MY LIFE WITH THE MUNCHKIN' MAN

WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION....WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

2010-12-01T10:22:00.003-05:00

Although it is almost winter and I have not blogged in almost a year.... I thought I would start with a picture of why I have been absent from my blog for so long!! Now I have to come up with a new name for the blog.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- FIRST TIME SLEDDING

2009-12-16T08:34:00.006-05:00

WINNER OF PeaceLove Mom Cranberry Comfy Thermal

2009-12-16T08:31:00.003-05:00

The winner has been chosen for the Cranberry Thermal from PeaceLoveMom:

Tanya said...
50
daily tweet, thanks! http://twitter.com/sunshinestgurl/status/6471692692
December 8, 2009 2:00 PM

Congratulations Tanya!!! Please forward your shipping information within 48 hours!

Thank you so very much to PeaceLoveMom for sponsoring such a wonderful giveaway! I absolutely love all their products that celebrate Motherhood!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- HUNTING FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE

2009-12-02T08:38:00.005-05:00

ECOVER STAIN REMOVER REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

2009-11-30T08:48:00.008-05:00

When you first start out on the quest to be eco-friendly or "green", it is very overwhelming. Do you stop using all products that contain harmful chemicals? Do you throw everything out? What do you start with? When I began my journey, I started by changing one product at a time.

I have always been interested in the environment. When you begin a family, I, like a lot of people, began to see the world completely different. When you have a child, your laundry routine also changes!! You have more loads of laundry of course, but you also have to deal with stains that you never thought about before. There are food stains, stains from blow outs, and as your child grows you have a whole new set of stains. On my search for more eco-friendly cleaning/laundry products I found Ecover. Ecover states:

Ecover stands for careful enterprise. This means that we produce our washing and cleaning products in an ecological, economic and socially responsible way in a unique ecological factory. Honest and open, we respect people and the environment. In our view, this is the only way to guarantee a sustainable future

The statement really was all that I was looking for. I contacted Ecover to do a review on my blog and they sent over the Ecover Stain Remover for us to try.

With a very active (and messy) toddler, I was able to try the product right away. The bottle has a wonderful brush on the top and really helps with getting in there and removing all of the stain. I kept the stain remover in my kitchen for easy access. I used the stain remover on grass, blood, chocolate, some kind of red ice pop, and pen. Let me explain a little about the pen. I do not normally give my 2 1/2 year old a pen, but he found one early one morning when I was still in bed. I heard a strange noise from the other room and when to see what happened. To my horror, my darling son was drawing all over our micro suede ottoman. AHHH. What was I going to do? You can not just take the cover off and throw it in the wash. I began scrubbing with soap and water.. and then the light bulb went on.. try the Ecover Stain Remover!!! I am sure when Ecover was in the lab making this product they did not think that one of the uses was to clean up after a fight with a pen and an ottoman. I began to scrub! With the brush applicator tip, it was so easy to scrub into the fabric. I am sure there might be a product that better suits this job, but the Ecover stain remover did the job. It took out ALL the pen. The stain remover also has a pleasant scent that made my living room smell great :)

I would definitely recommend the Ecover Stain Remover for everyday use. No harsh chemicals, great for whites and colorfast laundry,optimum level of biodegradability, and not tested on animals. This product was great and in our house it is used everyday!!

Are you looking for a wonderful eco-friendly stain remover? Head over to Ecover. They have a full line of of products for laundry,dish washing, household and ever personal care.

Do you want a chance to win a Ecover Stain Remover?

Ecover is generously giving away one to a lucky reader of my blog!!

Mandatory

Visit Ecover and tell me which product you would like to use in your house (exact name).
*Remember to include your email address in your comment if it is not visible on your profile or you will be disqualified.

After you have completed the above mandatory entry you are eligible for additional entries.
Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry and include your email address in at least one entry.

Additional Entries
1.Follow my blog publicly-Current followers count too!

2. Blog about my giveaway and link back to my site-Leave the URL where you blogged

3. Follow Ecover on Twitter

4. Follow me on Twitter
5. Tweet about this giveaway-You may Tweet daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit 1 per day. Leave the URL where you Tweeted.

6.Become a Fan of Ecover on Facebook

Open to US Only. Giveaway ends Thursday December 17, 2009. Winner will be drawn by random.org and announced on this blog as well as emailed. Products reviewed were provided to me free of charge, however my opinion is my own and is an honest view of my experience with the product. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Good Luck!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- LEAVES

2009-11-25T08:48:00.007-05:00

Peace Love Mom Review and Giveaway

2009-11-24T08:30:00.010-05:00

***GIVEAWAY CLOSED***

I was recently asked to do a review for a wonderful company PeaceLoveMom. I heard about the company via Twitter (where I find most of my information.) They asked me to check out the website and tell them what I liked. Oh Wow- how could I choose? Their products looked to cute and comfortable. I narrowed it down and chose-

This is the Lucky Mom Cozy Pumpkin Thermal. I thought this would be perfect for the Fall season. PeaceLoveMom is a wonderful company. They state:

PeaceLoveMom is made up of a team of Moms with one common goal – to create “a celebration of motherhood” for all types of mothers. PeaceLoveMom, a lifestyle brand company was designed to share life’s many moments of motherhood. Established in 2006, the PeaceLoveMom team of ladies brings variant backgrounds, perspectives, and creativity to the table. Although the day-to-day business tasks are split, every PeaceLoveMom in our company possesses the same passion for motherhood and their new found careers. Creating designs that will both inspire and empower mothers everywhere, PeaceLoveMom represents a collaboration and true celebration of motherhood.

When I received my thermal, I washed it that day so that I could wear it right away. When I put it on I loved it. The liked the fit of the shirt very much. It was true to size- I bought the X-large and thought that it may be kinda tight due to my hmm.. large chest. The shirt did not hug me in the wrong places. The length of the shirt was also super- you can raise your arms to reach something and the shirt will not show your muffin top..lol. The shirt is made of high quality fabric that is soft and moves very well. I have worn the thermal a bunch of times and have received many compliments. I love being a proud mom of my son and do feel so lucky. The designs from PeaceLoveMom are very hip and not over powering. I would definitely recommend this company for anyone that is looking for a unique shirt for all the wonderful moms out there.

PeaceLoveMom also have a wonderful selection of onesies for babies and also adorable jewelry and tote bags! Make sure you stop by PeaceLoveMom and pick up an extra special gift for the mom in your life :) For my readers you can receive free shipping by using the code: KERRY09.

Do you want to WIN a Happy Mom Cranberry Comfy Thermal?

Here is how to enter to win:

Visit PeaceLoveMom and tell me which item they sell is your favorite (exact name).

*Remember to include your email address in your comment if it is not visible on your profile or you will be disqualified.
After you have completed the above mandatory entry you are eligible for additional entries.

Remember to leave a separate comment for each additional entry and include your email address in at least one entry.

1.Follow my blog publicly-Current followers count too!
2. Blog about my giveaway and link back to my site-Leave the URL where you blogged
3. Follow me on Twitter

4. Tweet about this giveaway-You may Tweet daily and gain an extra entry each day that you tweet-limit 1 per day. Leave the URL where you Tweeted.
5. Follow PeaceLoveMom on Twitter
6.Become a Fan of PeaceLoveMom on Facebook

Open to US Only. Giveaway ends Tuesday, December 8, 2009. Winner will be drawn by random.org and announced on this blog as well as emailed. Products reviewed were provided to me free of charge, however my opinion is my own and is an honest view of my experience with the product. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be drawn. Good Luck!

*** due to low entry I am extending this giveaway till Tuesday, December 15th :)

BEYOND A PEANUT FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS CARDS REVIEW

2009-10-28T17:12:00.006-04:00

I am sure most of you that have read my blog before know that the Munchkin' Man has a severe allergy to peanuts. Since the awful day of finding this out, our lives have changed drastically. I have read many books. Searched the web and read tons of blogs. I also have been looking for products to help educate family members on this life threatening allergy. I came across the website Beyond A Peanut one day while doing a search. The first thing that caught my eye was the statement on the top of the website that was the description of what I have been looking for:

Resources to empower children with food allergies and teach those caring for them how to provide a safe environment

I contacted them and asked if they would like to sponsor a review for my blog. Dina sent over the Food Allergy Awareness Cards and Diggins Munchtime Placemats.

The Food Allergy Awareness Cards are FANTASTIC. They are a wonderful reference for anyone that has a child with a peanut allergy. The pack comes with 36 cards that provide tips and information on staying safe. Since the MM is not in school yet, I have used them to help educate family members on what is safe for him and what is not. The pictures and quick reference make the cards the most useful tool I have found so far. The cards are color coded letting you know which situations would be considered safe, pose the greatest risk, and what may be a potential risk. The cards are great for all ages. Even my 2 year old can look at the pictures and tell me if it is something that is safe or not safe.

When the MM goes to school, I will be sending the cards with him so that his teacher can help the other students understand allergies. If you have a child with a peanut allergy, I would HIGHLY recommend getting the Food Allergy Awareness Cards.

The cards are recommended for all individuals caring for your child with a nut allergy in:
your home
your extended family members
your neighbor's house
your day care provider
your school
your church or synagogue

I was also able to review the Diggins Munchtime Placemats. When ever we go out I have to make sure that the food the MM is going to eat is safe. We also have to make sure that we have something to entertain him while waiting for the food to come. The Diggins Placemats are super. They have wonderful pictures to color, counting games, and letter finds. We have used them at restaurants and I have also used them at home when we need a little "quiet time." I have also shared them with some friends and they love the activities that are on the placemats also!! I just fold a few and always keep them in our bag!

The website Beyond A Peanut is a great resource for peanut allergy facts as well as up to date information that has been in the news regarding allergies. Take a minute to check out their great products as well as the extremely useful information they have!!

Have you used the Food Allergy Awareness Cards? Please leave a comment to tell me how you used them :)

Thank you again for Beyond A Peanut for sponsoring this wonderful review.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- I LOVE FALL (pic overload)

2009-10-28T08:48:00.022-04:00

We love taking hikes during this time of year :)

BOOKS BY TARA WINNERS

2009-10-27T17:30:00.002-04:00

Thank you to Tara of Books by Tara for sponsoring this wonderful giveaway! I love the illustrations and the poems in all the books. I hope the winners enjoy their books as much as we do.

Now onto the winners......drum roll please :)

#16 Brie H said...
16
3rd tweethttp://twitter.com/bdelaughter/status/4915095372bdelaughter@hotmail.com
October 16, 2009 9:05 AM

#29 Julie said...
29
I like all of her books-but either the snowman or car washaunteegem@yahoo.com
October 23, 2009 11:04 PM

#32 Bethie said...
32
Please count me in. I would like to read Water to my son.lizzi0915 at aol dot com
October 24, 2009 11:25 PM

Congratulations to all the winners. Please contact me within 24 hours with your shipping information. If a winner does not contact me within that time frame, another winner will be chosen.

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY- ORANGE/PUMPKIN THEME

2009-10-26T12:11:00.006-04:00

Wow! We have not done a Muffin Tin Monday in awhile. Over the weekend I bought the Wilton Jack-O-Lantern Silicone Mold. I found it on sale and could not resist.

Here is what the Munchkin' Man had for lunch:

* Soy Butter and Pumpkin Butter sandwich cut into a pumpkin shape with raisin eyes

* Tangerine slices (I "carved" a face in the one side with pretzel stem)

* Applesauce with Halloween sprinkles

*Carrot sticks

*Pumpkin milkshake (soy milk, canned pumpkin, agave nectar, and pumpkin spice)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY-KNITTING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

2009-10-21T09:06:00.008-04:00

I figured that I would show one of the MANY projects I am working on for the holidays :) (they are dishcloths!)

BOOKS BY TARA- REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY CLOSED

2009-10-09T10:49:00.015-04:00

I am completely addicted to books. The Munchkin' Man has followed in my footsteps. Every time I go out shopping, I seem to come home with another book. A few months ago, I won a wonderful book SNOWMAN from Books By Tara. We thought this book was fantastic!! The book has large pictures of the process of making a snowman. The process is explained with a super cute poem-

"Time to make the snowman's head

Put it on the tippy top

Now his body's complete…but BARE!

There's more to do, not time to stop "

Tara, the author, wrote her books with her youngest child in mind, who was showed signs of Autism at the age of two. She worked with her son using one on one therapy. About her books she states:

I have found simple books and pictures to be one of the best interaction tools available. They help establish a mutual focus for making social connections. I have also found that there are a limited amount of simple books that aren’t too babyish. I created Tara Books to help fill that void.

Tara's books are such a wonderful learning tool for all children! I contacted Tara about her books and she sent The Munchkin' Man Jake-O-Lantern. This was such a great book to introduce the Fall season. I love the sequencing of the book. The book is so easy to follow, even for a 2 1/2 year old. The pictures are so colorful and true to life. The Munchkin' Man was able to look at the pictures and tell me step by step instructions on how to make a Jake-O-Lantern. This story is also told with a fantastic poem:

"Pick out a pumpkin

Just the right size

How the face turns out Will be a surprise! "

I would recommend Books By Tara to any parent that is looking for books that have:

* fantastic real life pictures

* playful themes

*story lines that are open ended for further discussion with your child(ren)

*wonderful poems with language that is easy for children to repeat

*ways to support a MOM :) that is working hard at helping a community that is growing in great numbers!

Another thing I thinking is totally fantastic about Books By Tara, is that with each book she has Extension Activities. They are a super way to take her books one step further.

Here are a few pics of the Munchkin' Man and his Jack-O-Lantern book and also activity:

We followed the pictures in the book to make our oh so wonderful Jack-O-Lantern. Most of the time the MM was asking if he could eat it!!

Did you like what you saw in this review? Do you want to win your choice of book from Books By Tara? Here is your chance. Tara is going to giveaway one book of your choice to THREE lucky winners!

Here is how you enter:

Mandatory:

1. Visit Books By Tara and tell me what book you would love to read to your child

Additional

2. Sign up for Books by Tara Newsletter
3. Follow Books By Tara on Twitter

4. Follow me on Twitter

5. Subscribe to my feeds

6. Tweet this giveaway for extra entries (3 entries per day)

** You must leave a comment when you do any of the additional entries!!!!***

**Make sure you put an email for contact if you are the winner ***
*** This giveaway will end on Monday, October 26,2009***

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS

2009-10-07T09:16:00.007-04:00

PEANUT ALLERGY AND THE PLAYGROUND

2009-10-01T14:22:00.002-04:00

Once the weather becomes cooler is when I come out of the house. I enjoy the summer, but I hate going to the playground when my son can not even go down the slide because it is too hot. Well, the first nice cool day, we went to a local park to get some fresh air and exercise. We first took a hike through the woods to look for some of the signs of Fall. I am in love with the colors all around during this season. After our hike, we headed off the the playground. The playground has two sides- one for toddlers and then one for older children. The MM loves those sit on giant spring things on the toddler side. He then went over to the large equipment. We were having a great time. There were a few little girls playing and they were also eating a snack. Of course like any other 2 yr old, the MM went up to one of the little girls and asked for a cracker. I told him he could have snack when we got home. Then..... I realized the girls were eating peanut butter crackers!!! AHHHH!! I told the MM to go and play as in my head I am completely panicking!!! I have been teaching him not take snacks from anyone without asking me, but you never know. I was a mess. Do I take him to the other side of the playground? Do we leave? Were is the Epi pen? If something happened do I run to the car and get the Epi pen or do I carry him with me? Doesn't that mother know that there are kids with severe peanut allergies? I was also trying to calm myself down. It will be ok!! Well after about 10 more minutes, it was time for us to leave. Luckily we had been there for awhile and the MM did not protest, it was time to go home and a peanut free lunch :)

When we got home I reflected on the situation and my reaction. What I really learned is that not everyone is aware of allergies. It is not realistic to think that everywhere we go people are going to think "is this snack safe for all children?" I think that this is just still very new to me and in time I will be able to handle these type of situations with a little more sanity.

I am very luck with the support I have from friends. When I go to birthday parties, I call them before we go and ask what they are having. It makes life easier to know if there will be something for the MM to eat. Friends have read ingredients for me and even have gone out of their way to make sure there is safe food.

If you have a child with a peanut allergy, please leave a comment about a situation you were faced with and how you got through it!! I would love to know also what other parents would have done and how they would have felt with this situation!!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- A BIKE BUILT FOR A GIANT

2009-09-30T08:49:00.005-04:00

WINNERS OF THE SKOY CLOTH GIVEAWAY

2009-09-28T09:19:00.002-04:00

I am sorry for the delay on picking the winners for the Skoy Cloth giveaway. It was a busy weekend and I am not even sure I turned on my computer!! The winners were picked using Random.org...and the winners are....

#35 Nancy said...
35
Tweet #4 http://twitter.com/njhhb/status/4123810243
September 20, 2009 10:04 AM

#29Mommy is Green said...
29
I subscribed to your feed!
September 19, 2009 9:31 PM

Congratulations to the two winners. I am in love with using the Skoy cloths throughout the house, I hope you enjoy yours as much as I do.

**Winners must contact me within 48 hrs with contact information or another winner will be chosen :)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- A WALK ON THE BEACH

2009-09-23T14:35:00.007-04:00

MEATLESS MONDAY- VEGETARIAN CHILI

2009-09-21T20:29:00.005-04:00

Today we did not end up doing a Muffin Tin Monday (I actually forgot it was Monday.)

For dinner I was searching for a good meatless recipe. I figured that I already had some organic kidney beans so, vegetarian chili sounded great. I came across a recipe for Vegetarian Chili with butternut squash. I had bought the butternut squash to make another recipe, but this one kind of intrigued me.

I did change a few things in the recipe. I added water instead of using vegetable stock. I added carrots and tomatoes from my garden. I also used kidney beans instead of the black beans. We it was all cooked, I served it over some whole wheat organic pasta. It actually was better than I thought it would be. My husband even liked it, but said that next time a little less butternut squash.I would definitely try this recipe again. It was a great meal to start off the Fall season!!!

SPOONING FOOD ACTIVITY

2009-09-18T11:23:00.006-04:00

The Munchkin' Man has been working on his fine muscle control. Although he is able to use and spoon and feed himself, he still needs to work on his hand eye coordination. I set up a spooning activity tray for him and he loved it.

I set up the tray with two bowls and a tablespoon. As you can see in the above picture, one bowl is empty and the other one is full of beans ( I mixed three different types of beans that will be sorted another day.) He then used the spoon to transfer the beans from one bowl to the other.

This activity is suited for many different age and skill levels. For children that are just leaning how to use a spoon, you can use large Lima beans. For the MM, the next time we work on spooning, we will move onto something smaller, like rice, and use a smaller spoon also.

He was so proud of himself and had to show everyone when they came over his new activity. Although we do not follow the Montessori approach everyday, I am still trying to work in activities such as this one!

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- SELF PORTRAIT

2009-09-16T08:28:00.003-04:00

This picture is from a house garden tour we went on in the beginning of the summer!

SKOY CLOTH REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

2009-09-15T18:32:00.012-04:00

Have you been looking for an eco friendly alternative to using paper towels? I know I have!! Most people dry their hands with them and use them to wipe up spills. Have you ever noticed how many paper towels it takes to wipe up a cup of spilled milk? Since The Munchkin' Man has been potty training, we have been going through so many paper towels. Although I will continue to clean up his little "accidents "with them, I needed to find a product that I could use through out the house. Each and everyday I try to find ways that our family can be a little more green. While searching online for paper towel alternatives, I found Skoy . Skoy is a fantastic company that makes absorbent, biodegradable and natural multi-use cloths. I contacted Skoy cloth and they sent over four wonderful cloths for us to try.

As soon as they arrived and I opened the package, I was ready to give them a try. The company name comes from the Swedish word Skoj which means " just for fun." Looking at these adorable cloths, that is the perfect name. The Skoy cloths come in so many fun colors and have a flower and even inspirational sayings on them. I ran the Skoy cloth under the water and it was ready to go. I was shocked how much water the cloth actually held. I put one in the kitchen and one in the bathroom to wipe up the counter tops. The cloths worked great. I found myself using them for everything- from just drying my hands, cleaning small cups, and wiping the table down after dinner. The Munchkin' Man used them to wipe his place mat off and then had to use it as a hat also..lol

The features of the Skoy cloths that love the most are that they:

*have an absorption factor of 15x own weight

*can be used in so many other rooms in the house besides the kitchen

* 100% biodegradable (can be composted when done using)

*colorful and have fun designs

*can be washed in washer, dishwasher and sanitize in the microwave

*reusable unlike its paper towels that end up in the landfill

I love the Skoy cloths and have been telling everyone about them. I even gave my mother one to use, although I wanted to keep them all to myself.

Do you need an alternative to those wasteful paper towels and like what you read about the Skoy cloths? Do you want to try them yourself? Well, here is your chance. Skoy is generously sponsoring a giveaway for readers of my blog. There will be two winners and the prize will be a pack of FOUR Skoy cloths.!!!

Here is how you can enter...

Mandatory:
1. Visit Skoy Cloth and tell me what feature you like best for Skoy cloth
Additional Entries:

2. Become a Fan of Skoy Cloth on Facebook

3. Follow me on Twitter
4. Subscribe to my feeds
5. Tweet this giveaway for extra entries (5 entries per day)
** You must leave a comment when you do any of the additional entries!!!!**
***Make sure you put an email for contact if you are the winner ***

*** This giveaway will end on Friday, September 25, 2009***

WINNERS OF PETER RABBIT ORGANICS FRUIT POUCHES

2009-09-15T17:37:00.003-04:00

The winners for the Peter Rabbit Organics Fruit Pouches have been chosen. The winners were picked using http://www.random.org/.

And the winners are.......

# 34 Meredith said...

34
http://twitter.com/mmiller0912/statuses/3862511280
September 9, 2009 9:00 AM

#25 Tiffany said...
25
I like that they don't contain in added sugars... My kids are hyper enough.
September 8, 2009 10:14 AM

#148 Marin said...

148
http://twitter.com/MarinOBrien/status/4003849868
September 15, 2009 9:00 AM

Winners must forward their shipping information within 48 hours or another winner will be chosen.

Thank you to Peter Rabbit Organics for supplying the wonderful fruit pouches for the Munchkin' Man to try and for sponsoring this giveaway. I hope the winners think the fruit pouches are as yummy as we think they are!

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY

2009-09-14T13:09:00.005-04:00

I am still trying to figure out how to be a lot more creative when it comes to Muffin Tin Mondays, but it doesn't seem to be working.. :)

Here is today's

On the menu for today:

*Soy butter and jelly sandwich cut in the shape of a banana on homemade bread

*Homemade applesauce with cinnamon and a piece of organic fruit leather cut into a heart

*Peas ( this is what veggie my son wanted..lol)

I have been browsing many different blogs to find some ideas and hopefully in the upcoming weeks the Munchkin' Man will get some fun and entertaining - as well as healthy- lunches !

NEIGHBOR TROUBLE

2009-09-04T14:32:00.002-04:00

So far on my blog, I have talked about the Munchkin' Man, showed pics and shared recipes. Today... I need to vent!

We are having a little trouble with the neighbor that is towards the back end of our property (we have almost an acre.) She told another person in the neighborhood that my husband is catching cats and either poisoning them or killing them in the shed!! WHAT!! We had another neighbor call and tell us that she had said this. This neighbor is upset that we put up a 6 foot fence on the property line. We had to cut a very old and dead tree down. She had to take her old chain link fence in order to so this. They were taking their time putting back up. They have a very large rottie that gets out and we caught her grandchildren playing on our playground. My husband had enough and put up the fence himself, just a larger more private one.

I am EXTREMELY disturbed at her comments. I do not want others in the neighborhood to think that is what type of person my husband is. He once caught a cat and asked everyone if it was their cat before taking it to a no-kill animal rescue. Now I am not sure what to do. Do I confront her? Do I let it blow over? What would you do??

If you have had any neighbor problems, please leave a comment on what you did!

Thank you for letting me vent... ahhhh... I feel better

**By the way- this is just a small part of the story- just gave the highlights..lol
One more thing- this is the neighbor that called me "Anti- Social" :)

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- FIRST SIGNS OF FALL

2009-09-02T08:02:00.005-04:00

PETER RABBIT ORGANICS REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY **CLOSED*

2009-09-01T14:32:00.009-04:00

I made the decision to go organic for the Munchkin' Man from the beginning. He rarely had food from a jar and if he did, it was organic. I made large batches of baby food and froze it. He loved it! From such an early age he was getting the true taste of green beans, rhutabega, peas, apples, and the list goes on. Then he started to eat more table food. I still try to make or buy as much organic food that our budget allows.

For me one big thing changed when he became a running, climbing, high energy toddler- I was not making all his food. I rely on a lot of easy to go premade foods. The only thing that keeps the Munchkin' Man content long enough, to go say food shopping, is giving him a snack. Since he has a peanut allergy, a lot of snacks are out the question. I still look for convenience.

I stumbled upon a company that makes the most wonderful portable snack pouches. Peter Rabbit Organics! Now the pouches I am talking about are not filled with cookies, but 100% organic fruit puree. I know what some of you may be thinking- that can be messy! I thought the same thing. I contacted Peter Rabbit Organics and they sent out a box of pouches for us to try. I sat The Munchkin' Man at the table twisted the no- choke cap off and handed it to him. He knew just what to do. He squeezed the Apple and Grape goodness into his mouth and smiled and said "Yum, this is good." No mess!!

Since the first time we tried them, I have been carrying them in my bag for those times that I need to give him a quick snack. I always had those little cups of applesauce, but I love the idea that you do not need a spoon. Since each pouch has a cap, if your child does not finish you just put the cap on and save for later- you can't do that with those little cups. I also thought the pouches would be good for traveling. I had the intention of using the fruit puree to make muffins, but they pouches did not stay long in this house :)

So why would we suggest Peter Rabbit Organics fruit puree pouches... Because they are:

* peanut allergy friendly - our first requirement

*made with 100% fruit- no trying to figure out how to pronounce the ingredients

*come in three fantastic flavors (Apple and Grape, Strawberry and Banana, and Mango, Banana, and Orange)

*have a reusable No -Choke cap (eat a little and save the rest for later)

*No mess

When asked " Why is Peter Rabbit on the pouch?" their answer was " He's energetic, cheeky, fun and a bit mischievous" I would have thought they were talking about The Munchkin' Man..lol

Do you want to try Peter Rabbit Organics fruit pouches? Well here is your chance. The wonderful people over at Peter Rabbit have offered a case to three lucky winners.

Mandatory:

1. Visit Peter Rabbit Organics and tell me what feature you like best for the fruit pouches

Additional Entries:

2. Follow Peter Rabbit Organics on Twitter

Become a Fan of Peter Rabbit Organics on Facebook

4. Follow me on Twitter

5. Subscribe to my feeds

6. Tweet this giveaway for unlimited entries

** You must leave a comment when you do any of the additional entries!!!!**

***Make sure you put an email or twitter address for contact if you are the winner ***

** Edit- the giveaway will end on Tuesday, September 15,2009***

The three winners will be chosen on Friday, September 11, 2009

THE SAFE SIPPY 2 GIVEAWAY WINNERS

2009-08-31T18:24:00.002-04:00

Wow..222 comments for this giveaway! Drum roll please........

# 17 Carrie said...
Tweet, tweet! :)http://twitter.com/EatCrayons/status/3483894906XTiGGerRoo [at] hotmail [com]
August 22, 2009 10:14 PM

#85 as said...
tweet: http://twitter.com/anpnek/status/3593795429
August 27, 2009 10:15 PM

#145 Brie H said...
tweeting http://twitter.com/bdelaughter/status/3657194855
August 30, 2009 10:06 PM

Congratulations to the winners!! Hope your little one enjoys the Safe Sippy 2 as much as the Munchkin' Man does! Thank you to everyone that participated in the giveaway. I am hoping I get to do another great one again soon!!

Most of all I would like to thank Bret from Kid Basix for supplying the wonderful products for the giveaway :)

**winners have 48 hours to contact me with shipping information! If you have not contacted me, another winner will be picked!

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY- GO FLY A KITE

2009-08-31T12:09:00.004-04:00

I was trying to be a little more creative with today's Muffin Tin (cup) Monday lunch. I am not sure if it was cute or a bit strange looking :) I had an image in my head of kites when I bought the diamond shaped cupcake liners!

Lunch consisted of:

*Turkey and cheese

*Cantaloupe (from the garden yum!!)

*Edamame

*Pretzel rods (for the kite tails)

*Mini marshmallows (for clouds)

The Munchkin' Man really does enjoy eating these fun lunches! He ate all the edamame first, usually he goes right for the fruit.

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY-JUST FOR A LAUGH

2009-08-26T08:10:00.002-04:00

This picture just makes me giggle everytime I see it !! :)

WE HAVE A WINNER-CROCODILE CREEK BIB

2009-08-25T20:33:00.002-04:00

The winner has been chosen my first ever giveaway!! The winner of the Crocodile Creek bib is #24
Brie H said...
I tweeted bdelaughter@hotmail.comhttp://twitter.com/bdelaughter/status/3430639556
August 20, 2009 12:53 PM

Congratulations to Brie. I hope your little one enjoys the bib.

Thank for The Soft Landing for sponsoring my very first giveaway, it was greatly appreciated!!

THE SAFE SIPPY 2 REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY CLOSED

2009-08-20T13:44:00.006-04:00

Since having my son I have been schooled on many different topics that I was not aware of before being a parent. One to the things that I have learned is that not all baby and children's products are safe. That is a sad fact. From BPA and phthalates being in everything from toys, to bottles and even some baby formula. I have been trying to use up what I have and start buying products more organic, natural and free of the yucky chemicals.When my son started drinking from a sippy cup, his cups were all made of plastic. As I started reading more information about the hazards in some plastics I started to look for alternatives. The Munchkin' Man is now 2 1/2 years old, but still enjoys drinking from a sippy cup and if it has a straw that is even better. I was so glad to find The Safe Sippy 2 by Kid Basix . I contacted the owner of Kid Basix, Bret , and he sent over one for us to try. Kid Bassix has a Mantra instead of a Mission Statement. It is:

Making kids' lives better.
This was the simple idea that drove the development of our first product, and it is the idea that will drive the products yet to come.
Simple ideas can make for ambitious goals. Our founder created The Safe Sippy™ cup because he knows how dangerous plastics are, and it drove him crazy that he was giving his two year old son water every morning in a cup made from toxic chemicals.
It is our goal that the future products from Kid Basix have the same simple singleness of purpose: Making kids’ live better.

Isn't that so much better than a mission statement?

Now onto our cup :) I was impressed with this product as soon as I opened it. Not only was it such a great looking cup, but the insert in the package answered many questions that I had right of the bat. So, I washed the cup and the parts and filled it with water. My son loved it! I assembled it with the straw components and removed the handles. We had a busy weekend of going to an aquarium, bbqs and the cup came with us everywhere. Although with the straw the cup is not meant to be spill proof, it did not leak all over the car or our backpack while we were out. The cup also comes with a dust cap to make sure that the spout stays nice and clean while not in use. We have tried other stainless steel cups, but The Safe Sippy 2 is the only cup that has everything all in one. This cup can grow with your child. This cup can be a sippy cup with handles for the child just learning or it can be used as a cup with a straw for the older child. It is not too big or heavy even when filled. It has a fantastic easy grip insulating sleeve. The sleeve helps keep the liquid cool and helps a child hold onto the cup. Most of all I love it because you are not getting the condensation on the outside of the cup like others I have used. Remember those yucky chemicals that I was trying to stay away from.. well this cup is free of BPA and Phthaltes and made of non-leaching stainless steel. Way to go Kid Bassix!!

Like what you have read and want to try one yourself?

The owner of Kid Bassix so generously offered not one but THREE Safe Sippy 2 cups to me to giveaway!!!

Mandatory:
1. Visit Kid Basix and tell me what feature you like best for The Safe Sippy 2
Additional Entries:
2. Follow Bret the owner of Kid Basix on Twitter @bretplate
3. Become a Fan of Kid Basix on Facebook
4. Follow me on Twitter
5. Subscribe to my feeds
6. Tweet this giveaway for unlimited entries
** You must leave a comment when you do any of the additional entries!!!!**
***Make sure you put an email or twitter address for contact if you are the winner ***

Three winners will be randomly picked on Monday, August 31, 2009

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- POTTY TRAINING A BOY!!

2009-08-19T09:14:00.001-04:00

CROCODILE CREEK KID BIB REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY*CLOSED

2009-08-18T07:57:00.009-04:00

When most moms sit their children at the table to eat, one of the first things that they grab is a bib. There are so many bibs on the market today. When choosing a bib you not only want to have a cute design, but you want it to be functional and not made with harmful chemicals including phthalates and PVC.

I was able to review a wonderful bib from Crocodile Creek. They have many wonderful safe products including lunch boxes, puzzles, and drinking bottles. Their philosophy is:

Please be assured that all Crocodile Creek products are safe for children. We regard the safety of the children in our world and the safety of our products as being of the utmost importance. Our product development department works closely with our manufacturing facilities to see that our products conform to all of the appropriate safety standards.

We had a busy weekend and brought the "Give Peas A Chance" bib with us. The bib traveled to the Adventure Aquarium, a BBQ, and a fundraiser in the park. I love the bright colors of the big and the slogan on the front is adorable. This bib is not recommended for use in the washing machine so I just wiped it with soap and water and hung it to dry. The bib washed up great. I also liked the size of the bib and that it has a strong velcro closure.

The bibs from Crocodile Creek are PVC and Phthalate free. They are coated with 100% cotton and have a pocket on the front. Do you want one for your little munchkin'? The wonderful owner of The Soft Landing is generously giving away one of these wonderful bibs. The Soft Landing is a one stop shopping for all BPA, PVC and Phthalate-free products including bottles, stainless steel cups, and lunch boxes. They even have sample kits to try different cups and bottles to see which brand you like best. I love that they take the guesswork out of choosing safe products for my Munchkin' Man! Now onto the giveaway.....

I will randomly chose one comment on Tuesday August 24, 2009

Mandatory:

1. Visit The Soft Landing and chose another product that you would love to try

Additional Entries:

2. Follow The Soft Landing on Twitter

3. Become a Fan of The Soft Landing on Facebook

4. Follow me on Twitter

5. Subscribe to my feeds

6. Tweet this giveaway for unlimited entries

** You must leave a comment when you do any of the additional entries!!!!

***Make sure you put an email or twitter address for contact if you are the winner ***

MEATLESS MONDAY- STIR FRY

2009-08-17T22:04:00.005-04:00

Tonight's dinner ended up being a stir fry all the different vegetables I found in the house. I think sometimes I can be more creative if I just start looking around to see what I have available in the house.

This is what I found:

* 1 yellow squash (it was a round one that I can not remember the name of)

* 1 onion

* 1 clove of garlic

* handful of purple beans

* couple stalks of celery

* 3 carrots

* 1 kohlrabi (to me it tastes like a mild radish)

All the vegetables are organic and most from the local farmer's market. I have really been enjoying going to the market each week to see what I can find. I will be very sad when the season is done!

I sauteed the vegetables in some oil until they started to get a little tender. I like to have a little crunch in my stir fry. I also added a can off bamboo shoots, baby corn, and water chestnuts. To add a little more flavor, I added a beef and broccoli spice mix.

When everything was cooked to my liking :) I served it over brown rice. Always remember if you are using brown rice to think ahead- it takes about 45 minutes to cook.

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY- BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR

2009-08-17T13:54:00.013-04:00

This week the Munchkin' Man and I will begin doing activities that go along with one of our favorite stories Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See? I think that we will be doing activities for about 2 weeks. Please come back and visit to see what we have been up to! :)

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY

This is our second "Muffin Tin Monday" and my son and I are really enjoying it. This week, to go along with the theme, I bought the Wilton bear silicone baking cups. They worked out perfect and were oh so adorable.

We decided to have a teddy bear picnic up in the tree house today! It was a nice day out, a little hot, but the tree house is in the shade and it was dry unlike the grass.

On the menu for today was:

*Bear shaped English muffin with soy nut butter and raisins

*Stonyfield Organic OIKOS Greek yogurt with honey and bear shaped cookies to dip

*Carrot sticks

*Mellon cut in bear shapes and blueberries

I love cookies cutters! They are making these lunches so much fun.

I think I need to get a little picnic table to put up in the tree house and eat up there more. It is very peaceful. Below is a picture of the view looking down from the tree house.

Take a look at the Munchkin' Man's bib. The bib is made by Crocodile Creek and you can have a chance to win one starting tomorrow.

LAST ZUCCHINI FROM GARDEN AND FAST DINNER

2009-08-13T19:25:00.005-04:00

It seems like as soon as one meal is done and cleaned up, I have to start making the next meal. Last night we has take out (Sushi yummy.) I knew that I would have to figure out something to actual cook for tonight's dinner . I reached for the old stand by- pasta!! I decided that I would make a quick tomato sauce and add the last zucchini from our garden. I used all ingredients that I always have in the house. Below is the quick and easy recipe:

* 1 large can of organic crushed tomatoes ( I do not have enough tomatoes from the garden yet)

* 1 tiny chopped onion from the farmer's market (or half of medium onion)

* 1 clove of garlic minced or grated on a micoplane

* a couple basil leaves (from the garden)

* a pinch of salt and oregano

* about a tablespoon of sugar (I use organic cane sugar- it cuts down the bitterness)

* 1 chopped zucchini (the small the pieces the faster it cooks)

** my Mom says that if you add a carrot into sauce it cuts down the acid!

I cook the onion and garlic in olive oil. When they start to get tender I just add all other ingredients. While that is cooking on low I cook the pasta. The sauce is ready when the zucchini is tender.

That's it!! Although it is not a gourmet meal, I feel better making this quick sauce than opening a jar. I can not wait till I have enough tomatoes to start making sauce and freezing it. For this meal, I also added eggplant "meatballs." They are vegetarian meatless balls. They actually were not that bad, a little dry, but not bad. I did take a wonderful picture of the finished plate, but somehow deleted it . OOPS!

What is your easy fast weeknight meal?

Here is a picture of my basil bouquet. Every year I seem to let me basil go crazy. I cut half of it tonight. I will run it through the food processor with a bit of oil and freeze it. It is so wonderful to use throughout winter. I just break off a piece and throw it in when ever I need basil!!

WORDLESS WEDESDAY- PAINTING

2009-08-11T14:16:00.023-04:00

POTTY TRAINING TALK AND BLUEBERRY DAYTIME TRAINING PANTS REVIEW

2009-08-10T18:52:00.015-04:00

****WARNING- THERE IS GOING TO BE A SUPER AMOUNT OF POTTY TALK ON THIS POST..LOL

Today the Munchkin' Man is 2 1/2 years old! I can not believe how fast the time has gone by. On Monday I was committed to REALLY start potty training. He has been going pee-pee on the potty since he was 1 years old, but never initiated it and his diapers were never dry. I have tried giving him marshmallows when he goes and he loves them. I also bought organic lollipops for when he goes poopy on the potty. So far he has had two. I really needed to get him out of the diapers and arm myself with lots of training pants, underwear, and paper towels to clean up messes.

I decided to first try out the Munchkin' Man's new Blueberry Daytime Training Pants. They are designed to feel like real underwear, but have the added protection unlike regular children's underwear. The inner lining is made with cotton velour, a hidden layer of super- absorbent micro terry and PUL. Anyone that is familiar with cloth diapers knows the wonders of PUL.

I truly love the fit of this trainer. I bought the size medium (22-30lbs.) The Munchkin' is only 27 lbs and they fit him just right! The fabric is so soft. The training pants come in 5 colors (above is the blue.) Since we are just really starting with no diapers, he definitely got them wet. With the added micro terry they were absorbed enough that it did not end up on the floor, but was wet enough for him to feel that he went.

The Blueberry day time trainers are only suggested for .. daytime :) I think we are far away from not putting on a diaper for bed time!! I would definitely recommend these trainers to anyone that is starting out with potty training. They are soft, fit great, wash up super, and have just the right absorbency!

We also started a potty chart for the Munchkin' Man. I decided to go with a Mickey Mouse theme. I cut out a large Mickey head silhouette, which was a pain in the tushies. I used my Cricut to cut out the small Mickey heads. When he goes on the potty, he gets to put a Mickey on the chart. I hung the chart on the wall outside the bathroom. He really likes being able to look at it when he goes into his room! He will place the Mickeys on the ears when he goes poopy. I was thinking that when he fills up an ear or the chart we can then take them off and go and get a special prize. He does not need anymore toys, so I thought we would go to the bookstore and he can pick out a special book.

Do you have any other potty training advice??? Please leave a comment and let me know what has worked for you!!

** I found the Mickey potty chart idea somewhere on the Internet and can not remember where. If it is you, please let me know so I can give you credit!! :)

MUFFIN TIN (CUP) MONDAY

2009-08-10T12:37:00.009-04:00

I read a lot of blogs to find some new, fun and exciting activities to do with the Munchkin' Man. One that I have seen alot is the MUFFIN TIN MONDAY! I decided to give it a try today. I was at AC Moore (craft store) and found some silicon cupcake cups on clearance. They were $5.00 for 12 cups.

Today in the cups the Munchkin' Man dined on :

* Turkey roll-ups

* Cheese roll ups

* Celery with soy nut butter

* Nectarine cubes on cocktail pics

* Pretzels

* Zucchini bread

He seemed to like the idea of having everything in their own individual container. I love the silicone cups because they are easy to clean and can be used as a learning tool while eating (colors and shapes.) I definitely plan on doing the Muffin Tin Monday again!!

MY GRANDMOTHER'S ZUCCHINI BREAD

2009-08-09T19:56:00.007-04:00

The first time I ever heard of zucchini bread was during one time when my Grandparent's came down to stay with us for a couple weeks. Although they were guests at our house, my Grandmother ALWAYS cooked. My mom always had her make Chicken and Olives. She was a wonderful cook and also baker. One day she told me that she was going to make zucchini bread. My reaction was "YUCK." I could not believe that something with grated zucchini would taste good! Well, was I wrong. I made sure I was a good little girl and tried the bread my darling Grandmother made..... YUMMY! I loved it! To this day when I here anything about zucchini bread it makes me think of her. I do miss her so!! I wish that she was here to meet my son! I know she is looking down (every once and awhile- she is probably busy up there) and is happy that I am passing on the tradition of making zucchini bread!

Below is the recipe that was in my Grandmother's recipe book.

Ingredients:

1 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 cups shredded zucchini

3 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons vanilla

1. Combine all ingredients completely

2. Grease 2 loaf pans

3. Bake approximately 55 minutes in a 350 degree over- check after 50 minutes- test center with a cake tester, it should come out dry.

*** I used a flower shaped tube from Pampered Chef, 2 mini loaf pans and a medium pan, with this recipe :)

I hope that you enjoy this recipe and if you have a favorite memory that goes along with a recipe from your Grandmother, please share!!!

WORDLESS WEDESDAY- WATER PLAY!!

2009-07-29T08:13:00.007-04:00

The Munchkin' Man having some fun with the hose!!

A HOUSE FAVORITE--- STUFFED ZUCCHINI RECIPE

2009-07-27T09:19:00.006-04:00

If your garden is anything like mine, you have TONS of zucchini!! This recipe is a "go to" recipe in our house. I found a recipe years ago and each time I make it I add something new to it!

Ingredients

1 LARGE zucchini (or 2 small) cut lengthwise and in half

1 cup of stock (I use what ever is on hand- I made chicken stock and froze it in 1 cup bags)

1 pound ground meat (I like to use ground turkey)

dried basil

salt

pepper

1 cup cooked quinoa or brown rice

2 carrots grated

2 stalks of celery chopped

1/2 onion chopped (you can add more if you like)

2 cloves garlic grated

Cheddar cheese grated

2 teaspoons tomato paste

** I like to add cherry tomatoes also, but my son and husband so not eat them

You can add any type of quick cooking veggies

1. In deep pan heat stock. Add In zucchini- cut side down. Season to taste with basil, salt and pepper. Let stock come to a boil. Turn zucchini about 2-3 min. Zucchini will be done when the flesh becomes soft. Take zucchini out of pan and set aside.

2. In pan start to brown meat- do not remove stock. When meat is almost cooked, add all vegetables. Stir all ingredients to make sure all are cooked. Add in tomato paste. While this is cooking, take a spoon and scoop out the flesh of the zucchini. Chop flesh and add to mixture. When the vegetables start to get a little tender add in the quinoa or brown rice.

3. Plate your zucchini and then add mixture on top. Immediately add your cheese to the top. If you are not bringing to table right away, you may put the zucchini "boats" with cheese under the broiler to make sure cheese is melted.

We usually don't have any type of side dish with this dinner because it is so very filling. I did make rhubarb cupcakes with organic whipped cream for dessert the last time we had this for dinner. The recipe for the cupcakes was from the Martha Stewart Cupcakes book!

This recipe is so very versatile. You can add any vegetables that you have on hand. If you are a vegetarian you can add tofu or just some more veggies. I added the quinoa to the original recipe to bump up the protein. Have fun and enjoy!!

MOMMY GUILT AND PEANUT ALLERGY

2009-07-24T10:41:00.004-04:00

When your child is diagnosed with life threatening allergy to peanuts you go through many emotions. They range from fear, angst, frustration, nervousness, and of course guilt.

Unfortunately, we did not first find out about our son's allergy through routine allergy testing. I blogged a little about the awful day we found out. If you did not get a chance to read it, basically the day started with a peanut butter Whopper and then ended in the ER and a night stay in the hospital. Also included in the day was an ambulance ride and two shots of Epinephrine!! I don't want to ever go through that again, but that day plays over and over in my head each and every day.

Why do I have so much guilt?? Some may not understand. There is no answers to my question of..What made my son allergic to peanuts?? There are some theories of why there is such a rise in children that have a sever allergy to peanuts. One theory is the Hygiene Hypothesis. This theory suggests that because children have fewer infections (due to improved hygiene, their immune systems are more likely to target other things such as items in the environment and diet, resulting in the allergy. Although this theory has been examined by many, some have found this theory to have no merit.

So, where does that leave me??? If you are anything like me.. you turn to guilt!!! I began thinking that maybe I caused my son's allergy. Maybe all that peanut butter I ate while I was pregnant caused it. Maybe the peanut butter I ate while nursing caused it. Maybe the vaccines that I was told would be the best thing for my son caused it. GUILT...GUILT..GUILT.. When talking to a family member about the allergy she said that I watched what my son ate too much!! WHAT?? Now I have to feel guilty about feeding my son organic home made baby food instead of processed jar food that has no taste.

Guilt can run and ruin your life! I am working on not letting that happen to me. I try to make it a point to not think about it all day everyday! I have to admit, I have good days and AWFUL days. I worry about the first day he goes to school without me! I worry about going to birthday parties! I worry and worry and worry some more. I know it will get better. I am thankful to all the parents that have been handed this diagnosis before me and have done all the research. I am thankful that there are companies that cater to nut free products. I am thankful for the family members that have gone through their cabinets and taken out all products with nuts. Most of all I am thankful for the wonderful son I have that makes me smile and laugh each and everyday!!!

So, will the guilt run my life...hopefully not. I can not say "YES" yet, I am not there. With the help of others and looking into those adorable blue eyes my son has, one day I will be able to say it :)

My First Cloth Diaper Review- SMARTIPANTS

2009-07-22T14:00:00.007-04:00

Although I have only been using cloth diapers for the Munchkin' Man for less than a year, I have a nice "stash." My stash has been growing thanks to Twitter, the social networking site. On Monday there is a large group of moms that sit at the computer and chat about the wonderful world of cloth. During one of those chats, I met Jessica, the owner of Smartipants. I love getting to know new products from the owner of the company. I decided to check them out!As soon as I went to the website and read about them, I put an order in that night.

The slogan for Smartipants is "SMARTER THAN YOUR AVERAGE DIAPER." The OS (one size) diaper system has:

1. Leak guard technology

2. Patentented Smart Sleeve

3. Soft waterproof outer fabric

4. Gentle stretch elastic

5. Adjustable Snaps

6. Ultra premium production

I was intrigued especially after reading about the Patented Smart Sleeve. If you have been using pocket diapers you know what it is like to have to reach into the pocket to take out the soiled insert(s)...YUCK. With the Smart Sleeve all you have to do is throw the whole diaper with the insert still in pocket into the wash. During washing the insert comes out and is as clean as can be when done. I have tested it many times and LOVE this feature!!!

I am new to snaps! For some reason I have a hard time getting them to fit right. I did not have a hard time with the snaps on the Smartipants. I also love the fact that for a OS, they are not huge on the small setting! I had a friend try one on her 2 month old to see how well it fits. It worked out great!

If you are thinking of trying a cloth diaper system, I would highly recommend Smartipants!!! As the website stated, they are "Committed to making cloth diapering not only easy but affordable." You can purchase a three pack of Smartipants , including three microfiber inserts for, only $36.95 (act fast though this price only lasts for 6 more days.) That is the best price I have paid for diapers that have such a wonderful quality!!!!

I know that if there is another baby in the future for our family, I will be purchasing more Smartipants cloth diapers

MY CLOTH DIAPER JOURNEY

2009-07-16T19:17:00.008-04:00

I started to use cloth diapers with my son a little late in the game. Since he was born I have been interested in trying them. I would go online and search for cloth diapers. There were so many choices that is made my head spin. Did I want to try prefolds with covers, All in Ones, pockets or a combination of both. Then there was the whole washing thing. I would have to get detergent that was ok for cloth diapers.

Overload...then I turned off the computer.

Unfortunately I did not know anyone that was using or even has used cloth diapers to help me out. The Munchkin' Man has super sensitive skin ans I had already switched to eco friendly sposies. They made the rash go away over night- that was a major red flag for me and the "stuff" that is the regular sposies. When the munchkin' was about 18 months I did the search again and decided to just go for it I decided to buy just a few to give it a try. I stumbled upon http://www.kellyscloset.com/ One of the wonderful things that Kelly's offers is their Diaper Dollars http://www.kellyscloset.com/FREE-Diapers_ep_59-1.html#reward I bought three Bum Genius All in Ones in size large. I also decided to try two of the Fuzi Bunz seconds. Of course I also had to get detergent so I decided to try Charlie's.

I was so excited to get them in the mail. As soon as I finally made the first purchase I noticed a strange phenomena... I could not stop myself from searching and looking at all the cute cloth diapers out there. Then the package arrived!!! I read the directions on how to prep the diapers and could not wait. After they were dried we were ready to roll. I loved how they felt- so soft and cuddly not rough and not like paper. They looked so cute!

From there the addiction snow balled. I bought some Happy Heineys for the prints, bought some WAHM diapers off ebay. I was on a waiting list for the Gro Baby becuase I had to try it :)

My "stash" has grown so much from just those 3 diapers that I bought. When I started going on Twitter, I met some wonderful moms and tried their diapers- GADBaby and Smartipants. Although we are still on the journey it will be ending soon. He is almost 2 1/2 and I am getting very sad that I will have to pack up the diapers one day. That is actually funny to say that "I will miss diapers."

Why- Munchin' Man

2009-07-16T15:50:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about what to write about and thought I would give a little explanation for the title of my blog. I started out with "Kerry's Little Blog", but that was boring. I figured that I was going to be writing mostly about my little man. When he was born he was so adorable and tiny to me. I have always made up strange songs so it only made sense that I would sing them to my child. One day I started singing "Do you know the Munchkin' Man.. the Munchkin' Man.. the Munchkin' Man.. his name is SJ." Obviously it is sung to the tune of The Muffin Man. He loved it and I kept singing. The next verse added in the street we live. He is now almost 2 1/2 and I still call him Munchkin'!

The Great Diaper Hunt

2009-05-08T07:54:00.000-04:00

The Cute Caboose is adding to the fun for The Great Diaper Hunt by having their own giveaway!! Come and enter!

http://www.cutecaboose.com/pages/TheGreatClothDiaperGiveaway.htm

First attempt to a Montessori activity

2009-05-07T13:28:00.000-04:00

I have been reading and reading and reading about Purposeful Play through Montessori activities. I have a few books and the Internet has been a plethora of information!

Why Montessori?

After year of teaching preschool, I have really come to believe and understand that children's brains are programmed to learn, but only if they are stimulated at an early age. Observing children can open your eyes to simple things that can be done to accommodate them to be more active participants in their leaning experiences.

* All children have "absorbent" minds

*All children pass through "sensitive" periods

*All children want to learn

*All children learn through play/work

*All children pass through several stages of development

*All children want to be independent

Together these form the core belief upon which the Montessori Method is based!

Now back to our journey. We have just begun! We do not have a room that is dedicated to Montessori activities..yet. I figured you always have to start somewhere.

Today, I tried our first activity. I saw something similar online and decided to see what we had in the house and see how the Munchkin' Man would respond to such activity. The pictures at the top is the activity for today. He had four plates that are four different colors all with a clear jar on top. Also on the table was a basket of sticks that had coordinating colors for the plates. The objective was to put the correct color stick in the jar with the matching plate. Hmm.. did that make sense? I introduced it to him and set him on his way. I was pleasantly surprised at how well he did right away. He seemed to fancy the blue sticks. This activity lasted between 5-10 min, then he was done and began dumping the sticks and doing other things that any 2 year old would do! I would make this as a success.

I look forward to doing more activities and reading more about The Montessori Way!

2009-05-04T14:33:00.000-04:00

Recently, we found out the Munchkin' is allergic to peanuts!! It was not through routine allergy testing. We found out when he got hold of a peanut butter Whopper! One little Whopper led us to two shots of epinephrine, a ride in an ambulance and then a night stay at the hospital. We did have a suspicion that he was allergic, but for me I think I was in denial. Well, since that day, our lives have changed. We can not just go out to eat anywhere or at any ones house with out thinking ahead of time "Is it safe?". I personally have had a hard time adjusting to this! It is hard to think that something so small can take my son's life. Peanuts are in more things, not just food!

I am trying to be optimistic that in this day and age, there are so many resources that are there to help and guide us to have the Munchkin' lead a normal life! He already knows that he can not have peanuts and that we have to check boxes and ingredients. He may be small but he is becoming such a big boy!!

In September, I plan on putting a team together and to do the FAAA walk in Longbranch. I will post further details for anyone that wants to participate.

The awful pic of the Munchkin' Man is from his first peanut reaction. The last one we did not have any pictures and I am glad, I do not need a reminder of that whole day!!

New purpose

2009-05-02T11:36:00.000-04:00

Ok.. I said that I was going to do more posts and then, well, I did not. I am totally addicted to looking at other people's blogs and have neglected mine. I would love to add more about the Munchkin' Man and what we do all day! I would like to also include future projects that I would like to do. This year a goal of mine is to make more handmade gifts. To do this, I would like to learn to sew better!!

Wow..

2009-01-19T10:44:00.000-05:00

I started this blog for family members to see what we or I have been up to. However, it seems as if no one really looks at it. That is the reason why I have not posted anything lately. I am hoping to begin blogging more often to give more information and pictures.

2008-10-26T23:58:00.000-04:00

Well, not too much has been going on. It is hard to keep up with posting on here. I had a Stampin' Up workshop and Keith had Skyler for the day. The had fun on a few playgrounds and even had lunch in the back of the car :)

Getting ready for Halloween

2008-10-12T17:31:00.000-04:00

Today I was working on some things for my next Stamp Club meeting and Halloween. Below are the baskets I am giving to the girls at club and I am thinking I might make the pillow boxes to hand out at a Halloween party or for trick or treaters. Now that may sound like a lot, but I think in the past 4 years, we have had 5 trick or treaters :)

2008-10-12T17:30:00.000-04:00

Scary spiders :) They have peppermint patties in the middle.

2008-10-12T17:28:00.000-04:00

This is a pillow box with eyeball chocolates in it.

Meet our butterflies

2008-10-10T17:50:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, while outside at our playground, we met a few new friends. This is Matilda. She has been with us most of the summer. To our surprise yesterday, she brought friends. I have to say that this picture is my favorite and I think it actually came out wonderful.

For the past couple weeks I have been thinking about trying to write a children's book. We I met Matilda I thought she would be wonderful to write about. As I was sitting in the backyard yesterday, I thought of a great, well at least I think so, concept for the book(s). It would be about a boy playing in his backyard and meets a butterfly. This butterfly then takes him on small adventures in his own backyard. He might meet her friend Sammy the Squirrel and he teaches the little boy about hibernation or getting ready for the winter. Then he may meet Gary the groundhog. I have no clue how to start a book and keep focused, but even if I just write it for Skyler, I think it would be fun. What do you think?

2008-10-10T17:48:00.000-04:00

This is Theodore.

2008-10-10T17:47:00.000-04:00

Meet Hazel.

2008-10-10T17:45:00.000-04:00

This is Speedy. Originally he was going to be Spazz, but that did not seem to be an appropriate name for a butterfly!

Finger painting fun

2008-10-09T12:26:00.000-04:00

Today Skyler did his first official finger painting. We set up outside and he had a blast (that is after he got over the shock of the feeling of the paint.)

2008-10-09T12:24:00.000-04:00

2008-10-09T11:58:00.000-04:00

2008-10-09T11:57:00.000-04:00

2008-10-09T11:54:00.000-04:00

2008-10-09T10:28:00.000-04:00

2008-10-08T18:15:00.000-04:00

Riding on the stage coach in Smithville

2008-10-08T18:12:00.000-04:00

Skyler and Daddy having fun in the moon bouncer..

2008-10-08T18:11:00.000-04:00

Anthon'y birthday card

2008-10-08T18:02:00.000-04:00

So, not too much has been going on for me to blog. I am currently trying to get everything prepared for my monthly Stamp Club meeting. I was going to post what we will be doing, but I think I will wait till after the meeting so everything is a surprise for the ladies.

Over the weekend we went to the Smithville Octoberfest. We enjoyed looking at all the crafts, eating hot dogs and funnel cake and of course riding on the train. We also attended Anthony's first birthday party. We all had a great time. The food was wonderful of course! Skyler and Keith had a wonderful time jumping around in the moon bouncer. It also had a slide that Skyler loved climbing up and then weeeee, down the slide.

Welcome to my blog!

2008-10-03T16:16:00.000-04:00

This is the first time posting and do not know what I am doing. Please be patient and I am sure this will be great :)

The other day we went apple picking at Johnson's Farm in Medford. We had a great time picking golden delicious and red delicious apples. We also stopped to pick a pumpkin and a couple gourds. The hayride was also fun. The kids love the tractor. They also have a great playground and a few farm animals that we looked at. It was a fun day!

MY LIFE WITH THE MUNCHKIN' MAN

WHAT I DID ON MY SUMMER VACATION....WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- FIRST TIME SLEDDING

WINNER OF PeaceLove Mom Cranberry Comfy Thermal

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- HUNTING FOR A CHRISTMAS TREE

ECOVER STAIN REMOVER REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- LEAVES

Peace Love Mom Review and Giveaway

BEYOND A PEANUT FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS CARDS REVIEW

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- I LOVE FALL (pic overload)

BOOKS BY TARA WINNERS

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY- ORANGE/PUMPKIN THEME

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY-KNITTING FOR THE HOLIDAYS

BOOKS BY TARA- REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY **CLOSED**

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS, PUMPKINS

PEANUT ALLERGY AND THE PLAYGROUND

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- A BIKE BUILT FOR A GIANT

WINNERS OF THE SKOY CLOTH GIVEAWAY

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- A WALK ON THE BEACH

MEATLESS MONDAY- VEGETARIAN CHILI

SPOONING FOOD ACTIVITY

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- SELF PORTRAIT

SKOY CLOTH REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY

WINNERS OF PETER RABBIT ORGANICS FRUIT POUCHES

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY

NEIGHBOR TROUBLE

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- FIRST SIGNS OF FALL

PETER RABBIT ORGANICS REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY ****CLOSED***

THE SAFE SIPPY 2 GIVEAWAY WINNERS

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY- GO FLY A KITE

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY-JUST FOR A LAUGH

WE HAVE A WINNER-CROCODILE CREEK BIB

THE SAFE SIPPY 2 REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY ***CLOSED***

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY- POTTY TRAINING A BOY!!

CROCODILE CREEK KID BIB REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY***CLOSED**

MEATLESS MONDAY- STIR FRY

MUFFIN TIN MONDAY- BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR

LAST ZUCCHINI FROM GARDEN AND FAST DINNER

WORDLESS WEDESDAY- PAINTING

POTTY TRAINING TALK AND BLUEBERRY DAYTIME TRAINING PANTS REVIEW

MUFFIN TIN (CUP) MONDAY

MY GRANDMOTHER'S ZUCCHINI BREAD

WORDLESS WEDESDAY- WATER PLAY!!

A HOUSE FAVORITE--- STUFFED ZUCCHINI RECIPE

MOMMY GUILT AND PEANUT ALLERGY

My First Cloth Diaper Review- SMARTIPANTS

MY CLOTH DIAPER JOURNEY

Why- Munchin' Man

The Great Diaper Hunt

First attempt to a Montessori activity

New purpose

Wow..

Getting ready for Halloween

Meet our butterflies

Finger painting fun

Welcome to my blog!

BOOKS BY TARA- REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY CLOSED

PETER RABBIT ORGANICS REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY **CLOSED*

THE SAFE SIPPY 2 REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY CLOSED

CROCODILE CREEK KID BIB REVIEW AND GIVEAWAY*CLOSED