Logical Mama

Having Fun With Birthday Cakes

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 02:52:00 +0000

Birthday season is officially over in our household for another year! I love my children, but really wish it wouldn't be birthday, two weeks later Christmas, two weeks later the other one's birthday. It makes for a very expensive 30 days! Last year when my daughter turned 5 we decided to get her a special birthday cake. Although the local grocery store made decent cakes, it was the same sheet cake with graphics that anywhere could make. So I did some research and got some referrals for a lady in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Best choice I ever made!

Tamara's - The Cake Guru creates the most amazing and unbelievable cakes. For my daughter's 5th birthday she made a gorgeous and delicious Fairies cake. Two layers of custom frosting and details beyond belief. Well this year we decided that the higher cost didn't matter. Our daughter was so proud of her cake last year, that we got both kids' birthday cakes from Tamara this year. The smiles were well worth it.

Below are some pictures of the kids birthday cakes this year (Lighting McQueen and Tangled / Rapunzel) as well as my daughter's cake from last year. Make sure you also take a look at Tamara's other cakes and famous cupcakes on her Facebook and Flickr accounts. Fabulous!




Last Year's Birthday Cake

Pinterest - My New Obsession

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:43:00 +0000

By working for an internet marketing agency, you find all kinds of different social sites. I remember a co-worker saying how much she loves this new social Website and how she thought it would really take off. So of course I have to play too. So I created an account on Pinterest. She was right!

Pinterest is amazing in so many ways. First off, I am warning you. If you do not want to get involved with one of the best social sites in a long time, I highly recommend you DO NOT go to Pinterest. I was hooked immediately.

Pinterest allows you to organize your bookmarks or “pins” on boards using images pulled from the various articles you pin. Everything from my beloved Green Bay Packers to kids crafts, room and activities to fashion, home decor and vacations. Everything!

You can follow all the boards of another person or you can choose individual boards of people to follow. Then you can “repin” items from others boards onto your boards. You also have the option to simply like a pin as well as comment on pins. Brands are even getting on Pinterest. I follow a bunch of Better Homes and Gardens boards.

So, besides seeing really cool things, why would you want to get on Pinterest? Many, many reasons. First off, inspiration. You can find almost anything. I love seeing all the different kids crafts and activities other parents have pinned. I have started to update my wardrobe the last year. I had fallen into a t-shirts and hoodie slump. I still love them, but really am looking to get back into pre-baby shape and sazz up my fashion again. There are tons and tons of not only various clothing and jewelry, but entire outfits coordinated. Want to go on vacation? Check out Pinterest! You can see thousands of places as well as actual people’s comments on those places. Looking to change around your home decor? I have boards on my account for Laundry Rooms, Bedrooms, Kitchens, Dream Homes and more.

Many people (I don’t..yet) have Motivation boards in which they pin motivational sayings. Do you like to cook or bake? I tried numerous new recipes at Christmas time for new desserts that I found on Pinterest. It’s really endless.

Now that I have professed my love for Pinterest, which by the way is all my doing (in no way, shape or form did they ask me to) I highly recommend you check it out. And be sure to check out Logical Mama’s boards too! If you do decide to create account or if you have one already, make sure to drop us the link to your page in the comments below so we can see what things you like!

Having a Pajama Day

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 02:50:00 +0000

The holidays have concluded, now it's time to regroup. I don't know about your family but no matter what, the holidays are always stressful for us when it's all said and done. Between long road trips, anticipation and numerous family get togethers everyone in the family gets worn out. But this weekend will be the exact opposite. I am so looking forward to Pajama Day on Saturday!

What's not to love about sleeping in (of course the kids will only make it to 7, but hey, that's better than 5), goofing around with the kids in bed and simply getting up and doing whatever we feel like without leaving the house? Pajama days are something I feel my family doesn't do enough, but that's more my own fault of never being able to just sit and not try to do something productive every day. But this Saturday, I'm ready and the kids are ready too!

Pajama day for our family usually entails an easy cereal breakfast followed by a movie or cartoons. The whole family lounging around in their PJs all morning. After the movie we usually either play a game or Play Doh, something easy yet fun. My daughter likes to make jewelry so I plan to take advantage of making some beaded jewelry with her. Daddy and his boy will most likely watch some hunting videos and pretend their hunting, giving mommy and daughter some much needed girl time.

Lunch typically consists again of something easy. Sandwiches with fruit or yogurt usually works pretty good! Then, nap time! Pajama Day is one of the few days, I may actually take a nap. You never realize how much you used to take naps before kids came along until you hit those days where you really need one. Now being a parent, naps are few and far between, so when I have the chance and am relaxed enough to actually take one, I take full advantage!

Naps are usually followed by some sort of playing whether it be Legos (both kids love) or more Play Doh, something we can all do together. Or even free time for the kids to play whatever they want. Sometimes my kids just want time to play by themselves so this is usually a good time to give them that time alone. Plus mom can fold a load of laundry or do some kind of chore (Can't sit all day). After an easy supper, it's movie night. Make some popcorn and enjoy!

The best part of Pajama days aren't just the fact you get to wear your PJs all day, but the fact that you put everything else on hold. Life is busy, plain and simple, so taking a day once in awhile to just ignore everything but your family really is something special. The whole family can enjoy some much needed relaxation after a busy holiday season!

Make sure you share your Pajama day stories below within the comments. I'd love to hear other parents ideas!

Alvin & The Chipmunks - Chipwrecked Review

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 03:25:00 +0000

Over the holidays I took advantage of having a day off of work by taking the kids to go see Alvin & The Chipmunks - Chipwrecked. The kids loved it! And I can honestly say, I did too! I really liked the Squeakquel so it didn’t beat that out, but it was a great family movie despite what many film critics have said.

The movie starts off with Dave, the Chipmunks and the Chipettes taking a family vacation on a luxury cruise ship. Alvin, of course, causes complete chaos on the ship and all of a sudden lands himself, Simon, Theodore and the Chipettes on a deserted island. In the meantime, Dave and a very unlikely friend (don’t want to give it away for those who haven’t seen it) are searching the island for the chipmunks. The movie continues with the Chipmunks meeting a new friend, seeing an entirely new side of Simon and a change of heart.

This Chipmunks movie brings in a lot of references to other popular films which gives it some entertainment for the adults as well. References to Cast Away and Lord of the Rings made me laugh as well as the kids and they didn’t even know the connection. The movie also hits on a point that us as parents often don’t do - give our child some freedom to make their own choices. We are often caught up (un-consciously) in trying to prevent our children from failing that we don’t give them the opportunity to test themselves. This movie shows this. So I was reminded to let my children take more risks and let them fail. There’s no better way for them to learn how to get back up again!

The music really puts the cherry on top in my opinion for this movie. What’s not to love when you have “Party Rock Anthem” and hits from Beyonce and Lady Gaga? My daughter was in awe and literally dancing at the theater. She’s already been asking and trying to negotiate me getting the soundtrack!

I feel my children are pretty good critics of their movies. If they talk about it nonstop for weeks afterward, they really liked it. Well, were two weeks later and they’re still quoting parts from the movie.

So, if you haven’t taken your kids to see the Chipmunks - Chipwrecked, I highly recommend you do!

Children's Nightmares - Where Do They Come Up With This Stuff

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 15:19:00 +0000

About 2 years ago, my daughter who was 3 at the time, was having a lot of nightmares. I was desperate and blogged about it then (Child Nightmares and Bad Dreams - HELP). Well since we had found that something as simple as a daily vitamin fixed her sleeping problems. However last night she woke up terrified, to afraid to tell me her dream. So this morning, when she was more calm, she told me about her nightmare. Quite frankly I was completely freaked out by what my child told me.

My almost 6 year olds dream was that a creature was taking my daughter's skin off and putting it on another creature. WTF! I have no idea where her typically happy mind would have gotten this idea. We are careful in terms of what she watches on TV. I checked all the movie previews to make sure something didn't sneak past us but I'm not seeing anything even close to what her nightmare was. So me being the Logical Mama I am, wants to know why my little girl would dream something so horrifying. Of course, I probably will never know, but I am doing my best to make at least some sense of it.

In trying to figure out her nightmare this morning, I came across multiple sites showing how a person or child's dreams tell a story about something going on in your life or something they are struggling with, which makes sense, except she has only happy things coming up right now. Her Christmas Program at school, Christmas and her birthday. All things in which she is happy and excited for.

The one thing that is brand new is that she is trying her hardest to stop sucking her thumb. She started this challenge on Sunday and has been doing quite well, but like I said, she's working on it hard. She'll sit on her hands or twirl a string, almost anything to keep her hands busy. Could that be the cause of this horrific nightmare? Maybe somehow her mind is relating her attempt to stop sucking her thumb to a creature taking her skin? I really don't know.

So now instead of working like I should be, I am sitting at my desk trying to analyze my daughters nightmare.

Any dream analysts out there? The Logical Mama needs your help!

Holiday Pretzel Treats Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 14:20:00 +0000

If you follow me on Twitter you've probably come across one of my tweets about my love of Pinterest. This week I came across a Holiday Pretzel Recipe that the kids and I had to try!

Holiday Pretzel Treats Recipe

You'll need:
Bag of Round or Square Pretzels
Big bag of Hershey Kisses (Any flavor you want except probably the filled kind)
Bag of M&M's (Any kind you want)
Parchment Paper
Cookie Sheet

1) Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2) Place your round or square pretzels on your cookie sheet. You can make as many as you want. We filled up the whole sheet.

3) Place a Hershey Kiss within or on top of each pretzel.

4) Preheat oven to 250.

5) Bake the pretzel / kisses for 3-4 minutes. Just enough so the chocolate is beginning to get soft.

6) Push one M&M into each Hershey Kiss.

7) Place pan of Holiday Pretzel Treats in the refrigerator for 10 - 15 minutes to cool and ENJOY!

The batch of Holiday Pretzels shown in the above picture, I used the Pretzel M&M's. This weekend I want to try Peanut Butter M&M's. Or try them with Hershey Hugs instead of Kisses! Let me know what variations you've tried by commenting below.

Saving for the Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 05:22:00 +0000

I think everyone can agree that the number one worry for most people around the holidays is money. We’d all love to buy our children everything their hearts desire but for most of us, that isn’t possible. Plus, typically you don’t buy Christmas presents for just yourself, you still have your entire extended family & friends too! In our family, not only is there Christmas but also both my children’s birthdays are within a month of the holidays. Every year we have intentions of saving money for the holidays but it is challenging. This year we actually did!

Below are some tips on how to save money for the holiday season:

Consign
Put all those kids clothes to good use! How much and where you consign depends on the time you have available. Some places only accept so many items that are neatly ironed and on hangers, plus other restrictions (I don’t have time for that). Others, though they may not take as much or pay as much, you can bring in 2 totes full of children's clothes and within an hour or two have a check. This is my kind of consignment. Like I said, you may not get as much but something is better than nothing. You really need to do a cost / time analysis and chose the type of Consignment shop based on what works best for your family.

Loose Change
One of the oldest, yet easiest ways to save money. No matter what, at the end of the day, throw your loose change into a bucket / jar and never touch it again. It’s amazing how much you can save in the course of a year doing so. We barely carry cash and each year have a couple hundred dollars in change. Now if your a person who carries a lot of cash, you’re stash looks better than ours!

eBay
Just as consignments, selling on eBay is similar. If you have the time and merchandise in demand, it can be a gold mine. I don’t have a ton of extra time so I separate out the kids clothes that is in really good shape and from popular brands (Oshkosh B’Gosh, Children’s Place, Gap, Old Navy, etc.) and sell them in lots on eBay.

Watch for Sales
So easy, yet so few do it. Watch for sales, especially online. During the holidays, many of the items that are on sale in a store, are also on sale online, with free shipping. Save yourself the headaches of lines at the stores and the gas you’ll waste driving around to find something in stock. This year, it’s amazing how much has been on sale this week, before the crazy mayhem of Black Friday even arrives.

Coupon Sites
I’m not saying you have to become the coupon lady, but you should always check for promo codes or printable coupons before going shopping. Sites like RetailMeNot provide access to thousands of coupons and promo codes that you can grab within seconds. Literally! Make a list of where / what you’re shopping for. Go to Google and search that store and coupon or promo code and many more sites like RetailMeNot.com appear. Easy & fast. That’s my kind of saving money!

Cut back on Groceries
Now why would I single out groceries? In our household, groceries are our biggest killer. So in our efforts to lower our weekly grocery bill we took a step back and analyzed what we spend on groceries. It’s amazing how much groceries a family purchases that they could easily do without. Simple things like using generics. Now I’m not saying use generics for everything. I too have certain items that must be a particular brand. Such as I only buy Kleenex brand Kleenex and Cottonelle Toilet Paper. Everyone has something that they are very particular about. But watch on other things, like napkins, paper towel, baggies, etc.

Also watch sales. My toddler boy loves juice right now. So I buy whatever is on sale. He may have Apple juice for a couple weeks in a row but then all of a sudden Ocean Spray is on sale and he can have every flavor possible mixed with Cranberry. This is true for a lot of items. Cereal, fruit snacks, yogurt, pizza, etc. Just like loose change, savings do add up.

Create a Christmas Jar
We did not try this idea this year, but it’s on our list for next year. Every week, put at a minimum $5 in a safe place. Make it a habit. $5 / week for one year equals $260. Do $10 and you got $520. We are even debating setting up a separate savings account in which when my paycheck is deposited, a set amount gets automatically put into that savings account. Thus we can quickly get used to not having that extra $5 (or more) within the budget.

None of the above are new ways to saving money for the holidays but sometimes a reminder is needed as to how easy it can be to save. If you’re like me, I can’t start shopping in July for Christmas as I have no clue what my kids may be into by then. At least one new toy comes out or they have changed their mind by the time Christmas comes around. So spreading out the cost throughout a year isn’t very practical in our household. So we need to save.

Please share in the comments below how your family saves for the Holiday season!

Fall & Halloween Recipes - Brownies, Desserts, Cupcakes & More!

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 13:32:00 +0000

I love fall! It has become my favorite season here in Wisconsin. Everyone including myself, gets into the baking mood once again! Now I hate to cook. I don't cook, I just don't. Thank god my husband does. However, I love to bake. My inbox has been overflowing the last 2 weeks with so many tempting and delicious, fall and Halloween recipes. From cupcakes, brownies, fudge, snacks, cakes and more, there's something for everyone's fall sweet tooth, including the kids! I couldn't resist sharing some of the recipes I've found so far.

Here's the Halloween and fall recipes that are on the top of my baking to do list!

Halloween Cupcakes via BHG

21 Gross Recipes - Halloween Party Food via Parenting.com - The Yummy Chocolate, Orange Spider Halloween Cupcakes are on the top of my list of recipes to try from this group.

Bats & Bones Brownie Pizza via Kraft Foods

Pumpkin Chocolate Cheesecake Bars via BHG

13 Creepy Halloween Cupcakes via Disney Family Fun

Wormy Brain via Kraft Foods - You do need to buy the brain Jello mold, but it's only $3.

Pumpkin Tiramisu via BHG

25 Spooky Halloween Treats via Disney Family Fun

Halloween Pretzel Treats Recipes via Taste of Home

6 Spooky and Gross Halloween Cupcakes and Treats via Parenting.com - How can you resist Blood-Stained Brain Cupcakes?

Best Fall Pie & Tart Recipes via BHG

Pumpkin Fudge via Southern Living

The worst part about this list of desserts and treats is that I've barely dug into these recipe collections and I have a list a mile long! Happy baking!!

Scrubbing Bubbles One Step Toilet Bowl Cleaner Review

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 03:40:00 +0000

About a month or so ago I won a free Scrubbing Bubbles One Step Toilet Bowl Cleaner during a Twitter chat. Now as any mother knows, cleaning the toilet is not only the least favorite cleaning chore, but also the one, mom typically gets stuck with. So this prize was absolutely fabulous in my book!

So, of course I immediately put it to the test. Right off the bat I was pretty pleased with this Scrubbing Bubbles product. Setting up the sprayer was simple and that’s all there really is to it. I do wish the sprayer would be a little more snug but it actually isn’t too bad. It’s recommended that you step on the small pedal twice a day to keep your toilet healthy. So far, my toilet is still nice and clean. And the best part of all, I haven’t had to do any scrubbing!!

Now on the down side, it’s not exactly kid friendly. You can’t lock the pedal so my toddler thought it was the coolest thing ever to keep stepping on the pedal and watch it work. Needless to say, the first bottle got emptied pretty quick with him around. However now that he knows to leave it alone, we are sticking to the 2 times a day as suggested.

The toilet cleaning system costs $9.99 for the starter kit. After that, refills cost $3.99. From what I’ve read on other blogs and reviews, the refills last about a month. So when you think about how much you typically spend in a bottle of toilet cleaner or scrubbing pads, it’s actually really reasonable price wise. At least I think so.

Overall, it may be the right product for you, or it may not. Really depends on your current situation. I do think that no matter what, for $10, you should at least give it a try. Just the possibility of not having to scrub the toilet every week is worth the $10 in my book!

IKEA Expedit Storage Units

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 04:15:00 +0000

How do you organize 30+ Little Pet Shop animals and 5+ play sets? What about 30+ barbies? And the 40+ Hot Wheels cars? Or the 20+ beanie stuffed animals? This is a challenge I know I am not the only one who faces. Kids have a lot of stuff, plain and simple. Organizing it becomes a major challenge. Unfortunately I'm not a multi-millionaire who can have a playroom the size of my entire basement so how do you fit all that stuff, a dresser, bed and more in a 15 X 15 room?

After searching for what seemed like forever, I found my savior at IKEA. As I mentioned before, I don't make a fortune. Even with 2 full-time incomes coming into the household between my husband and I, a 4000 square foot home is not possible at this point in time. So I needed to find a functional, reasonably priced, attractive looking storage unit that would fit in my children's rooms and still have room for other things. The IKEA Expedit did just that for both my children's rooms.

For my daughters room, which is all pink and purple we bought the unit that is a 4x4 square in the white finish. She had a long wall that the piece would fit nice on. IKEA's purple /clear Lekman plastic storage bins that fit perfectly in the storage unit. Plus the storage bins were actually big enough to fit items in. I can't tell you how many storage bins I looked at that you could fit 2 stuffed animals in and that was it. The piece looks perfect and works for her as well. Besides the top row, she can easily reach the 3 other rows at this point. In 2 - 3 years, the top row will be well within her reach.

For my son's room, he did not have the luxury of getting a storage unit that large. The way the windows were arranged and heating / cooling vents, the large unit would not work in his bedroom. However, the Expedit comes in many different shapes. For him we bought two of 2x2 squares in a natural wood finish. We were able to place the two different units on opposite walls. Plus, seeing as he's only 2 1/2, he can easily reach all rows and the tops. In trying to keep more of the boyish look, we went with the Flort storage bins which are available in black and red with a wide stripe down the middle. Perfect!!

Both units were amazingly simple to assemble and are sturdy pieces of furniture. I have zero complaints when it comes to the quality for the price. My only problem is that I need to travel 4+ hours to get to an IKEA store or pay a boatload of cash for shipping. Wisconsin needs an IKEA!

Starting Kindergarten - A Mother's Point of View

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 04:31:00 +0000

Starting Kindergarten is an exciting time for your child. Their curious minds are ready to try something new, meet new friends and whether they know it or not, really begin a whole new phase of their life. But what about the parents feelings. People are right! The first day of Kindergarten is harder on the parents than on the kids a majority of the time.

The emotions that I felt in the week before school started and that first day of school were a roller coaster at the very least. One minute excited, the next ready to ball my eyes out. I cried the whole 45 minute drive to work on Thursday. I never imagined it being such an emotional time period for myself.

- I was (am) so proud of my child. She is very mature and smart for a 5 year old and I'm not just saying that because she's my daughter.

- I was devastated to realize that my baby girl isn't a baby anymore. She was ready for school! This did not officially sink in until she got on that bus and pulled away, thus inducing the 45 minute crying fest.

- Selfish or not, the thought of my first child going to Kindergarten made me feel old. Now I know that 30 isn't old, however to me, it is. Turning 30 and your first child going to school should not be allowed to happen in the same year.

- I was excited to have my daycare bill cut in half.

- I had fun seeing how much my daughter was looking forward to going to school

- I was filled with worry all day that first day of school. How was the bus ride? Does she like the teacher? Did she have any problems with lunch? Did she get embarrassed at all? How was the bus ride back to daycare? Will she want to go tomorrow? And on and on and on. My mind would just not quit with the "what if's".

All of those doubts and questions were quickly wiped away when she told me she had the best day ever! She went on and on about gym class and what they did in music class; how much she loved her teacher; what lunch was like; who her new friends were, etc. I slept much better that night.

Now I know not every child has a great first day of school. My daughter has been in daycare since a baby so there isn't the separation anxiety that some of her other friends are feeling that have been with their parents. I'm not saying one way is better than the other, simply that those children who have been with their parents and not in a daycare may need to adjust a little more. It's out of their normal routine to not have mom or dad there and anyone with children knows that changing a routine can be a pretty big deal.

How you act as a parent reflects a lot on your child. During my roller coaster emotion ride, I was extremely careful to not let her see me getting worried or seem out of place. I remained upbeat and excited whenever discussing Kindergarten starting soon. If you are uptight and overly clingy to your child when saying Good Bye, chances are they will act the same way back, making it even more difficult. Tread carefully these first couple weeks. I'm told that my daughter may go through her own emotional roller coaster simply due to the adjustment. But the best thing us parents can do in my eyes is go with the flow and always, ALWAYS remain positive!

Happy Kindergarten!!

Melted Crayon Artwork

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:58:00 +0000

Thanks to the idea from Kristen at wearethatfamily.com there was no way we were missing the opportunity to give some melted crayons a shot! Saturday morning we went shopping and purchased all of our crayons and supplies. Then that afternoon, went to work melting crayons! Now everyone can do this crayon art project a different way. Below is just how we did it. It may not have been the best or easiest way, but it worked for our family.

Supplies:
Lots of crayons – We bought 6 boxes of the plain 24 sets of crayons. Target has them for $.40 right now
Canvas board – Hobby Lobby had their canvas boards on sale so it was under $20.
Masking tape
Hot glue gun
Hair Dryer

Step 1: Use plain brown masking tape and create a border around the whole canvas.

Step 2: Organize all your crayons to fit across the top of the canvas. (This step took the longest of the whole project).

Step 3: Hot glue the crayons to the top border of masking tape so you can easily pull off the crayons.

Step 4: Get an area outside set up. The crayons splattered for us, so I'm sooo happy we did it outside. We just set our canvas up on a kids chair with a rock holding it in place. Yeah, we like to improvise. If you have an easel that will probably work a lot better!

Step 5: Begin melting the crayons with the hair dryer. We skipped all over the place. The kids would melt some of the reds than go over to blue and back and forth. The crayons would dry about half way down our canvas board, so then I would use the blow dryer and melt the crayon backlog down the canvas more.

Step 6: Beware it does splatter so the ground will have colored crayon drops as well as your clothes. My patio is nicely decorated in one area now! It also took longer than I expected, probably 3 hours but we had a very large piece of canvas too.

You're done!

What was the most fun with the melting crayon artwork was that all of us could work on it. Even my toddler could handle the blow dryer. I have 2 smaller canvas boards in which the kids are going to create their own crayon artwork and then the set of 3 will be my new dining room art, which I'm super excited about. Though it's just melted crayons, I think they look pretty neat!

Has your family created melted crayon artwork? If so, what steps did you do differently? Does something else work better for melting the crayons than a blow dryer that is still safe for the kids? Share! Share! Share!

School Dress Codes - Things Sure Have Changed!

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 02:03:00 +0000

I had a new parent meeting at my daughter's Kindergarten last night. After the initial culture shock and realizing my first child is going to school, I read through the parent handbook. Everything was the normal, typical information but then I got to the dress code and realized, I had a lot more back to school shopping to do.

I was extremely surprised at the items my daughter will not be able to wear which currently accounts for 90% of her wardrobe. And believe me, it's not like I dress her like Hannah Montana or Britney Spears. Her wardrobe consists of items from Oshkosh B'Gosh, Children's Place, Old Navy, Target, etc. with an over bearing daddy making sure it's appropriate enough for his little girl. Now before I give the list, my daughter will be attending a Catholic school so I understand there will be rules stricter than public school but some of it caught me off guard.

Below is a breakdown of my Kindergartner's Dress Code with my comments in italics:

Acceptable Attire

Jeans are acceptable only if they are not heavily worn. Ok, I understand this one.

Shorts and skirts of good taste and to the knee may only be worn in Aug/Sept and May/June. To the knee? Do they make shorts to the knee because I haven't seen them unless you are meaning capris?

Stockings or socks at all times. There goes her 10+ pairs of flip flops and sandals. However, this does make sense for safety reasons.

Sleeveless shirts or dresses in which the shoulder strap covers the child's entire shoulder. Umm... Wouldn't that mean it's not a tank top? My daughter loves dresses. I went through them this morning, only one out of 9 would be acceptable. Her dresses are simple sun dresses and some are gorgeous however they either have normal tank top straps or spaghetti straps. This dress rule bothers me the most as its the hardest to explain to a child.

Unacceptable Attire

Torn, frayed or modified jeans or shirts. Good thing I'm not in school because there goes half of my wardrobe!

Shirts with tin straps (spaghetti, tank tops, muscle shirts) or shirts that do not fit snuggly around student's arms. So here it is, yet again. Hopefully my little boy grows out of his muscle shirt obsession before he starts Kindergarten!

Clogs or flip flops. There goes the Crocs.

Dying of one's hair with bold colors is unacceptable. Dying with natural hair colors is OK (blonde, brunette, etc.). Really? So for St. Patrick's Day we can't go green? Maybe I'm just too go with the flow, but if my daughter wants some temporary pink hair streaks, what's the harm in letting her?

Now of course there were also the expected no offensive clothing, no body piercing, clothing must be clean, etc. but some of these really shocked me and actually caused my daughter to get upset. Yes it is easy to explain that flip flops aren't really safe for gym class and that socks need to be worn to prevent her feet from getting something, but I am really struggling with how to explain why she can't wear a perfectly modest, beautiful sun dress or a tank top in the summer because it doesn't have sleeves. I mean, really, what is the reasoning? It isn't safety. Her tank tops and dresses are not in bad taste, so what do I tell her? Right now all I'm saying is, "That's the rules." because I don't agree with that rule and really don't know why. I can't tell her that someone might think she is being too revealing because she isn't!

With that said, please let me know what kind of dress code your school has. Is it in line with what my daughter's private school's dress code? What items are on your child's school dress code that aren't on mine?

Kindergarten Checklist

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 02:19:00 +0000

It's that time again, kids are heading back to school. For our family, my first baby starts Kindergarten. AHHH! Besides mommy here being a little emotional about my daughter starting Kindergarten, we're all set. As parents, we have a responsibility to help our children be successful. We are the ones who need to help teach, it's not all the teacher's duty. Sorry for the mini rant but I get upset at parents who never work with their children at home and then blame the teacher when their children are doing so well. The only one who suffers in those situations are the kids. So for those parents who are willing to help their child begin their education, here's my daughter's list of items to know before starting Kindergarten.

Tie their own shoes

Take boots / shoes on off by themselves

Button and zip own clothing

Know their address

Know their phone number

Write their first and last name

Birthday

Can recognize the letters of the alphabet

Can count to 30

Knows at least 5 colors

Has begun writing letters and numbers

Simple rhyming

Understand directions such as top, bottom, up, down

Plays well with other children

Beginning understanding of time such as days of the week

Please share any items that are on your child's Kindergarten checklist by commenting below.

Sweet Popcorn Snack Mix

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 01:35:00 +0000

This snack mix turned out to be a hit with the kids. Sure it isn’t the most healthiest snack, but kids love it and so did mom! I got the below recipe for the Sweet Popcorn Snack Mix from the Taste of Home Fun Food book (I know I talk about it all the time). The last time we made it, we edited it a bit and used the pretzel M&Ms instead of regular M&Ms and it actually was really good.

Taste of Home Sweet Popcorn Snack Mix

8 cups popped popcorn
2 tablespoons cinnamon-sugar
1 tablespoon baking cocoa
1 cup honey bear-shaped crackers
1 cup broken thin pretzel sticks
1/2 cup milk chocolate M&Ms

Place popcorn in a large bowl. Combine cinnamon-sugar and cocoa; sprinkle over popcorn and toss to coat. Stir in graham snacks, pretzels and M&Ms. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 2 1/2 quarts.

Having Fun at Home Depot

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 02:53:00 +0000

Until we built our home, I can honestly say, I seldom went to Home Depot. Now I feel like I’m there at least once a week. Between gardening supplies, home supplies, building materials, etc, let’s just say we’re there often. On top of all the day to day needs, we also have plans to finish our basement. Currently it's completely unfinished, so basically a enormous concrete room. We’ve been saving to finish it off, because it’s pretty much like building a whole new house, just downstairs. So between pricing out 2X4's, looking at ceramic tile and carpet, to checking out various lighting options, to trying to decide paint schemes, we’ve been doing a lot of our research at Home Depot.

The fun thing about Home Depot is how much fun the kids can have while you’re there. Who would have thought that playing Eye Spy with bathroom faucets would be so fun? In the summer, it’s easier to entertain the kids while shopping with the garden center open. There's always birds flying around to entertain. You can also again play Eye Spy with colors or count how many yellow flowers, etc. Plenty to keep them occupied. The only downfall to Home Depot's garden center is that mom usually ends up with more flowers than she needs in the cart.

Even if the Garden Center is closed, there's plenty of ways to entertain your kids while shopping at Home Depot. Like I said earlier, playing Eye Spy in just about any department is a quick and easy. Another thing we've done if daddy has a lot to shop for is put together a scavenger hunt. I make a list prior to leaving (or on the way). Then while dad is shopping, we see how many items we can find on our scavenger hunt list. You can also stop by the paint section and have your children imagine what colors they'd like their room to be. Let their imaginations go wild!

Something me and the kids have not done yet that I would love to try is one of Home Depot’s various free workshops. Gardening is more my thing than a building or tile project so maybe this summer I can try and fit one in. Someday maybe I’ll be handy enough to build a bird house, but for now it’s pretty much hopeless. I have tiled a flower pot though, that I am pretty proud of! Has anyone tried any of the workshops at Home Depot? I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences.

The kids have been very cooperative during our visits to Home Depot because we make it enjoyable for them to. I'm not saying their jumping for joy when we say "C'mon kids! We're going to Home Depot!", but they aren't asking can we go yet, 2 minutes after walking into the store.

Kids Scooter Snacks

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 03:20:00 +0000

Snack time is one of my most favorite meals to prepare for the kids. You can have so much fun making snacks for kids. And the best part is, snack time is one of the easiest times to get your children to eat healthy. What other meal will your kids willingly eat vegetables for you day after day? Exactly.

I can’t talk enough about how much I love the Taste of Home Fun Food book. The kid friendly recipes included in this book are unbelievable. The latest recipe I tried out of it for snack time was Scooter Snacks. Below is the recipe. I will say I had some issues with keeping the tomatoes on the pretzels but overall everything else worked perfectly and the kids loved it!

Scooter Snacks

8 slices cucumber or zucchini (1/4 inch thick)
6 pretzel sticks
2 pieces of string cheese
2 pretzel rods cut into 3 inch pieces
2 tablespoons spreadable garden vegetable cream cheese
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
2 pimiento-stuffed olives, halved

For each of the four axles, thread two zucchini / cucumber slices through a pretzel stick, leaving a 1 inch space in the center. For each scooter, position string cheese between two axles.

Attach a pretzel rod with cream cheese to each scooter; top each with a pretzel stick for handlebars. Add the tomato hubcaps and the olive headlights and taillights with cream cheese.

Makes 2 Scooters

Huggies Enjoy the Ride Rewards Program

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 02:20:00 +0000

I absolutely love the Huggies Enjoy the Ride rewards program. You are constantly buying diapers from newborn through 2 - 3 years old at the minimum. The Huggies Enjoy the Ride program adds a little fun and excitement to buying diapers. The Huggies Enjoy the Ride rewards program allows you to earn points by entering special codes from various Huggies products, participating in polls, watching videos as well as other surprise codes. You then can use your points to enter sweepstakes, spend in the rewards catalog (fully loaded), instant win games (addicting) and more. They also offer the option to use your points to donate diapers to those in need through their Huggies Every Little Bottom program. Just 2 points equals one diaper or 16 points to diaper a child a day. What a great idea!

Unfortunately I haven't won any big sweepstakes yet but I have one a few of the instant win games. We've enjoyed gift cards from Subway and Dairy Queen so far as well as a diaper coupon. Right now there are instant win games for Crocs, an iPod Shuffle, diaper coupons and a gas card. Sweepstakes currently include a new minivan, $250 cash or Diapers for a Year. So they aren't boring prizes by any means!

So what are you waiting for? Go signup for the Huggies Enjoy the Ride program. Really, you have to buy diapers no matter what, so what's there to lose!!

Professional Sports - The Ultimate Creator of Family Time

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 13:14:00 +0000

Sports are an integral part of my family. We are diehard Cheeseheads through and through. Packers are by far the most prominent sports figure within our household. Super Bowl Sunday happened to fall on the one weekend we went to Disney World (Was not the plan). So that Sunday we did a little Disney sight seeing but then we were all back in the hotel room for kickoff. We had our own little Super Bowl party in Florida. We wore green and gold practically all week. However, the highlight of our trip was getting to see Aaron Rodgers at Magic Kingdom on Monday. The kids had a blast waiting for the MVP parade to start and were amazed at all the Packer fans that were there. So even though we weren't in Green Bay for the homecoming parade, the MVP parade was really special.

Next we move on to baseball. I'm a devoted Yankees fan (how I became a Yankees fan in Wisconsin, I have no clue) whereas my husband is a loyal member of the Brew Crew. When it comes to baseball, the kids are somewhat split. They haven't gotten into watching baseball with us as much as football. Some days they are Yankee fans, some days Brewer fans. Chances are they will become Brewer fans as we watch the Brewers games every night they are on (downside of not living in the state where your team resides).

Lastly we have NASCAR. Here's where the family drama gets interesting. I follow Kyle Busch and Wisconsin native, Matt Kenseth, my husband is part of the hugely popular, Jr nation and our daughter is in love with and some days claims she's married to Kasey Kahne. My little man, who's 2 1/2 still hasn't really grabbed onto any single driver yet so time will tell. Raceday always is a fun time as a family. We all sit down, and no, the kids don't stare devotedly at the TV for 3 - 4 hours for the whole race, however are playing near by and do watch it in spurts. We have fun family debates on which driver is going to win, which one will hit the wall and what drivers we really don't like. Overall we are doing it all together.

Overall, we always are enjoying sports together ... as a family. The kids are right in the living room with us for a majority of the game, they are actively involved with cheering or booing the TV, having that special snack of chips and dip, just all around family fun.

Now before anyone jumps on my case, we play a lot of the same sports as well, with exception of NASCAR of course, although my daughter claims she wants to be a race car driver when she grows up. But by no means are we just a bunch of couch potatoes. There needs to be a balance. I just wanted to share one of the activities we do as a family that we all enjoy and have some fun with!

Parenting Stress - There is Some Relief!

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 02:41:00 +0000

Every parent at some point becomes overwhelmed with stress. You have one of those days or week where you feel completely out of your mind. You're short with the kids, your spouse, everyone. You just want to get away to some deserted island or dream place and unwind for awhile. Then when the dust settles, you become filled with guilt. Not understanding how you could imagine being so frustrated or upset with your innocent children. Well, I'm here to tell you, you are by no means alone. Parenting stress is no different than stress from work or family or anything else. The one thing you do have control over is how you handle the stress. How you cope with stress and finding time to unwind to minimize, not eliminate, those out of control days all parents experience.

Below are some of the I ways I personally try to relieve the stress of parenting.

Accept reality.
No matter what, as I mentioned above, you will still have those crazy, stress-filled days. The goals is to minimize and shorten them. Sorry, but you're not going to eliminate them completely. If your children are out of their mind crazy that day, put a movie on where they are safe and simply leave the room for a few minutes. I'm not saying leave the house, just walk into another room and take some deep breathes. They are still within hearing distance. Same is true for a baby. I remember those days when one of my children would just not stop crying. You're at the point where you are crying right along with them. Put your baby in their crib, swing or other safe place and walk into the other room. As long as you're positive they aren't in any danger, you can give yourself 5 minutes to regroup. It's amazing how 5 minutes can change you're mood and prepare you to take on the rest of the day.

Support.
No mother or father is superman. You sometimes just can't do everything. Don't be afraid or ashamed of asking for some help. Parenting is the hardest job anyone can have, so why not have a team to help you out. Spouse, friends, relatives, other parents; they're all there to support you. Grow friendships with other parents. Everything in your life changes the day your child is born. It's only natural to long for those days before kids when you're feeling stressed and pushed to your limit. It truly is amazing how much just talking on the phone with another parent who has experienced the same thing can relieve the stress from that day. As they always say, you'll feel so much better after you get it off your chest. Talking truly is one of the kings of relieving the stress of parenting. The funny thing is, typically when I call my best friend or mom and start talking about how stressed out I am, it's not long and you're laughing about something silly your child did that day. That little bit of talking helps you realize how much joy kids bring into your life. It's puts it all into perspective that this one stressful day or week doesn't compare to all the happiness your children have brought to you.

Me time.
Well, this is one I always include on my list, but really it's the hardest for me to do. Giving myself a couple hours seems next to impossible. Life is hectic and typically, not always, the mother takes the blunt of the parenting stress. In my household, I have a full-time marketing job, I have homework (I decided to go back and get another degree for some odd reason), I'm the head of the household, handling all the bills/family financials, grocery shopping, cleaning, making sure everything is in order, etc., the normal motherly duties and yeah, I blog. Time isn't something that I have much of at all. I know I need to give myself more time alone, but it's just not there. Now with that being said, I do try to get away once in awhile so I don't want people to feel hopeless. Once a year 3 girlfriends and I go to Mall of America in Minneapolis for our once a year get away. A weekend full of shopping, laughter and our favorite part, Bubba Gump Shrimp Company for dinner (All 4 of us, truly are in love with the I'm Stuffed Shrimp). It's amazing how much just looking forward to that weekend and actually experiencing the weekend rejuvenates us. By the end of the weekend, we're ready to get home and see our babies. So if you're like me and a once a week "me time" isn't an option, aim for a once a month or once a year break. It really does do wonders in relieving stress!

Give yourself a break.
Don't be so hard on yourself. No parent is perfect. We all make mistakes. The best part is though is that your kids are extremely forgiving. They love you unconditionally just as you do them. Apologize and all will be forgotten. You have to also remember to let the little things go sometimes. Oh well if the house isn't clean yet. So what if there's toys everywhere. Who cares about the dishes in the sink. That laundry will still be there in a couple hours or tomorrow. By letting the little things go, you'll be much more relaxed right away. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not encouraging you all to let your homes go wild, but for a day or so, sure why not? Lastly, and the hardest by far, don't expect yourself to be perfect. I'm guilty of this. More often I feel as I have not done my job as a mother right or that I'm failing as a parent when I can't keep up, or I do need help, but we just have to come to terms that we're not perfect. We're human beings who can't take on the world. So don't be so hard on yourself. The whole family will be happier if moms happy!

Remember, kids are only kids so long. They grow up way to fast. Enjoy them as much as you can now because before you know it, they'll be teenagers and we'll be trying to figure them out all over again!

Trying to Lose Those Last 10 Pounds of Baby Weight

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 13:31:00 +0000

So many other mothers were right. For every child, you have 10lbs that you just can't get rid of. I have 2 children and I have 20lbs I'd LOVE to lose. And yes, the solution seems so simple to losing weight. Eat right and exercise. Well it really isn't that easy. Between a full time job, 2 kids, a house to run, my blogs, homework and oh yeah, somewhat of a life, exercise isn't something that easily fits in. However, I've taken the plunge and started making time to exercise.

I am on day 12 of walking 3 miles each night. Last night I even upped it and ran 1 mile of the 3. It takes me right around 40 minutes at this point which over time I'm aiming to shorten. Yes there are some who run 5+ miles everyday, but for someone like myself, who hasn't really exercised in probably 10 years, I'm pretty proud of myself.

I went shopping and purchased a pair of Skechers Shape-Ups for low running. I can't find the particular pair I bought on their Website, but I am really happy with them. I definitely could feel the shoes working my calves and other parts of my legs that when compared to my old running shoes I didn't feel. They are extremely comfortable too! I will say, they do take a little bit to get used to. It's hard to describe but the shoes feel bouncy. Some more so than others. I had tried on a pair of their new resistance running shoes and those were a little too bouncy for my liking. When I was standing still I felt it was a balancing act to not tip over. The Shape-Ups I purchased so far are treating me just fine. We'll see how they last the test of time.

So, we'll see how this exercising thing goes. Winter will provide a whole new set of problems, as walking in Wisconsin on the back roads in the winter isn't always feasible.

Share some of your exercise tips. What worked for you? What are you trying now? What didn't work?

Ear Infections - The Decision on Ear Tubes or Not

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 03:30:00 +0000

My son, who is now 2 1/2 years old has had his fair share of ear infections. During his teething months, every time he cut a new tooth, he got an ear infection. The doctor began pushing me to have tubes put in. I however, hesitated. I can't explain why, but my gut continued to tell me no, it's a phase. So after the teething subsided, things did settle down. He had gone almost a year without an ear infection so things were looking up.

However, this year, he has now had two ear infections already and the doctor again is bringing up having tubes put in. My gut is telling me no, but the more I read the more I think my gut may be wrong. As a mother, I have always went with my gut so the possibility that my gut is wrong is really becoming a struggle for me. In reading numerous forum boards, articles, etc. I find that my gut may be hindering his speech. My son talks, but not completely clear. Now I know boys tend to be slower than girls, but it just seems his speech should be clearer than it is. However, there are many little boys years older than my toddler who still don't speak clear.

Now on the flip side, I have also read that the procedure is controversial on whether it's necessary or not. Some say that if there is a delay in speech development, typically by 5 those with recurring ear infections and no tubes and those who got tubes, even out. I am torn!

So I need some help from my readers. Do you have any experiences with ear tubes? Would you recommend it? Are there any side effects to the ear tubes themselves? From one parent to another, I need your help on this decision. Typically I always go with my gut, but I would feel horrible if my gut caused problems for my son later on.

Peanut Butter S'Mores

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:40:00 +0000

It was a gorgeous day in Wisconsin! The kids and I enjoyed playing outside, spending a couple hours at the pool and last but not least, a campfire and fireworks. The highlight of the night were the delicious peanut butter s'mores we made. A couple weeks ago I bought a Taste of Home Fun Food magazine that has the coolest creations of fun food for kids. Everything from snacks to cakes to lunch. Well tonight we tried out the Peanut Butter S'Mores and they were awesome! Below is the recipe.

Peanut Butter S'Mores

8 large chocolate chip cookies
4 teaspoons hot fudge ice cream topping
4 large marshmallows
4 peanut butter cups

1. Spread the bottoms of four cookies with fudge topping.

2. Using a long-handled fork, grill the marshmallows 6 in. from medium-hot heat until golden brown, turning occasionally.

3. Carefully place a marshmallow and a peanut butter cup on each fudge-topped cookie; top with remaining cookies. Serve immediately.

Fireworks! It's the 4th of July After All!

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 19:38:00 +0000

It's that one weekend a year that if you have a child scared of fireworks, you dread like the plague seeing as every possible neighbor will light some off at some point this weekend.

Yeah, that was me last year. Fortunately, this year my 5 year old is excited for some smaller fireworks. She still has no interest in going to see the huge city displays but at least she is excited for me to light some fountains off at home.

So the other day while we are picking out some really small fireworks to light off, she begs and begs for sparklers. Personally, I HATE sparklers! I'm terrified to let my kids touch them yet many other parents are all about them. After debating with my daughter in the fireworks tent, I came to the conclusion that if she is fighting her fear of fireworks this year, maybe I should do the same with sparklers. We shall see.

With all of that in mind, here's some fireworks safety tips to keep in mind this holiday weekend!

Always have a bucket of water or hose nearby just in case!

Give yourself enough space and your neighbors. Fireworks don't always go straight up in the sky like you may like, be prepared in case one does decide to go horizontal and come at your or your neighbors.

Make sure you aren't shooting them towards your home or neighbors homes. Seems like a gimmie but you'd be surprised!!

Let the duds, be duds. Don't try relighting them.

When it comes to cleaning up your fireworks, don't let your kids help on this chore. Some pieces could still explode. Be sure to also soak all of the firework pieces in a bucket of water before throwing into your garbage.

Happy 4th of July!

Planning Our Trip to American Girl at Mall of America

noreply@blogger.com (drayas / Logical Mama) — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 03:49:00 +0000

For my daughter's 5th birthday, her godmother gave her one of the most heart felt presents she could - her original American Girl, Samantha. Now my best friend's American Girl is the original, so at least 20 years old, however was kept in prime shape. Samantha had her original dress, ice skates, coat, etc. My daughter thought it was the coolest thing in the world.

Although we've gotten the American Girl catalogs we always hesitated. I mean $100 for a doll and $30 for an outfit are a little outrageous in my opinion. However I am a sucker for things that my daughter really takes to. I think it's all the little accessories that come with it. She has just about everything in the catalog circled. Fortunately for her, she is an excellent child and really takes good care of her toys. She's not reckless with them by any means.

Since she has gotten her Samantha doll, we've decided to take her to American Girl to pick out her own American Girl doll so Samantha can have a friend. She already has the new Kanani doll picked out. The closest American Girl store to us is Minneapolis, at the Mall of America, approximately a 4 - 5 hour drive so we're making a weekend out of it.

Over the past 2 months she has been saving her money. She gets bonuses for helping me clean the house, a dollar / goal at her soccer games, etc. She's so excited for this American Girl trip it feels like Disney a little bit all over again. Her face when we walk into that store will melt my heart just like Disney World. I can't wait!