tasterspoon's Profile

I'm in the same boat, I honestly love vegetables but can find them challenging when I'm short on time so these tips (to pre-prep stuff when you DO have time) are invaluable. And though the CSA idea is noble - I'm in one, too, and do manage to get through it all on principle - it doesn't solve the rushing-out-the-door problem and there's something to be said for stocking the house with things that you just plain LIKE.

My tip comes from my recognition that when I'm STARVING, along with my wanting something fast, veggies are simply not as appetizing as fattier, carbier options like noodles or a grilled cheese. So the solution is not to get starving in the first place. When I munch all day long (even on veggies - I like bell peppers and cucumbers eaten out of hand), a veggie intensive dinner still sounds great.

We have a free-standing fireplace and I was a nervous wreck when our baby started moving independently - even in the summer we tried to make the surrounding stone area off limits to get her used to the idea but she would not respect that invisible barrier - admittedly, it was pretty arbitrary.
It turned out that "hot" was actually the first word she learned (originally used to caution her about food - and there was some trial and error on her part that drove the point home - but soon after with respect to bath water, the oven, Mom's tea, anything emanating steam, on the stove or coming out of the microwave, and of course the fireplace) - and by 13 months she really respected it. We don't leave her in the living room solo when there's a fire just to be safe, but I don't think the gate is totally necessary for a baby who is reasonably careful.

If your baby is truly clumsy or reckless or defiant or you want to be able to leave him alone with the stove, then a gate may be your best security, and they ARE temporary. Definitely good deals to be had on Craigslist.

The dark colors seem less obtrusive to me. We got a (used) gate in white and even though it's retractable it's still an eyesore.

Charming! I think your napkins are so pretty.
Isn't it funny when the cheaper version is actually nicer? I don't like disposables, so when we hosted the rotating neighborhood social (which is strictly low key, hosts provide a table and a driveway and everyone else brings drinks and snacks) I put out our bottomless basket of cloth napkins and neighbors accused us of going all classy and raising the bar. :o/

My daughter's day care (ages 0-3) has a huge box of felt shapes and 8.5 x 11 felt boards (like Colorforms, remember those?) and they seem to be well used. My daughter, 13 months, doesn't know what to do with them - too young. But speaking of Colorforms, my brother and I played with those well into elementary school, maybe 8 years old. So I imagine this would have a long useful life.
A couple of thoughts: I tried making a felt board by clenching a big piece of felt in an Ikea frame and I don't think it's taut enough - so this canvas looks like a good improvement. Also, I read somewhere else that you can stick pictures and stuff to a felt board by taping sandpaper to the back. I tried it and coarse grit is not too effective. Just some FYIs. I want to keep trying.

I was prepared to be skeptical - ANOTHER two dozen toys/candies to buy for my child?? But the activity/service options are wonderful and much more in keeping with the Christmas spirit. Very cool.

These are great tips. I was just thinking along these lines this weekend when we brought home our Christmas tree. It was too big (!) for our "usual" spot in a far corner, so we moved some furniture and put it alongside an open staircase that splits the room from the dining room. It kind of blocks the view of our (I think attractive) living room for visitors, but looks fabulous from within the room itself. And we discussed out loud whether we were decorating to benefit visitors standing in the hallway or to benefit ourselves in the space we live. (Consensus: "Screw them!") It now looks like we live in a forest and I LOVE it. And it will feel fresh again when we switch back in January.
I used to love that TV show where the lady freshens up a room by going into people's garages and other rooms and reallocates furniture and rugs. Fun and frugal, my favorite combination.

Q for @All the Calories: Planningwise, do you brine for a day THEN dry out in the fridge for several days? I am also all about crispy skin but we get ours only two days before T day.

Another general Q - we're getting a free-range, heritage blah blah turkey for the first time this year. Should I adjust my expectations for it to be less juicy, quicker cooking or anything like that that might adjust my cooking methods?

We have the blue equivalent of that big plastic pink thing (hand me down) and I have to say it was well designed and transitioned really conveniently from teeny baby (hammock insert) to regular infant (one side) to stable infant (other side) and frees up both hands for shampooing or whatever. But it is a monster. We also were given a sort of sling-chair that was just a bent wire frame with a hammock inside that was much easier to slip into a cabinet and worked pretty well but you still needed a hand to prevent slipping down. Once baby could sit, she was on her own in the big tub with no issues.

@alyssak and @lili09 - how about a rug? Cozy without adding clutter.

Something tells me Apple costumes are going to be big this year.