jfoley's Profile

I used to have a policy of swiftly donating toys that were too big, loud, obnoxious, etc, but that has gotten harder as my kids get older. They're now 4, 3, and 18 months, and the older two definitely notice when things go missing. I would still get rid Of items that we are blatantly opposed to, but I find myself keeping more unattractive toys than I did before. All that being said, my grandma got the kids a child- sized Thomas the Tank Engine folding table and two chairs. My initial opposition to it was because it is so ugly, but now it is because there are only two chairs, which ALWAYS causes a fight. I am grateful it folds up!

My kids are OBSESSED with Busytown, especially the "Busytown Mysteries" show. We also have several of the books, which kept my 2.5 year old and 4 year old entertained for probably 20 out of 24 hours on a long road trip last month. Some of this will make it under the Christmas tree for sure.

When we got married 6 years ago, we served (almost) nothing on this list, and had great and affordable food. Of course, the main reason we were able to do this is that the wedding was in my parents' backyard (gorgeous), and so we weren't bound by a caterer's or venue's rules. We realized pretty quickly when looking at wedding venues that your choices are pretty limited, and very expensive. And not everyone has a backyard that would work well for such an event.

All that being said, we had a cocktail party-style reception, with food stations set up around the backyard. There was both a carving station and a chocolate fountain, but our wedding planner had a server working the chocolate fountain so people weren't dipping stuff themselves and contaminating the whole thing. Because of the style of the reception, there wasn't one long line for the carving station, as people moved from one station to another freely throughout the night. We also had a gorgeous bread/cracker and cheese display with a variety of nice cheeses, a lot of finger foods that hold up well (smoked salmon, mini caprese salads, etc.). Most of the food ingredients and the alcohol was purchased at Costco, and made by the wedding coordinator and her staff in my parents' kitchen the day of the event.

Like I said, I realize we had this flexibility because of our location and our amazing wedding planner, and I'm so grateful for it. People STILL talk about the food at our wedding.

@Eliza--I keep one Rubbermaid bin in my closet (so the kids can't get to it on their own) with toys that fit that category. After a few months, I'll take a look again, and at that point either return it to the playroom or get rid of it. I try at the same time to ADD a few things to that box. So it is sort of a toy purgatory while we figure out what to do with a toy/a toy rotation box, since some of the things become appealing again when they're fresh and new.

Interesting! We live in a house that was built in 1915, and while we have more than one outlet in most rooms (not all), many of them aren't grounded. It made arranging furniture very difficult, having to figure out where to place TVs, computers, end tables with lamps, nightstands, etc. Not to mention, the house has a million doors and windows, making it all that much harder!

Thank you to the couple of EC parents who flat out admitted to feeling smug. I'll wait until you have a parenting issue that you're struggling with, and then I'll rub it in your face that I did it better. Ahem.

We used the 3 Day Potty Training method with our son, and it worked pretty well. He wasn't 100% trained in 3 days, but more or less (#2 took longer). I've tried the same method with my daughter now three times (I tried for two weeks each of the first two times before giving up--she refused to go). Now, we're a week in to the third try, and she's showing SOME progress. We'll take what we can get. All kids are different, but I do think that it helps in general to just take away the diapers and do a clean break. Hopefully, things will just click for my daughter SOON!

As a stay at home mom, I do have the time in the afternoons/early evenings to get quick and healthy dinners prepped before the crazy dinner hour hits. However, I have a 3 year old, 2 year old, and 1 year old, and there are days when things don't go according to plans, so I always try to have four or five dinners pre-made and in the freezer. When I make something that freezes well (chili, curry, soup, etc) I double the recipe and freeze half for one of the crazy days. Like another poster said, it might not be 100% ideal, but it is better than buying prepared foods or takeout when things don't go according to plan.

Also, I cook nearly everything from scratch, so it isn't possible for me to do everything at the last minute. I make dough for four loaves of bread at once and freeze two for a later date (I thaw and bake so it tastes fresh). I make large batches of refried beans and freeze in small portions. Any of these things can be quickly defrosted for a quick, but still homemade meal.

I love it! We also have an Eleanor and live in Venice!

@LovieDovie--It greatly depends upon the size of your washer, as well as the size of your family. We have tiny washers that don't wash well if they're too full (coin op washers at our apartment complex). When I wash at my parents' house, I'm always amazed at what fits in their washer. Also, I have three young kids (one is potty training, and one is in cloth diapers). Five people, plus tiny washers, plus cloth diapers, means I do 2-3 loads a day!

I generally price something about 10% higher than I'm hoping to get for it, and I plan on someone offering less. That being said, if someone doesn't show until two hours later than the scheduled time, is rude, etc. I'm more likely to stick with my original price. If someone communicates well beforehand, shows up promptly, and is reasonable and polite, I'm glad to knock a few bucks off.