Things I Love Thursday: Chicco Caddy Chair

High chairs are a pain. They are necessary, but they are a pain. Especially when you have moved into a home that has shaggy carpeting in the dining area (seriously, who does that?). My old basic graco high chair was just not working on the carpet, it was big, and I was getting annoyed. So I looked for answers. I thought about a space saver high chair...but it was too similar to the booster I already had and just wasn't what I was looking for. And then I found it:

The Chicco Caddy Chair

Its a kickback to the highchairs of old (I totally remember old school versions in the church gym at potlucks!). its in an awesome red color. It attaches to almost any table. It is completely washable in the washing machine. It takes up no extra space in my house. Its awesome! To finish off my 'child eating area' (which someone should invent built in vacuums to baby clothes or something) I put a plastic mat on the floor to catch spills...which then gets dragged immediately out the slider door to feed the birds any leftovers (and apparently a possum is enjoying the tastes too..). On the table I got one of these silicone trays to put on top. It catches any missed bites by the self feeding toddler and makes for a quick and easy clean up. Once or twice a week I quickly (it takes about 3 minutes) dismantle the chair and throw the red seat in the wash with my other dishtowels. It has been amazing. We started putting our daughter in it at 6 months but she was a confident sitter. This would be the only downside to this chair if it is replacing a high chair in that you really cannot put a non sitter in it. It can hold up to 35 pounds, so technically speaking my lightweight of a 4 year old could sit in it :) It has travelled with us to various parties and functions and works great.

Amazon currently has it on sale for just over $30 with free shipping- what a deal! I wish I had originally purchased this instead of the big bulky high chair long ago!

See it works:

For more Things I Love...check out The Diaper Diaries

Things I Love Thursday: Freegal Music

Ok, so this is more for those in the Kent County, Michigan zone, but maybe if you check your local library system, they will have something like it. Did you know that if you have a library card with KDL (Kent District Library) you can receive free mp3 downloads?

Its called Freegal Music. The library has its own 'library' of online mp3 downloadable music featuring artists from pop, r&b, gospel, holiday, children's, and more! Go to http://www.kdl.org/ and go to the freegal page (under ebooks/downloads). Log in with your library card number and go! The search system is a little weak, so I end up browsing or going to find the song/artist I want manually. A library card holder receives 3 free downloads a week! I find that very cool. All you have to do is save it to your computer- and then drag and drop into itunes if you have an ipod. Its that simple- and it really is free! I have found some great learning songs by leapfrog for my 4 year old to learn days of the week. I also just got a couple holiday songs by Kenny G to put me in the Christmas mood while wrapping gifts. Did I mention this is free music? Really- if you think about it that is 12 free songs a month- 144 a year!

I heart our library :)

Drop on in to The Diaper Diaries for more Things people love this Thursday!

Things I Love Thursday: Baby Mum Mum's

This Thursday I am sharing my love for my new favorite baby teething cookie. There is a certain brand that has the popular teething biscuit to date but it is a mess. Like bath worthy mess after every use. Not what I call a nice little snack while mommy gets dinner ready for hungry munchkins. I've tried an organic kind that was a little less messy (not much) and didn't fall apart as easily.

Along came an accidental gold mine find. I originally stumbled on these at Walmart- but there are a few other retailers that have them (though not many! get with the program Meijer/Target!) They are Baby Mum-Mum rice husks for teething babies.

What do I like?

• Limited mess. These don't make nearly the mess the other competitors do. No pasty bath worthy mess. Its wonderful. A little sticky, but so much more manageable!


• 3 flavors- Rice, vegetable, and carrot. Recently they've added organic and organic banana as well!


• Individually packaged. No more stale biscuits! Also easy for on the go. Come in individual packages of 2 husks, 12 packages in a box.


• Price was great! It was basically the same as the other biscuits out there, maybe even a little cheaper!
  

What others might like (this is cool, but wasn't a deciding factor for me)

• Gluten, nut, and egg free


• Cholesterol free


• No artificial colors or flavors


• No preservatives

The great (and hilarious) gal over at The Diaper Diaries is giving away coupons for ice cream. I don't turn down the chance for cheap/free ice cream indulgence...especially when it comes to Breyer's. So head on over there and see what she has going on and maybe you can win too!

Things I Love: Moby Wrap

This week I am sharing my love for my Moby Wrap. I had a baby 4 weeks ago via c-section, so I've really only been using it for about 2 weeks, but I LOVE it! The moby wrap is basically one long piece of fabric you wrap around your body a certain way and then place the baby in the folds created. The same wrap can carry a baby up to 35 pounds (yikes, don't know why I would do that!) and in different positions. My little peanut is only big enough for basically a cradle type carry as seen below.

Now Liliana has not been a fan of swaddling, so I was unsure if she would enjoy this womb like environment (she loves to stretch!). But, given a fussy baby who just doesn't know what to do with herself and she is dry and fed, I place her in this thing and she is out like a light! This allows me to get some typing done, some light cleaning, and simply play two handed with my 3.5 year old. So often I would think of holding and bouncing a fussy baby and be unable to play, but this allows me to be free handed, while at the same time enjoy the cuddly goodness of holding her close. I also used this as the local children's museum so 1) no grimy germs from other people got near her 2)I was free to play 3) I wasn't pushing a stroller around. It worked wonders. I'm hoping my baby will continue to love her moby wrap.

For those perhaps shopping around for a carrier, the main downfall is simply the length of the fabric. The long length makes it somewhat difficult to put on in public (fabric tends to drag on the floor as you are putting it on, either that or I still don't know what I'm doing). It is washable, so I just make sure and wash it if I use it out. It can be a little tricky getting the wrapping just right in the beginning, but there are lots of resources out there to help.

For other things people love, check out The Diaper Diaries!

Things I Love Thursday- Preschool Printables

My daughter loves to color, craft, and glue- which is fun for me too. She is 3 1/2 and we are planning on doing some 'home school' preschool at this point. I'm always looking for fun activities that not only peak her interest, but also help her develop fine motor skills. Lately, she has been into tracing- thinking the dotted line pictures. I'm wanting to start some basic letter writing (she can already form an I, L, T, H, and O).

What I love this Thursday is the preschool printables you can find for free online. Just google what you are looking for and you will find it- and more great ideas! Today I googled letter tracing and found some great resources and printables. I have done this before with color pages for my daughter and for other activity pages when I was teaching. There are even sites you can build your own crossword and word searches for older kids!

I recommend:

worksheetworks.com

printactivities.com

puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com

and pbskids/nickkids for printables related to your kids favorite characters!

Have free printable fun! That's what I love this Thursday- check out The Diaper Diaries for more great ideas!

Oh and another tip- use scrap paper to print on!

Things I Love Thursday- My Toddler's Leash

Yes, I'm a terrible mother. I put my 3 year old on my leash. So leave all the bad comments you want about what a terrible thing this is. I will simply ignore them. I know what is best for me and my child- you don't- so get over it.

I love my 'toddler leash'. It has rarely gotten use- but as we vacationed last week I found I LOVE this thing.

The leash I'm talking about are those cute little monkey or dog backpacks you can get at pretty much any store that sells kids stuff (I got mine at Tar.get or Mei.jer). Check it out here. Ok, so maybe harness is a better word. I originally purchased the leash/harness last spring as an option for my then 2.5 year old to get around without me worrying about where she was. She was starting to outgrow the idea of being in a stroller all the time- wanting to walk around stores and places like the zoo. I mainly had her wear it when 1) I didn't want to be worried about teaching the lesson of staying close to mommy (like at the zoo) and 2) When the games of hide and seek in the clearance racks got really annoying (and slightly worrisome).

I only used it a few times here at home as we went out and about. For the most part, I tried to just teach Izzy that she needed to stay close to mommy or hold onto the shopping cart or whatever.

Well last week we went on a glorious vacation to Mexico with Paul's immediate family and another family- like 15 people all together. It was great. I had made the decision to not bring a stroller with us. Izzy hardly uses them, especially for short spurts of time. She loves walking around and exploring. It was an annoying bulky thing that I could just leave home (being 29 weeks pregnant and travelling made me very space and bulk conscientious). My only concern was what to do during those unpredictable lines at the ticket counter, security, customs, and immigration. You never know what you are going to find- long lines with crazy amount of jet lagged tourists or short and sweet breeze right through. I decided the monkey would be the best option. I didn't want to take a chance at her disobeying me by not staying close (An international airport is not the time or the place to learn that lesson). I wanted her to be free to move, but only so far. And she wasn't confined to a stroller that we would have to push around and lug everywhere.

I love my little monkey leash.

We hit major long lines in Cancun airport. It took us 2 hours to get through customs and immigration- standing in those long windy zig zag lines. On our way out of the country we had another long 45 minute wait at the ticket counter. Izzy (and all the other kids we brought with us) did phenomenally. She never complained. Never acted out. She had freedom to walk around and visit with her cousins. She could sit and rest on a suitcase or on her daddy's shoulder's when she got tired. But I always knew right where she was. No risk getting lost the tangled web of people.

It was peaceful (as peaceful as 2 hour long waits in a stuffy airport terminal can be). I didn't worry. I didn't have to push a stroller around and through security (do you know the pain that is? you have to fold it all up, discard anything you have in the stroller so it can fit through the x-ray machine, then load it up again...its a pain).

I love my monkey leash. I recommend it to anyone travelling with a kid aged 2-5 or so. No stroller bulk. No worries.

Yeah, you get some weird comments and looks because you do have your child on a leash. But, safety is worth it, right!?

Check out more Things to Love at The Diaper Diaries.

Things I Love Thursday: Flexible Cutting Boards

Today I want to share my love for my flexible cutting boards (also called chopping mats). I happened to stumble across a set of three at our local dollar tree- and fell in love! These cutting boards take up like zero room in a drawer or cupboard, work just as well at preventing scratches and dents on my countertop, and are so much easier to use than a regular old cutting board.

I love that I can scoop up the leftover mess of some cutting (broccoli stems, carrot peels, potato eyes) and send them right to the trash. I can equally scoop up any cut items into a bowl or crock pot or pan with ease as seen in this photo I found online:

I also like to lay these mats out when I'm trimming chicken or seasoning other meat because it keeps the raw meat off my counter or off a more porous board. My chopping mats are dishwasher safe. The chopping mats I got at the dollar store lasted about a year and a half- a pretty decent investment and I used them every day and always put them in the dishwasher (to get all that yucky bacteria off). I replaced my dollar tree ones with a pack of 4 from bed bath and you know where. This set is high quality, a little thicker, fun colors, and still only about $1 a mat. I have been using them for about 6 months now and they are fabulous. I love my flexible cutting boards!

To see other things people love check out the Diaper Diaries and share something you love too! (You can even win free hostess cupcakes today!!!)

Things I Love Thursday- Joovy Ultralight Caboose

I am so excited to share this new thing I just simply LOVE!!!

I got my double stroller- and it is as wonderful as I hoped (and I got a great deal on ebay!).

May I present.....

The Joovy Ultralight Caboose!

What did I want in a double stroller?

• Easy Manueverability- my sister in laws and other friends have these massive double strollers that don't turn, that are beasts to push, and are simply just too huge! I wanted something I could easily and quickly move around clothing racks, that wasn't going to kill my back pushing or loading back up into my car.
• Compact- I know double stroller and compact are two words that don't often combine (especially at an affordable price point). But I wanted something I could fold up and not have it take up my entire back of my pacifica. For what I use a stroller for- I wanted it as streamlined as possible.
• Sit n Stand- My three year old likes to walk around next the shopping cart and out of her stroller now. I couldn't see the point in having a double seated stroller with it so hard to get her in and out of it. I wanted her to have freedom to be able to walk around- but with the ability to sit and rest for the longer trips (or to be able to have a place to keep her in a busy environment!).
• Economical- I didn't want to spend more than $200. I have not purchased much as far as baby gear in the past (thanks to gifts and hand me downs). I know that you get what you pay for a lot of times with strollers. But, we simply cannot afford any more, and didn't want to spend more on a stroller than any other piece of furniture in our house!
• Fun Color- I know its a silly thing. But I thought it would be fun to have a great bright color that would make the stroller stand out among the crowd of black (think having a fun suitcase!).

I did my research. I googled. I ebayed. I read reviews. I read blogs. I fell in love with the joovy ultralight caboose (not to be confused with it's heavier predecessor the joovy caboose). Ultralight was the key word here. At only 21 pounds, and streamlined, this stroller folds smaller and is lighter than my Graco Quattro Tour I received when Izzy was born. I can carry this baby around with one hand! It's also significantly shorter than all the other double strollers. Check out the specs at Joovy's website.

It came in fun colors. I ended up with the "sage" green. Its more of a cross between lime and sage. Its perfect.

My favorite features of the Joovy ultralight caboose are:

• Pushes like a breeze. I had my 5 year old nephew and 3 year old on this at the mall yesterday. I felt as though I were pushing nothing. It was amazing. I think part of it is due to the great sealed ball bearing wheels (think inline rollerblades).
• Its quality. Everything about this stroller feels nice. When I was assembling it- I couldn't help but notice how the frame and fabrics felt 10x better than my graco. It is well made.
• Great cup/snack holders. The parent organizer is this awesome neoprene wrap around the handle bar. Not obtrusive. Holds waterbottles and cups perfectly, has a great zipper pouch for my keys. There is an awesome net organizer on the back of the seat for Izzy's cup and snacks so she can help herself and I don't have to share my cupholders!
• Did I mention this thing only weighs 21 pounds? It is seriously light and compact and still has all the room we need! Great basket underneath. (I know some people complain that their 'big kid' has to get up to get into the basket- but seriously- is it that big of a deal? )
• Amazing sunshade. This will easily shade both of my girls, or completely block out the front passenger in case they fall asleep. Plus, its easily removable when I don't need it, like the mall.

Some things missing that you may or may not miss (to me, these were not deal breakers considering how I use the stroller)

• The front seat does not fully recline back. It does recline- but not flat. I still think that a 9 month old would fall asleep and be ok with a blanket or something.
• The infant car seat attachment does not allow you to just 'click in' the seat. There is a red safety belt that is conceled in little pockets on the side of the stroller that you brace around the top of the car set (much like if you were to buckle the seat in a car without the base). I have not used this aspect of the stroller yet, but I don't see it as a problem.
• Price- I know its not as affordable as the fisher price sit n stand and slightly more than the baby trend- but I am finding it worth every penny. It retails for $239-299 in stores, but I won a brand new on ebay for $190 (there are a couple of stroller depots that sell them each day or week, so there are constantly new ones up for auction).
• Small space for back seat passenger. This stroller does have a smaller area and seat for the back seat big kid than others- helps saves on space. I do not find it to be too small however. My 5 year old nephew fit fine. Yeah, he probably wouldn't be comfortable riding around for 2 hours in it, but it works. If I needed a stroller where I would want my preschooler sitting for long periods of time, I would have gotten a tradition two seat double. This is meant to provide a resting, periodic resting place for the child to sit or stand, not crash out and nap!

Who would I recommend the Joovy Ultralight Caboose to? Really anyone with young infants-preschoolers. This stroller would be great to travel with, as it is so much more compact. I also would use it for everyday use. I would not recommend as an option for someone with "2 under 2". The amount of freedom that the 2 year old would have and the lack of possible comfort for long term rides would make this more difficult if I had a child younger than two in the back. I remember Izzy taking short spurts on her cousin's sit n stand last summer when she just turned 2. She did well with it, but I wouldn't have trusted her for long.

So, I just absolutely LOVE my new toy. I highly recommend the Joovy Ultralight Caboose if you are in the market for a sit n stand. Check out more things we love at The Diaper Diaries' blog roll "Things I Love Thursday".

-if you are interested in 'test driving' the caboose ultralight', the only store in the grand rapids area that sells them (to my knoweldge) is USA Baby. Babies R Us carries them only online. And, obviously, since I purchased this stroller, I'm not being asked or provided anything in return for this review.

Things I Love Thursday- Asian Sesame Salad from Panera

Oh my good golly it has been a long time since I have participated in Things I Love Thursday...or any significant blog post for that matter.

Losing my free time due to my 3 year old suddenly giving up naps will do that to you.

I am normally a chocoholic, anything sweet I can get my hands on, a bowl of ice cream is the perfect bedtime snack kind of girl. This pregnancy however, I have been less drawn to the sweets (gasp!). I'm almost ashamed of myself. Lately I am more eager to grab something salty (oh yummy chips and pretzels how I love thee). Salads have been soooo tasty. Give me salad over pasta any day (who am I?). I also have been drawn to like the tangy/sour things like orange pop and vingegrettes.

I also love the oriental salad from Apple.bees. So, on a recent date night (whohoo!) when we ventured to Panera- I decided to try the Asian Sesame Salad. Sounded good and similar.

Oh my dear gracious was I in heaven! This salad is simply amazing! Better than Apple.bees!!! The chicken is baked not deep fried. The dressing is a sweet tangy goodness that is so light and clear you can hardly tell its there. The sliced almonds, greens, on wontons make this perfect!

Oh how does my pregnant self crave this salad. However, my dear pregnant self cannot afford to go out every night of the week to fulfill this craving.

This is where I'm hoping you all come in. Anyone have any recipes that are similar to this? I've tried the dole asian mix with dressing- it was ok...but the dressing was not quite the same.

Is there a dressing that anyone knows of that is similar? A kit? An online recipe? I've tried the recipe I've seen that is suppose to copy it- but it was complicated and didn't taste nearly the same.

Thanks for the tips! And don't forget to check out more posts for Things I Love Thursday hosted by the Diaper Diaries.

Things I Love Thursday- Miss Pattycake

I'm back for another round of sharing something I love on this beautiful Thursday. Hosted by the lovely Miss Diaper Diaries :) Visit thediaperdiaries.net for more things that people love!

This week I am going to share my love for Miss Pattycake. Miss Pattycake joined our house by accident. There was a buy one dvd get one free at a local christian bookstore when Izzy was about 1. I was struggling to find an under $10 DVD to throw in when a salesperson showed me a demo of Miss Pattycake that was for sale. Our life has never been the same since!

Miss Pattycake is a character created by Jean and Nancy out of a desire to fill a void in the christian media. They desired to create a music and video experience for preschoolers and their parents. Miss Pattycake started out as a church ministry, but grew quickly into a singing and storytellling extravaganza! Through exciting songs and bible stories and a smile that glows, Miss Pattycake encourages preschoolers to praise the Lord no matter how big or small they are. Firmly planted in Biblical truth, I have been amazed and impressed at every DVD, book, and song I have heard. My daughter (now 2.5) jumps around singing "patty cake praise" "bubbling joy" and some great old Sunday School Song classics. She knows the story of creation, moses, Christ's resurrection, Christ's birth, and has even been taught how to pray for kids like her around the world.

If you have kids of preschool age (or even early elementary) I guarantee they will enjoy listening to this engaging teacher. (my husband finds her slightly annoying and corny, and you may too, but her voice does keeps kids engaged). Check out the Miss Pattycake videos at your local Christian bookstore or library! Or here at http://www.misspattycake.com/

Things I Love Thursday- Betty Crocker Ap.

When it came time to do all of our traveling last fall, we knew that we would need some sort of music player. We had nothing- not even an 'ancient' cd player! So, we headed out to buy some sort of mp3 player. We ended up buying an Ipod touch 2G. I love it! We have wireless in the house, so I can do a quick check of the email, without loading up the computer. I have a couple little scribble games for Izzy to play when we are waiting in line or at an office. Its been so handy! I also put all of Izzy's music on there. I created playlists for her different favorites- veggie tales, praise songs from church, strawberry shortcake, etc. She tells me what she wants, I press play- no fumbling with CD's!

One of my favorite things with my Ipod touch have been the aps. One favorite of my is the Betty Crocker Ap. Its filled with all sorts of great, easy recipes with things I often have in the cupboard or fridge anyway. This little ap has a couple of great features:

1. It was free!
2. Surprise me function allows you to just let it pick random recipes for you to browse- coming up with things you wouldn't have thought of to look for (like a dry chai mix!)
3. Search by ingredient allows you to find recipes that have 1-2 ingredients you have on hand and want to get rid of.
4. Save my favorites so I don't have to go looking for that one recipe that sounded oh so good the other day!
5. Did I mention it was free?

I love my Betty Crocker Ap. Plus, since its on my handy Ipod touch, I don't have to print anything out, just keep it close as I'm cooking!

That's what I love this Thursday. Head on over to The Diaper Diaries for more!

Things I Love Thursday- Crayola

Time for another round of Things that I Love Thursday hosted by The Diaper Diaries!


The thing I love this Thursday is (insert triumphant horn sound) CRAYOLA!!!

I love Crayola. They are by far the best, most kid friendly, high quality, mom loved coloring utensil suppliers. As a former teacher, a lover of coloring (its so relaxing!), and now a mom, I can vouch for the tremendous quality of the Crayola products. (And no, they are not paying me to say this- I don't even know them- but yes, I would be interested!).

There is nothing like coloring with a crayola crayon. They have the perfect consistency where there is no waxy residue or flakes all over the picture you painstakingly worked on. They do not break nearly as easy as most other crayons. I enjoy their colored pencils too- but its harder to notice a quality difference there in my opinion.

Now, crayola markers are the only markers allowed in our house (well, minus my permanant friend, the sharpie!). They are phenomenal. Smooth coloring. Great colors, very washable.


Well, I was very excited when Tar*et had a great little deal on Crayola makers. It was a 50 pip-squeeks in a handy pastic tower that was collapsible when not in use!

All for only $10!!!

I was thrilled- because as great as Crayola is, it can be a bit pricey!

Well, much to my dissapointment, when my 2.5 year old and I brought our new treasure home for an afternoon of coloring delight, I imediately became frustrated. The tower kept collapsing. The 'lid' kept closing in on our hands. These marker lids were the hardest buggers to get off and on- so most of my time was spent helping Izzy change from color to color rather than actually enjoying the activity myself. Then, I had about 5 colors that were almost completely dry- at opening! Well, I trudged on, hoping I could just figure this out. Well, within 1 week of slight use, I had another 5 markers dry up and nearly bite the dust. I couldn't believe the low quality, the complete dysfunctionality of the contraption, and just was so frustrated. This was not my crayola!

Well, the main reason I love my Crayola, is for their customer service. I gave the hotline a call. Was on hold for less than 3 minutes (amazing feat!). After a little serial number digging, the helpful woman found that my markers were made in 2007 and were nearing their shelf life. Hence, the dry colors. She happily sent me a consumer check for $15 off my next crayola purchase (with the intent of replacing my apprently defective product). I love you Crayola! Thank you for standing by your product enough to let me try again! So, as Izzy and I use up the remaning remnants of the Pip-squeek tower, we are plotting our next Crayola purchase.

Check out The Diaper Diaries for more things we love!

Things I Love Thursday- Dora Bingo

I join the carnival on The Diaper Diaries to exclaim yet another thing that I love. This Thursday, I Love our new Dora Bingo game.

I was given this as a gift for Isabelle over a year ago. It sat in the closet waiting for her birthday, but I forgot. It continued collecting dust over Christmas when I thought yet another new toy was not needed at the moment. Dora Bingo finally made its way into our play area from its perch on the shelf a couple of weeks ago. Boy do I wish I had gotten this thing down earlier!

Things I Love about it:

• Easy to use- my 2.5 year old can play it by herself



• Easy to store- all of the bingo chips fit in a compartment that fits under the base of the game- plus they are large enough to not really be huge choking hazards



• Spanish/English- everything is stated in Spanish and English- and Izzy learns from both



• Two Ways- do bingo by filling the star side or the animal side



• Teaches about animals



• Quick game- with only 6 spaces on the card- one game only lasts a few minutes, so there is a short term commitment to it- and its good for short attention spans

Things I Wish Would Change:

• It said on the box for ages 3+. I think my daughter would have started loving this game much closer to 2. The animal card side would be great for teaching her different animals. Now, she focuses more on learning to identify her colors on the star side.



• Small window of learning- There isn't a whole lot of room to grow up with this game, no way to "adjust" the rule of play to grow with it. I wish you could turn the English off to make it only Spanish or something like that to make it more challenging later on.

This game has been so fantastic for us. Isabelle plays it by herself, we play a couple games together or even as a family. I even played with two two year olds and it worked great. Unfortunately, it appears to be hard to track down. Ama*zon is sold out and doesn't know if anymore will be in stock. I found a different dora bingo game when I searched for it. I did manage to find a couple on e*bay. Just be sure to search "Dora Electronic Bingo"

Well, thats what I love this Thursday. To find out more things people love, check out the carnival going on at the Diaper Diaries.

Things I Love Thursday- KDL

Time again for another round of Things I Love (well, things we love if you visit the totally awesome blog of http://thediaperdiaries.net )

Check out the site to find a great list of products, places, and creative ideas that we totally love!

The thing I love this Thursday is the KDL- the Kent District Library system. Many of my readers live in the vicinity of the KDL- for those that don't- I hope your local library system is as totally awesome as ours!

The KDL is more than just an organized group of local libraries- it is like free shopping mall for any movie, cd, or book you could want! It unites all resources to be available to all.

You see, the KDL is made up of a ton of different libraries- I don't even know the number- 40 maybe? They have a common website: www.kdl.org

I have my local library that I go to and browse for new ideas and products. But, there website is where I find my true joy. You see, all I have to do is type in what I'm looking for. Maybe its a Dora DVD, a Veggie tales CD, or the novel that everyone says I just have to read. Up pop the results. It lists all the available options for you. I had no idea there were Strawberry shortcake soundtracks!!! I found the DVD series of my favorite show growing up- Dr. Quinn. It lists all of the results and what library they are at, what their 'status' is (checked out, when its due, on shelf, etc.). But here is the best part- I don't have to drive there! I click hold. I pick which library I will pick it up at. Then, I get an email when my item is ready to be picked up! Its held in a separate section for holds- so I don't have to go traipsing around the library looking for the Curious George book that should be there, but isn't. I check it out. I enjoy. I return to ANY KDL branch library. Brilliant!

I'm telling you it is an awesome thing. Its not realistic for one local library to resource all of our desires and needs. To combine resources and make it so user friendly is why the KDL is one of the things I love!!!

Remember to check out The Diaper Diaries for more Things We Love!

Things I Love Thursday- Dollar Tree Deals!

I probably frequent my favorite dollar store (The Dollar Tr.ee on Canal) a little too often. I usually don't have a strong need to go in there- its just so much fun. Well, today I did have a mission to get some cleaning products and a treat for Izzy since she was so good as I did some jean shopping (not my favorite thing to do!). I'm not sure why I never paid attention before, but they had a whole rack of these wall stickers (Brand: Main Street Wall Creations). Anyways, they had a bunch of different colors, shapes, characters (even those famous princesses!). I found this cute bunch of flowers and butterflies. They were all on one sheet. This entire little project cost me= $1!!!! I couldn't believe it. I was so thrilled. They went on the wall perfectly. Just like a normal sticker. They peel off when you're done with them without hurting the wall. (I had to peel one off because it was crooked and it came off great- and it even reattached!). While these aren't as classy as say the Upp.er Ca.se Li.ving brand- they are sure fun. For a buck- I'm willing to try just about anything anywhere. I love my dollar t.ree!!!!

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Oh, and here is the finished product! I couldn't believe how well it matched her bedding! Oh, and this little scene has lots of great deals. Lamp- Tar.get from her crib days. Bedding- Koh.l's (60% + additional 30% when I used my khol's charge. Mattresses- free from family. Headboard- free from family. Bookshelf- Goodwill $5. Decorative Pillows on Bed- Goodwill $2 each.

Things I love Thursday- Kitchen Scissors

Its Thursday! That means only 1 day until Friday, The Office, and of course, Things I Love Thursday from The Diaper Diaries!

This week I will share my love of kitchen scissors. I have always enjoyed using kitchen scissors. They are great for just about anything cooking related. I open bags, puncture seals, and even trim the fat off meat! They are so much easier to use when chunking raw meat for stir fry. I will never use a knife for cutting up meat again! But as a mom, I have found new and glorious reasons for why I love my kitchen shears. They cut pizza like a charm- without making the cheese fall of. You can do a quick 'snip snip' in the bowl of pasta thats just a little too large for little mouths. You can cut those pancakes or any other food item into bite size pieces in just seconds! I have tried the pizza cutter thing, but I found it to be a pain unless I was using it on a completely flat surface. Scissors know no boundries!

I have two pairs of scissors that are often washed multiple times a day. One pair is a pretty typical pair that came with a knife set or something. It works well for most food and projects. When I need to do something a little more heavy duty or when working with raw meats, I love to use my Chicago Cutlery shears . They are super sharp, high quality, and the blades come apart! This way I can give them a real good washing and disenfecting after cutting the raw chicken! And they are so affordable! (amazon currently has them for 7.99!)

Kitchen scissors are a must have for any cook, especially if you name is Mom.

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*FYI, I'm not paid or asked to endorsed any product. These are ones that work for me and that I love. No reinbursment here! Just my own happiness!

Things I Love Thursday- Bar Keepers Friend Stovetop Cleaner

One of my new favorite blogs is The Diaper Diaries. I found her through her Mom at church. She is hilarious! She also has this great bloggy roll called Things I love Thursdays. I thought (now that I'm an out of the closet fan not just a creepy lurker :) ) that I would take my first stab at it!

I have an archnemesis in my home. It is my stove top. My husband purchased and finished the condo we live in before we were married. He purchased the appliances without the help of any wise council- aka mom, sisters, some womanly influence. He purchased the cheapest appliances he could find, and the most part they do the trick- but this stove top and I have had a rough relationship. Its a flat/glass top whatever stove that most electric ranges are nowadays. However, instead of the usual gray or black- it is white. Sure, it looks nice, bue let me tell you how quickly that white turns every shade of dinner and burnt remnants of it! I cannot keep this stove clean for the life of me. It was always dirty and showed every single speck of over boil and pasta sauce. I'm not a clean freak- but it was always gross to look at. The white- the madness of it all! That is, until I met my new best friend

My archnemesis has been conquered. My new best friend is Bar Keeper's Friend. My old stove top cleaner was only pulled out when I needed the house sparkling. It took so much elbow grease and my trusty razor blade to even come close to a clean surface. Too much work for just everyday spills. Bar Keeper's Friend is a powder- sprinkle a little on a slightly damp surface and wipe with a slightly damp rag. Tada! I hardly have to use any elbow grease. On rare occasions do I even need to get out my trust razor blade to scrape away burnt dinner residue. Sprinkle a little on and the stains are gone!

I think the relationship between my stove top and I will be repaired. It may take time and council- but we'll manage. As for the hubby- well, next time we'll go appliance shopping together.