DAYCARE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.