inkstainedwriter's Profile

Cute! When I was expecting (and hadn't told family yet), I bought several cheap white onesies and wrote on them: "I heart Grandma," "I heart Aunt Sue," etc. for each member of the family (in the style of the I heart NYC shirts). Then I wrapped each one individually and mailed them just in time for them to be opened during Thanksgiving dinner, which I couldn't be a part of that year. I told them it was a treat to say that I was missing them and just waited for the phone call.

Apparently, everyone thought it was candy and nobody paid much attention to the packages. But then they opened them just before dinner and it caused such a stir that my father and grandfather couldn't say the blessing without crying. Such a happy memory, even if we couldn't have been there.

A couple of Easters ago, I decided to try something new. I sauteed mushrooms in butter and then added balsamic vinegar and allowed it to reduce while they mushrooms cooked. It was amazing and it's become a huge favorite. I'm a fan of tanginess and the mushrooms just absorb it so well.

The link is broken. It's:

http://rebeccaleighann.typepad.com/

I'm a work from home mom and I think it's totally doable. It depends on a hundred things, of course, but I've honestly been amazed at how many different ways I see friends doing it.

One woman I know works a full-time job, holds down a major volunteer position with a nonprofit, and has two tiny children. She's wonder woman, obviously, but she does it very capably. I think she's a rare gem, but it's amazing to watch her work.

I work about 10-20 hours a week and I have one day at week where I have to be at the office. That day, someone watches my son while I work, and the rest of the time, I work during naps, independent play time, and during the evenings. Coparenting is a must, obviously.

Maybe it doesn't work for some people, but it's not "us freaks" who've figured it out, at least in part. It's a real number of working women who are working our hardest to be successful and we're no different than that "rest of us."

Ugh - I hear you! My pantry looks pretty good about 75% of the time and people always comment on it. There very quickly, however, comes a time when it's overflowing and crammed with foodstuffs. My tricks then, are this:

1) I organize with bins, not jars. Each bin (ITSO from Target - I love them) is labeled sugars, snacks, pasta, or whatever. That way, the stuff in the bins can change however I want it to, but it still fits in the context of the pantry.

2) Some days, I just let it get messy. I can always find what I'm looking for and when things are crazy, I don't stress about it. The next weekend or when I get a spare minute, I'll rearrange things. It takes about 10 minutes, max.

3) Every now and then, I throw out what hasn't been eaten in a while. That way, everything that's in there is useful and a viable option for dinner.

4) I remember that life isn't a photo shoot, but life. If it works, it works!

This is perfect timing! I am actually hanging three pieces of artwork above my couch - we had a floating shelf there, but it was crooked and we were tired of it. I'm using velcro 3M tabs because I'm tired of making and filling holes.

We actually just did this when we got a new tv and DVD player. The solution was:

- buy a multi-functioning cord for the two devices (tech is not my strong suit)
- put the DVD, modem, and other devices in a stack on a bookcase and drill a hole through the back, thus keeping the cords in one place
- use zip ties to secure the rest. You just clip the ends, and they're really quite unnoticeable. I had ones from the dollar store already, but I've seen ones at HD that are black and gray, which would work better.

I agree! I'm looking forward to giving some small, sentimental gifts to my son for Valentine's day. We will probably share a nice dinner after our son has gone to bed - it sounds lovely to me!

I've become rather obsessed with nativities as an adult, actually. I have about 10-12 of them and I love how they're all different, especially ones from other countries. One of my absolute favorites, however, is the Holy Frijoles, because they make me laugh.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/80431379/the-holy-frijoles-the-pinto-bean?

@ph0enixinflight, I'm not saying the baby did the artwork. Obviously, the parents did. I guess my gut reaction was just that this was a direct copy of an artist's work. I love Rifle's work and would never think to copy it. Artists should be helped, not have their ideas taken.

Nevertheless, the room does show talent, love, and skill from the parents and I wish them the best.