The do's and don't's of dinnertime

Manners, its something that today we seem to have forgotten about, people rarely use 'sir' or  'm'am' these days. Elbows are on the table, hats worn, mouths chatting full of food. Its important that for family diner we remember that not only is it a time to spend with our kids, but also a time to teach them the right way to eat, and behave at the diner table. So I've provided a few tips for you folks, to keep it polite.

DO

• Set the table: don't leave it up to your kids to pull the right knives and forks out of the drawer, a nicely set table is a great way to say 'this isn't eat and run'
• Put the food out: Just like the previous tip, don't just have everybody take their food from the kitchen, put your food on plates and let your family and guests serve themselves on the table, this is a perfect opportunity to use 'please' and 'thank-you' when asking for the plates of food.
• Demand Respect: be sure that your kids act nicely at the table, speaking with respect
• Clean your plate: Only take what you can eat, if seconds are available then take them after you have cleared everything.
• Start Early: the best way to instill good habits is to start when kids are young
• Wash up: Dirty and dinner tables, should not be combined
• Say Thank-you: after dinner, during dinner, before dinner, say thank you, its just plain rude to not say thank-you when someone cooks for you.

Don't

• Chew or talk with your mouth open: This is disgusting, nobody wants to see half eaten food, so just wait. Don't feel rude if you don't answer someone's question immediately, they'll forgive you
• Turn on the television: The television is one of the worst inventions when it comes to dinnertime. Spend this time finding out about your family's day; ask your kid to tell you three things that happened to them at school today, its a great way to start conversation
• Leave the table early: its polite to wait until everybody is done, especially since mom usually ends up eating last.
• Wear your hat: its impolite, especially for men, there is no reason to wear you hat at the table, its one of the oldest rules in the book so just follow it
• Put your elbows on the table: or even worse lean over your plate while eating! Unless you're in a mess hall, and have a short amount of time to eat, there is no reason to be shoveling food into your mouth
• Feed the animals: I think the worst trait of a dog is that it begs, please please please, when you eat keep the animals in another room, it can be tempting to feed an adorable puppy, but when he's a full grown dog begging at your feet, its awful. If you want to give your dog a treat, do it after dinner in his bowl.

I hope that this can help some of you bring a bit more etiquette into your lives. We're living in a world where it is  quickly becoming okay to behave like we don't care. Using manners just shows that we care and are thankful for the people that we are around. Teach your kids now so that later they will be able to do the same with their kids.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Kraft Homestyle Macaroni and Cheese blogging program, for a gift card worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Tips for Starting Holiday Traditions

I was in Target yesterday shopping for some Christmas gifts for family as well as Annabella (yes thats right I got to go shopping ALONE!!) I was lucky enough to make some extra cash the day before and since some retail therapy always fixes my woes, I decided to indulge.

I came out on top, some killer motorcycle boots and an AMAZING handbag, a cozy soft sweater and some studded leggings only ran my bill bill to  $70.

Then my Target trip I got Annabella and I some matching pajamas, as well as some sets for the rest of the family so they can join in the fun.

While shopping yesterday I was thinking that  I wanted to start a tradition that Annabella and I could do every year, so I came up with a list of things that I thought were important and of course being the blogger that I am, I have decided to share them with YOU!!

1. Simple: Go for something easy that won't require too much work to do every year. The holidays can get busy and if you start a tradition that requires lots of time and effort, it may be hard to keep up with
2. Cheap: Make sure that its something that you'll be able to afford every year. I think pajamas were a great idea because even if we don't have much money, its easy to buy some cheap pajamas or make them out of cheap material
3. Picture worthy: make it something that you can have a picture of each year, ugly Christmas sweaters for the family make great yearly pictures to put on cards, ornaments of coffee mugs!
4. Location: take this into consideration, is there a yearly event you can all go to? Are you guaranteed to have a white Christmas? Maybe you can have a snowman family that poses with you!
5. Write about it: Have your family write down their memories each year in a Holiday notebook you can put it with the holiday decorations so that when everybody is older you can all enjoy the memories that you made. Add recipes and pictures!
6. Collect it: Ornaments, or figurines, even Christmas decorations, have a Christmas day and shop for them together each year. The decorations will remind you of the days that you spent together. And you can pass them on as family moves away to their own homes. 

I hope these spark some ideas in your heads. Traditions are great ways to hold family with you every year, whether celebrating Hanukkah, Christmas or Yule. Start traditions with your family that you can continue for years to come.

Five Tips for Creating Great Digital photo projects

I love Photoshop, on days when sewing just feels like too much work you can usually find me searching through my pictures and trying to figure out which ones could be made to look magical or need some touching up.

While it took a while for me to learn the ins and outs of Photoshop, its a lot easier then I thought that it was, so this was how people made all those adorable pictures of their kiddos! Its taken me a while but there are a few things that I do to make sure that I can Photoshop my pictures and turn them into great art!

1. Use a backdrop! If you want to place your subject in a certain place then photograph them on a solid colored backdrop such as a sheet. I prefer brown, black or white. This makes it easy to outline your subject so that you can cut them out of the photo and place them where you want. This also works great for the color pop photos where one part is colored and the other parts are black and white! I made this picture of Annabella last year, we dressed her up as a flower and I thought this was a great place for her to be hanging out
2. Zoom in: while you are working on your photos zoom in close so that you can see if you are missing everything, I think that this is especially important when fixing red-eye, as I often have problems with making sure that the entire eye is fixed sometimes there is some red left and its very obvious. When zooming in I can be sure that all the pixels are changed.
3. Save; Save often, I can't tell you how many times I've been in the middle of making a photo that looks great and my daughter has hit a button on the keyboard and it has all gone to waste! Saving is as easy as clicking a button and if you have a daughter, slow computer or just aren't thinking when you close the program in a hurry, you'll be glad you did
4. Fix that family photo: last year for Christmas we had a huge party, at the time we were friends with some people that this year we aren't friends with anymore, now being that I loved this picture of all of our friends but didn't want to be reminded of the awful things that the two people in the picture did to us, I simply photo shopped them out of the picture and added a photo of Jerry Garcia in their place! Now they make great gifts for this year!
5. Take your time: Don't rush, the more time you take the better it will look, if you rush while outlining your subject or whatever else you will only end up taking the line off them and somewhere else and having to start over again. It may take a day or two to get a photo where you want it, but keep taking breaks and coming back, being on Photoshop all day can get frustrating, so check your e-mail, play with your baby, drink your coffee, and eat some truffles!

Remember that this is art, and the more you practice the better you will get, try not to get frustrated and if you do, leave and come back later. Search the internet for tutorials and you will find countless ways to improve your skills!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Adobe blogging program, making me eligible to receive a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

10 Tips for Weaving Runways styles into your Wardrobe

I love fashion, give me Top Model or Project Runway, and I'll watch it all day long.  (To tell you the truth, I'm watching Americas Next Top Model right now.) But sometimes it can be hard to take those from runway to street. We aren't all tall and skinny, and we certainly don't have stylists and makeup artists. But for those of us who don't want to look like we walked out of the donation box at the Goodwill, here are some tips!

1. 8O's: Oh man, now let me tell you for a while I was hoping that they wouldn't ever bring it back, but ya know some of the styles can be toned down and worn to be subtle, even sexy, rather then in your face. I tend to go for shirts that are off the shoulder in black or another subtle tone, Make sure that the designs on the shirt aren't too bold or just go with a single color. Also don't go for one that looks like its about to fall off, just a little off one shoulder will do.
2. Red Lips: I know its scary to even think of trying such a thing. Just keep the rest of your face simple, nude tones. And then go for a bright red, you'll be fine. And if you think its too bold for somewhere, just take it off before you go in! (Another perk of baby wipes)
3. Leopard Print: When I was younger I had a leopard print bathing suit that I loved! So I don't plan to miss out on this trend. My favorite way to wear leopard print or any print for that matter is shoes! Get your hands on a pair of leopard or zebra print heels and rock them will all your blacks and reds
4. Skinny Jeans: Now I'm not talking 'jeggins" people, I still don't like the idea of them. But jeans that are skinny can be worn tucked into boots and look great, go for boots that are calf height or a little higher, and make sure they fit well, nothing looks worse then pants that don't fit tight on your bottom but are skinny everywhere else
5. Lace: When I saw my little cousin wearing lace while I visited I thought " wow how brave" but its really not that hard, especially with all the shirts with lace inserts. Another great way is to get a lace tank top and wear it underneath a cardi! 
6. Leggings:  I love leggings! I wear them all the time, why? They are much more comfy then jeans. I love to wear them with tunics or extra long t-shirts and UGG boots. They also look great with tunics and flats! If you don't like to go flat like me, try a nice pump.
7. Crochet: Like lace, crochet has found its way onto the boarders and necklines of everyday shirts. Look for ones with crochet accents, like the hem of a shirt. Or make your own crochet flowers to go with everything!
8. Stripes: While I was in New York City, I fell in love with the nautical trend, Horizontal stripes can make you look wide so keep them on top and cut them with a belt so that you can get some shape. A solid pencil skirt on the bottom. Keep it to black, white, grey or navy blue for color.
9. Big Hand Bags: Hooray! Score one for the moms, the newest hobo bag trend that we see movie stars with is great, especially for putting one or two diapers in and a small case of wipes. Who needs to carry a bulky diaper bag, keep the other things in the car and grab them when you need them. Try to get bags that don't have too much on them, solid colors are best because they can be worn with everything and stay in style for a long time.
10. Leather Jackets: Go for it, I see them everywhere now, and they look wonderful with big scarves! A great way to change up your look for football or sledding. They go great with jeans and if you splurge for real leather you will keep yourself warm as well

Just a hint, its almost Christmas, so put those pricier items on your list and hope that Santa is in your corner this year! Keep looking great mamas!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Kenmore blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

10 Tips for Stylish Layering Techniques

LAYERS! Living in Northern California they are necessary. From cold foggy mornings, to hot dry afternoons, and chilly dry nights. Or rainy winters, I find myself sometimes wearing three to four shirts on any given day. When I'm at home its easy to change into what makes me comfortable, I change a few times a day to suit where I'm going or what I'm doing (because I love wearing my sweats) So whether you are from here or any of the other places in America with wacky weather. Here we are

10 Tips for Stylish Layering Techniques

1. Tank tops under everything! They are great, tank tops give an extra layer to your core body, as well as covering up the skin on your belly that may show under a short t-shirt. I also wear the ones with built in bras on days when I'm not feeling like being jabbed with under-wire
2. Bring your summer out: I love wearing leggings with a short jean skirt, not only can I wear a skirt that I might not be brave enough to wear without pants underneath, but I can wear ones that are super ripped up as well. Also my legs can stay warm. (for all you ladies that still make it to the clubs, this is a great way to keep your legs warm till you get to the club then just roll them up and stick them in your purse) I've even seen some brave fashionistas go for shorts with them but I'm not too sure on this look
3. Long sleeve thermals under t-shirts: Personally I love this look, I have a few nursing shirts that are built like this but I don't have the option of taking the inner shirt off. I like to have the option to be able to take the inside shirt off if I get warm or if I get into a restaurant, because rolling up the sleeves can stretch them out (this drives me nuts)
4. Go Boho: I'll admit it I have my days where I am a super hippie, and in the winter it pays off. A few years on the road will show you how to layer like a pro. Either way I love to wear warm pants underneath my big hippie skirts. You never even notice that the pants are underneath! Petticoats are also a great idea to wear under your skirt. Its almost like wearing a blanket!
5. Scarves!! I love scarves, there are lots of ways to wear them so if you buy one it can function all year round, layering a scarf over your shirt can keep your neck warm and help you look fabulous! I like to go for black scarves or ones with lots of color and pattern
6. Leggings under your ripped jeans. This is a favorite of mine, I know that jeans with tons of holes in them are in right now (though I refuse to buy them and let my clumsiness rip them) Get some of those american apparel leggings in bright colors and wear them underneath! Covers those holes and adds some pop
7. One of my oldest layering techniques is a hoodie underneath a jean jacket. I started this for three reasons. One because I didn't like the feel of the jean on my arms, especially if the jacket is cold. Second because it looks fabulous, and third because it keeps you SO warm!
8. Long socks: People are always wearing long socks with skirts these days which leads me to wonder how cold those thighs much be. I much prefer to wear my socks under my boots with my leggings, They add some extra warmth under the boots as well as up the calf! Keeping your feet warm is key! They also look cute if I go somewhere that I can't were shoes
9. Bubble vest or any kind of vest really, again this is all about keeping the core of your body warm. They also give the ski-bunny look. I especially love all the faux fur vests out there this year (but yea I would probably take a real one too sorry bunnies)
10. Fingerless Gloves: I love fingerless gloves, and they look great underneath a long sleeved shirt. One of my favorite parts of fingerless gloves is that they allow for me to do things that regular gloves do not. If you are going to be using them for layering you will want to go with something thin so that they are not too bulky underneath your shirts

Well there you have it my ten tips for layering! I really hope they help, they sure help me a lot as I am always layering my clothes. I highly suggest a pair of UGGs or UGG type boot because they go great with layers and leggings and right now I am seriously having a hard time with my life because I don't have a pair!  I'm just waiting for some Amazon bucks so I can buy myself a nice pair of grey ones!

Hope this helps ladies!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Cuddl Duds blogging program, making me eligible to get a $40 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Ten Tips for Making your Life Easier!

While my last post was about how to make your holidays a little simpilar, this post is about how to make your life a little simplilar. Its hard not to remember that things are not really as complicated as they seem. I often find myself making huge deals out of situations that really aren't so bad. Because it really doesn't take as long as I as think its going to to do most tasks (even if they look like they will take forever). Here are some of my tips on how to make our busy lives a little simpler

1. Clean as you go: This is something that I struggle with, but when I do this, I find that my life is so much neater! I do the dishes while I'm waiting for the rest of the food to cook. I clean the kitchen while I feed Annabella breakfast and wait for the coffee to brew. I run my errands while I do my laundry
2. Write it down: Buy yourself a planner, and write down EVERYTHING, take that library calender and write down the dates you wanna go so that you have a quick reference in your planner. Check it everyday. It helps so much to see how your week looks and it makes it easy to see areas where you will be busy and even easier to schedule  BREAKS!
3. Three Meals A day: If you have a full belly, then you are less likely to snack  (which means you won't gain extra pounds) Also when you eat your meals it keeps your head clear to think and get the things done that you need, and if you plan it out, you can avoid eating fast food while shopping!
4. Feng Shui: clear the energy in your house and you will be able to focus easily on what you are doing. Tibetan Prayer flags are an easy way to clear some energy. Also a crystal hung in a window not only bounces rainbows all over the room and make you smile
5. Hang your shirts: Its so much easier to have all the shirts hung up in the closet so that you can easily see what you are trying to get, they are hardly ever wrinkled so you don't have to worry about ironing them either!
6. Let your toddler do the work: Plum Organics Baby Food makes pouches of fruit and veggie blends that are BPA free, these are AMAZING for the back of the car when you are in a hurry or when you need to get some work in during meal time and don't want to have to worry about clean-up! They are super healthy, I have a friend who's son is super picky and she swears by these!
7. Folderize your e-mail: My friends are always telling me how jealous they are of my organized mailbox. I have a folder for my receipts, I have a folder for my blog work, I have a folder for my travel info, one for my school info. This has made my life so much easier especially when I am trying to find messages that I need!
8. If nobody will help you: make them ;  it took me a while to learn this one, but for real, when Annabella's father just doesn't help enough I take an 'extended' trip to the grocery store or to my mailbox, on this trip I stop downtown and wander around the stores for a while, or make phone calls that I want to. Its nice to have a breath of fresh air and I can go back in the house feeling better.
9. Car-Bag: I always keep a bag in my car full of wipes, diapers, extra clothes (for both of us), some snacks, granola bars, a bottle of water, and some toys.  When I am in a hurry I love knowing that I have a bag out in the car so that if I forget something I can know that its back there. (Sometimes I keep a Starbucks gift-card back there if I have one, but currently the last one ran out)
10. Spend some time with your baby:  When you are busy doing other things, sometimes its easy for me to make Annabella wait for me to read her a book because I'm working on a cute dress for her. I notice that if I take a break from what I'm doing and spend a few minutes playing with her, she is calmer and I can easily finish my project or task.

Remember to relax, most of the time you probably feel more busy then you really are. Turn on some mellow music and do your chores to that, you'll most likely get lost in the tunes and realize its not so bad after all! Lots of times I notice that when I start to feel overwhelmed!

Hope these can help you

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Oral-B blogging contest, making me eligible to get full-sized Oral-B Glide products and a $30 Target gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Ten Holiday Survival Tips!

Well its that time of year again.. 

Are you ready yet?

 Thankfully in the days of technology its pretty simple to make sure that you don't miss anyone on that list.

My biggest problems is that my family lives so far away, so while I try to stay local, its much easier for me to go online to ship gifts to be sure they make it there safe and on time.

But now that Annabella is here I want to be able to send out more personalized gifts, even some that I made myself.  So I have been trying to get it all done throughout the year, so that most are done. 

1. Start Your List for next year this year: Did your mother-in-law get you some socks while you spent time crafting her a quilt that took you months? Did your neighbor make you a basket of homemade goodies? Its good to know what kind of gifts that people give this way you aren't left feeling like you didn't do enough. Its also handy for shopping all year round.
2. Pick A Craft Theme: Pillows for everyone, or blankets. If you make similar gifts that are handmade, it will get quicker and quicker as you go along. And soon enough it will be like a factory in your house! You'll be whipping them out in no time
3. Start a Spider plant in December: Get a big pot and plant a spider plant in it. All year long cut the babies off and keep re-potting them so that they can make more babies. Also save your baby jars for your Christmas party next year, get red Water beads  and put your babies (you'll have enough to fill quite a few by now) and put them all over your house for your guests to take home, then they can start their own spider plant collection!
4. Send your cards online: Since these days there is nothing wrong with sending generic cards with photos of your adorable family and children, Take advantage of it, dress your kids up in last year's duds or even some nice black or white clothes. Then go online and make them look great. Tinyprints even prints the names on the cards, adds postage and sends them out for you (for a fee but how great is that?) I am now one of those people who sends cards
5. make some dough: most roll out cookie dough can be made ahead and frozen for later use. I also do this with pie dough, its very nice to have it in the freezer when you know you are going to have company over you can just pull it out, roll it, bake it, make some chocolate pudding and whip some cream.  Viola, instant chocolate cream pie!
6. Wrap: Wrap your gifts as you buy them this is good for a few reasons; your kids can't see what they are getting if they search, it saves you time from wrapping them all at once, you don't have to worry about forgetting to tag packages and then forgetting who they are for!
7. Keep some extra: Get some neutral holiday paper, or gift baskets, keep them on hand for any unexpected guests that may arrive. I always have a couple kids coloring sets around, and some bottles of wine, good beers, chocolates, and bath and body goods for the adults
8. Pizza; we eat it a lot here, and during the busy holidays we eat it even more, make the dough after the kids get home from school and by the time dinner comes around you are ready for pizza. All you need is a jar of sauce, some cheese, herbs, garlic salt, pepperoni or some Italian sausage. Of course there are lots more things you can put on. Let the kids have some fun with dinner and you can relax!
9. Get a real tree: I know, I know, the mess! you're saying. The pine needles everywhere! Watering it! Well what about when you turn off all the lights, and the only light in the house is the twinkle of lights creating an evergreen glow over your living room, while you smell that piney smell. It really helps to get back to what the meaning of the holidays are and helps you to feel good inside!
10. Go to the post office two weeks before Christmas, and send your stuff out then. Its just not worth waiting in the lines to send all that stuff. Do yourself a favor get those done now, its okay if they are early. Nobody will mind.  This way if you do have anything that you have to mail last minute it can just be for a quick thing rather then mailing out tons of other stuff! Also the CVS near me ships UPS, so that can be convent

Well that being said, Happy Holidays! And don't forget to have fun! Personally I'm just planning on spending most of this Christmas playing with Annabella, it will be our second Christmas but the first one that she'll really get to experience. Since its just us now, I'm looking forward to starting some new traditions together that we can share for years to come

Personalize your own Tiny Prints Christmas Cards

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Tiny Prints blogging program, making me eligible to get a $75 Tiny Prints gift certificate! For more information on how you can participate, click here.

Rude Store Owners, and my tips for constructive arguments

I try to support my local economy

but sometimes it makes it hard.

For a long time I didn't want to post about this

But today a friend had a similar experience at this store

I don't think its fair to take advantage of people based on the way that they are dressed, or based on thier age. Just because we are young moms doesn't mean that we are stupid

It doesn't mean that we don't care for our kids

It doesn't mean that we are trying to rip you off when we ask for a refund

I'm a young mom, and I don't have very much money.

So when I buy a toy for my daughter, I try to make sure that its ones that are nice, ones that are free of chemicals, ones that will last a long time and ones that will teach her something, and of course ones that she can actually USE!

The first time I shopped at a Toystore in Sebastopol I LOVED all the products that they had! Lots were wooden, most were safe for my daughter, the store was colorful and it was just two blocks away. I bought my daughter's first Christmas presents entirely at the store in Santa Rosa; they were all wonderful! Great quality, made from good materials and she loved and could play with all of them.

One of the toys that she had received was a duplicate the my mother had sent her, so I went to the store in Sebastopol to return it thinking that it wouldn't matter if I had bought it at the Santa Rosa or the Sebastopol Store. Apparently it did, she told me that since they didn't carry that particular toy at that certain store she couldnt' take it back (all the time in a rude and condecending tone)  Feeling defeated I took it back to the store in Santa Rosa when I asked the lady about this, she told me she had never heard of such a policy. I had lost my recipt, and the woman told me that was no problem that she could just look up the price in the computer. I honestly just figured that it was because I had been wearing sweatpants the last time I went to the store in Sebastopol, I know this is a horrible thing to assume, however I had never been treated so poorly by the employees in Sebastopol before. As unacceptable it is to treat someone poorly because of thier clothes, I have grandmothers and I know how apperance can affect how someone treats you, especially if they are older.  So I brushed it off  to that.

Hmm, well anyway

For Annabella's birthday this year we had moved from Santa Rosa to Sebastopol so we decided to do the majority of her shoppign at the store in Sebastopol, but as soon as I stepped in the store I felt the same  "we don't want you here" vibe from the woman behind the counter. I ignored it but after getting followed around the store and hearing her tell me that my daughter had gotten into something (well obviously lady this is a toy store) I bought a toy so that she wouldn't scream and left.

I brushed off the experience as just that one lady in Sebastopol so I decided not to shop there anymore. I went to finish my shopping at the store in Santa Rosa and even though we spent $150 and nobody bothered to tell us about their points program (mind you I heard them tell everyone else i saw check out about the program except us). I brushed it off because honestly I forgot to ask while we checked out and only rememberd when they offered it to the lady in line after me, but I didn't want to make a fuss, I would sign up next time I was in the store.

Most of the toys that we bought we LOVED, two expensive (but worth it) sets of blocks one with letters and some colored ones for stacking. We also got her a stuffed animal and some other knick nacks that I don't remember. The problem came to the one plastic toy that I bought, I should have went with my instict when it was only about $15 in the store, but It was a hammer and ball set and my baby loves to hit things so I thought it would be perfect. 

That was till her birthday a week later, we opened presents and it was a great time. However, when we tried to open the block set, we realized that she couldn't play with it. The ball was too big to get through the holes! Even Daddy tried and couldn't do it unless he pushed them through with force. Not a toy for a 12 month old as it stated on the box

So I brought it back to the store to return it for a different gift. I should have went to the Santa Rosa first knowing that the lady in Sebastopol already had a bit of a chip on her shoulder towards me, but I figured what were the chances she would be there again? Chances were good.... because there she was eyes locked onto me when I walked into the store. I timidly tried to return it because of the problem and she showed me a tiny rip in the side of the box where I had taken the tape off to open it. She said because of this she couldn't return it for store credit because they couldn't resell it.  Never bothering to ask about the recipt (which I didn't have but based on my previous experience with the company I didn't think it would matter) She then asked me if I could give it as a gift to someone

I explained to her that I'm not in the practice of giving gifts to people that are pieces of junk. She said sorry but she couldn't return it. I asked her to speak with a manager and she told me she was the manager. I left the store with the toy. I called thier location in Santa Rosa asking what the return policy was, and the lady on the phone had obviously already recieved an angry call about me trying to return the toy. I asked her how I could speak to the owner and she told me that the owner was working in Santa Rosa

I thought I would speak to someone who was reasonable, someone who cared about all of thier customers. So I drove over to the Santa Rosa store hoping that I would be working with someone a bit more reasonable as well as someone who I would have a fresh start. As soon as I walked in I knew I was in for trouble, after standing at the counter and being ignored, I finally was able to ask the man behind the counter if he was the owner.

"Yes I'm the owner and I see what you're trying to do" was his first words to me "If the packaged is damaged  then there is nothing I can do"

I showed him the rip and told him that I didn't think that it should matter because the toy didn't work for my daughter which was why I was returning it in the first place. To this he replied

"I'm not going to return that toy for you"

I insisted that he let me show him that the toy was too difficult for a child to work, I took it out of the box on the counter and put the balls in the holes and asked him to try it.

"I won't and I'm not taking it back, your child is too young for that toy"

I explained that the toy said it was for 12months+ on the box, and that my daughter should be able to do it, but that since neither me or her father could get the balls through easily that it must be a defective toy because nobody would make a toy like that.

At this he started snickering and again said "I'm not returning the toy, contact the manufacturer"

I replied "So does this mean that you don't stand behind the products that you sell"

He told me "Ma'am I think you are making this into more then it has to be so I think that you should leave my store"

"Sir I think you are being a little unreasonable"


I guess I could  be making more out of this then it should be, but its quite clear to me that the woman at the store in Sebastopol called the man and complained about me. I'm not exactly sure why that woman hated me so much.

I ended the argument at that, Annabella's father wanted to go back to the store and talk to the guy again, but that never ends productively and since its a kids store and usually filled with children I decided that sending him in there when I knew he would be yelling in front of the kids, wouldn't be the best idea

But to be honest, I was embarrassed at that moment in the  store there, his complete lack of caring about my issue, the fact that he laughed at my complains and totally didn't care. Even though there were other customers in the store is crazy to me. I was proud that I kept my composure, because normally I would have been screaming vulgarities at the guy because the way he treated me was so disrespectful. But I was trying to be the bigger person in the situation and stay calm.

I understand that the  $500 a year I probably spend at this store probably doesn't come close to the thousands that other people spend there a year on their children and grandchildren. But I feel that just because he is blessed with a business that does well doesn't give him the right to treat customers who don't spend that much like they don't matter.

Be warned ladies, be fancy or go home

I think its so important to not get out of hand in a situation like this it gives the other person the power. In the past my way to deal with problems was to scream them out. I would get so frustrated that I wouldn't even know what was happening. And I would do things that I still regret



But what happened to the toy-store kind of changed me; It was great to come out of there feeling like I was the mature one, glad that I didn't say anything that I regretted.  Since then I have been trying some new methods when I get into arguments. These are great for different situations that I get into with people in my life

• I  breath and remember that by saying negative comments it only brings more negative comments.          
• I also try to never yell, because once the yelling starts its hard to stop. I'll admit that once the argument goes past a certain point, my voice gets louder and louder but I'm working on it
• The baby is here: I really don't want Annabella growing up watching me fight with people and thinking that its a productive way to have a discussion when two people disagree.  I have always struggled with this, when I get angry about something I just want to fight and fight and fight. I guess its an internal thing where I think if I fight enough it will change..... I've finally learned that it doesn't, I take a break from the situation and come back to it later. I've also started to realize that how my daughter watches me solve problems is how she will try to solve her problems with me and I really don't want to her to scream at me. I know that words can hurt and that especially in a relationship like  a mother daughter its easy to say awful things in the heat of the moment.  
• I breath... in and out, loudly a few times or I go outside empty all the air out of my lungs with a huge breath out till I feel like I don't have anymore air, while doing that I imagine that all the unproductive comments and negativity is going too then I  take a DEEEEEEP breath and get fresh clean new air in my lungs, it feels very refreshing
• If I've taken a break from the argument, I come up with positive solutions to the situation instead of just steaming about how mad I am and thinking of awful things to say and ways to place blame on the other person. 
• I try to take personal responsibility for my side of the argument. I'll write them down so that I can come back them if I feel myself start to get out of control. It helps me to realize what I'm trying to accomplish rather then fall back to why I'm angry at the person
• End it, when all else fails and the situation obviously isn't going to get better I stop the argument, I consider myself and my daughter and the safe and smart choices we need to make for today and the future and figure out a sensible, step-by-step path to do what we need to

Needless to say these aren't just things that I've gained from an argument at a toy store, they are just ways that I've recently tried to control my temper with people, and situations that can be hard. 

Dealing with Depression, Anger and Anxiety can be really hard, especially as a new mom who does most of it alone. It seems that once I became one, all my issues had to be dealt with to avoid treating the people I love like crap just because I feel that way.  And trying to do it without taking medications can be even harder,  because I know that while there may be a pill that can make me feel better. I don't feel like being a science experiment until they figure out the one thats right for me!

Well I hope this rambling post was interesting for some of you because I certainly feel much better after writing it!

I apologize about this began about something totally different then what it started as. I'm not going to say the name of the toy-store because I don't want to make it a practice of bashing business on my blog. But I was feeling particularly angry at this store after hearing my friend's story today, and hey thats what a blog is for right??

Ten Tips for Bringing your new baby home!

Bringing a new baby home can be stressful, not only is it sure to be a busy time, but in the winter especially germs can be a worry for new parents. I can remember bringing Annabella home and being a super germ-freak. Its important to remember that germs are probably not going to kill you, and not to overwash,  becasue this can weaken the immune system. But its important still to wash hands to prevent the unneccesary spread of germs

1. Anti-bacterial surface wipes: Keep these handy, one near the diaper changing station to wipe down any accidents that happen quickly. Keep some next to the sink for a quick wipe down of handles after touching them with dirty hands from coming inside
2. Lids for Garbage Cans: Put lids on your garbage cans, this will prevent Fido or young children from getting into the trash (yuck). It will also lessen the chances of flies ending up around your garbage cans. Personally I go for a lid that latches because my dog is pretty crafty!
3. Anti-bacterial hand spray: I got some great stuff at whole foods but this is nice for peace of mind. When visitors come in the door and want to touch the new baby, a quick spray is all thats needed to be sure that you don't have to worry about unwanted germs. I carry some in my purse, some in my car, and have one next to my diaper changing station so that I can give them a quick spray
4. Share the Love: New animals can be confused and sometimes even jealous of new babies. Take the dog out for a walk alone, and let him know that he's still important. Make sure to allow him to sniff the baby, and let him know that this is a new member of your family. Avoid leaving the dog alone with the baby at first because you never know how dogs will react
5. Make a Breastfeeding Station: Chances are you're going to spend most of your days doing this so set up a table next to a chair, with a book, a clock, maybe some snacks. Keep your breastfeeding pillow here so that you don't have to search for it when baby is hungry! I like this spot to be in baby's room so that I have easy access to the crib when she falls asleep!
6. Bath time!: Get your bathroom ready as well, put baby's bath supplies in areas where you can reach them easily and where they are all together so that they are easy to get to when your baby is wet and slippery! If possible its nice to get a towel warmer for the bathroom so that baby can have a nice cozy towel after bath time!
7. Set up some rugs: If you don't already, put rugs near places in your house that might get wet. I found that next to my kitchen sink was a good place. I also set the dog dishes on a rug so that they wouldn't get the floor wet. This will prevent you from slipping on water that gets on the floor, be sure to wash these weekly especially if they get wet to prevent them getting icky!
8. Baby Practice: Get your other children ready for the baby, some hospitals have big brother or sister classes. If not get special doll for younger children so they can have their own baby, practice being quiet, safe touching, feeding, how to hold correctly. This will help children feel more prepared for the baby.
9. Get Rid of Junk: You are going to get lots of new baby crap, so go through the garage and get rid of those skis you haven't used in ten years, and those newspapers that you had been saving for paper mache. As well as anything that you haven't used in the last year or so. You'll be thankful when you don't have piles of stuff everywhere!
10. Get Prepared: Check your smoke alarms, do you have emergency candles? Stock up on batteries and bottled water. Preparations for if the power goes out? These are things we don't think about till they happen. Having a new baby its important to have all these things because babies need lots

I hope this can help some of you new moms. I know that when I was pregnant I was searching the internet for every possible safety measure I could to make sure that my little baby was safe! Its also to remember that mamas have been having babies for years and they have been living in much less sanitary conditions then your average american household. Be safe, relax and enjoy this time because it goes by so quick! By next year you won't think twice about picking that chicken nugget off the floor and feeding it to your toddler!

to find out more about this contest go here thanks to twittermoms for this opportunity!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Lysol® Wee Wisdom blogging program, making me eligible to get a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

10 Great Uses for Vaseline Petroleum Jelly

Vaseline Petroleum Jelly has pretty much always been a part of my life (and as far as I can tell most people that I know as well) Its a product that has been around for 140 years! Now thats a product with a history! Also the price is hard to beat, especially when all you need is just a tiny amount for most tasks and that goes a LONG way! It can be used for just about everything in the house hold, from the garage, to the kitchen, the bathroom and craft room! 

1. Chapped Lips: When I was younger this was my favorite lip gloss (okay mostly because I was a bit of a butterfingers and lost expensive products so couldn't see the use in buying something that cost more) But also because after using it my lips would fell wonderful, and during the proccess they were glossy as it gets! Its simple to cut the gloss effect by blotting your lips on the back of your hand.
2. Polishing Pumpkins!: I just saw this idea on another blog, I'm sorry that I can't remember where to give credit where its due. To make your pumpkins (or other winter squash) beautiful and have a bit of a shine, wash them with some vinegar water and then rub them with a bit of petroleum Jelly so that they have a little bit of a shine, I think it probably helps to use a soft cloth
3. Hair Dying:put this on your hairline before you try to dye it, this will stop the dye from getting on your skin (this works great if you are getting your hair done before you go out for the night.) I relied on this when I would dye my hair myself because I wasn't the neatest beautician
4. Diaper Rash: I'm sure we all know this one already. It works so great though (but don't use it on cloth) When Annabella has a horrible rash; I will use Vaseline and regular diapers a few times a day and at bedtime, usually clears up in about four days.
5. Shine Leather Shoes: This is a quick and easy way to get those shoes looking good if you don't have any polish.  Another bonus is that you don't have the risk of getting black shoe polish all over the place. Also helpful if you have an off color shoe.
6. Rub a little onto your vacuum cleaner parts and they will be easier to get together and apart, I struggled for a long time, even threw out lots of attachments because they were permanently stuck together, I did this to my vacuum a year ago (I'm trying to remember to do things that need to be done yearly around Christmas so I remember) My vacuum parts have been easy to disassemble ever since
7. Do Your Guests Not respect wood: walk around the house with a soft glass and your Vaseline Petroleum Jelly and buff those horrid marks out! Of course next time I suggest coasters or maybe table cloths. Make sure the cloth is soft!
8. Squirrels bothering your bird feeder? Coat the pole in Petroleum Jelly and they won't be heading up there anytime soon after! A friend of mine uses this technique, she discovered it after lots of crazy ideas at how to ward those rodents off. This one she told me is one of the best.
9. Roller Skate Wheels: This works great when applied to the bearings of wheels, they will spin much faster and be smoother to ride on! Be careful if you do this inside and don't get the jelly on the actual wheel because this could cause for an accident as wood floors are already very slippery
10. Eye Makeup Remover: I love using Vaseline when I am super tired (okay or super drunk) because I hate to take the time to wash all my eye-makeup off. Vaseline works great to just get the products to slide right off your skin, it works especially great with waterproof products like mascara! Its great because as well as getting all the dirt off your skin, it moisturizes, I wouldn't recommended this daily because it may clog pores, but a night or two a week when you are tired or rushed isn't bad so long as you don't already have super oily skin

If you search the internet you can probably find about a hundred other uses for Vaseline, these are some of the ones that I could think of, but like I said it can be used everywhere in the house! I also found this great recipe for non-petroleum Jelly here at  frugal life (Scroll down to the bottom of the article for the recipe)

Thanks to Twittermoms for this opportunity

I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Vaseline blogging program, making me eligible to get a $25 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

A Visit to Greener Pastures

Lately in California, and I'm sure all over the country, people have been going broke. The comforts that used to be so easy to afford, now come with a greater price. One of those comforts is horses. There are so many costs in such a large animal. Such as boarding, vet bills, salt licks, grain, dental bills. Not including the time taken out of your day to care for the animals

One farm in Connecticut is helping Horses that are unwanted or have been neglected or uncared for. They also accept horses that are blind or other health reasons

Greener Pastures Rescue in Salem CT. was founded in 2002 by Dana Stillwell and Inge Hieret. Their goal is to  " have no  horse in Connecticut without a good home" From what I saw they are doing a great job! 

Greener Pastures does a lot with the horses after they get them. At first because the horses may be uncomfortable, they are walked often. Dana Stillwell explained to me about their training. When they train them its all about positivity! Instead of using 'no' when they do something wrong, the trainers stay silent. If the horse does the right thing they trainers use lots of positive words to tell the horses they did a good job. I really liked hearing about training horses in a new way.

Annabella loved petting all the 'dogs' 

Greener Pastures keeps a waiting list of Horses waiting to come into one of the two privately owned barns that  house the horses. They also have a list of people in the area that would like to adopt a horse themselves. These horses still live with their owners and are waiting for homes to help them.

http://www.greenerpasturesrescue.org

At the Greener Pastures website has a list of horses that need to be adopted. However its not as simple as just adopting the horse the staff over at greener pastures makes sure that the horses are going to good homes. The person is interviewed, the potential property where the horse will live is inspected for safety, and they make an assessment of whether the home is suitable for the horse and Greener Pastures. 

Once the horse is adopted, if the home doesn't seem to be working out, Greener Pastures will work with the home to try to improve the situation, if it isn't working out, Greener pastures will bring the horse back to one of their temporary barns and start the process again.

If you  can't afford a horse, (or don't know anything about them) You can still help Greener Pastures! Join the Carrot Club (for individuals or families) or the Apple Club (businesses) donating will help train, feed, care for, and place horses in good homes. 

If you live in the Northeast, check out the Greener Pastures Rescue Silent Auction on December 3rd from 6-10pm. Check out their website for more details

I want to say thank you to Dana for letting  me visit her farm, I learned so much and had a great time visiting!

Also if you live on the eat coast check out Dana's horse classified magazine (although you probably already have) 

Stead Read

Planes, Trains, and Automobiles

We made it!

Arrived late Saturday night into Providence Airport

I'm lucky enough to have a wonderful daughter who is very  patient at airports and on airplanes.

We started the day at 5am getting on the airport express, a bus that took us to the airport in Oakland. We arrived there two hours early, which was good because as soon as I got there I realized that two hands is not nearly enough for two suitcases, a stroller, diaper bag and a baby. So I walked the length of the airport looking for the delta terminal. I somehow managed to stack my luggage and roll it over.

Now, I checked out the website to be sure that I could bring my bags on the plane and how much they were... well, SORRY, turns out delta doesn't give you a free bag. (Even though it says that  you get a free one all over the website and terminal) So the man behind the counter tells me he'll check one for free as a baby item. Great , $35 (or so I thought) I didn't have a credit card so I had to have my mother pay for the bags while on the phone with her he tells me to  "be sure to pay for both of them" so we ended up paying $60" I thought it was pretty ridiculous for them to tell me that they would only charge me for one then charging me for both anyways. 

After that I wasn't looking forward to a security check. Alas, it cannot be avoided, but I was very surprised at how quick the security people were and how short the lines were. I think there were only about three families in front of me, so it wasn't stressful which was nice.

So for the next few hours Annabella and I hung out with a little boy and his mama, Annabella shared her snacks and coloring books with him. I spent five bucks on coffee and a water and got on the plane.

The ride to salt lake city was beautiful, we flew over Lake Tahoe and the surrounding lakes, they were all so blue that I swore at some parts I could see to the bottom.

But the salt flats were my favorite to fly over (they also happen to be my favorite thing to drive by) What you can see in this picture is fields of salt in Utah, I'm pretty sure that they belong to Morton Salt. I was amazed at how many different colors there were on the ground.

We only had 45 min till our flight to Atlanta, just enough time to change Annabella's diaper and grab a drink. I was bummed I didn't have enough time to get some real food since our next flight was the longest.

We got on the plane and found our seats next to a little boy who was about five and his mother. Annabella was overjoyed about this seat assignment, but the little boy was not as excited. He didn't find Annabella nearly as interesting as she found him. 

I was surprised at how rude the stewardesses were on this flight, when I asked if the bathroom had a changing table she looked at me like I was insane, jut curious whats the etiquette on changing a baby on the plane if there is no table? The lady told me to just do it on the floor of the bathroom.. EWWW, so I played supermom and just lay her across my lap while I sat on the toilet.. wow

 Annabella fell asleep for the last two hours of the four hour ride so it was a very pleasant trip

 I was also pretty bummed to find  out that the only way to buy food or snacks on the airplane is with a credit card (which I don't have) So I was good with pretzels that Annabella force fed me and a ginger-ale.

Then we got to Atlanta... Grrrrrrr

I don't know if you readers out there in blogland have ever been but this airport is huge, so huge that you have to take a train to get from one terminal to the next, and here I am with 30 min to get to my plane.. OH it was a nightmare, I was running down the terminals with my stroller, then waiting for the elevators was a huge stress, Some janitors acctually cut in front of me with thier garbage bin, leaving no room for me on the first elevator ride down.

We did make it, and it just so happened to be the best flight, it was not crowded at all and Annabella and I even got our own row of seats! But Annabella was so atsy on this flight, we were walking up and down the aisles of the plane, luckily my daughter is adorable and nobody minded.

I would do a few things differently next time, and since I couldn't find too many sites maybe this can help some of you next time you fly

1. Forget books for yourself; I didnt have time to read, and while annabella was sleepign there was no room to read a book, I took a nap and it was well needed for both
2. Bring your stroller; Getting your baby in her carrier can be a pain while trying to get off the plane, I found that having the stroller at the door of the plane was helpful because I could put all my carry-on luggage underneith and just push it (this is especially nice while running through the Atlanta Airport)
3. Bring LOTS of snacks and toys; preferably new ones. Annabella tried out crayons for the first time on the trip and they wre a great distraction
4. Breastfeed: while going up and going down,  it works for popping ears as well as calming baby down
5. Bring a credit card; because you won't be able to buy anything on the  plane without it
6. Bring a changing pad
7. 2  hour layovers, I know it makes the day longer, but it really helps when the little ones can stretch their legs for a while before the next airplane ride

I hope you found some of these tips helpful

Organizing pictures from our trip to New York City, I'll be posting them soon

Ten Tips for a Greener Cleaner Home

Leave it to Twittermoms to come up with another post that hits so close to my home! I've always believed that if you use natural products in your home, then all you need are natural products to clean it. Most of my products come from the same places that my food comes from. With the addition of a few ingredients. I find that my cleaning schedule is simple. And after working for a cleaning company, I try not to put anything on my surfaces that we wouldn't find in the earth.

Ten Tips for a Greener Cleaner Home

1. Throw out the bleach: Its horrible, and you don't need it. Vinegar can kill bacteria just as efficiently, and it won't take the color out of your clothes. Use it to clean surfaces after they have come into contact with raw meats or just to disinfect.
2. Baking Soda: Use this to shine pots and pans, It polishes the surface without breaking down the enamel like other harsh clears can do.  It also will get rid of the smell on your wooden cutting boards. Just sprinkle a little bit on and then use a sponge or cloth to buff the surface.
3. Polish Your Wood: Mix equal parts lemon juice and olive oil to clean and polish wood surfaces. I love this method and use it on everything in the house, it smells better then pine-sol because its real lemon juice!  The olive oil conditions the wood and gives it nourishment as well as cleaning off dust and giving it a shine
4. Soapnuts!: I know that I have shared the benefits of soap-nuts with you before, they are hard to beat.  They are my absolute favorite for the laundry, they are free of synthetic fragrances so they don't build up on my diapers, or on my clothes. They are also great if you grind them up and then use then to scrub off baked on grime. 
5. Dr. Bronner's : There was a time in my life when Doctor Bronners was the only soap in my house. We used it for dishes, laundry, counters, shampoo, soap, even toothpaste. (I don't reccomend the last one) But the point is that you don't need a whole cabinet of fancy cleaners, an all purpose cleaner such as Dr. Bronner's  can fill all your cleaning needs. I like to use it in my dishwater through the day to help release the dirt from my plates
6. Daily shower: This stuff is a lifesaver, it basically breaks down the soap on your walls so that it doesn't all build up and make it hard to clean I currently am using one by Method, try to have everyone use this  after the shower, if not don't worry I just spray it after everyone is done taking showers for the day.
7. Essential Oils:  This site has recipes for aromatherapy blends, building your collection of essential oils is great, you can use them to make your own cleaners that have scents. I like adding sweet orange oil to my cleaners for the kitchen, and I have some lavender cleaner that I made for the bedrooms, and living rooms. I like to switch it up in the bathroom depending on my mood.
8. Carpet Freshener: Is that carpet stale? Last time I tried commercial carpet fresheners, they left me with watery eyes and an itchy nose (my carpet was very clean though). Now I make my own my sprinkling some essential oils in a mason jar with some baking soda, I shake it up and then sprinkle it on the carpet. I leave it for about fifteen minutes and then vacuum it up. It leaves my carpet and my vacuum smelling great and extra clean.
9. Microwave cleaner: I love this trick for the microwave that I learned from my grandmother. Put a microwave safe container 3/4 full of water into the microwave and heat on high for about a minute. The steam will loosen everything off the sides and make the grease and grime wipe off easily.
10. Your Air: Clean the air naturally with houseplants, they filter the air and bring oxygen to the environment. My favorite are spider plants which can be grown in just glasses of water! Try your had at macramé and  you can have some decorations that bring you back to the sixties, and make you and your family feel better while you are at it. I also have an Ionic Breeze Quadra Silent Air Purifier I love how I can see the dirt that comes out of the air on the filter.
11. Use those brown paper bags: If you're like me and haven't quite mastered remembering your reusable  bags to the grocery store every time. . Then put all those bags to use and use them to hold your garbage when you run out of plastic bags, or your recycling. I always would end up with piles of brown paper grocery bags now I use them to hold my trash because they biodegradable instead of sitting in a landfill for years.

I hope these help to make your homes safer and cleaner, while saving you time and money, keep a schedule and do certain chores on certain days and sooner then you know it it will be second nature!  Good luck, and happy cleaning

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Mrs. Meyer’s blogging program, making me eligible to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

An answer for the vacation bug

Vacation bug asked me a great question on my post five must have fashion pieces  and I thought that everyone would use the advice 

vacation bug said...

we'll be having a grand reunion in cancun at the El Cid Vacation Club. i wanted to wear a 2pc swimsuit, but my boyfriend won't let me. UGH. what's the most fashionable cover up do you advice I wear? thanks

May 26, 2010 12:20 AM 

Well vacation bug, I have to go with Tunics! They are SO functional, go with something a little long, and you can wear it as a beach cover up, a dress for nightime, AND a shirt with jeans here are a few examples.. I LOVE this flower tunic by chuon sho, you can see how great it looks with her jeans and also how cute it would be alone.

Kaneesha has gorgeous tunics who could resist this one

I found the one below at Victoria's secret 

You can see there are many great options to cover up your suit while still looking adorable, and sexy (don't forget 'less is more'). 

Have fun in Mexico Vacation Bug, and if you need company, just let me know, I'm pretty sure I can clear some room in my schedule 

10 ways to be fashionable on a Budget

I am a cheapskate to say the least, I hate spending money on things that I can do myself, or for less. So here are some tips that I use.

1. Frizzy Hair out of control? Use some lotion, just a bit, rub it into your hands so its liquidy then rub in your hair to turn your mess into the best!
2. Clothing Swap: Sick of your wardrobe? Chances are you aren't the only one, organize a clothing swap with some mamas in your area
3. Goodwill: You'd be surprised what great finds you can get at thrift shops!
4. Leggings: you can dress them up, dress them down, or use them to workout, perfect for days when you are in a hurry, ultra slimming.
5. reuse. shirt too short? Add more fabric on the bottom!
6. Lookville: This site is great! Post a picture of your outfit online and get advice from the masses for free! Never worry whether an outfit is too much!
7. Say goodbye to expensive "quick dry top-coat" run your nails under icy cold water and it will help to set your color!
8. Aprons!: Make some out of scrap fabric they always look nice over jeans, and they will save your clothes from getting stained!
9. Craigslist I have found some amazing deals in the clothing sections! People who wear expensive clothes, buy lots of clothes
10. COUPONS!: My Nana always had coupons for department stores, look in the newspaper for great deals. 

Those are my tips! I hope they help! Check out the twitter moms discussion, to find more great tips!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and Gap Outlet blogging program to be eligible to win a $20 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here

How to take a vacation.... for cheap

 I love going on vacation, it doesn't really matter where. But you don't have to spend a lot of time to have fun. Twitter moms and toyota are having a campaign about cheap and creative vacations here. To find out more visit  http://www.twittermoms.com/forum/topics/share-your-top-10-creative-and

1. Camp: Camping is :often underestimated, but if you try a campground you may discover lots of fun locally! Many campgrounds feature kids actives for the little ones, and sometimes even dances for the older kids. They almost always have fire-pits, and with a simple grate you can turn it into a grill. A  Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Combo Cooker can cook everything from bacon to pasta on an open flame.
2. Beach It: Beach always means vacation, even if its just a few hours away. Grab your sunscreen and get out the Frisbee for the kids. You can have fun with the kids all day and get a tan. And all that sun will wipe them out so you can have some fun in the evening! We choose hotels that are about an hour away from the main beaches, that way they are less expensive, and less crowded. We just leave early enough to have breakfast on the beach, that way we beat the traffic
3. BYOF: Bring your own food, for breakfast you can never fail with fruit salad, granola, and yogurt. All these can be bought in bulk. For lunch we will make cold peanut noodles, salads, sandwiches, and cheese plates. For diners we will spend money, or cook over the fire.
4. Go Local: We buy weekend passes to music festivals like Harmony Festival, this way we can take have fun all day and stay home at night. Look for local events near you, you'll be surprised what fun is right down the street.
5. Bring Friends: We almost never go on vacation alone, its nice to have a friend for annabella, and you get better deals with bigger groups. We like to rent a house and have everybody pick a night to cook diner, that way everybody saves!
6. What else is included?: Continental Breakfast is a must! Especially for picky eaters that tend to be extra picky on vacation mornings. Let them choose whats for breakfast today. Bonus if we can  cook our own waffles! Does the hotel have a pool?
7. Bring your cloth: Don't be afraid to bring your cloth diapers if you are staying at a hotel, just make sure they have on site laundry! Bring your bag of soapnuts and you will have six loads without bringing any messy detergent bottles! 
8. Refill: Don't spend money on plastic bottles of water the whole time you are gone, bring along a few Monster Kids Aluminum Bpa Free Eco Water Bottle for your young ones and just refill as needed, most places with fountain drinks will refill water for free
9. Plan Ahead: Most cities have days where certain museums and zoos are free( in San Francisco its the first Wednesday of every month) These days can save you lots of money if you just look them up.
10. Couponpages.com:  Check here for local coupons for wherever you are going! Google Maps can help you find whatever address you are looking for!

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the Toyota Sienna and TwitterMoms blogging program for a chance to get a $30 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”