Household Tips

Rachael Ray had a “tip” themed show today with great tips ranging from how to start your own business to how to make a memory chair out of stuffed animals.  I love love LOVE learning all about things like this and I love it even more when I can actually implement them to better my own life.

So, I decided to compile my own "household tip" list.  I'm no pro with years of experience under my belt, but I do have two kids and am crazy about cleaning and organization.  Most of these might seem completely lame or make you say, “….DUH!  You think that’s a ‘brilliant’ idea??”  Well, to me it is.  And some of these I only know about because I believe I thought of it myself (meaning, I didn’t see it on the Internet or hear about it from someone else) or because my mom did it.  I just want to share and hey, how am I suppose to know if you already know about it or not?

• Secure a cleaning rag to a specific cleaner with a rubber band to avoid “cross clean-tamination” J
• To help with stuck or baked on food on a cookie sheet (or something similar that you can’t easily soak), lay a wash cloth with hot soapy water on it on top of the cookie sheet and let it set for several minutes.  I love the special cleaners that you spray on, let sit, then simply wipe away, but they aren’t advised for nonstick surfaces.
• Keep a small basket with baby diapering essentials in every major room of your house so you don’t have to trudge up (or down) stairs to the changing table every time baby needs a change.  I also keep Q-tips, travel sized lotions and baby powder and disinfecting hand wipes there too.
• Hang a small (locker sized) marker board on the door of your pantry or a cabinet in your kitchen to keep a shopping list.
• This isn’t uniquely my idea, but I’m always buying storage containers to hold all sorts of things that aren’t easily organized.  I always had piles of things on my closet shelves that don’t stack nicely and fall all over the place (like light bulb packages, battery packages, cleaning supplies, medicines, bathroom supplies, etc.)  I’m not sure why it took me so long to automatically buy storage containers that I can shove all those things into and STACK on the shelves.  Seems like a no-brainer, but I guess I needed several reminders, so count this as another one for you!
• Keep a “family binder” with sections for recipes/weekly menus/takeout menus, your budget, event invitations and each family member to keep specific information like health records, school information, activity information, etc.  If you go out and have a babysitter often, you can have a section for them too with emergency phone numbers, kids’ schedules, important Do’s and Don’ts and any other information you need them to have.  I actually got this idea from another great blogger (Sister’s Stuff).
• These are essential items that I always keep packed in my suitcase.  Items that you seem to always need, yet regularly forget when traveling!  Plus, I don’t have to run around the house rounding up everything during those stressful packing times!  It helps to shorten the “To-Do” & “DON’T FORGET!” lists so much when leaving for a weekend.  Also, it cuts down on crazy unpacking moments when everyone gets home tired and cranky.  Everything has come in handy at least once!
• an extra (cheap!) baby monitor set
• a night light
• an extra phone charger
• extra bath/toiletry items (I just have a bunch of travel-sized containers that I always refill.  Then, I don’t have to pack my originals or dry them off after showering that morning!  I also put my old, but still working, hair straightener in there so I don’t have to wait for mine to cool before I pack it.)
• a lint roller
• plastic grocery sacks
• diapers or Pull-ups (I did this with Pull-ups when I stopped using a diaper bag with my son.)

• Put snacks (like crackers or fruit and cereal bars) in a small Tupperware container in the diaper bag so you never forget to leave the house with a snack AND you aren’t trying to feed your toddler animal cracker crumbs because they got smashed at the bottom of the bag.  Another snack tip, for variety to help keep your child happy while waiting: have a “trail mix” snack in a Tupperware container.  Trail mix ideas: marshmallows, Cheerios or other cereal, raisins, peanuts, Rainbow Goldfish, pretzels, fruit snacks.
• Another diaper bag tip: Have lots of small items falling to the bottom of your diaper bag?  Go to the cosmetics section of your favorite drug store and buy a small makeup bag to hold all those items.  Things I keep in my bag: pen, travel size diaper rash cream, Orajel, chapstick, hand sanitizer, fingernail clippers, tweezers, Tide pen, Infant Tylenol, Infant laxative drops, small tube of Aquaphor, all those extra alcohol wipes you never used on your infant’s umbilical cord.
• My children’s doctor’s office has great little books that they record your child’s stats and shots at each doctor’s visit.  My friend commented that she wished her daughter’s doctor’s office did that.  So, it’s not technically my idea, but it’s a good one!  So get a little Memo notebook to record this information and keep it in that handy dandy bag I suggested in tip #10. J
• Have a lot of your children’s precious artwork, but out of fridge space?  Take pictures of the “best” and at your child’s birthday, make a photo book (like one from Kodak.com) with all the pictures of their artwork from that year.  I also keep some of Cade’s most special drawings or crafts and store them in a storage tub in his closet.
• Okay, another weird one, but it took me 4 years to think of it, so maybe I can shed a few years off for you if it applies.  My kids sleep with fans on to create white noise (blame my husband for starting this habit because now WE sleep with a fan too.)  When Cade was a baby, we always had the problem of the fan circulating too much air in his room, making it chilly.  It hit me when we had Brynlee, to put the fan in the doorway (we have a plug-in behind the door) so it blows right out of the room.  Then, when we’re not using it, we store it behind the door.  We have tower fans so they fit back there nicely.
• For those of you who love to have you kids help you cook (or don’t love it because of the mess) this tip is from a cook book from my husband’s grandma.  Putting salt on a raw egg that’s been spilled on the floor and you can sweep it up with a broom.

Milkin' Mamas: "Conditionally Qualified" Donor!

I’m officially a “conditionally qualified” breast milk donor!  I had always thought about doing it, even before my daughter was born.  I think it’s an amazing thing for breast feeding mothers to do if they can.  Well, when my daughter was about 4 months old, I realized I could!  Read this post about why I needed to donate my breast milk!  I started the process late last year, starting with research, looking for milk banks in my area and just answering some of my questions.  I found the website Milkin’ Mamas and bookmarked it.  I kept going back to it to read the FAQ and learn more about their process, etc.  Then, I saw this tweet and I was sold.  I emailed Milkin’ Mamas right then. 

They were great.  I received a reply from them in less than 24 hours.  First, I had to answer a few preliminary questions (my name, my baby’s age, do I smoke, have I ever lived in Europe…just the basics J).  I passed.

Next I was contacted by Prolacta Bioscience.  Prolacta uses donated breast milk to make 100% human milk fortifier and standardized human milk.  That milk is given to critically ill and premature babies.  The minimum donation is 100 ounces but they will obviously take more if you have it.  You might be thinking, “Whoa!  100 oz!  Who has an extra 100 oz of breast milk?!?”  I did.  I had 200 oz extra.  Just call me Super Lactate Woman. 

Prolacta had another form for me to fill out.  How much information do these people need?  I’m only donating precious breast milk that will feed incredibly fragile babies.  Apparently this is a serious business J  Anyway, next I received an email with forms for my doctor and Brynlee’s pediatrician to sign.  In the mail I got a little kit with a thermometer to test my freezer, vials for the blood test, DNA test swabs and of course more instructions and forms.  The kit also contained prepaid FedEx shipping packages.  I had to report my freezer temperature (-4 degrees Fahrenheit) and verify my donor “code” via email and after that information was confirmed, a nurse from ExamOne Lab called me to set up an appointment for her to come to my house for a blood draw.  The day before the blood draw I contacted FedEx to arrange a pick-up for my two packages (the blood samples and DNA samples.)

I continued to pump and store my milk like usual during the entire qualifying process.  I had to check my freezer temperature every now and then just to make sure it was staying at a safe temperature.  I also made sure I was following the guidelines that they require.  They sent a lovely letter, with the greeting, “Hello Beautiful Mama” J, that outlined all of them.  I think I’m more attentive to how I take care of myself now than I was when I was just providing for Brynlee, but it’s supposed to be that way; Brynlee is strong, healthy and thriving and my donated milk will be going to very premature, disadvantaged babies.  It’s just crucial to be extra careful.

Milkin’ Mamas notified me when my doctor and Brynlee’s pediatrician sent the medical forms back (they don’t require medical records, just a signature from the doctors to confirm that I don’t have any health issues and that Brynlee is developing normally.)  After receiving the results from my blood test (again, I passed J), I was considered a “conditionally qualified” donor while my DNA profile was being created.  I was on my way to milk donation!  I let them know how many ounces I currently had ready to donate, whether or not I was going to be an ongoing donor (I said yes!) and if so if I needed collection bags.  Isn’t that great, not only do I not have to pay one cent for any of this (the blood tests, the shipping, the special in-home visit from the nurse) but if I’m going to be an ongoing donor I don’t have to buy my own storage bags either!

So far, the entire process has taken about a month.  I know it didn’t have to take that long but of course, life happens and there were several speed bumps on my end; lack of free time, problems with scheduling the nurse’s visit due to weather, printer malfunctions, etc.  There was never a delay on Milkin’ Mama’s end of things.  This company is just all around great.  They are working for an incredibly good cause and they take care of the people who decide to work with them.  They have been nothing but supportive, kind, generous….everything honorable people should be!

I can’t wait to receive the coolers and send them my liquid gold!  Not only because we had another issue today with putting away our freezer groceries J, but also because I can’t wait to know that I’ve helped a child in desperate need.  I can’t wait to lift at least a little bit of the burden off a vulnerable mother’s shoulders.  The crazy freezer stock is so totally worth having to buy one less bag of frozen broccoli (and plus, it keeps the stuff we don’t need – think ice cream and popsicles – at the grocery store!) J

Cade's Screen Time Makeover

I’m always looking for ways to satisfy my urge to organize.  My son is the focus of my latest mission.  I posted a few days ago about my quest for a new rewards chart and system for limiting my son’s TV and video game time.  Well, I found it.  I created the ultimate system for doing just that.  At least I think so and my son’s pretty pumped too.

I searched websites (especially this one) for different ideas and tips.  I had a very complex idea, too complex for a preschooler, and simplified it so that he can easily learn and use our new system.  Cade loves numbers and is learning more and more math skills so I incorporated that into tracking his screen time.  We bought him his own timer and made him somewhat responsible for setting his own limits.  I have faith in this approach because for one, kids love feeling in charge and responsible for their own well-being and two, it will help teach him self-control, time management and responsibility.  Inadvertently, he’s also learning some reading and math skills too!  He thinks it’s awesome.

Here’s a look and our new and improved, super duper rewards system:

Let me explain my madness.  Really, all I changed about the first system was the addition of the first page ("Cade's Activities") and new daily goals (chores) to better fit his age and abilities.  I'm thinking about adding new rewards, but for right now we have quite a few and he still loves all of them.  As you can see, there are 12 columns on the "Activities" page, each titled "10", standing for 10 minutes.  Cade gets 120 minutes of TOTAL screen time in one day.  (Right now, we're not counting the TV that we watch as a family in the evenings because it was the time he was spending glued to cartoons or Wii games, without social interactions, that was becoming an issue.  We watch family friendly shows with him and talk with him throughout those shows so it's somewhat of a conversation starter and learning opportunity.  I know, I know...that time SHOULD be counted too, but little steps people, little steps!)  Okay, moving on...

Cade gets to decide how his 120 minutes of screen time is divided (but he still asks for permission before snatching the remote.)  He's learning how to count by 10's in order to track this (sometimes to make it easier we just count the marks that he makes in each square and then his limit is "12" marks = 120 minutes.)  He's also learning that if one row (TV time or video game time) is full, he can't have any time in the other row.  Haha.  Sometimes that bothers him, but mostly because he's obsessive about "completing" things and doesn't like the empty spaces.  Also he has brief feelings of being cheated out of some of his allotted time when there are empty spaces, but then we just count the marks and I say, "12 is 12!  That's your limit!"  Then I encourage him to look at the listed "great things to do" activities to help fill his time and keep him having tons-o-fun instead of pouting on the couch.  Before, I would just spout out orders and threats, "Go look at the hundreds of books you have!  Play with your millions of cars!  I'll just have to tell Santa that you don't like your toys and that he doesn't have to bring any new ones next year!"  Now, he sees that he's met his limit and it's not me just telling him.  He doesn't hear "NO, you can't watch more cartoons!" when he sees that, "YES, I did get my time!"  And now when he's encouraged to try another activity that's listed on his sheet, I hear, "Okay!"  Voilà!

See, visualizing duties, responsibilities, limits, successes...it just makes it more fun!  And easier! J

The Happiest Place On Earth? Not To My Kid!

Cade came into our room last night because of a bad dream.  He told me all about it this morning and remarked at how "real" it seemed.  "Yeah," I said, "sometimes dreams do seem very real.  But you know that they aren't."

"But, there's a place where dreams do come true!  I saw it on TV!!"

"Inception?" I thought, "We did just watch that.  And IMPRESSIVE that he understood the concept of that movie!!!"

Nope.  My child is not a genius, with the mental capacity of an adult.  It was much more uncomplicated than that actually.  He'd simply seen a commercial for this place:

Way to go Disney, for filling my child with the fear that the monsters and horrible storms that he dreams about could actually come to life.  We may never get to enjoy a family vacation to your wonderful World. 

Luckily, Cade did have the ability to understand my explanation of what the phrase, "dreams come true" really means.  Haha!! J