Coast to Coast

I’m quite a girly girl, and I enjoy having nice nails. It helps me feel put together, no matter what is going on. It’s something I’ve done for myself for many years, and what started as more for looks has turned into a durability issue as well. My acrylics not only look nice and neat, but they hold polish forever, and hold UP to scrubbing, cleaning and general Mommy duty.

However, this summer I made the decision to ditch the fake nails and go more natural. The cost was an issue, sure, but mostly it was the TIME I wanted to save. There’s no preschool time to get it done, and I was tired of being a slave to the ‘Fill.’ 

The only problem with going natural after acrylics is that my current nails are very weak. Thank goodness for Nail Envy by OPI! It’s been making a huge difference. I can see my new growth coming in strong and healthy, and it helps keep the polish on the weaker areas. 

I still have to go in every week, but once my nails grow in all the way and are strong, I’ll be able to go longer between appointments and do color changes easily at home. My current fave? Let Them Eat Rice Cake. So fresh and clean for short summer nails.

Here’s a pic of my daughter’s nails - she had her first (and only, for awhile!) mani/pedi to celebrate becoming a 1st grader. She actually said, while getting the flowers painted on, “I could sure get used to this!” Uh-oh…

Last summer, my then 5 year old daughter had just spent a week at Zoo Camp. This extreme animal lover (with a passion for every single creature, even insects) came home wanting to do something to help the cheetahs. Now, I must tell you, I didn’t realize the cheetahs were even endangered! But she educated me. And after doing an ocean unit in Kindergarten, she wanted to help the majestic whales. 

“How about I have a lemonade stand, and raise money to help the cheetahs and whales?” she asked. Adorable, right? And this kid was serious. We began discussing the best time to have it (during our neighborhood garage sale weekend) and where to set up (at a friend’s house on a cul de sac). It was also a great time to talk about what it takes to start a business - the initial start-up costs of the lemonade, cups and ice, making the best signage, having change ready, and promoting the two organizations that we were going to help.

My outgoing little 4 year old helped with sales, smiling and waving with “would you like a cup of fresh cold lemonade to save animals?” and my animal lover (now 6), wore her favorite safari hat and would tend to the customers.

I was surprised by a few things: 1. There are many people out there who, perhaps more inspired by my girls’ enthusiasm than the cause, donated some money without even wanting lemonade, 2. There were many people who wouldn’t even acknowledge the girls with a polite “no, thanks” or “good luck!” and 3. It didn’t seem to phase the girls one bit! 

That last one is a good lesson for me, because I can get too sensitive and take it personally when others don’t share my passion for trying to help. 

It was overcast and cold (thanks, Oregon), and we probably should’ve sold cookies instead of lemonade, but thanks to generous (and sometimes thirsty) people, The Cheetah Conservation Fund and The Whaleman Foundation will be getting some donations from a little girl named Alyssa. She combined her lemonade stand profit with the money in the Give portion of her Spend/Save/Give bank, and got to feel the pride of doing something good (no matter how small) for something she loves.

Has your little one helped save the world? How?

It’s our first official day of summer vacation - our first Monday of no homework, no catching the school bus… no reason to rush our morning one bit. 

I wanted to make it special for the girls, so I let them decide our day - “Kid’s Choice!” An easy but fun tip from Baby Center. They’ve got a great list of Cheap & Fun Activities for Baby, Toddler, Preschool and School-Aged Kids: Simple Ways to Make Your Kids’ Day. The girls got pretty creative today, and actually wanted to be involved with preparing their meals and getting ready for activities, like a nature walk in the backyard, a trampoline music party, and a midday trip to the pool. 

The next activity I’m going to try will be the Household Treasure Hunt. The girls will love working together to solve little clues hidden around the house, and ending at a special treat. 

I’m big on making memories, and it’s even better when they’re around the house and inexpensive.

Need more ideas? Check out 14 Fun & Frugal Summer Activities for Kids and 100 Ways to Have Fun With Your Kids (for Free or Cheap).

We’ve been in our house 5 years now, and the time has come to get fresh new carpet. How do I know it’s time? Because with babies and pets and semi-old carpet, eventually you get an aroma that just won’t quite go away. I think you know what I mean! So I’ve started the process of looking and getting estimates (yikes!). 

What I love, and what I’ve seen for the past few years at Street of Dreams homes, is a very subtle texture/pattern. I like a tone on tone vine look for an older home, but that can be risky (perhaps too trendy and a tad feminine), so I’ve zeroed in on a cool square. And for obsessive neat freaks like myself, there won’t be any vacuum tracks to worry about.

I was chatting with Lyn about it (we love to talk houses), and discovered that it’s the same type of carpet they have in their bedrooms all the way across the country! Great minds, and all…

Anyway, Lyn told me about this cool new carpet made from recycled plastic bottles, where any liquids/stains literally pool on top and can be blotted away with ease. Check out a demo of everSTRAND here. Environmentally conscious AND durable (and apparently super soft too)!

So what’s my random carpet tip? I have a curved staircase, and there are three large, wedge shaped stairs in particular that my dog Milo LOVES to lay on. So I’m going to have the carpet peeps cut those shapes out for me out of the extra carpet and bind the edges. I’ll have custom Milo mats for everyday use, and when guests come over, voila! Tucked in the closet and totally clean stairs like magic.

Need to know more about carpet? There’s a pretty cool blog here. Any pointers before I begin selection and installation?

I woke up this morning feeling a bit goofy and giddy, and tiptoed into Alyssa’s room with my rendition of ‘The Good Morning Song,’ which my Mom used to sing to me, and which I used to sing to the girls every morning when they were babies.

But something happened to the song when our mornings transitioned from baby and toddler routines into getting out for the school bus and preschool drop-off. Being the sentimental and nostalgic girl that I am, I do well with taking mental pictures of our little moments together, and try to enjoy the small stuff. But even I need a reminder when our lives get a bit too focused on ‘getting it done’ and not enough on the process of living.

The Happiness Project has a wonderful 10 Tips for Being a More Lighthearted Parent, and I think we all need a refresher now and again. Tip #2? Singing in the morning, of course! Even if your older kids think it’s goofy. Nothing wrong with a little silliness to start the day.

Ok, so, a lot of my new mommy friends are having problems getting their 6 month olds to eat plain rice cereal. First of all - do YOU think rice cereal smells good/tastes good? …NO. That’s because it needs a little something! Here is my secret. It needs mashed up fruit. Little G LOVES 1/2 mashed up banana in this. Leigh used to just dump a jar of Gerber Banana Berry in there. Try it. You won’t be banging your head against the wall like I was wondering why baby isn’t eating rice cereal! Good Luck.

So THIS is what was in my mailbox yesterday. And not my actual mail, mind you, this is simply the catalogs that were crammed in there. Along with about 10 pieces of ‘junk mail’ and a few bills.

I like to do most of my holiday shopping online and through catalogs, and somehow that is translated into every company on earth sending me stuff in the mail. Easy enough to unsubscribe and avoid online mail, but a bit trickier when it comes to your physical mailbox.

My best friend Diana told me about Tonic Mailstopper (formerly Greendimes). It does cost $20 a year, but she said that it completely changed her life (oh, and they plant 5 trees when you sign up).

And those yellow pages that keep coming every season? Try Yellow Pages Goes Green and opt out of receiving them. Or call directly:

AT&T/Yellow Pages (formerly SBC and Bell South): 1-800-792-2665

Verizon (Idearc): 1-800-888-8448

Dex: 1-877-243-8339

Yellow Book: 1-800-373-3280

Passionate about it? Go to Paperless Petition and be a part of the movement to end this paper waste.

There are a ton of tips here.

I’ve had it - I am finally going to do something about this. What has worked for you?

Well, the control freak in me has finally let go enough to start delegating chores to Alyssa (6) and Haylie (4). And the results are amazing! All it took was a cute chore chart and some rainbow stickers (found at my local Learning Palace), and suddenly they LOVE cleaning up their rooms, setting the table, dusting, etc.!

We try to make the chores manageable and fun, of course, and the bed making is taking some practice. But I love to see them have a new sense of pride in helping around the house. Now they are actually looking for ways to tidy.

I spoke with some friends in my MOMS Club about how much to pay, and that an appropriate allowance can go along with their ages - so Alyssa can make $6 per week (if all chores are done - if not, the amount is adjusted accordingly), and Haylie can make $4 per week. We pay them after going over their charts and discussing the positives, and how we will work on the challenges. We pay with $1 bills so that they can use their Smart Banks (Spend, Save and Give). Talking about how to spread out their money is such a good basis for their future financial knowledge.

I found a great article that goes in depth into different ideas for allowance, chores, and how to make it work for YOUR family. I only wish I would’ve started sooner! Do you have any tips to share?

As Mommies, we don’t have time to be sick! Last night I was up from 3-5 with an ears, nose & throat thing. Now I feel overwhelmed that I won’t be in high-gear today. I was just talking to Leigh and she told me to take emergen-c, she says tangerine is very refreshing. Apparently if I take this twice a day and I can kick this thing to the curb! Think good thoughts.

I’m sitting here at the Sacramento airport, excited to get home to my babies. I took the weekend to visit my best girlfriend for her birthday, and it has totally recharged my batteries.

It’s important as Mommies that we take a weekend, an evening… even an hour here or there to get away and just be selfish. Not ‘bad’ selfish, but the kind where you are not taking care of anyone but yourself. I have slept in, eaten when I was hungry, shopped without rushing to get home for the bus or preschool pick up, and laughed hysterically with someone who has known me since childhood.

Yet despite having had quite a few getaways it is STILL hard to leave my girls. At 6 and 4, they are no longer babies, and my hubby is an experienced Daddy. But driving away still gives me a knot in my stomach and a yearning to turn the car around.

What makes it easier? The little rituals we plan out ahead. The schedule I leave them (Mom Agenda has some great ones, along with the important medical info. sheet) includes some special Daddy/Daughters activities so that they can create their own special memories (precious when you have a husband who travels a lot). We pick certain times during the day to talk on the phone, and always at bedtime for me to sing their lullaby.

And as writer Katherine Lee suggests, don’t call it a ‘getaway’ to your kids. Just call it a trip, and let them know where you’ll be (an impromptu geography lesson) and what you’ll do there. Not sure where to go or what to do? Read Katherine’s ideas here.

The important part is to be brave enough to step away. It will create a sense of confidence for Daddy, and he will have a new appreciation for you when you get back!  I find that I come back to motherhood refreshed, thankful, and sometimes even with a more relaxed and positive attitude. I can’t wait to peek in on them tonight, tuck them in and kiss their little faces. Oh, and Haylie lost her 2nd tooth today, so it’s Fairy duty for me. I love it!!!