tjsm's Profile

Wow. That link is incredible.

I love Tjs- and buy most of my produce there. Maybe it's just here in San Diego, but all the stores have single organic fruits (so no packaging) and most of the other fruit is sold in compostable packaging. Is that not how it is everywhere else?

How did you make the butterflies?

The Travelmate has been a lifesaver for me- I am so glad I bought it. I travel with my 2 kids cross country alone quite often. When my 2nd was a newborn the only way I survived was with the Travelmate. My daughter was in the sling and son was in the seat. I think I would have gone insane trying to get him, the baby, our stuff and the seat from gate to gate if I didn't have it.
My friend has borrowed it numerous times and totally agrees.

I LOVE my Kindle. I can read it one handed, download books in a second and, which is most important to me, I save trees by not buying books. Yes, I know that I can get books from the library, but the books I may want are out/not there/long wait list.

As for my kids books, no way would I use an electronic reader for them (they are 4 and 2). They love looking through the books, carrying them around, loving them. Maybe when they are older, but right now I will continue to purchase regular books for them. I also wouldn't trust them with the device- my 2 year old has already broken my Kindle once (thank you Amazon for great warranty!), I wouldn't trust either child with a e reader.

I personally hate getting a treat bag at the end of parties. The last party we went to I left with a plastic bag filled with candy and plastic toys. Blech.
For my son's 4th birthday party, the kids made their own play dough (I made the dough ahead of time and they just added the color) and that was their favor. To hold the dough, I bought to go soup containers and decorated them before the big day. No plastic, no toxic chemicals and the dough was safe enough to eat if any of the kids wanted to.

I read on here about the idea of a book exchange- in place of a present for the little one (do you really need more things?) everyone brought a wrapped new book. Then when they left, they were given a book as their favor. I really liked that idea.

At my son's last birthday the goody bags contained the homemade slime and playdough that each kid made (in a paper take out soup container). No plastic, no waste and all natural. The kids all loved doing the crafts, and the parents loved that they didn't have more plastic crap to toss out.

This is what I use and it takes almost like the bread I had in Ireland:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/2 cup ground oatmeal (Trader Joe's has a barley and oatmeal mix that I grind in the food processor)
1/4 cup honey wheat germ
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
1 large egg
1 3/4 cups buttermilk

Heat the oven to 425°F. Coat a heavy baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray or line it with a silicone baking pan liner or aluminum foil (or a loaf pan).
Stir together the flours. Add the butter and work it into the flour with your fingertips until the butter is very fine. Stir in the baking soda, salt, sugar, molasses, oatmeal, wheat germ, and flaxseed.
Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough makes a thick, wet-looking mass.
Place the dough on the cookie sheet in a round shape or in the loaf pan and bake for about 40 minutes, or until it sounds hollow when thumped. Cool on a wire rack.

Sooo good!

A little Dijon mustard at the end is also a great little add in.

My son is the opposite- will eat anything at home but his school lunches- PB&J, fresh fruit and a string cheese.
It has to be the same every time or he won't eat it. Then if I try to make him his school lunch at home, he won't eat it.