Baby Blog Week in Review June 11 to June 16

Hopefully, you’ve been doing a better job at keeping up with your baby blog reading, than I’ve been doing at writing the week in review for the baby blog! In any case, if you’ve missed something, it’s here! Saturday, June 16 Can We Just Leave Breastfeeding Mothers Alone? Every time a breastfeeding mother is ‘caught’ breastfeeding in public and asked to cover up or leave, there is a nurse in. I have already written in the past about how I think nurse ins are generally ineffective but I also believe that managerial staff at many businesses remain unaware of the … Continue reading

Count Your Blessings

Pardon me if I’m a bit shaken up; we totaled our van only a few hours ago. The good news, of course, is that no one was hurt. In fact, no one was in the van. We were towing it behind our truck when we hit an icy patch in the mountains of Pennsylvania. Suddenly, the van was fishtailing, causing our truck to fishtail. Ultimately, after hitting the guard rail several times, the van broke free, apparently flipped over, and wound up with the back end on top of the guard rail. When we finally stopped spinning, my husband glanced … Continue reading

Do You Employ High-Tech Sitters?

What do you use to keep your children occupied while waiting for your food at a restaurant, driving to grandma’s house or zipping through the aisles at the grocery store? I doubt the answer is dancing, unless you’re doing it on a video that you posted to YouTube and can be viewed on your kid’s favorite electronic device. Don’t worry; you aren’t alone. According to a recent survey, nearly 60% of parents admit to using a tech toy to entertain their children, and experts predict that number will likely rise in the next decade. In other words, iPads, handheld video … Continue reading

Freebies for Coffee, Christmas, and More!

After the chaos that come with shopping on Black Friday, (or on Thanksgiving day), it is nice to have some time to relax. Pick up a few of these freebies, before they disappear. You can do it from the comfort of your own home, and without having to fight the crowds. This time, I found freebies on coffee, Christmas items, and more! Seattle’s Best Coffee has a free sample of their coffee. To get this freebie, you must click “like” on their Facebook page. Next, go to the Coffee Break tab and grab a free 1.75 ounce sample of Seattle’s … Continue reading

Genealogy Podcast Roundup – Week of April 30, 2012

Every week, the Genealogy Podcast Roundup brings you brand new episodes of your favorite genealogy podcasts. This is also a good place to check to find out about genealogy podcasts that are new to you. Once in while, there are episodes of podcasts that do not always talk about genealogy topics, but have done so for a particular episode. Family Tree Magazine released their April 2012 episode on April 22, 2012. This episode is hosted by Lisa Louise Cooke. Topics in this episode include: Making the most of the 1940 Census, an interview with Amy Johnson Crow at Archives.com, a … Continue reading

The Toothbrush in my Guitar

Over the past couple of months our son has started to really enjoy the sounds of musical instruments. What started out as an interest in the big guitars leaned up against the wall (that at the time were off limits) and the piano keys that he couldn’t reach has slowly turned into a genuine enjoyment of sound itself. Even if he’s listening to one of those crazy battery-powered jingles coming from a plastic toy shaped like a home appliance he instantly stops when he hears the sound of a live instrument. One strum of the guitar and he gets up … Continue reading

Product Review: Sound Beginnings

The sound of the electric beater would make my son startle when he was in the womb. The swell of a hymn on Sunday morning would seem to send him into a happy dance, making my stomach look like a bag of popcorn in the microwave. Daddy’s voice would almost always earn a kick or a punch. It was pretty clear he could hear us and I would experiment with different sounds to see what he would do. Sometimes I would sing or listen to music with a driving beat just to see how much I could get him to … Continue reading

Guide to Recycling Electronics 3

In our household there are so many electronic devices that we rely on using to get through the day. But technology is always growing and changing, leaving many of our devices obsolete and in need of being upgraded or replaced. It is important to practice responsible recycling of electronics, for the health of our planet and even the health of ourselves. Let’s keep dangerous chemicals out of the mix with this guide to recycling electronics. Today, let’s talk about recycling cell phones and small electronic devices, such as MP3 players. Cell phones and small devices are some of the most … Continue reading

Creating a Quiet Space

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a quiet space where you could just relax and be zen? A place where kids, animals and the outside world don’t come near? If you have a home of any kind, you can create that quiet space as your own personal retreat. Here are some ideas. Pick out a quiet corner and make it your own. You might choose to turn the space under the stairs into a nook or just grab a corner of your bedroom to turn into a retreat. Another nice spot for a secret space is a large stair landing. … Continue reading

Frugal Month in Review: September 2008

Now that September is come and gone and the kiddies are settled back into school and regular routines, it is time to welcome the fall. Still, there is plenty of good stuff that went on in September, including a bunch of ways to save money. September 1st Frugal Living Week in Review: August 25th Through August 31st Food and back to school are the two things on my mind this week. I e-mailed my son’s teacher ahead of time to ask about additional supplies that she might need for the classroom. She said that she usually asks parents for antibacterial … Continue reading