His outfit may have been homemade, but he was by far the cutest kiddo on the block! You’ll notice in the picture that his Daddy and Uncle equipped his ride with golf logo’s…still not as impressive as the pom pom Mommy made! We made our way around the neighborhood, dodging the 500+ kids who were snatching candy from bowls left and right. For the most part our experience went well. MOST people were receptive of our evening out with a toddler, SOME were not. We’d get the look that said “Mommy and Daddy dressed you up so they could get free candy”. Perhaps, but for the most part we just wanted to take him and show him off. As for the candy- BONUS! I’ll make cookies out of it later in the week. We arrived home at 8pm, an hour and a half past his bed time. He was a real trooper and enjoyed every second of his first costumed Halloween. We said our prayers, and his little eyes closed before his head ever hit the mattress.

Here’s another look at how much he’s changed. I can only imagine how much he’ll change between now and next
year…but at least this year we get his candy!

Apple Candy Bar Salad 

This dessert salad is easy to make, and is a great way to sneak some fruit into your tots diet.

All you need is:

- a few apples, any variety will work

- a bunch of candy bars – Snickers, Baby Ruth, and 3 Musketeers work best

- Whipped Topping

Cut the apples and candy bars up into small pieces and mix them with thawed Cool Whip. If the candy is too mushy to cut, put it in the fridge for a few hours.

Butterfinger Layer Cake

This is a great recipe to take to family picnics, reunions or church dinners.

1. Make an angel food cake and cut into three layers.

2. Spread each layer with thawed Cool Whip.

3. Sprinkle crushed Butterfinger bars over Cool Whip.

4. Put layers together.

5. Serve immediately or freeze.

Candy Bar Cookies

Who wouldn’t like a candy bar in their chocolate chip cookie? Try this with Baby Ruth, Snickers, Milky Way, chocolate bars, or other misc. chocolate pieces.

3 c. sifted flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. softened butter

3/4 c. smooth peanut butter

2 eggs beaten

1 1/4 tsp. vanilla

2/3 c. milk

5 small candy bars, chopped up

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs ad mix well, then add the vanilla.

Sift the dry ingredients together and add alternately with the milk. Stir in the cut-up candy bar pieces.

Spoon teaspon sized drops on greased cookie sheets. Bake about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Makes about 18 cookies.

Homemade Fudge

Fudge makes me think of the holidays. What better way to save money than to use your Halloween candy to create delicious fudge for your mailman, neighbors and boss.

You’ll need:

2 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

2/3 c. evaporated milk

4 cups chopped candy (anything you want to use!)

1 tsp. vanilla

Line a 9 inch square or 13×9 inch pan with foil so that foil extends over sides of pan, and butter the foil. In large saucepan, combine sugar, margarine and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add candy and blend until smooth. Stir in walnuts and vanilla. Pour into buttered, foil-lined pan. Cool to room temperature. Score fudge into 36-48 squares. Refrigerate until firm.

Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil; remove foil from sides of fudge. Using large knife, cut through scored lines. Store in refrigerator.

Makes about 3 pounds: 36-48 squares.

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-Jane

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Make your own coffee: We recently tallied up how much my husband spent in 1 month at Starbucks. The results were SHOCKING. $200 in one month for coffee. Yeah, needless to say, this momma makes sure her hubs leaves the house with a thermos of coffee each morning. That extra $200 is certainly worth the added effort.

Brown bag lunch at least a few days a week: Lunch times are great opportunities to network and make connections that could improve your career growth, so we understand the need to eat out a couple times a week. But for the most part, my hubs is sent packing each morning with a little blue lunch bag full of his favorite goodies.

Make a list before going shopping: They call it impulse buying for a reason. Humans simply have a very tough time resisting the temptation to purchase extras while shopping. Without a list you will buy items that you simply do not need. Pre-plan a rough weekly menu and make a list before you go grocery shopping. Getting all that you need in one trip can help avoid another unnecessary trip and temptation.

Go grocery shopping while you are in a hurry: Try to squeeze in the grocery trip in between other SCHEUDLED tasks. Armed with your grocery list, you should be in-and-out very quickly with little time for meandering and getting tempted to buy things you don’t need.

Use Coupons: It takes only 15 minutes to clip the coupons from the Sunday paper. But it CAN SAVE YOU HUNDREDS. Look for sales, and stores that double or triple the coupon. Never leave home without your coupons, in case the hubs calls and reminds you that you’re out of toilet paper.

Watch out for expiration dates on perishable goods: This one seems intuitive when you read it, but I am surprised at how many people do not pay attention to these dates. No point getting a gallon of milk if it is going to turn sour with a couple of days. Same goes for meat, eggs, yogurt, spreads, frozen items, deli/bakery items etc.

Buy in bulk whenever possible: When it comes to non-perishable items, buy in bulk whenever you find something on sale. The items I usually stock up on cereals, canned goods, rice, beans, pasta, toothpaste, laundry soap, shampoo, toilet paper etc.

Buy generic products whenever possible: Does it really matter whether your cereal is made by Kellogg’s or is the store brand? Does it matter if your milk is Maola or the store brand? I don’t mind generic store brands if they can save me money. Find what works for you and switch to generic brands for at least a part of your grocery list.

Use grocery store bags to line trash cans: I can’t remember the last time I bought trash bags. I use the plastic and paper store bags for all my trash, and just take them to the curb more frequently. This not only helps us save some money, but reduces our environmental foot print and avoids the kitchen from stinking from a huge overflowing trash can.

Consolidate and pay off debt as soon as possible: If you carry any debt, focus on consolidating it to a lower interest and paying it off as soon as possible. Money paid in interest is money thrown away! Why spend your hard-earned cash to make the financial institutions rich?

Disconnect land line if possible: Unless you have small kids in the house or older people to take care of, it is more than likely that you will be able to survive with only the mobile phones and can get rid of the land line.

Instead of buying books, borrow books from the library: Whenever possible, borrow your books instead of buying them. The card to your public library is free and the libraries are generally well stocked. In my city, the chain of public libraries is connected and the available books can be checked online. If there is some book that I cannot find in my local branch, I can make a request online for it to be brought in from one of the other branches to mine which is very convenient. The same goes for movies and music. Why buy it if you can borrow it!

If you have to buy books, check if you can buy it used: Used books do not quite give the same feeling as leafing through the crisp pages of a brand new book. But considering that you can get used books for almost as much as half the price of a new book, it is a small price to pay. My favorite place to buy used books is Amazon.com, where I often find 90% savings.

Price check before buying anything expensive: For other items that are expensive, do a price check before buying the item. If you can wait for a while you can track the prices and grab a great deal when it comes along. Frequently available online coupons (try Retailmenot.com) make it even easier to save some money. This is especially true while purchasing any electronics.

Avoid impulse buying: Many of the things you want to buy do not seem all that necessary, if you only you wait for a day or two. Also, waiting means you will be able to check prices and make an informed decision to buy it at the best possible price.

Bottle your own water: Bottled water is the most convenient since it can provide protection against accidental spills. That said, buy bottled water only once in a while, and then reuse that bottle to fill your own water. If you are not happy with tap water, invest in a filter – in the long run it can save a lot of money.

Keep your car as long as possible: When possible, try to keep your car as long as possible. Find the balance between the money spent on repairs versus the monthly installment on another vehicle and choose to run your old car as long as the repair costs are low. Our car is paid for, and though it would be nice to have a shiny new one, we’re sticking with what we have for a few more years. Just remember to keep up with any regularly scheduled maintenance.

Regulate your electric use: When not in use, unplug electric appliances. Apparently, unplugging the TV and computer saves a ton of ectricity! When not in a room, switch off the lights and the fan. Use a programmable thermostat to control your A/C and heater usage.

Make your own products: From linens, to laundry soap, cleaners, and diapers, with a bit of ingenuity you can make all of these products at home with little effort and/or cost.

We’ve spent a few hours like this…

…and about 15 minutes like this…

But it takes some serious imagination to keep things new. Last week my family had their annual reunion, so we used the opportunity to introduce a few new things to our tot. Living on the coast it was obvious he’d eventually try this…
…and like his mommy, he was less than a fan! All of this stimulation is for one thing. Yeah sure, it brightens their future, leads to greater brain development, increases their capacity to learn and understand their surroundings, but what it really does, and all we really want is this…

-Jane

So, as soon as I finished his scarf, I slipped it around his neck and !PRESTO! HE LOVED IT. I kept with the theme of winter-wear Wednesday and tried his coat on with it. Needless to say, he spent the morning looking like this…



It just goes to show, perhaps I worry a bit too much.
-Jane

Get everything on your wishlist in one place. Click here for the Sears Layaway policy.
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That’s when it happened. I’m almost too ashamed to say it. We, um, RAN OUT OF CHEERIOS!

How could this be? What kind of mom runs out of Cheerios? What kind of DAD puts the empty box back on the counter? What would I do? What would I feed my tot?

He LOVES Cheerios, so much that he’s come to expect them every morning. I toss a handful on his tray as I prepare his hot breakfast. It pacifies him just long enough to fill a Sippy with milk, and scramble an egg or two.

I knew I had less than 5 minutes before he’d really start wailing, so I handed him his Sippy and got to work.

I made a quick Granola with Apples, Raisins, Cranberries, and Walnuts. He ate every bite, and honestly, I’m not even sure he missed his beloved Cheerios.

Ingredients:
1 Small Apple, Chopped into small pieces
1 Tablespoon of Chopped Walnuts
1 Tablespoon of Raisins
1 Tablespoon of Cranberries
1 Teaspoon of Brown Sugar
1/2 Cup Old Fashioned Oats
1 Tablespoon of Butter

Directions:
Turn on the broiler to your oven. In a medium oven-safe pan saute the apple, raisins, and cranberries in the butter. After 2-3 minutes stir in the brown sugar. Top with oats and walnuts and place under broiler for 2 minutes.

This would be GREAT over a dollop of plain yogurt! Next time, for sure.
-Jane

By simply using strips of fabric and a jug of Mod Podge (matte finish) she created this lovely Fall centerpiece in just just a few hours.

Give it a try and share your pictures with us!

-Jane

So why? Why does my bedroom look like a tornado went through it. I can keep the entire house spotless, literally spotless, but my bedroom…HA! There are clothes on top of everything, receipts piled up on the dresser, and makeup spread across the vanity as if I actually wore makeup everyday. There is some sick little gene in my body that thrives in filth. GROSS! I know.

Even as a kid I kept a messy room. Every six months or so mom would have my grandmother come clean my room. She’d fold all of my laundry, organize my girly memorabilia, and make my bed with military precision. I’d come home from school and get the “talk”. “Its easier to put things away as you go, rather than let them pile up”, she’d say. My mom would threaten, “You best not dare mess that room up again”! Yeah, within a week I’d destroy it.

If I had to psychoanalyze myself, I’d say I have control issues. Yep. That sounds about right. There’s comfort knowing no matter what life throws my way I can relax in my room, with all the clutter, and not give a flying flip.

Perhaps I’ll be in the market for a professional organizer who moonlights as a licensed therapist in the near future.

-Jane

Now I know what you’re thinking. “This chick’s crazy”! But I’m not; I promise…I’m just a mom, who’s realized that the baby days are far behind us. There aren’t any more cute baby clothes, but rather rough and tumble-y toddler clothes. There are no more quiet nursing sessions, where I’d rub his hair and stroke his face. No, those have been replaced with epic meltdowns at the refrigerator door as mommy attempts to pour milk into the Sippy cup without spilling it. Gone are the days when I could leave him in one place, and feel confident he wouldn’t knock himself out. No, those have been replaced by falling off the sofa, and using the potty chair as a means to reach the kitchen counters.

I know the toddler years will be just as fascinating as the baby years. The blank stare he used to throw us when we acted like fools for a simple smile has been replaced with screams, laughter, hugs, kisses and toothy grins. We look forward to outside time, where even the simplest leaf or stick will turn into hours of investigation and understanding. And we laugh daily as he surprises us with new words…some cute, some that cause mommy to give daddy “the look”.

So, this nostalgic momma is packing up her tissues. She’s not reluctantly tip-toeing into toddler-dom, but rather marching in…chin held high, with soup pot and wooden spoon in hand!
-Jane

Skip Hop Treetop Friends Hug and Hide Owl Activity Toy $15

Over 10 developmental activities for ages 3 months and above. It squeaks, rattles and crinkles. The baby owl squeaker hides inside the mothers pocket, and open his wings for a surprise mirror inside. Two tuggable teethers, with linen and textured details.

P’Kolino Nesting Birds $24

These silly birds nest inside each other teaching the fundamentals of size and shape while engaging reasoning skills (larger birds do not fit in smaller birds), which strengthen problem-solving abilities. Rock and balance to learn spatial awareness and to fine-tune hand-eye coordination. Strengthen fine motor skills by separating the birds and putting them back together. These functional features combined with the beautiful colors and natural wood creates a truly one-of-a-kind, playfully smart nesting toy!

Skip Hop Dunck $9

Rinse, Stack, Pour and Float!
This adorable set of three colorful ducks float and pour, providing endless bath time fun! DUNCK does double duty as mom or dad’s rinse cup, keeping baby happy and clean! Stacks up neatly for storage after bath.

Woodours Baby Activity Plush Bear $40

An adorable baby bear with four fun-filled pockets – each with an interactive toy. Squeaky fish, chirping bird, rattling squirrel and a teething “cracker.” Each pocket is color coded to the appropriate toy to teach colors and matching.

Alex Ready, Set, Go! Trike $100

A 3-In-1 trike. Grows with your child and converts from a safe and comfortable baby tricycle to an independent tricycle. Push and stroll 10 months and up – parents steer with the adjustable handle. High backed seat, safety bar, seat belt and footrests provide support and comfort. Start to roll 15 months and up – remove the headrest and safety bar. Pull-out the clutch for child to freewheel while parent maintains ride control. Pedal and go 24 months and up – detach the steering handle, fold up the footrests and push in clutch for a complete trike with non-slip pedals and rubber wheels for great traction. Sturdy molded plastic components, 5-position adjustable and removable handle, safety straps and parking brake, detachable overhead canopy.

Alex Jr. Stack a Cake $13

Alex Jr. is a line of bright and bold infant plush and developmental toys that are designed for Baby’s first year of life. As baby seeks to understand the vast new world, Alex Jr. offers toys that foster imagination, provide visual and tactile stimulation and encourage language development. Our bright colors, tags, and various textures not only stimulate sight and touch, but also help Baby master motor skills and dexterity.

Manhattan Baby Wimmer Furguson Crawl and Discover Mat $30

This play mat has many features for baby to discover, including flaps with reverse print graphics, fun textures and crinkle paper, plus a removable mirror, teethers and a pocket with a star shaped ring attached.

Crazy Cuddly Wolf 6 Piece Plush Play Set $48

“Oh Grandmother! What big eyes you have!” The Crazy Cuddly Wolf Playset brings Little Red Riding Hood to life. This adorable wolf is incredibly soft and cuddly and children just love him. The Crazy Cuddly Wolf, with the long blue tongue, eats just about anything. Don’t worry though, there’s a zipper in his belly that lets you take everything out. The Crazy Cuddly Wolf is sure to bring countless hours of pretend play and imaginative story telling.

K’s Kids Inchworm Play-mat $66

Inchworm Playmat is finally the playmat where babies can’t roll off! This playmat is surrounded by 6 soft cushions on 3 sides to keep babies from rolling off on to the floor. Babies will love the bright, cheerful design of the mat and the colorful patterned cushions. No need to put this away when baby has outgrown it, roll the mat up into another form, VELCRO® brand closure the cushions together and form a little seat or sofa. Comes with a cute cuddly inchworm face pillow. Mashine washable.

Cloud B’s Mimicking Monkey $20

This adorable toy monkey plays three unique sounds with actual monkey sounds for fun and sleep. It also records voices over all sound options for personalized soothing sounds. The Velcro strap makes it easy to secure to a crib or stroller. Includes an illustrated storybook and adoption certificate.

Regardless of the hard day I’d had, regardless of the headache I’ve been fighting for two days, regardless of anything. His needs trump mine. I find nightmares, though scary for my tot, overwhelmingly welcome sometimes. I enjoy the quite snuggle time, the “mommy’s here, and she’s gonna make it better” time, and most of all knowing that above all else, my tot loves me as much as I love him.

It was God’s plan all along. To teach us humility and perseverance. To teach us patience.

There is NOTHING I’d change about our journey.

To all of those who are struggling to become parents, NEVER GIVE UP!
-Jane

So a few weeks ago I went on a diaper liner search for toddlers. We tried several brands, and went though A LOT of diaper wash solution, but finally we found THE PERFECT DIAPER LINER.

Imse Vimse makes a toddler diaper liner that will catch anything your tot can, um, throw at it! These flushable liners are used between the diaper and the baby’s skin, letting moisture pass through to the diaper while preventing solids to soak into the diaper, which will take the mess out of washing your cloth diapers. Just flush away the mess, and spend more time with your tot instead of dunking diapers. They are large enough to cover the entire diaper, something we’ve missed since our tot outgrew the last liner brand. These bio-degradable flushable liners are an all natural paper product; they are unbleached and biodegradable.

For around $8 you get 100 toddler sized liners, which will last about a month or so in our house. Can we say ECONOMICAL!

-Jane