Tip Tuesday: Know your Product for your Price: Children's Tylenol

A few weeks ago, Judah was in the hospital overnight for dehydration from the flu. A bad case of gastronitis has been going around every where you turn. I guess it is that time of year for the flu.

Every so often when Judah is sick, I check with his doctor the dosage amount of medicine, namely Tylenol, to give him for pain. Kids are constantly growing and changing making the dosage amounts different over time. And if you have not done so recently, you may want to do the same for your kids.

It was a good thing I checked again while we were in the hospital. What we discovered was that Tylenol has recently changed all their infant's and children's bottles to the same concentration amounts. This means that concentration amounts will be consistent among the brand name as they restock setting the standard for generic brands as well.

On the other hand, you need to be aware of marketing schemes used to sell the same concentration amounts. Infant's Tylenol now contains the same concentration amount as Children's Tylenol. The difference however, lies in the price point. In some stores, you will pay several additional dollars for the infants version of Tylenol than you would Children's Tylenol.

So frugal shoppers, I implore you to do your homework. First, check with your doctor on dosage amounts per child per weight. Check at the store to make sure concentration amounts are acceptable and in fact the same. From there I encourage you to buy the cheapest bottle per ounces. And in the meantime, save your infant droppers by washing them to reuse. You will be surprised on how much you will save.

This discovery encourages all of us shoppers to stop and read the labels. We may in fact be paying more for something that is just packaged and advertised differently. A good example remains generic canned brands that actually get processed by the same company. Usually they are slightly different but still have good taste and are always a few cents cheaper.

Let's know our product for the price. And in the interim, check your Tylenol bottles the next time you go into the store.



For more frugal tips, visit Learning the Frugal Life.

Make Monday: The Martha Stewart Mirage

I'm a work at home mom. I write political articles and take care of my kids. I'm lucky that when I need complete concentration, I can take my boys to Grandma's house (which I do almost daily). But I got to thinking, if I'm working from home, I can be like Martha, right?

Ha. First of all, through my facebook couponing group I was able to get a free subscription to Martha Stewart Living magazine. Step one of becoming Martha, done.

And then after getting all of the laundry folded at 10 PM on Sunday night (it's a glamorous life, I know) I crawled into bed and paged through the magazine.

Oh. My. BORING. I'm so glad it was free. And I still think I paid too much. "Apple and raisin blonde scones". Really, Martha? For when. Cause I don't know of anyone who has friends over for tea. I found the "make your own pop up Valentine's day cards" highly amusing. I can hardly get the kids to write out their pre-printed dollar store Toy Story cards without someone spilling, ripping or sneezing on them. Fancy cut out pop up cards? You've GOT to be kidding me.

What really cracked me up is the $800 upholstered chair for your bedroom. Not for sitting, just for decoration. First of all, Martha, at the end of the day, I'm exhausted. If there's a place to land, I'm landing on it. Whether it's intent is for my butt or not. And what's the point of having a chair you CAN'T sit in? Isn't that what chairs are for? I can imagine my mom going cross eyed if I had glasses sitting out on the table and said, "Oh no, mom. Those aren't for drinking out of, they're just nice to look at."

Maybe I'm a little more realistic than Martha. Maybe I'm busier. I just don't have time to "grind a cinnamon stick in the morning to add to my coffee". Whatever comes out of the Dunkin Donuts bag is fine for me. Usually I don't get to drink it while it's hot anyway.

So yes, if you visit my home you'll see a Martha Stewart Living magazine on my nightstand. Just don't assume I have a fresh sprig of eucalyptus in the tank of my toilet to make the water smell good. (I may have made that last one up.)

I'm a realistic mom. I don't have time for the artsy fartsy stuff. And you know what? "It's a good thing."

Shuffle Saturday: Stay-at-Home Moms Work Hard Too!

My mom was a stay-at-home mom. She never worked outside the home but rather kept busy caring, loving, and raising us five kids through the years. In her day, staying at home was almost unheard of as her generation established careers outside the home. I never understood her sacrifice nor her dedication until I myself stayed at home.

Today, staying at home is a little more acceptable....or at least more common than it was when my mom did it. I run into quite a few stay-at-home moms on my outings during the week, all with young kids. And we are all getting out of the house.

In spite of staying-at-home being more common, I got the "look" over Christmas from a close acquaintance no less. I believe her comment was "what do you do?" Aside from feeling demeaned, I proceeded to tell her what our weeks look like. We have play group on Monday mornings. We go to music class on Tuesday mornings. We go to story time at the local library on Wednesday mornings. We sometimes go to open gym at the nearby community center. And we always try to do a craft during the week. Then we usually finish the week with a doctors appointment (since I am pregnant). Her response, "Oh, I am so glad you get out."

Did you think staying at home meant we have no life? I would like to speak directly to this often misunderstand misconception before we go on. Yes, we do have a life and it is quite full and very busy.

Please understand that we do work hard, if not harder, than most people.

Just because we stay at home, people falsely perceive us as not working hard and having a lot of extra time on our hands. Need I remind you that if you are a mom with small kids, then you do not have much down time. For every activity we do during the week, please add on the time it takes to get dressed and ready, load up in the car, the time to get home, the time given to lunch, the time to settle down for nap, the time for snack, the evening hour, and so on. On top of that, we attempt to do chores around the house, run errands, play games, and manage our household. I would say, this all happens in a days work.

To further settle the confusion, stay-at-homes moms have the hardest job on earth. I used to work in politics which compared to a normal work environment it is very intense. Political careers and campaigning usually require 24/7 time commitments with low pay, little sleep, lots of work, and time spent away from family and friends. After I became a mom, I tell people that staying at home is so much harder than politics as sometimes you work all night instead of quitting at 10:00pm.

Moms have many different job titles. I would like to think of myself as "Chef, Janitor, Chauffeur, Manager of a Laundromat, Scheduler, Professional Organizer, Seamstress, Photographer, Distributor and Supplier, Decorator, Teacher, and Daycare Provider" to name a few.

The time spent staying at home with young kids may be hard. And honestly some days it is not much fun. The benefits are often too few and far between. But when you do get rewarded by your kid, it is the most worthwhile and fulfilling feeling in the world. Knowing that you are there for your child during the day is rewarding in and of itself. So hats off to all you stay-at-home moms. Keep up the good work and hang in there. We know you are working hard.

Food Friday: Gestational Diabetes Approved Recipe - Chicken Alfredo with Spaghetti Squash

Looking for another easy dish to compliment your gestational diabetes or gluten free diets? Try some chicken Alfredo and noodles, that's right, chicken Alfredo and noodles!

Recently I discovered spaghetti squash. Surprisingly it tastes like eating real pasta making it a great substitute for noodles packed with lots of carbohydrates and gluten. Even though squash contains some carbohydrates your servings can be more generous than eating real pasta. According to the app, Calorie Counter, 1 cup of spaghetti squash contains 10g of carbohydrates.

First, we cooked some white chicken breast on top of the stove. Meanwhile we cut the spaghetti squash in half and microwaved (prepared according to instructions provided) it for approximately 10-14 minutes before scraping the contents out with a fork. We added some olive oil, lemon juice, basil, and Parmesan cheese for flavor to the squash noodles. At the same time we had sliced a couple of medium sized zucchini and sprayed them with olive oil and topped with Dash herb and garlic seasoning with Parmesan cheese to bake in the oven for about 12 minutes. To complete the meal we found a jar of low sodium, gluten free Alfredo sauce.

Depending on serving sizes, all you need to count is your squash. The zucchini itself is 4g of carbohydrates to 1 cup. The chicken is a lean piece of meat. And if you watch how you season your food, the only added salt is contained in the Alfredo sauce.

Our pasta dish tasted like something you would find at an Italian restaurant only with a lot less carbohydrates and no gluten. It was also very easy to make for a quick meal at home. And you cannot go wrong eating meat and vegetables. You could even serve it with a salad. You might also have some room leftover for a slice of whole wheat bread or a piece of fruit for dessert.

Wash Wednesday: Washing Toys

Washing toys can be a fun chore. I remember the time when I was five and my mom set me up outside with a bucket of soapy water and a bucket of rinse water. I proceeded to wash my doll clothes and then hung them on a clothesline on my level. I was not only cleaning the doll clothes but pretending laundry day. I was learning lifetime skills. And I still think that was one of my most favorite activities and memories of my childhood.

We badly needed to clean the play dough tools this morning from dried, old play dough that had caked on. So I put an apron on Judah and gave him a bucket of soapy water and a bucket of rinse water. He had as much fun washing them as he does playing with the play dough. And we did our share of splashing!

Then later this afternoon we made a fresh batch of play dough and got out the toys to play with. Again, my child was entertained by the same toy but a different activity today.

Chores do not have to be boring. Make them into games and activities special for your age child. Have fun cleaning and pretending in the process. Washing our toys also teaches them to be responsible and take care of our toys which is certain a valuable lesson to learn.

What chores do you share with your kids?

Make Monday: Sheep Mask

For Judah's first birthday, we did a barnyard theme complete with masks. Will he found the leftover duck, the horse, the cow, and the pig masks the other day in the cupboard and has been playing with them ever since.

After looking at the craft book last night he decided he wanted to make a sheep. And that is when I came up with the idea of doing a sheep mask for his collection. We had fun doing just that this morning. And Judah even practiced his gluing objects.

Supplies
Small cotton balls
Black felt
Black pom pom
White paper plate
Scissors
Elmer's glue
Elastic string or a jumbo Popsicle stick
Pen
Hole punch

Instructions
First I took a small medicine bottle in the shape of a circle to trace for eyes. I cut these holes out. Next, Judah started dipping the white cotton balls into glue and sticking them onto the paper. I glued on a black pom pom for the nose and black felt triangles for the ears. Judah found the little colored pom poms to glue and we decided our sheep would have colored spots. Finally I took a hole punch and cut out holes tying the elastic string to the size of his head. However, a large Popsicle stick at the bottom would also allow a child to hold up the mask.

Salvation Sunday: The Road Before Us.

So this week had an unexpected turn. Amidst being 7 1/2 months pregnant, rearranging furniture getting ready for baby, adjusting to gestational diabetes, and keeping up with our normal daily lives, Judah got sick.

On Tuesday, he started vomiting right after his nap at 4:30pm. By the next morning at 10:30am, he had vomited over 16 times, including all the water he drank. We went to the pediatrician only to go directly to the Emergency Room for some IV fluids. The next thing we know we were spending the night in the hospital for our sick boy.

How quickly life can change. One moment everything seems fine as you live out your daily lives with its plans and the next moment you realize you were taking for granted things that ultimately matter like health, sleep, and family. Suddenly, those daily stresses seem unimportant.

Will needless to say this has gotten me into a nervous mood as we near baby's arrival. Why? Because it is just one more added stress to our already full lives of getting through the next few months. We have so much yet to do and I do not feel ready at all.

I was reminded though at church this morning that God can see the complete journey. While we live in the moment, there is no reason to worry about tomorrow because He knows what is to come and has it under control no matter the outcome. All we need to do is turn over that worry and trust in Him. A good reminder. And one I still need even after Him trying to get my attention this week.

My favorite verse has always been Proverbs 3:5-6, "Trust in the Lord and he will make your paths straight."

Food Friday: Gestational Diabetes Approved Recipe - Black Bean Salsa

Black Bean Salsa is a recipe suitable for those of us that have gestational diabetes. It is very healthy with low carbs and low sodium. The ingredients are very versatile with different menu combinations. And of course it is easy to make and to have on hand. Add this delicious recipe to your to your special diet. Thanks to the Iowa Diabetes and Endocrinology Center for providing it.

Black Bean Salsa
1.5 cups frozen corn, thawed
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 -1 red onion, chopped (I would only use 1/4 onion finely chopped)
1 can petite canned tomatoes, drained (I would add two cans)
1-2 cloves of fresh garlic
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!

Serving Ideas
Use salsa with 100% tortilla chips
Nacho/Quesadilla style and - chicken or lean beef
Bake with chicken breast and serve with brown rice
On top of scrambled eggs on top of whole wheat toast
Burritos - add tuna, chicken, or eggs on whole wheat tortilla
Top of baked potatoes
Mix with brown rice and stuff green peppers

Nutrition Information
Per 1 cup serving: Calories 86, Total Fat 0.5 g, Sat Fat 0g, Carbohydrates 18g, Protein 4g, Sodium 7mg (if use no added salt tomatoes and rinse beans).

Tip Tuesday: Tracking Your Gestational Diabetes

So first things first, we have to track our carbs for gestational diabetes. Not an easy task when going out to eat or using a recipe that does not spell out the nutritional facts so readily.

Thankfully, my professional health consultants have pointed out a few websites and apps that can help solve that very problem. And we have started using it more frequently, especially eating out more lately. I can find out the carb count and the sodium intake from a dish at a major food chain restaurant.

I first look at the menu for something that sounds like it will contain less carbs and sodium and we look it up. Then I know for sure how many extra things I can have at the meal. This worked great at Outback Steakhouse the other night where I had the Gold Hearts of Mahi Mahi (without the lemon sauce of course for sodium) and I could still have a few pieces of bread.

Our favorite app to take along with us on our 4G network is calorie counter, who allows you to break down your dish or recipe. At home we can use sites like myfitnesspal.com or calorieking.com, who specializes in low fat and low carb recipes. Try it out for yourself even if you are on a diet.

Make Monday: Ribbon Banners to Wave to Music

I remember playing fitness girl when I was a little. I had this pink workout set that included a long, pink banner that you perform tricks turning it, swaying it, and swinging it with your arms. Apparently the effort was supposed to produce quite a workout in your upper body. I believe the set was called Get In Shape Girls. It was popular and I loved it!

I think of those memories every time Judah and I go to music class and move scarves or ribbons to rhythmic beat. We toss them high and low, play peek-a-boo, sway back and forth, make large circles, and swing them into figure eights. I must admit it is a fun activity even for me as an adult.

So we decided to make our own homemade ribbon banners to swing at home to our favorite musical beats.

Supplies
Jumbo Popsicle sticks or wooden paint sticks or wire
Tape
Different colors, shapes, and sizes of cloth ribbon or wrapping ribbon
Scissors

Instructions
Really this craft is quite simple. Cut various colors of ribbons different sizes and tape them to one end of the stick. Then play your music and twirl your way around the room with your ribbon banner. Be sure to mimic the beat and the pitch of the music going high and low, side to side, and moving to different shape designs.

Shuffle Saturday: Gestational Diabetes

Like many Americans, I had to change and adjust my diet but for gestational diabetes. That is right, with this second pregnancy, I failed my glucose screening tests, both the 1 hour and the 4 hour tests, making me fall into the 10% of pregnant women who have gestational diabetes.

With Judah, I was borderline diabetic, passing the second test at the hospital by only one. I was told to watch my diet. And with Judah, I did drop all major carbohydrates like pastas because I simply did not feel well. I even drank a lot of lemon water to help with swelling.

This time around, I failed the test by two and with the new testing rules, I definitely have gestational diabetes. I knew going into the tests that I did as similar symptoms with Judah occurred faster and more furious earlier in the pregnancy. I had already dropped the carbohydrates like major pasta dishes and any kind of sweets. I also was cutting back on sodium as it seemed to have a direct effect on swelling.

I failed my glucose screening right before Christmas and it was over the Holiday season that I went through training, consulted with professionals, and even learned how to do my insulin shot. Talk about timing. I wanted to cry when I got the results from my test prior to Christmas and the nurse told me to stay away from Christmas cookies. Are you kidding me? I had not even had any sweets or pastas or anything fun to eat for that matter since before Thanksgiving. Bah Humbug to the Diabetic Grinch. And so much for those Christmas cookies I had been craving for over a month (and I did make them without eating them).

I have learned that in spite our best efforts at diet change, sometimes our bodies just need a little help. This does not mean we are doing anything wrong. The biggest adjustment though is just that, changing your lifestyle. Changing your lifestyle to monitor your sugar levels, adjusting your diet within healthy means, and reducing stress in other areas of your life.

This journey has taught me a lot and I would like to pass on some of my ideas down the road - so stayed tuned for some recipes I have found and invented. Other pregnant moms, like myself, just want quick, simple, healthy recipes and snack ideas to get us through the day. Our lives are already crazy as it is with kids running around, managing a household, and being pregnant in our third trimester. So let's stick together moms and know you are not alone counting carbs.

Food Friday: Crock Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

I've been craving some good broccoli cheese soup. And I may have found it. I started this recipe by just "dumping" what sounded good. It worked! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

One can of chicken broth
A can of cheddar cheese (Great for Cooking, Campbells)
A can of cream of chicken
A bag of frozen broccoli (chopped)
A chopped head of broccoli (cause it was in the fridge and I wanted to use it up) Some minced onion, minced garlic and before serving, a bag of shredded mild cheddar cheese....and a bit of pepper...(see what I mean by "dumping")

Cooked it on low for about 8 hrs, like I said, added the shredded cheddar before serving...yum-o

I ate two bowls last night...must have needed the folic acid in the broccoli!

Enjoy!

Toy Thursday: Sick of those Noise Toys? Me too.

Thankfully we did not get any annoying noise toys this Christmas but we do have a few toys from Christmases and birthday celebrations in years past. If you did get a noise toy, I bet you are fed up with it right about now.

I remember our first annoying noise toy that we got for a birthday: the Fisher-Price Laugh and Learn Learning Puppy. I swear that toy is demon possessed. If you have one, you know what I am talking about. I remember that thing going off in the middle of the night talking in spite the batteries practically falling out and the switch turned off. The songs grew on your brain and the thing had no volume button. Oh yeah, that thing did not last very long at all in our house. Sorry to the family member who got it for us.

Another toy that I have found annoying in the past was a V-Tech learning bike that offers all kinds of learning opportunities. Simply put, the bike takes up too much room for a toy that we do not play with very much. And you guessed it, there is no volume control to control the blaring, annoying songs.

And from that moment on I distinctly told family members NO NOISE TOYS PLEASE.

Call me crazy if you want but why add extra electronic noise to an already noisy house of screaming kids. The flashing lights, the loud ditties, and the annoying word phrases almost over stimulate our kids into craziness. The sounds are often too loud for an adult let alone a young child. And how much learning do the kids really get out of these highly entertaining-only toys? Probably not as much as a hands on activity that requires creativity and imagination in your own noise making.

Last year for Judah's birthday, he got a drum with drum sticks. And I remember one extended family member commenting, "Be sure to take that home with you. I think it would get annoying." I have to laugh because I can handle the drum. The difference lies in natural noise verses electronic noise. The same is true for a fire truck that we have that makes sirens. Yes, it might be a little electronic noise but at least it is a natural sound we hear in society.

So I am anxious to hear what toys you got for Christmas that you have already put away. Also I would like to know what toys you find most annoying so I can make sure to add these to my NO NOISE TOYS PLEASE list for the future.

Wash Wednesday: Getting Moisture in the House....FOR FREE

I know I posted about this last year but I wanted to write a reminder. With the recent snow storm (?) upon us, it's dry in the house. Lately, I've been using my drying rack more and that has sure cut down on my husband and the cat's nose bleeds. Yes. Our cat gets nose bleeds. And it's gross.

I have a wooden drying rack that I hang jeans on and if an item usually ends up on a hanger, I take half of the work out of it all and put it on the hanger to dry right out of the washer. Once dry, I just put it in the closet. Easy-peasy.

Almost anything can be used as a place to dry items that are on hangers. That being said, if you visit my home, don't be surprised to see shirts, sweaters and hoodies hanging from door knobs, backs of chairs and even the chandelier. I get creative.

Here's to having a warm and humid home. And it cuts down on the electricity used to run the dryer!

Tip Tuesday: Listen to your body

I know, I know. This should be a no brainer. But for moms, it's not. We often put ourselves (and our health) on the back burner. And we shouldn't. I have to remind myself of the instructions on a airplane. "In case of a lack of cabin pressure, put on YOUR oxygen mask first, and then help others." But I failed to do that.

As you know, I'm involved in politics. And the Iowa Caucus? That's like the Superbowl for us Iowans...and it only comes once every four years. Between moving in November, hosting my six year old's birthday party and Thanksgiving, a house warming party, preparing for Christmas and the caucus, I've been busy...and been having low back pain. But I put it off. "I'll get it checked out after the caucus" I kept telling myself. And being tough, I refused to take anything for it. That was probably a good call on my behalf.

On New Years Eve, an Uncle of mine unexpectedly passed away. They scheduled the funeral for the day after the caucus. On caucus day, we had the Huffington Post follow us around and get the point of view of caucus attendees. You can watch our caucus experience here.

It was a whirlwind day. Interviews, caucus, victory party...and I was named a Washington Post Reader Favorite Top Iowa Political Tweeter (you can follow me on twitter @bowmama, and our blog is also on twitter @mommysrecess). At our caucus location I spoke on behalf of Rick Santorum...in front of about 1200 people and a slew of reporters. Did I mention I had to follow Rick Perry (himself) and Ann Romney (wife of Mitt)? Yeah, no pressure there. All the while, I had to mentally prep myself as I was doing the readings at my Uncle's funeral mass the next day.

Our boys spent the night at Grandma and Grandpas (thankfully) because we didn't get to bed until after 1AM and had to get up at 6AM in order to make it back to the funeral in time.

I made it through the readings without crying, but after I read, I saw my mom crying and, well, you know how it is when your mom cries...you cry. So I cried. At the luncheon after the cemetary, we learned that my great aunt had been in a car accident and was being life-flighted to Omaha. She had two collapsed lungs, broke her C2 and C3, compressed disks, etc etc. The remainder of the week was spent checking in with mom to see how my Great Aunt was doing, and trying to get back into a normal routine.

And then Saturday night happened. My husband worked on Saturday. When he got home, we had dinner. At dinner, I stood up to get a napkin and started bleeding. Heavy. Fast. I raced to the bathroom and even my medic husband was concerned. I called Mercy Nurse and she told me to come in. I explained the back pain and we both thought an ovarian cyst had ruptured (I have a history of cysts). My husband dressed the boys and called his parents. We rushed them over and went to the ER. The nurse took my vitals, asked for a urine sample and took blood. They hooked me up to an IV because I was dizzy from all of the blood I lost. And then it was time for an ultrasound to see where the cyst had ruptured.

But there was no cyst. There was, however, a strong heart beat. And a 7 week 5 day baby inside. Surprise.

The first thing I said? "Holy CRAP! There's a baby in there!" Not the most eloquent thing I've ever said but I was in shock!

My husband and I were both so surprised. And so was the ultrasound tech. And the nurse. And the Doctor. The amount of blood I lost, we had prepped ourselves for the possibility of a miscarriage. But like his/her mom, "Noodle" (what my oldest has nicknamed the baby) is strong.

They did find a bleed and called it a subchorianic hemorrhage. My instructions were to take it easy and monitor the bleeding. I go to the doctor today for a check up.

Long story short? Listen to your body. Had I gone to the Doctor when I had the pain weeks ago, this probably couldn't have been avoided but at least I would have known.

I've had enough drama in 2012 to write a whole Christmas letter. You hear that 2012? No more drama. And I've learned to listen to my body. Don't put your health off. And be sure to put on the oxygen mask first, and then assist others.

Make Monday: Making More Room

So this weekend, we took the time to move things around trying to make room in our tight little space of 1200 square feet for a new baby. We moved furniture around. We added shelving to empty wall spaces. And we bought some more organizers. All for the purpose of adding one more (I might add small person but who will take up a lot of room) person in the house.

Our town home does not seem too crowded YET ( I say that loosely). We do have a lot of stuff and since I am always going through it, the bare minimum of stuff. But the question is how do we cram more in here and where do we put it?

Before we got married, I lived in a studio loft apartment downtown for five years. I had a lot of stuff housed in there but even more so after my husband moved in once we married. I still marvel how we survived in that 800 square feet space together for a year until we got our house. What is even more amazing is the amount of stuff that we had to move out of there....we had enough for several trailer loads.

I am trying to apply some of the same principals I learned during that time to now on maximizing space.

1. Utilize wall space. We added lots of shelves in closets and the laundry room for storage. Do not leave wasted space that can be used for something but rather think going up on the wall instead of out. Hang your pots and pans from hooks beneath a shelf. Store your Cd's and DVD's up on a shelf on the wall instead of taking up floor space.

2. Pack efficiently. Think of ways outside the box to store objects that you want to keep and need only for a short time of the year. For example, reduce your clothes space by using saver bags for clothes and linens out of season.

3. Keep only what is necessary. If you have not used it in a year and it is not a keepsake, then get rid of it. Storing items you no longer use or value take up much needed space. Regularly go through to keep from accumulating junk that sits around the house. Have a bin near your door to drop these items in as you find them.

4. Think function. Will this arrangement work to enhance our needs right now or will it hinder us in our daily activity? Put things you use most often in a more accessible location while things you less frequently up higher or behind.

5. Utilize hidden space. Maximize extra storage space again by thinking outside the box. For example, try under bed storage containers to house items.

Food Friday: Overrated Omaha Steaks??

I won a giftcard from a blogger, so I'm not going to complain...much. But it was a giftcard to Omaha Steaks and I was stoked. I had heard so many good things about Omaha Steaks and I was excited to use the giftcard.

Actually, I had planned to gift the gift card to a family member for Christmas, but my husband insisted we use it for ourselves. So we did.

I bought a package that included steaks, pork chops, potatoes, molten lava cakes and hamburgers. We had a few friends over for a very low key dinner but served the steaks, pork chops, potatoes and desserts.

It wasn't as great as I had been expecting. Actually, it was rather blah. We didn't over season the steaks (they're Omaha Steaks, after all) and didn't want to "ruin" a good steak. But honestly, I've had better steaks from Fareway, at Texas Roadhouse. It just didn't live up to expectations.

Last night, when the weather was so nice, we grilled the burgers, hoping the Omaha meat would redeem the lack luster performance of the steaks.

Again, disappointment. I've made better burgers from a roll of meat bought at the grocery store.

We cooked them medium, so it's not like we burned them. Anyone else have a food experience like this??


Update: I found out they have a 100% guarantee policy so I emailed them. Let's see what comes of it!

Toy Thursday: Toy Packaging!

Did anyone notice over Christmas all the packaging used for the toys this year? Judah and I opened up his ink pad set today to use for the first time since Christmas and it reminded me of all the Christmas packaging. I had to use the scissors to open the cardboard first. Then I had to use the scissors to open the second layer of plastic around the ink pads. A huge feat for just three ink pads.

This year it seemed like the toys had more packaging than usual, making for extra waste. For instance, everything seemed doubly wrapped. Sometimes you even find marketers use a huge box to display a large, bright, colorful picture just for relatively small toy in comparison. What a waste to our environment as this cardboard serves little purpose and then gets thrown out after the item is opened. And I am sure we are paying for the added marketing expense too.

Then the packaging companies used for toys this year seemed more excessively annoying especially when the kid was in a hurry to open the gift. Those plastic twisty ties take forever to unwrap while the kid just stands there jumping up and down in excitement. Some items have that plastic cover cinched so tight you cannot even rip it open. And this year we even had some toys screwed in which required extra time hunting down a screwdriver in addition to the scissors.

Finally the packaging becomes so unsafe. You have to make sure you gather ever last bit of plastic or twisty ties and tiny screws before the kids pick them up. You have to use extra caution for even the tools you need just to open the item like scissors. You would think that the companies could at least make the toy packaging safe for kids.

For this post I ask the toy companies to think twice about the packaging they use for toys. Be less wasteful and more environmental friendly. Also, keep in mind the safety and the age of the child when packing a toy. Just so you know toy companies, all this hassle makes me not want to even purchase from you. Just saying.

Tip Tuesday: Packing up the Christmas Decorations

I think I am getting smarter when it comes to packing up the Christmas decorations. I mean at least it has become easier over the last few years to find things the next Christmas just by following a few storing tips.

1. Choose clear plastic bins for storage. Personally, I have a few clear plastic containers with green and red lids clearly marking them Christmas. Being clear allows you to peek at the contents inside.

2. Put things in order. I have learned to reserve one bucket for items that are needed at Thanksgiving time, labeling them, "open me first." These items include advent items, Christmas music, and other things that you tend to need right away. Easy access allows you to find these items when needed the most instead of stumbling upon them after the fact at a later date.

3. Group like items together. Again, I group similar items in the same bucket. One bucket is for all the Christmas tree decorations alone while the other bucket stores decorations for around the house. This way I only have to get the tree bin down when I am decorating the tree.

4. Label as much as you can. Instead of digging through each box, try labeling items for easy access. This will ensure successful and stress-free decorating.

5. Utilize items from around the house you for added storage. Visit Resourceful Ways to Store Decorations.

Happy packing! That is what I am doing.

Make Monday: A Solution for Wrapping Paper!

I hate buying too much wrapping paper for Christmas. If you buy too much, you have reels of paper leftover to store for an entire year. If you buy too little, you do not have enough to get you through the Christmas wrapping season. Then you still end up buying too much paper and end up storing it for next year. Thus you have the cycle of wrapping paper.

And I hate wrapping paper rolls because they are so hard to store and keep nice. Down on the floor the paper gets crinkled being bumped around. Plus you run the risk of the kids unrolling the paper, chewing on the roll, or even blowing into the roll. Against the wall, paper rolls constantly fall down succumbing to a similar demise. Finally, putting the rolls into a plastic storage container means you have one more large plastic bucket to store and find room for an entire year all for a few rolls of wrapping paper.

Currently I keep my wrapping paper, tissue paper, and bows in a hang up plastic device (on a hanger) in the closet. This keeps things accessible for year round birthdays and celebrations that require one present to be wrapped at the last minute. The plastic container hangs next to my craft table complete with scissors, tape, and ribbon for additional easy wrapping.

This year....I bought too much Christmas wrapping paper and now I am not sure where to store it. This picture came across in my email from a friend. And it looks like it would work without taking up wasted space on the shelf or floor of the closet.

Making this simple solution of stringing some wire across the ceiling of the closet could solve my problems. I thought it seemed like a good enough idea that I think I will pass it on for today's Make Monday project. A Make Monday project to help you solve a common problem around the house.