momsd's Profile

I travel with peanut butter too! You can't bring a full size jar on the flight with you, but you put in checked luggage. And you can buy the individual packs for your flight.
And I agree, with MonicaK - eating local is great, but when your feeling sick or over tired or just in need a a quick pick me up, food from home is the best.

This is a little tricky. We give our kids (ages 6,5,4 and 3) a pep talk before holidays and birthdays. We talk again about even if it's not what you hoped for you need to be thankful you got a gift and saying thank you for each present received. They are learning and getting better each year.
As far as the gift cards, I would rather that my kids get a few dollars instead of a gift card for 2 reasons. First, I feel like people give a more appropriate amount (based on their ages) if it's cash. And second, we are trying to teach our kids the value of money. How to save it, to give and also choose how to spend it. Gift cards are harder to explain to young kids.

I made these according to glitterlips' directions and they came our great! they were a huge hit at the party I took them to.

I am of a different school of thought than most of the commentators. We did very little child proofing in our home, no gate on the stair, no drawer or cupboard locks, didn't pad the rock fireplace; and my children all made it past toddlerhood without major injury. That said, we didn't have that big of a straight drop either, I agree with those who suggested a movable screen behind the couch. If you want to do something a little more permanent you could extend the railing behind the couch to the ceiling.

The following site has a recipe for fasolis. I have not tried this particular recipe, but have used other recipes for this site and they were very good. Happy cooking!

http://www.howtocookgreatethiopian.com/recipes

We have a rice bin and a bean bin that I rotate for my kids (ages2,4,4,6) and they all love them. It been fun to watch the progression of play from scooping and pouring to truck play in the bins, to my oldest who gets the Playmobil out to set up in the bins. I really love sensory bins.

I am also wondering about canning this as gifts. I hope someone knows if it would work.

@Krikkit - I couldn't agree more! I live in part of the country where fires are currently raging in 3 areas. Our firefighters are maxed out and the air is filled with smoke. All fireworks shows for the 4th have been cancelled. A wet blanket, maybe? But protecting people, property and our beautiful wild spaces is more important this year.

I have the pineapple slicer and a cherry pitter (not the one pictured) and I love them both. I have small children (6, 4, 4 & 2) and they love having their pineapple in little rings. And the cherry pitter, well that is just a fun thing for them to do themselves, whether they eat the cherries or are helping me back something. I agree about some of the others; a banana slicer!? I just give my kids a butter knife and they can slice their own banana.

We are in the process of building an indoor climbing wall for our kids too. Ours is going to be a combination wall and bunk bed "ladder" It is such a great way to let little climbers just go for it! We rock climb as a family and I love to see others embracing the inner adventurer in kids.