sweetbabboo's Profile

My 5 year old son is a Matchbox/Hot Wheels addict. Your post had me teary just imagining him looking back through his collection 30 years from now. They are the *only* toy he plays with daily.

-Abby

We use a 4-slot classroom locker that was a cast-off from a preschool. It's similar to this: http://www.lakeshorelearning.com/seo/ca|searchResults~~p|DG238~~.jsp except that ours has pegboard as the backing allowing us to customize the storage. We have baskets full of masks, wands, and other accessories in the top cubbies, all kinds of hooks filled with costumes and capes in the tall sections, and funny hats, helmets, and tutus in the bottom cubbies. It works fantastic.

My #1 go-to food item when my son was a toddler -- sweet potatoes. I'd just microwave one up fast, spoon greek yogurt on top, and/or sprinkle it with a little cinnamon. Easy-peasy, feed the kid quick, healthy food.

My son is 4.5 and we're still fighting it -- have been since he turned three. Just like others, he'll say "when I'm 3, when I'm 4" only to keep going. We've tried Mavala Stop, and he just endured until he'd sucked it off (destroying his tastebuds in the process). Before that, we tried band-aids, reward charts, bribery, most everything we could think of. I even gave him other things to suck on instead (cloth bracelets, a spoon around his neck, etc) and he'd use them until he wouldn't. The plastic contraptions seem like they'd work but reviews say kids can get them off, and if anyone can... my guy will.

He was a colicky baby who wouldn't take ANY pacifier so I guess this is my payback for the thanking all the Gods that he took up thumbsucking at 3 months and thus began sleeping.

Our pediatric dentist says he has to stop as well, but part of me knows that my husband and I both had braces (despite not thumbsucking) so we figure he's gonna need them anyway.

Of course, it doesn't help that my mother points out kids she knew who sucked their thumbs until 11 or 12 and "he committed suicide, you know."

I usually use PF's Herb crumbs doctored up, but this year I bothered to read the ingredients list -- High Fructose Corn Syrup -- in stuffing. In stuffing?!?

Now, I don't know what I'm gonna do. I already bought it, don't know of a better substitute, and am thinking I'd be pushing it to make from scratch.

-Abby

It'd be difficult but you could do a ombre paint effect. Start with white way up at the top and then slowly add color until you have a seriously intense color at the bottom. I think that would help scale down the size while making it a major focal point.

I say do it. The floor in my 1940's kitchen is old school, large sheet linoleum. Having limited funds and time (I had a newborn), we decided to do paint as a "temporary" fix. Four years later, it has worn VERY well.

All I did was wash it down with TSP to remove any remaining glossiness -- though because of it's age it was pretty matte to begin with (through wear). After that, I painted it with Sherwin-Williams interior latex paint (eggshell finish) in Jonquil. It was leftover from painting my cabinets. Two coats (applied two separate nights) and we were finished. I originally intended to do a fun stencil or pattern (and I still might), but haven't gotten around to it.

I will agree with ladykatey, and say that as a solid light color, it does look dirty pretty quickly. (I have three cats, a hubby, and four year old so all my floors tend to look dirty quickly.) However, it is super easy to clean, sweep/swiffer, wet mop, and it's done.

Although I still would love to eventually do new flooring or have it ripped up and finish the hardwood floors that I *think* are unfinished underneath, I do enjoy the burst of color and the additional canvas for creativity as I would never paint my hardwoods.

-Abby

We just went to a rainbow themed birthday party where they mixed colors in white grape juice. Since we avoid artificial colors with my son, the host (a family friend) had picked up natural colorings at Whole Foods. I haven't gotten to check to confirm their availability, but you might check.

The article is over at The Kitchn -- http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/recipe-roundup/dont-toss-them-10-uses-for-ripe-bananas-149889

Not exactly-- but when I visited SF, the #1 thing on my list was to hit up the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market. My in-laws thought I was crazy, but they happily ate the grapes, artichokes, and persimmons.

Of course, I live in quite the foodie town (Durham, NC) so I eat yummy stuff regularly.