MsAmy's Profile

We now do "want, need, wear, read" for our kids (ages 8 & 4). They also receive one gift from Santa, and they both make the other a gift. This has worked out incredibly well for all of us. It was challenging to really focus in on the specific categories, but everyone was happy with the outcome.

This seems like another universal confirmation of the "Good, Fast, or Cheap" theory. You can sometimes get 2 of those, but never all 3. I agree that you should alert IKEA to the issue - they should not be handing their business to sub-par contractors. I would think that there are plenty of contractors who are hungry for business right now. Best of luck in getting this resolved quickly.

I've made graham cracker gingerbread houses with the kids for the last few years, and we use cardboard 6pack carriers (beer) as the base. Works perfectly, and the house is just the right size.

We bought a dark brown microfiber sofa for this very reason, and although it has been AMAZING over the last 6 years & 2 kids, it is time to try out some cleaning magic! Hope it's colorfast....

My son is 3.5 and we just stopped using the pull-ups at night. He does well, but still has an "accident" about once a week. I have to echo what the others have said: just watch his diapers, wait until he's consistently dry in the mornings, go potty immediately before bedtime, and buy a second set of sheets + a good waterproof mattress cover (I still put a towel over the mattress pad for extra insurance). If he's dry during long outings & naps, ditch the diapers, buy some better quality underpants (I personally love Gap and Gymboree - lots of sales & very soft), and ask him if he needs to potty every time you enter a store/ every hour. 5 minutes in the bathroom is a small price to pay to get rid of the diapers!

I didn't know the neighbors would let their barky Basset hounds out at 5am every morning. I didn't know they also liked to feed the local squirrel/ bird population, which left a huge mess all over our yard. I didn't know that there was no insulation in the roof or walls, so our gas bill would be $200+ in January (for about 800sf).

I started making chewy granola bars based on a recipe from Smitten Kitchen. My whole family loves them! We keep a container in the fridge & reach for them daily. I appreciate that I can use what I have & also control the amount of sweet that goes into them. Try it!

I made this last week & have snacked on the leftovers for the last few days. I am in love. The chicken was tender, the rice fragrant, and the ginger/ cilantro topping with sesame oil & Siracha is amazing. One of my new favorite meals for Spring & Fall.

I've done silhouettes for my own home, but hadn't considered doing it for the grandparents (gift x 4 is sometimes a lot to think about). The silhouettes seriously took just a few hours to make (drying time for the paint), and look so fantastic in a simple frame.

I made this today, and have the following comments:
1. This definitely makes 2 servings. I halved it, and still filled an XL mug to the top.
2. The taste as made was weak, but improved immensely when I added a packet of Truvia sweetner (this was after I made it with 1 T sugar).
3. Blender didn't seem necessary in any way. 4. I didn't have pumpkin pie spice, but sprinkled with nutmeg, cinnamon & allspice.

It's worth trying & perfecting to your liking, especially as a grande is now $4+.