The Staycation

Overscheduled families and families on a budget are turning to the "staycation" for their vacation time. What is a staycation? It's a vacation where you stay locally, and enjoy an area near your own home, without the responsibilities of being at home. Several magazines have recently covered the "staycation," encouraging people to spend their vacation seeing what their own city has to offer instead of leaving town. This is a great option because it alleviates the stress of flying with kids, the swelling of our carbon footprint, and the added cost of airfare. Many of us just need some time to stop, breathe, relax and rejuvenate.


We decided to try to give the staycation a try at the Waterfront Hilton in Huntington Beach. We drive past this beach-front hotel on a regular basis but of course we've never been inside. For us, the timing was perfect. I am due to have my baby next week and those last few weeks of pregnancy can be really tedious. It was so nice to have something to look forward to before labor. But what I realized on the trip is how valuable it was to have one last vacation with my family of four, before we grow to five. It felt like such an amazing bonding time for us, and I loved that we got quality time knowing that there would be an interruption in the family soon. I hope this little trip will make up for the displacement they might feel next week as I stay in the hospital and they stay at Grandma’s for a few nights.

I had never been one for the idea of a “staycation”. In fact, my ideal of a vacation usually involves getting my passport stamped and drinking coke out of bottles in a place where you can’t drink the water. I like my vacations exotic and culturally challenging. So to think of staying here in the OC was an interesting twist. However, it turned out to be such a good solution for a short getaway. We were able to prepare and pack very casually. And I can't tell you how great it was to arrive at our destination without once being asked "how long 'till we get there".

Another perk - when we left our house, it was around dinnertime. So on the way to the hotel, we grabbed some take-out from a favorite local spot and took it to the room. It was a great way to save some money and the kids thought it was so cool to have a "picnic" on the balcony of our hotel room. I thought eating overlooking the ocean was pretty cool, too!


The Waterfront Hilton was very nice, and even though we were only a few minutes away, I immediately slipped into vacation mode. The kids were impressed with beds and the huge sliding window where they could watch surfers and hang-gliders from our room. The hotel offers a s'mores package for families - a wagon filled with hot chocolate, s'mores goodies, firewood, beach chairs . . . everything you need for a family firepit on the beach. Huntington Beach has so many free firepits, but it is one of those things, again, that we have never done despite the close proximity. Even though it was a little work (Mark had to rely on his Boy Scout skills to get the fire going), it was so fun to snuggle on the beach with our kids and eat some sticky treats. My kids still talk about that night.



More and more hotels are beginning to cater to the family set, and Waterfront Hilton was no exception. We were thrilled to find that room service had a kid's menu that was actually reasonable. Another great practical aspect of this resort was the “The Green Room”, an environmentally-friendly laundry room available free to all guests of the hotel. The theory is that it gives guests the opportunity to pack less and wash their sun and sand-drenched beach wear and other items during their stay. This came in very handy with our kid's swimsuits, and also in the middle of the night when India threw up on her favorite blanket. We were very thankful for a fast wash cycle that night!

Another great thing about the staycation . . . we cheated. We went home one afternoon and all took a big long nap because the kids were having trouble napping in the hotel room (too much excitement about visiting the pool). Mark and I got to relax and pick up a few forgotten items, and we returned to the hotel refreshed and ready for more fun!

I think it might be my new favorite way to do vacation.

MAMA PICKS: Best BPA-Free Bottles & Sippies

By now, you've probably been noticing that more and more children's products are being labeled "BPA-free". I've read enough from real news outlets to be concerned, since I have kids still using bottles and/or sippy cups made of plastic. There was a recent study on this chemical that was found in many popular baby bottles and sippies, and the bottom line is that it can leach into liquids if the plastic is heated (i.e. if you use a dishwasher/microwave) or if the bottles are old or scratched. BPA is an environmental estrogen that can affect development, reproduction, and other scary stuff. Read more here. Despite this research, BPA is still sold at most stores.

We set out to find the best of the best in BPA-free bottles and sippies. Here are some of our favorites:

Sippy Cups:

Sigg has a great sports-style sippy made of aluminum and totally BPA free. They are super light-weight, and have an easy twist top feature that makes them non-spill, but are also easy enough for my kids to use them unassisted! The only bummer is that now I am more concerned about the bottles being left at the park than my kids being kidnapped. (They are about $17, after all!)

Foogo's line of children’s cups are made of stainless steel and plastics that do not contain Bisophenol A (BPA). The sippy cup for younger kids comes with or without handles and a larger version with a straw is available for older children. They are dishwasher safe too, which is a big plus in our house. Made by Thermos, Foogo sippies will keep drinks cooler longer, with less risk of spoiling in the hot sun.

Klean Kanteen has designed a special adapter that works with Avent’s™ patented sippy cup spout. Just like every other Klean Kanteen, this 12 oz bottle is made from 100% recyclable, high-quality, food- grade stainless steel so it doesn’t need a special lining like some other metal bottles. It’s completely BPA-free and won’t leach chemicals, toxins, or funky flavors into your baby’s water or juice. It’s designed for small hands, making it easy to hold. And the large-mouth makes cleaning as simple as a quick scrub with soap and water or a rinse in the dishwasher.

Bottles:
Born Free - Born Free bottles are made of Polyamide PA, a form of nylon, instead of polycarbonate-containing plastic. Born Free also uses a venting system which reduces vacuum pressure, which helps eliminate gas, spit up, and colic symptoms. Born Free also has a glass bottle option.

Think baby bottles are free of bisphenol-A (BPA), lead, PVC, phthalates and nitrosamines. They have a soft silicone anti-colic nipple to reduce incidence of gas and spit up, and they are dishwasher safe with an easy to hold design. Their products are even packaged in reycled materials, and we love the simple design and smart-looking orange logo.

Adiri Natural Nurser bottles have the only nipple truly shaped like a mother's breast. It is made from phthalate-free and BPA-free materials, and a unique Petal vent that helps reduce colic A sleek cover protects the bottle from getting dirty and keeps the nipple from leaking during transport. The Adiri Natural Nurser comes in three stages for three different flow rates and is color coded by flow rate (stage 1, white; stage 2, blue; stage 3, orange). Each stage holds 8 oz. of fluid and is dishwasher safe. This is the perfect option for babies being transitioned from exclusive breastfeeding.

Wee*go Glass Bottles - Lifefactory has reintroduced the glass baby bottle with a new design and safety twist: the bottle is covered with a modern silicone sleeve that will help protect the bottle from breakage and also prevent bumping into other articles in your diaper bag. This silicone sleeve is free of plastics and is 100% non-toxic. The bottle and the sleeve can be boiled or put in the dishwasher together. The sleeve provides a good gripping surface during feeding and also a great tactile experience for your baby. And they are adorable!

Salad On-The-Go

Eating healthy with two active kids is a constant challenge for me. I find myself preparing them great meals, but neglecting myself or eating their leftovers. This is particularly true when I pack a lunch. I don't love sandwiches and oftentimes lunch on the run for me looks like crackers and string cheese.

I had a great wrap in San Diego recently, and tried my own variation at home. I think I've figured out how to take a salad with me! No fork required.

1 sprouted grain large tortilla
2 tbsp humus
1 cup salad greens
1 tsp sesame seeds
1/2 cup broccoli
1 tbsp balsamic vinagrette
1 tbsp shredded carrots
whatever other salad fixings you fancy

Spread the hummus onto the tortilla. Mix other ingredients in a bowl, and then place in center of tortilla. Wrap up like a burrito and pack for playgroup.

How the UPS guy saved the day

There are some days as a stay-at-home mom where I wake up and wonder how I'm gonna entertain the kids for the entire day. At 40+ weeks pregnant, that is my dilemma pretty much every day.

Enter our dashing UPS guy, who delivered a large box with a lot of bubble wrap (and a breast pump, but I didn't let the kids play with that). The kids spent the first part of the day playing with the bubble wrap. They popped it with their fingers, and then put it on the ground and stomped on it, and then wrapped themselves in it, and then cut it into small pieces. It absorbed their attention for hours.

(And yes, they were closely supervised as they covered themselves in plastic.)

Once they bored of that, they turned their sights to the box. They used it as a fort, then it was a spaceship. They read books while sitting inside. Then they started taking turns wearing it and pretending to be a monster.

They played contently until naptime. AAAAAAHHHHHH. I needed that today.

Teaching Tolerance

Last week the news covered the story of an 11-year-old who committed suicide due to relentless bullying about his sexual orientation. Again - he was ELEVEN YEARS OLD. The news program I watched featured a myriad of resources for parents of children who might be bullied. But for me, I think this is a wake-up call to ALL parents, to make sure that our children are not the ones committing acts of bullying and hate to other children. From what I gathered watching the news, a majority of the children in his class were engaed in this kind of taunting towards him.

The harassment of children who may or may not be gay is not a political or religious issue, and really has nothing to do with our own ideologies or moral convictions. This is one of those situations where we need to set aside our polarized feelings. Teaching and modeling tolerance has nothing to do with how you feel about gay marriage or your religious beliefs about sexual behavior.

Gay slurs (and racial slurs) should have no place in our children's vocabulary, and yet this is a plague that spreads across our country. Children often learn these attitudes from adults in their life, whether overt or covert. We as parents are culpable if our children are spreading hate. While it's easy to say that kids learn to tease others from each other, this child's death is an example that we should be more proactive in teaching our children that we will not tolerate intolerance. We can't ignore the issues of bullying and let them learn it from their peers. Eleven year olds don't pick on people because they feel they are "sinning" - eleven year olds pick on people because they are "different" and have not been taught that this behavior is unacceptable. If we follow a Christian ethic, we are taught to love others, and to show God's love through our actions. Today I am reminded that this needs to be an ongoing conversation with my children, and more importantly, something I model for them through every word that comes out of my mouth.

Friday Giveaway: Simple Shoes

In honor of Earth Day, we have an earth-friendly giveaway that your feet will love!

Once again, we are singing the praises of Simple Shoes! And, we are so excited to hook one of our readers up!

For the Spring 2009 season, Simple has introduced Glue-Free Assembly to several styles in their Green Toe™ collection. They started with the idea of making our shoes completely without glue, but quickly realized that the backings in the component building process still needed a small amount or they would fall apart. Nevertheless, by using sewing machines instead of extra glue to assemble the shoe components, the new Glue-Free Assembly reduces the amount of glue used to less than 5mL (think about the size of a thimble compared to the two shot glasses of glue that are usually required). The styles in this collection also have super-comfy foot beds made from reclaimed scrap carpet padding, as well as outsoles made from a blend of recycled car tire and natural latex.

We will be giving away a pair of the gumbo flip flops (green, of course) and a feedbag to a lucky mama reader! Leave us a comment answering the following:

If you were to choose an "earth day resolution", what would you resolve to do over this next year that would make a difference for our planet?

How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***
1 digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
2 join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
3 join our facebook network by clicking here
4 put our blog in your blogroll or link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, April 30th at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's giveaway:

(((((((((Brooke R.))))))))))

Shoot us an email and we will hook you up!

The Ugly, revisited

So when I blogged about my nesting frenzy, I got a little lost in describing my label-making efforts, and completely forgot to write about the truly ugly part. The part where I lost all self-control and spent upwards of of the price of two Kindles on random crap at Amazon.com.

You see, I have a wee bit of anxiety about how I will manage to get any errands done with three kids. Getting to the store is already a struggle, and I cannot figure out how to fit three kids AND groceries into a cart. The other day, when my super-power nesting hormones took over, I started feeling panicked that I would never be able to leave the house again, and went into a little Y2K-stockpiling mode. And then I heard about Amazon's subscription services, and how you get free shipping if you subscribe and order things in bulk. I logged in and noticed that the 7th Generation diapers I like were much cheaper when ordered online. And then I sort of had a psychotic break and started ordering EVERYTHING that they offered, without looking at the price or thinking about how I would store all of these bulk items in our 1300 sq. ft. house with minimal closet space. I was in a gleeful trance of thinking about how prepared this was going to make me.

And a few days later, the stuff started arriving. I had ordered palettes, literally industrial quantities, of household items. The boxes were so big that I couldn't even fit them in the door. Dish soap, diapers, toilet paper, paper towels, dryer sheets, laundry soap, baby wipes, swiffer sheets, whole-wheat couscous, flax seed . . . the list goes on. All of these items in ridiculous number and completely overpriced, which I overlooked while ordering. (As I defended myself to Mark when he saw the bank account, it was a lot of math to figure out the individual price in bulk.)

So now, instead of feeling satisfied, I am completely annoyed with myself and trying to fit 24 boxes of couscous into my already full pantry. We have toilet paper hidden in every closet, and if you open the laundry cabinet, you might get hit in the hit with an errant box of dryer sheets.

But at least I won't have to go to the store for a while.

Everyday is earth day.

Looking for some eco-friendly craft ideas that your kids are going to love?  Here are some of our favorites:

• recycled bugs from Make & Takes
• plastic parachutes from flip flops & applesauce
• stock up your craft supplies with recycled items by simple kids crafts
• noise makers by Make & Takes
• recycle those t-shirts into re-usable bags by Mama Manifesto

Talk Back: Morning Routine Battles

Okay, Mamas.  How do you manage the morning drama that comes with picking out clothes, getting hair combed and out the door without drama?  We've tried choosing clothes the night before, but it just seems impossible to be happy with that decision the next day.

What are your tips and tricks for morning routine magic?

Easy Apricot Chicken

This is a quick and easy meal with a great sweet apricot taste and very little prep time. Using the slow-cooker means you can prepare it at lunchtime and give yourself a break in the afternoon.

Ingredients
12 dried apricots
8 medium chicken pieces (about 2 1/2 lb.)
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 cup chicken broth

3 cups prepared rice

Preparation
Rinse apricots and scatter them in a slow cooker. Pat chicken dry; season with salt and pepper. Put oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook thighs until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Arrange over apricots.

Pour off all but 1 Tbsp. oil in skillet. Add onion and cook until just soft, 2 to 4 minutes.
Add broth to skillet; turn heat to high. Bring to a boil.

Pour contents of skillet over apricots and chicken. Cover and cook on low heat for 4 hours.

Carefully transfer chicken pieces to a serving dish (they'll tend to fall apart easily); cover with foil to keep warm. Pour remaining contents into a saucepan. Boil, stirring often, until reduced and thickened, about 10 minutes. Pour over chicken. Serve with rice.

Stand-Out Slings

A few weeks ago, we did a feature on the benefits of babywearing. We got the priveledge of trying out many of the baby slings on the market. I was so pleased to see how many options abound, and how stylish baby slings have become. If this attachment-promoting habit becomes a trend, I am all for it! There were two slings that really stood out for us, and I wanted to give them a little extra attention. These would both make a perfect baby shower gift for a first-time mom.
The Sleepywrap is the coziest baby wrap I have tried, and truly is a sleep-inducer for small ones. It's double-sided design gives great support for little heads and necks - and will also spare your own neck from pain because it distributes the baby's weight evenly. It provides a custom fit for baby since you simply tie the wrap carrier snug against your body, and it's a great way to nurse your baby without exposing yourself. The Sleepywrap is made of a heavier cotton knit with a touch of spandex so it is soft with a little stretch - and it washes really well. It's perfect for newborns (even for premies) but I was also able to fit my two-year-old in it.

Sakura Bloom has some of the most beautiful slings I've ever seen. They are made of reversible silks and linens in gorgeous colors that actually add to my outfit instead of detracting or clashing. I love the simplicity of clean lines and modern design, and this sling is a perfect fit of form + function. Sakura Bloom baby slings are build with busy moms in mind, and the sling allows you to be hands-free with whatever activity you do: walking, shopping, sending email, and feeding baby. The extra fabric that hangs down is great for shielding baby's face from the sun, or for providing coverage during a nursing session. We also love that Sakura Bloom has an entire line of organic slings, and a wonderful selection of men's slings, so that daddy can get in on the babywearing, too. And check out their commitment page - they donate a part of their proceeds to a non-profit in Tibet. Their slings are packaged in a gorgrous recycled box that makes them a perfect and unique shower gift.

I wish this picture was full of crap

I am in somewhat of a conundrum.

On the one hand, I want to be that mom who is totally laid-back about potty-training. I think that pushing kids to train early is neither developmentally or psychologically appropriate. Plus, potty-training is a pain. So my motto has always been: wait until they are completely ready, and then wait a little more. They will get there. No hurry.

On the other hand . . .

I really really really really really want India to start preschool with Jafta this summer. I am so looking forward to a little peace and quiet a couple mornings of quality time with the baby. So I may have starting pushing the potty training just a wee bit.

(get it? wee?)

Which is making both mommy and India a little pissy.

(omg I am cracking myself up with the wordplay)

So any ideas for getting India potty-trained in the next two months, without making both of us crazy?

Friday Giveaway: fabulous outfit from Boob Maternity

BOOB Maternity is the best maternity wear you've never heard of. Despite the funny name, this company has some seriously cute clothes - think H&M for pregnant moms. What's even better, they are made of all-organic cotton. They carry everything, from leggings, to skirts, to jeans, to nursing tops. You can tell that someone with pregnancy experience has designed their clothing, because they have thought of everything. Their maternity pants sit below the waist, but have a panel you can leave under the tummy or pull above for extra coverage. Their nursing tops are nothig short of genius. BOOB is a one-stop shop for working moms and stay-at-home moms alike.
To enter, visit this link, then come back and leave a comment answering the following question:

What Boob Design ensemble is your dream maternity outfit?

How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***
1 digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
2 join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
3 join our facebook network by clicking here
4 put our blog in your blogroll or link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, April 9th at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]


And now, for the winner of last week's giveaway: The winner of the Crayola set is:
((((((((( LyonsLove ))))))))))

The winners of the Kimberly Parry Moisture, Tone, and Treatment sets are:
(((((( JanetFaye, AngelFabs, and JoannaontheLake))))))

The winners of the Kimberly Parry Mama & Baby sets
(((((( Idahomom, Lacey, and Laura Benjamin ))))))

Shoot us an email in the next two weeks to claim your prize!

I'll give you two guesses

Yes, they are frozen.

Yes, we no longer have to worry about birth control.

All I have to say is it is a good thing that men do not give birth.  Or have monthly menstrual cramps.  The world would stop.  There would only be one child per family.  

Everyone loves a pregnant woman (but kids we could do without)

I've been noticing something funny lately. There have been more and more situations this month (thanks to having an amazingly hands-on husband) where I have been running errands or grabbing coffee by myself instead of with two kids in tow. And you know . . . it is truly incredible how nice people are to me when they see that I am pregnant. Chivalry is NOT dead. It is just reserved for the really, really big-bellied. I have people constantly opening doors for me, smiling and saying congratulations, helping me with my bags, and generally falling over themselves to serve me, inquire about my well-being, or wish me luck. It is like a big, fat love-fest, this being pregnant.

I was thinking about how warm and fuzzy the world had been to me one day last week, and wondering why it only happens on certain days. And then it dawned on me: People love to help pregnant women. They don't love to help frazzled mothers to small children.

This was a serious epiphany for me, and sadly, I think I'm right on this one. If I drop something in the store, alone in my pregnant state, people are rushing to help me pick it up. But if I'm pushing a cart with two small children in it, and groceries spill over the top and onto the floor, nobody helps me. In fact, most likely I will get disapproving looks instead. When I am alone and pregnant, people open doors for me. But I can't even tell you how many times I have struggled with opening a door while trying to squeeze a double stroller through, and people just breeze on by. When I'm pregnant, people let me go ahead of them in line at the store. When I have two loud kids in line, people sigh and seem annoyed that I'm even in their line of sight. When I flew to New York while pregnant, I was assisted by several strangers to get my stuff on the conveyor belt in security. When I flew to Florida with two small children, I am sweating and folding strollers and chasing kids, and everyone around me is rolling their eyes and moving my stuff to get ahead of me.

No one who sees me with two small children is saying congratulations, or asking how I'm doing, or really paying me any mind at all unless to passive-aggressively let me know that my kids are bothering them, and maybe I should have left them at home.

The whole thing makes me wonder what this is about. Is it because it's harder to judge a pregnant woman? I mean, most pregnant women have that "glow" that makes them look even more maternal. And barring smoking, open drug use, or bad hygiene, there isn't a whole lot you can do to make you seem like a bad mom while pregnant. But then when that little baby turns into a toddler and decides to pitch a fit for having to ride in the cart, or screams in a restaurant because they dropped a fork, then it's open season on your parenting skills and deficits as a mom.

But then I wonder . . . do people just like the idea of kids, but not the reality of them? I mean, pregnancy is really just a promise of a new life, but ultimately it's a nice, quiet promise. It's not yet spitting up or blowing out diapers or screaming as you run to the grocery store for milk. Maybe we live in a world that loves kids - as long as they are quiet, complacent, and preferably still in the womb.

It does give me pause to think about how true this mindset is in so many other variations:

I value my family, but I don't want to spend too much time with them

I support global missions, but I don't want to move anywhere extreme

I love social justice, as long as it doesn't make me too uncomfortable

I'm trying to purchase fair trade, but I don't want to spend extra money
I'm ready to go green, but I don't want to change my lifestyle.

I'd love to get in shape, as long as it doesn't require too much work.

While I'll love to pretend these inconsistencies are global observations, the truth is, they are a bit more personal for me than that. I think that life is full of things we aspire to, or want to value, that are just harder to play out when the rubber meets the road. It's interesting to be on the other end of it, when the world esteems my pregnancy, but is short with my kids because my kids are short of perfect. But then I think of the ways that I don't hold to my own values, and how I voice a passion for something that I don't live up to, or have the patience to see through to completion.

Is it just me? Or do you see this play out in your own life? What things do you love the idea of, more than the reality?

TALK BACK: you ask . . .

What burning questions would you like to ask other moms? We want to hear from you. Leave a comment with a question you would like feedback on, and we will make it one of our weekly "talk backs".

Crayola Love and a mid-week giveaway!

In these challenging economic times, we are looking to toys that offer value in several ways. All of the items listed below are priced under $30, with the majority retailing for under $10. But it’s not only price that has made the Crayola aisle the number one in-store destination for gifts under $25 – it’s also the belief that parents are providing children with the tools to power their imaginations and enable endless everyday play. We are big fans of all things Crayola over here at MM. It might be the old school nerd in me, but the sight of a brand new box of crayons or freshly sharpened pencils makes my heart skip a beat. To this day, I still have to channel some serious will power as I pass by the stationary and office supplies aisle at Target.

Take a peak at the new Spring/Summer line of Crayola goodness and enter to win this amazing prize package (valued at $80)!

Crayola Beginnings Baby Slide & See is a magical way to introduce babies to their first coloring experience. There are six pictures, each representing a different color, and by simply pulling the tab, baby can “color” the black and white images. For children 6 months and up; suggested retail price is $9.99.

· Crayola Beginnings TaDoodles Ta-Doodler is a soft and cuddly bear buddy that becomes a canvas for your child’s imagination. It comes with three TaDoodles Crayon Buddies, allowing toddlers to scribble away on the light-up tummy or anywhere else on the washable bear. With one quick swipe of a damp cloth, the scribbles disappear and the “TaDoodling” fun can start again! Two different musical modes set the tone for different activities -- a lively tempo for coloring and creating, and a slower, soothing melody for quiet time. For children 18 months and up; suggested retail price is $29.99.

· Crayola Beginnings Tub Time Tracers bring colorful, creative fun to toddler’s bath time. These nontoxic washable crayons wash away from walls when bath time is done. Washable stencils can be used for tracing or play. Tub Crayons and stencils float for even more colorful bath time fun! For children 18 months and up; suggested retail price is $7.99.

· Color Surge Camp Rock gives fans of the hit Disney movie a chance to put their favorite stars in a spotlight of brilliant colors with colors like “amped-up apricot” and “high voltage violet” when Color Surge markers meet the super bright paper. For children 6 and up; suggested retail price is $7.99.

· Crayola Sidewalk Crayons offer kids more than pretty pastels to create outdoor masterpieces. Once reserved for bringing coloring books to life, this new technology offers the richest, brightest, boldest colors for creating extraordinary outdoor artwork. The difference is striking, as the smooth, creamy colors lay down on driveways and sidewalks with unmatched brightness. For children 4 and up, suggested retail price is $4.99 for a set of 15 colors.

· Pip-Squeaks Colored pencils may be smaller than their full-size Crayola counterparts, but they pack a big punch of bold color that inspires kids to travel wherever their creativity takes them. Whimsical color names like “blue suede shoes,” “goldfish” and “wacky watermelon” give children the opportunity to put their huge imaginations to paper. For children 4 and up; suggested retail price is $4.99 for the 18-ct. Pip-Squeaks Colored Pencils.

· Pip-Squeaks Glitter Glue is the perfect compact size for jazzing up art projects with bright, bold shimmering colors. With 16 whimsical shades, there’s always a hue that will do. For children 4 and up; suggested retail price is $4.99 for a set of 16-ct. Pip-Squeaks Glitter Glue.

· Crayola Color Switchers are dual-ended markers that allow kids to magically change the colors of their drawings with a swoosh of the “color switch” tip. Each Color Switcher features a broadline marker on one side and a clear-ink tip marker on the other. The clear ends reveal their true colors when kids color over the marks they’ve made. Kids can draw a red house with one end of the marker and then switch sides to add yellow windows. For children 6 and up; suggested retail price is $4.99 for a set of 6 dual-ended Color Switchers markers.

· Crayola Window Crayons are creamy, colorful drawing tools that let kids transform car windows, mirrors and other glass surfaces into instant decorations. Their bright, bold colors lay down smoothly and dry quickly without smudging. And when it’s time to redecorate, colors wipe clean with a damp cloth. Crayola Window crayons will keep kids’ creativity flowing with endless options for coloring and drawing on any glass surface. For children 6 and up; suggested retail price is $5.99.

Visit www.crayola.com to see tons of Spring and Summer craft ideas.

To be entered to win this prize package from Crayola, please leave us a comment telling us which of these fabulous new products would excite your kiddos the most!

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, April 16th at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced on Friday, April 17th!]

Chicken Cutlets with Tomato Sauce

Here is another tried and true recipe from Real Simple that is truly simple.  It is kid-friendly and can be prepared in one pot, which means less mess to clean up!  

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds small chicken cutlets (8 to 12)
kosher salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
3/4 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
4 scallions, sliced
2 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped

Directions:

1  Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to plates.

2 Add the tomatoes to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to burst, 2 to 3 minutes.

3 Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions and tarragon and serve with the chicken.

full-panel time

If you've been pregnant before, you know what I mean.




Early on, you can get away with the rubber band trick, or the low-waist jean. The then tummy expands and it's time for the roll panel.


But eventually, you have to surrender and accept the full panel. You've seen the full panel on other pregnant women, and always thought, surely there is another option. Surely there is no reason to wear pants that cover your entire stomach in fabric. But then you get sick of your stomach pushing your jeans down around your hips, and inadvertantly flashing crack because the back of your pants is creeping down, too. Keeping your pants up becomes like trying to keep a sock midway up a balloon. Eventually, things are gonna roll down. Tugging up your pants becomes tiresome. So unless you want to wear suspenders that hook to your bra to keep your pants up . . .


. . . it's time to suck up your pride and wear the full panel. It's hideous. It's tacky. But oh, it's comfortable.


(Do you like how I use a tube-sock on a balloon analogy as if this is some common experience that we all share? As if you are reading this and nodding your head going, yes, yes, I know what you mean, based on all the times I myself have tried putting a tube-sock on a balloon. . . )

Nesting: The Good, The Bad, and The Labeled

I have been feeling really crappy though most of this pregnancy, but this week I got a burst of energy that defied the immobility and exhaustion that have been hallmarks of the last few months. I am finally at full-term, and something kicked into gear. I feel physically better, and I feel motivate to GET S#!$ DONE. And not just in a normal, let's complete a task kind of way. More like a compulsive, tweaking, crystal-meth-fueled way. It's like I look at the house, and every inch needs to be fixed, cleaned, reorganized, and/or labeled.

This would be the phase of pregnancy commonly referred to as "nesting". There are some theories about why nesting happens: your hormones kick in prior to labor, or your excessive energy manages itself in home projects.

I would disagree, in my case. For me, nesting is about trying to find structure and control in a scenario where I am completely out-of-control. I have no idea when this baby will come. I have no idea where I will be when labor starts, or how long it will take, or if the kids will be okay without us, or if Karis will come out healthy and normal, or even come out at all. The end of a pregnancy is full of ambiguity, but for type-A moms like me, the nesting serves a purpose. I may not know what day I will give birth, but dammit, I DO know where to place the white table linens because they are CLEARLY LABELED. I know which towels go where, which shelf in the pantry is for soup vs. beans, and which type of batteries get stacked in each compartment of the junk drawer.

In the last few days, I hung a towel rack, organized the linen closet (now with labels), labeled the kid's toy bins, installed a shoe rack, organized my own drawers (yes with labels too) and cleaned out the junk drawer. I refiled all of our files in the garage, sorted goodwill items, nested boxes, put random junk back on their shelves. I even went through old photos and started putting them,in albums.

I did a major overhaul of the closet in India's room, which will soon be the baby's room. There is no inch of this closet left bare. It is minuscule, so we needed every space to be maximized. Their hanging clothes are hung with matching pants pinned on. Their jackets are on coat racks and their shoes are in shoe bags that hang from the door. Each girl has a separate tupperware for future clothes, and four green (labeled) bins for socks, swimsuits, shorts, and tees. I have no earthly idea how this closet will every accommodate two teenage girls. But for right now, it is the pinnacle of functionality.

I have been a mad-woman of organization. And honestly, it is just the distraction I need right now to not be stressing about this pregnancy. So it serves it's purpose - even though my husband is slightly scared of me now.

Friday Giveaway: Kimberly Parry Organics

Kimberly Parry Organics launched in 1999 with a vision: to create beauty and bath products that are all natural, healthy and preservative free. By using only the highest quality ingredients available, and striving to work with ethical suppliers around the globe, Kimberly Parry Organics not only make you look good, you will feel good using them. All Kimberly Parry Organics products are made fresh to order.n This line of uniquely fresh, alternative beauty and bath products provide customers with natural solutions to mass-produced, chemically altered products. By drawing out the healing properties of herbs and flowers, their products are highly beneficial and nourishing, with scents straight from nature.

We have 6 (yes, SIX!) Kimberly Parry sets to give away. Three of their Mama & Baby Sets (bum butter, tummy butter, baby oil), and 3 of their Moisture, Tone, Treatment and Smooth sets. There will be six lucky winners, so be sure to indicate which set you would like to be entered to win.

To enter, leave a comment answering the following question:

Which set would you like to win, and which product do you need the most right now?

How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***
1 digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
2 join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
3 join our facebook network by clicking here
4 put our blog in your blogroll or link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, April 16th at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of last week's giveaway:

((((((((( windycindy ))))))))))

Shoot us an email in the next two weeks to claim your prize!

NOW HIRING: a job opportunity

Please pass the word around. We are trying to fill this position asap.

JOB NOTICE

Title: Repetitive Inquiry Respondent

Responsibilities: Be available 24 hours a day to answer random and unending questions, such as "Do dragons poop while they are flying?" and "Why do we need to eat food every day?", so that parental figure can have a cohesive thought and complete menial daily tasks within their home environment

Skills Needed: a general and thorough knowledge of EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD, including but not limited to cars, trucks, dinosaurs, superheroes, lasers, pirates, monsters, and bank robbers.

Benefits: the satisfaction prolonging the life of a certain four-year-old and his mother

Salary: today I will pay any amount requested to stop answering these questions. (generosity of boss subject to change without notice.)

TO APPLY, leave a comment with the answer to the following question:

Why do Superman and Batman wear capes, but not Spiderman?

"greening" your diaper bag

We believe that "going green" can involve small, baby steps towards a larger goal. Today, why not think about tackling the diaper bag? It's full of things that may contain chemicals and ingredients that aren't earth-friendly. Te good news is that green options abound. Here is a list of replacement items, all of which can be found at your local Whole Foods store. Who knew that Whole Foods is the next baby superstore? They have everything a green mommy needs.

(click to enlarge or print)

Baby Socks

I sat on the floor next to the open dresser drawer, trying to match socks to no avail.

"I think I'm actually really totally and completely losing my mind," I said.

Ryan calmly responded from the next room, "What's going on? Are you losing your mind over socks?"

"No. I don't mind the socks today....But our life is so busy and hectic and it's been so stressful, all this medical stuff with Asher, and how we have no time for each other, and you travel for work... and even though I know all of that...I still want to have another baby."

(He bursts out laughing.)

(I do too.)

I still can't find any matches for the socks, so I just sit there and look at the drawer full of small things, and I talk about how having kids just keeps getting better. I fall more and more in love with these boys every day. I tell Ryan I really want to meet another person who's meant for our family.

(He doesn't burst out laughing.)

(Neither do I.)

No matter how physically exhausting this season of parenting is, and no matter how hard parenting can and always will be, I still want that baby.

It's already going so fast.

I almost really did lose my mind as I said out loud, "In just over a year, Miles will be in kindergarten. Didn't we just have him?"

"And to think I thought this was all about socks," he says. And we laugh again.

-----------

In so many ways I feel like I haven't even adjusted to having one child, even though I've had over three and a half years to get used to it. But as I adjust to the demands and overwhelming feelings, I see the beautiful thing that motherhood brings. This self-sacrificing kind of love is good for the selfish. I like myself more as a mother because it's forcing me to grow up. I'm finding I rather like being a grown up, even though I've fought it all these years.

And I know that the only reasons I wouldn't want another baby is because I want to get some sleep, I want to have some more time for me, and I want to limit stretching myself this much to only two human beings. Those are the only reasons. And maybe it's just me and that's fine, but I don't think those are good reasons.

So today I want another baby. I might change my mind tomorrow when I'm not in the mood for sorting socks. But today. I want another baby.

(Heather blogs daily at The Extraordinary Ordinary)

TALK BACK: chores

I didn't grow up in one of those families that encouraged pulling your own weight when it came to household chores. In fact, my mom did most of the housework growing up, with little requirement of us. I think she suffered from that "if you want something done right, do it yourself" syndrome. I know I am predisposed to this as well, so I am trying to learn to delegate early. I think having kids participating in the housework not only makes life easier, but teaches them about responsibility, ownership and natural consequences.

How do you encourage your child to participate in chores? What are some things that younger kids can do to help out? Do you use a reward system or incentive to motivate them? Share your tips and tricks with us.

Mandarin Beet Salad with Feta

This is one of my newest treats for dinner, and it's getting me in the mood for summer! I saw this suggestion in a photo at Trader Joe's and tweaked it a bit to get it to work at home. The dressing is very light but relatively low-calorie.

3 cups butter lettuce

4 sliced beets (cooked and peeled)

4 peeled mandarin oranges

3 tbsp feta cheese

handful of almod slivers

for the dressing:

1/2 cup olive oil

2 tbsp curry powder

1 tbsp fresh ginger

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup red wine vinegar

1 tbsp agave (or honey)

pinch of salt

I put all the dressing ingredients in a measuring cup and then use my immersion blender to mix. Pouring everything into a traditional blender works fine, too. I try to keep this one light and lower in calories, so consequently it's a bit runny. I usually keep my dressings in the fridge for up to a week, but I find they taste much better if you blend them again right before eating.

To spice it up and add some color, top it with a little red onion. Refreshing!

Ewwww...

Okay, so I have to admit that spending all of my days barefoot or in flip flops has done little to make my feet soft and pretty. I nearly put this violent-looking foot grater in my cart every time I am at Target, but I am actually too scared to use it. Have you seen the commercial where the lady empties it out into the trash can. Yuck!
My mom cut out this article from the newspaper for me as an alternative. You can take your calloused feet to a nail salon in Alexandria, VA and these little "doctor fish" will lovingly nibble off all of your dead skin. For THIRTY minutes! I am freaking out even imagining one minute in the tub with these guys. I am thinking that the PedEgg doesn't sound so bad anymore!
I think I am just going to stick to lotion and keep my creepy feet.

Friday Giveaway: Little Miss Matched

Now, following the first two books in the series, Pajama Party in a Box and the Marvelous & Fabulous Me Quiz Box, is a new title that takes full advantage of LittleMissMatched's emphasis on creativity and individuality. The Artist in Me! contains everything an aspiring young artist needs to develop her talent, improve her skills, and discover how to express herself as only she can. The 96-page book is filled with dozens of tutorials on the principles of drawing. But it also goes farther, giving the reader strategies for learning to see as an artist--and think as an artist. It reminds readers that there are no mistakes and celebrates the crooked lines as well as the straight. Included in the kit is a complete set of tools: 3 drawing pencils, an artist's sketchbook, a set of vine charcoal, oil pastels, sanding pad, blending sticks, color wheel, kneaded eraser, and assorted charcoal drawing paper.

To be entered to win this book for your favorite artist, leave us a comment answering this question:

"What are the art supplies you keep stocked up in your house for your kids to create with?"

How to Get Extra Entries:
***When you enter an extra entry you must post a *separate comment* for each entry, sorry but we can’t keep track of extra entries unless you do this. ***
1 digg and 1 stumble by clicking on this article and submitting the buttons at the bottom for digg and stumble
2 join our Mama Memo mailing list by clicking here
3 join our facebook network by clicking here
4 put our blog in your blogroll or link list and leave a comment with the link to your blog

[this giveaway will be closed on Thursday, April 2nd at 11 PM, & the winner will be announced next Friday!]

And now, for the winner of the JetHeads pillowcase and pillow....shoot us an email and we will hook you up!

((((Judybrittle)))))

The solution to the mounting debt in your life...

How to Green Your Easter

by Olivia Zaleski

It's Easter time and in case you haven't noticed, the retail world has gone full force "Easter-Spectacular." With Christmas over, it's "out with the mince pies, in with the marshmallow hatchlings." Every supermarket, drug store and big-box retailer is a psychedelic zoo of neon stuffed animals, disposable baskets and giant Styrofoam eggs.

So much of Easter has become commercialized, mass-produced, crapola--a far cry from Easter's original ode to nature and rebirth. Yet, as most of us recognize the irony, few of us are willing to give up the childhood traditions of bunnies, candy and brightly colored cutesy things.

This Easter, consider a compromise. Trade in the dollar-store trinkets for "greener," yet equally festive, alternatives. From re-purposed baskets to organic and fair-trade chocolates to natural egg dyes, there's plenty of colorful flair that won't harm the planet. Here are some tips:
The Basket: Instead of wasting money and precious natural resources on a plastic easter basket, hit up the local secondhand store or crafts fair for a "real" basket.

Feeling particularly ambitious? Then make your own basket. You can learn the "art of basketry" here, or follow this simple pattern for newspaper, magazine cut-outs and wallpaper-swatch baskets. For true eco-ingenuity, or if you're just really broke, get crafty with colorful tissue boxes, paper bags and your supermarket's berry containers.

The Grass: Now that you've got such a great basket, don't ruin it with plastic grass. Just snip some from the top of your lawn. If you prefer foliage that won't wilt or wither, flip through the pages of a magazine and cut out anything green. Shred it up and you've got grass-like filler.

The Eggs: Most supermarket eggs come from notoriously filthy and inhumane commercial outfits, not old MacDonald's farm. As the conditions of factory farms come to roost, many conscious consumers are demanding eggs that meet environmentally sound standards. You can demand the same by purchasing USDA organic eggs. For extra eco-brownie points, support your local farm. Find yours at localharvest.org.

The Homemade Eggs: If you're super eco-conscious and vegan, then you're probably skipping the laid eggs altogether. Good for you, but don't get tempted to the dollar-store's jumbo plastic selection. Make your own "fake ones" with homemade paper-mache or cornstarch clay.

The Egg Dyes: Skip the unholy mess of pellets and artificial food dyes. Fruits, vegetables and spices offer a wide range of color possibilities: from bright red to lavender, orange and blue. Just boil eggs (local and organic please) in water and a teaspoon of vinegar. Add ingredients below for desired color. Let simmer for at least 15 minutes. For a darker shade place the brew in the fridge for some overnight saturation.

Pink: beets, cranberries, frozen raspberries.

Red: red onionskins.

Orange: yellow onionskins.

Lavender: grape juice.

Light Yellow: orange or lemon peels, carrot tops, celery seed or ground cumin.

Yellow: Ground turmeric, saffron.

Pale Green: spinach leaves.

Blue: canned blueberries, red cabbage leaves.

Beige/Brown: strong brewed coffee.

The Candy: Peeps, lollipops, pecan nougat, jellybeans, and even Smucker's Puckers are just a few Easter favorites. Aside from creating hyperactive chaos on Easter morning, Easter candies are grossly over-packaged. Yes, it is nice to get your egg in perfect condition, but does it really need to come swaddled in corrugated body armor? Look for the candies that come in the least amount of packaging. Cadbury Schweppes has the idea and is now offering eggs wrapped only in foil and without a cardboard box, cutting the company's Easter packaging by 798,073 pounds.

The Chocolate: As most of us know, chocolate comes from the cocoa bean, a crop harvested in some of the most economically and environmentally disadvantaged parts of the third world. According to reports from the BBC and New York Times, cocoa producing regions are writhe with environmental and humanitarian iniquity.

This Easter, why give your children chocolate made from the sweat and sometimes even blood of less fortunate children? Swap the waxy dollar-store chocolate for organic and fair trade alternatives. Fair trade certification ensures chocolate is made under both environmental and humanitarian standards. According to the Fair Trade Organization (FTO), these standards are quite stringent, ensuring the minimum use and safe handling of agrochemicals, conservation of water, controls on gathering from the wild and deforestation, a ban on GMO (Genetically Modified Organism). For a list of delicious organic and fair trade chocolate options click here.

The Bunnies: Live or Stuffed? According to the House Rabbit Society, a national, nonprofit bunny welfare organization, each spring, unwanted, "former Easter rabbits" fill local rescues, humane societies and worse dumpsters. Unless you're in it for the long haul and know how to take care of one, please, don't put a live bunny in your Easter basket! Leave little Peter Cottontail be . . . to hop down the old bunny trail . . . hippity hoppity, Easter's on its way.