for instance provides a healthy list of kid friendly activities at the three national parks in Washington. Some tips on hiking with the wee ones: dress for the weather, pack lunches and a first aid kit, bring a magnifying glass for inspecting bugs and rocks, and hike at their pace. More tips here!

Potty Breaks

2009-05-01T09:14:00.000-07:00

So I woke up Monday morning. Nothing unusual about the day at 8am. Belle had a dry diaper so I put her on the the potty, she went and it clicked. I said to myself, "This is the day. I am going to potty train her." What came over me? I don't know. I have been encouraging her to sit on the potty for awhile. I have read the guide to potty training in three days. Not for me as I can't stay home three days straight with my wee ones, drag a potty chair in the kitchen and force the unnatural consumption of water and juice for 72 hours. I WILL go nuts. But here's my 7 potty training tips. 1. Buy 5 pairs of potty training pants. Eco-friendly ones are great. 2. Set your timer or cell phone to go off every hour for pee pee time. 3. Before you go out or they go to bed (which I did and learned) have them go potty right before. 4. Offer a favorite treat each time they wee (Belle gets 2 olives for pee and 4 for poo's) and clap madly with joy when they deliver. 5. Have them sleep wearing undies, diaper or pull ups and wake them up in the middle of the night for pee time and a treat. 6. Take extra sets of their clothes with you everywhere. 7. Be patient. Don't give up. Did I say be patient? Sigh.

Move that body!

2009-04-24T15:33:00.000-07:00

Just 30-60 minutes a day. I take the girls to the park or somewhere to get some EXERCISE every day. Living in Washington State with the most finicky weather doesn't help. To keep it exciting for me, we go to a new park each time or a new play area. I always pack a lunch and after they play for awhile, we eat at the picnic table and then they play some more. The girls play so much, that the afternoon doze off hits them when they get strapped in their car seats. If the oldest Janae won't sleep, I inform her that it's officially quiet time. No talking. As you may know, kid's who exercise have stronger bones, lower blood pressure an are less likely to be overweight. Here's more info on the kiddie movement.

Accidents Happen

2009-04-17T15:25:00.000-07:00

My two year Little Belle was jumping on the bed with her big sister, fell off, and hit her head on the dresser. Lots of crying. I was in the kitchen and went to check on her. Blood. I tried not to scream. Poor baby. I began applying pressure to the cut, but it was pretty deep so I took her to a reputable urgent care because the visit is cheaper and faster than ER. They were able to put a clear glue on the cut instead of stitches. If your child bumps their head, look for signs of lack of consciousness, vomiting, and confusion. Kid proof your house with these safety tips.

California Dreamin'

2009-04-10T07:56:00.000-07:00

I love California. Well I love the sun. So anywhere boasting 70-80 degree weather for the most of the year is my friend. There's a eco-friendly line my sister-in-law introduced to me called California Baby. With a name like that, I had to try. The good thing is their products are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate free and there are plenty of fragrance free items. I bought the Super Sensitive Bubble Bath at Target, the girls LOVE the bubbles and Belle's eczema has subsided. It also comes with a bubble wand so the wee ones can blow bubbles which apparently keep the bath water warm 15 minutes longer. Organize your bathtub toys with this inexpensive storage unit.

Easy like Sunday Morning

2009-04-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

I'm at home with the kids while looking for a new job and it seems getting out of the house each day has become grueling, tiresome, and frustrating. I have been chatting with other stay at home mommies and have come up with my top seven list of things to do to keep organized, sane and moving efficiently throughout the day. Of course if you work, just apply this to your weekend fun. Here it goes...
1. Lay out clothes for the next day the night before
2. Bathe kids at night
3. If you will be out during lunch, pack some sandwiches and fruit for the ride
4. Dress your sleepy child just when they wake up - less fighting over outfits
5. Demand a 1-2 hour quiet time with the choice of napping, reading or playing quietly
6. Go to the park, for a walk or let them play in the backyard every day
7. Arrange play dates once a week
Here's a good article on creative lunches for kids. Now get some rest.

Pink Power

2009-03-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

Janae loves pink. What three year old girl doesn't? She loves pink so much she has to wear the color everyday. Recently she added purple to her palette of on demand colors. It's maddening. Especially because I don't like pink. At all. Her Grandma bought her the book Pinkalicious by Elizabeth Kahn for Christmas and it has only confirmed her love for pink. We also found Purplalicious at the library last month. The gift that keeps giving. All said, the books are funny, cute, memorable and I love reading them to her. Pinkalicious is about a girl who eats so many pink cupcakes she wakes up the next day and she is pink all over - her hair, face and legs. "I was beautiful, " Pinkalicious says. "Even my tears were pink." There is also a Musical showing in select cities. I am waiting for Kahn to write about my favorite color - Orangalicious. Happy reading.

Cut it out

2009-03-10T17:17:00.000-07:00

Veggies and fruit pieces get you excited? My hand is up. If you love them, your children will too and if they don't, just keep trying. Opt for fresh produce (organic and freshly picked if you can) instead of canned and frozen. The latter usually has unnecessary syrups and sodium added. The other night I gave the girls a tomato based meat sauce over these cute Heartland Mickey Mouse pasta shapes and I served cut up cucumbers sprinkled with salt on the side. Now, I wasn't raised with dessert after dinner but I love something sweet after a meal so I cut oranges and Fuji apples. The girls loved it and there was enough for their last snack of the night. Excited yet?

poopy shoes

2009-03-05T18:15:00.000-08:00

Little Belle stepped in dog poo the other day. I found this out when I picked her up to place her in her car seat. The stench was like a bad child hood flashback and a raging wave of nausea hit me. The lazy in me wanted to throw the shoe in the garbage and walk away. But I had paid too much for these cute knock off baby Ugss. Hold your breath and wash off the poo right away if you can with paper towels, newspapers and water. I waited to long and it dried up. Next step is to clean off the pop by using an old toothbrush with baking soda, some dish soap and have at it. The baking soda also will remove the stench. Or you can create an eco-friendly baking soda paste (just add water), let it dry and then rinse off. Watch your step.

Belly Bug

2009-02-11T14:01:00.000-08:00

My little Belle got the stomach flu. For a glorious week. All of sudden signs - vomiting, dry heaving, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and fever. Watch out it's contagious. My three old caught it and combined with the tonsillectomy it was not so good. My hubby caught it and a host of other friends and relatives who had the pleasure of being around us. True to being a mom, I managed to avoid the bug. My tips - take your vitamins, mix and sip on Airborne, keep washing your hands, do not share drinks or food, clorox down your counters, door knobs, faucets, and toilets. Feed the sick: water, broths, bread, bananas, pasta, Gatorade, crackers, and sugar free Popsicles. Do not serve (I learned) peaches, grapes, apples (if vomiting), fruit juice, or dairy. Keep it bland and un-sexy. Let the flu ride it's course by sleeping as much as possible and avoid taking any anti-diarrhea medicine. Bien Suerte.

Say Ahhhh...

2009-01-27T14:40:00.000-08:00

Snoring. Always tired. Sore throats. Ear infections. Sleep apnea. All signs your kid may need a tonsillectomy. Janae, my energetic three year old had her tonsils and adenoids taken out last Saturday. I couldn't of read enough blogs and articles to be prepared for what happened to her. She just wasn't herself for the first three days. My tips if your wee one gets them removed...talk about what will happen, there will be some pain, they can eat Popsicles and drink juice all the time. After the surgery your baby will return tired, cranky, filled with pain and whining. Get ready. Pamper them, cuddle, kiss and tell them how brave they are. Then keep the liquids going. The throat needs to stay wet otherwise it could bleed. Once home we battled it out about this time and time again and threatened a trip back to the hospital if water was not consumed. Here is a blog site and another site that helped me prepare. Foods to keep on hand - applesauce, jello, soup, gatorade, and oatmeal. So she could feel better, Janae did request a return to get her tonsils hours after the surgery. And stay on top of the meds for pain. Good luck.

Dinner then lunch

2009-01-19T12:59:00.000-08:00

Give yourself some extra time in the morning and make your kid's lunch while you make dinner. I know. One more thing to do. But why not? I timed it and it takes me 15 minutes to make lunches in the morning. Here are some tips on speeding up the process: give everybody dinner left overs for lunch in pyrex glass containers, cut up a veggie for the week and place into a container, and place small snacks in a small reusable containers for easy refill and grab n go. If you are using plastic containers, avoid the ones with a 3, 6 or 7 on the bottom and don't microwave them. Here's why. Want reusable eco-friendly containers? Click here.

Silly Teeth

2009-01-11T17:22:00.000-08:00

Tom's of Maine has a silly strawberry Children's toothpaste. I saw it and bought it. My daughters now REALLY enjoy brushing their teeth. There was joy before when we received a free tube of Crest's kiddie glitter blue toothpaste but now...forget it. I get squeals of delight when I announce it's time to brush. If you didn't know, Tom's of Maine creates natural, sustainable and responsible health care products. And hey, get the most from your toothpaste with this reusable handy squeeze it tool. Happy brushing.

Grab n' Go

2009-01-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

I'm all about being more organized in 2009. Got a great tip from a co-worker I wanted to share. I tried it out yesterday and I can see the light. When you are folding laundry, take an extra second and fold together outfits (a top and a bottom). Then in the morning frenzy you can grab n' go without hesitation. And to be eco-friendly, how about having your child wear it one more time if there are no drips or stains. You could also play a game with them to get the folded clothes in the drawer. 09 is looking sweet.

Snowy Cupcakes

2008-12-18T21:18:00.000-08:00

We got snow. A lot of it. So to pass the time, we used Janae's 3rd birthday gift, a Sassafras cupcake kit. Not so eco-friendly ingredients but oh so tasty. This one came with a spoon, cupcake liners, cupcake tray, mix, sprinkles, frosting and cute rhyming instructions. I didn't even check the various artificial ingredients it contained but the girls had fun helping mommy in the kitchen and those little cakes were dee-licious with a tall glass of milk. Zebra Mix is a company creating organic baking mix kits for kids. You can purchase simplified kits with mix, frosting and a Safari baking map on Amazon or Shop Organic for about $4.59 and one with all the bells and whistles. I am trying the Zebra chocolate chip cookie kit next time.

Get Creative

2008-12-14T08:24:00.000-08:00

We purchased a doll house for my three old yesterday for Christmas. Well, we purchased two of them but one is going back. Janae wanted a Dora Doll House but that one is orange, plastic and kind of gaudy. The one we love is a pink and purple (her fav colors) and hand crafted wood with non-toxic paint Melissa and Doug house. Oh and did I mention the wood one is $40 cheaper on Amazon? So we are furnishing it with the Dora furniture and figures and will probably slap a big ole Dora sticker on the front of it. Toys R Us sells Wooderland, an eco-friendly line featuring non-toxic paints and rubber woods. Little more expensive but very cool.

Rub a dub dub

2008-11-28T11:02:00.000-08:00

Vicks Vapor Rub on the feet with some socks is the new miracle rub cough cure in my casa. Snopes says it's undetermined so the discussion is still up for debate. But I use the Vicks Baby Rub on my little 20 month old Belle. This one doesn't contain camphor or menthol like the adult version but the ingredients that do work are the aloe extract, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil and rosemary oil. It's also been known cure toe nail fungus, relieve the pain of tennis elbow and block bad odors. Herbal Medi Care has a natural chest rubs with no chemicals. Happy rubbing.

French Toast Waffles

2008-11-22T11:29:00.000-08:00

I got creative this morning. Well I didn't have a choice. Janae wanted pancakes, I wanted waffles but I had no mix and no desire to start from scratch. I had already heated up my orange heart waffle maker when I got Janae to agree to french toast. This is where it gets interesting. I buttered the iron and put an egg battered slice of 100% whole wheat bread on the waffle iron and closed it. And waited. I got excited because the possibilities where endless. The Scoop - They tasted very good and if you leave the bread in the batter another 30 seconds and then cook them on the iron they get quite fluffy. On the second one, I also mixed organic sugar and cinnamon and sprinkled some on top before closing the lid. Tasty.

eh...eh...eh...

2008-11-14T10:49:00.000-08:00

Janae has a cough. That won't stop. She coughs and coughs...she wakes herself up from sleeping and then can't get back to sleep. It's a dry cough, she has the sniffles. I feel so sorry for her. I went online and found some home remedies...honey, honey with grape juice, honey with water, cough drops. The honey worked wonders and then I also added in some good old fashioned grape cough syrup. I looked for a homeopathic version at the drug store but no luck Vaporizers are another good thing to use. If anyone has any suggestions, do share. Check this site for other ideas.

Choo Choo

2008-10-29T13:18:00.000-07:00

My daughters have a love for music and dancing and Playhouse Disney's Choo Choo Soul has only brought out the dancing queen in them. When these three minute videos come on, the girls go nuts, shakin' and movin' all around the living room. I decided to welcome the frenzy to the car and purchased a $10 gently used cd/dvd set from Amazon. The music is upbeat with R&B beats and there's always a lesson to learn: ABC's with a gospel twist, farm animals and Jump Jump to name a few of the house favs. Another show to get the kids groovin' is Hip Hop Harry on Discovery Kids Network. Yes, don't blink. It's a big ole bear break dancing at a community center with pumped up and choreographed 10 year olds.

Ants on a log

2008-10-22T02:26:00.000-07:00

Somehow I tricked Janae into eating celery. Keep in mind she is not a fan of veggies. I include sliced baby carrots or cucumbers in her lunch but she won't touch them. So I threaten her. "No juice box tomorrow if you don't eat those carrots today," I warn her as I drive her and Belle to daycare. I ate one carrot she yells excitedly when I pick her up. I try again. She's a peanut butter addict so when we get home, I slice up a celery stalk and dip it in Trader Joe's Organic crunchy peanut butter explaining to her that mommy loved to eat this when she was a Girl Scout except I also put raisins on it. "Ohhh, I want to be a Girl Scout," she says eyeing the snack. Janae loved it and also agreed to eat peas for lunch. Her sister Belle on the other hand, flashes a dimple when I serve her frozen peas, cucumbers, and broccoli for breakfast.

I go potty

2008-10-16T23:16:00.000-07:00

My little Belle woke up with a dry diaper this morning so I rushed her to the potty chair and she tinkled twice. Lately I have been throwing her on the potty before I dip her in the bathtub and when she wrinkles her brow because a numero dos is arriving. She seems to get it. I say "Belle do you have to go pee pee?"She answers then beelines to the bathroom. Most important tip I can provide in this training is be willing to drop what you are doing and unfasten the diaper for a quick try. Also make a routine of when you place them on potty and stick to it. Finally if a slightly older sibling or cousin is present, let them go potty on the big toilet and let your little one watch. Treats work too, so every time they take a spin at it and produce, reward with cheers and a little piece of organic candy. Here is an eco-friendly potty chair and other tips.

One Trick Helper

2008-10-12T16:26:00.000-07:00

When I was a little girl in the 70's, cheese hamburger helper was my absolute favorite dinner. I have been looking for a healthier alternative for the girls and I think I struck gold. First off, Janae won't eat ground meat unless it's disguised with noodles and cheese or a red sauce. Here's my magic recipe with Annie's Homegrown Organic Macaroni and Cheese - Boil noodles for 10 minutes and cook ground beef until browned. Mix the cheese pack with 1/3 cup milk and a 1/2 cup of alfredo sauce. Mix sauce with noodles and meat. I served it with some cut up cucumbers and told Janae that this was my favorite dish when I was her age. Now every time I make it, she says, "Oh Mommy, your favorite dish! Mine too!"