Family Briefs

Have you ever used these? Oh, I was skeptical at first. I’ve used the feather dusters. I’ve used the electro-static dusters (if that’s even what they’re even called). So I just figured these little Swiffer dusters would move the dust around just as well as these other tools.

I decided to take the plunge and purchase a little Swiffer Duster Starter Kit a little over a year ago. I’ve been VERY pleasantly surprised with the results! I still use my feather duster for some cobweb dusting, but I give the kids the electro-static dusters because they are completely useless to me (the dusters, not the kids ). And I really thought with 4 kids and a dog in our house, we’d be burning through those little refill duster packs like toilet paper. Not so, thank goodness (remember, I try to be frugal)!

Now, I’m not a frequent duster by any stretch of the imagination. I actually have this really complicated rotation system for dusting each room in the house that I Read the rest of this entry »

On Monday, we had a few symptoms in our youngest. By Wednesday, a conversation with our pediatrician convinced us that our 19-month-old daughter had the flu. We began crossing fingers and toes that no one else would come down with it (and I began guzzling “Airborne“). By Thursday afternoon, my 3-year-old daughter was running just a low-grade fever . . . maybe just a cold? or a tempered form of the flu? (after all, we ALL got our flu shots this year). And just today, I noticed my 5-year-old wiping his nose, leaving the “red chapped marks” just above his upper lip. It’s no surprise then, why I chose Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson for this week’s storytime Saturday book!

I’ve reviewed her original Bear Snores On book, and this book certainly doesn’t disappoint! In this rhyming story, our beloved Bear comes down with the flu (well, he’s achy, so I’m assuming it’s the flu!) just as the autumn leaves are blowing. While he struggles to get comfortable with all the awful symptoms, his friends stop by to play. When they realize Bear is sick, they immediately offer to help!

Aside from the comforting words they whisper in his ear, they cook him up a fine broth, get a cool cloth for his head, gather herbs for his tea, and even sing him a lullaby. One of the colorful illustrations by Jane Chapman, shows pictures his animal friends have drawn for Bear; it reminded me of all the (dozens of) pictures my 3- and 5-year-old drew for my youngest this week when her fever was topping out around 104.5. How very poignant for the illustrations to so closely convey how even a preschooler can help a sick friend feel better!

After Bear wakes from his nap, he is feeling well enough to go out and play in the leaves. Unfortunately, his friends start to wheeze and sneeze (because there wasn’t any “Airborne” in the story ). Ah! The sacrificial caregivers!

“Bear murmurs, “Don’t worry,”
and tucks them in bed.
He bundles them up
and he kisses each head.

He tells all his friends,
You’ll soon feel like new.
You took care of me . . .
now I’ll take care of you.”"

Add this book to your home library and read it to yours whenever they are sick - it just makes everyone feel a little better. I’m going to read it again just for me before I turn in tonight! Happy reading!

I’ve decided to start sharing something that is a favorite of mine on Fridays - I need a little more structure in my life this late in the week, so maybe this will help us both!

I needed some personalized note cards for our business, and just couldn’t find anything locally that I was willing to use. Then I stumbled across Oopsie Daisy Designs. A few emails and a Paypal transaction later, and I have these personalized business cards that impress our customers!

This is not my first purchase from Oopsie Daisy Designs - I’ve ordered Read the rest of this entry »

Before children, I had a very sticky brain. I could remember any phone number I dialed. For that matter, any phone number I’d said aloud, written down, or typed in! Today, I’m lucky if I remember the number long enough to get it dialed!

I was supposed to take my mother’s trash out the week after her knee surgery - I told her I would, but I completely forgot! I knew I could remember to go by her house on the way home from a meeting, but the railroad crossing was closed. Going a mile out of my way to get around the closure, I ended up on the street that leads right to my house. So, of course, I drove straight home - never thinking about her trash again. She was not happy with me.

I decided then that my brain Read the rest of this entry »

One of the things I love about menu planning is the opportunity to screw up your plan and then try to keep your composure figuring out your “Plan B” while your 18 month is hanging on your leg crying, “HUNGY, HUNGY.” Well no, not really; but I did more of that this week than I’d planned on!

MONDAY
Lunch - Make-over Mexican Roll-ups, chips/salsa, grapes (I didn’t plan on running out of tortillas ).
Dinner - out with Grandaddy to our favorite BBQ place

TUESDAY
Lunch - I was planning on 15 min Red Beans and Rice, like we had here, but I forgot the Red Beans - as you might have guessed, they are essential to this dish , so we had some leftovers instead!
Dinner - Leftover Buffet! Read the rest of this entry »

Do you ever feel like you’re just falling flat on your face and can’t quite get it all together? I didn’t realize I had planned a slow cooker recipe for supper until 4 pm - KERSPLAT! I left the snacks for preschool at home on the dryer and had to go back and get them - KERSPLAT! I took my youngest son to the wrong Tae Kwon Do class - KERSPLAT! And that was just Monday!

So I can completely relate to the Platypus in the book, , by Susan K. Mitchell. This was one of the books I received from Sylvan Dell Publishing to review, and it is certainly as enjoyable as the other book they sent me. The illustrations by Sherry Rogers are so endearing and bring the personalities of each animal to life.

The story begins when an Read the rest of this entry »

HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!

Where has the week gone??? I don’t know about you, but we’ve been busy getting valentines for our special friends ready to take to school. Whew! Now that task is taken care of, so I can start thinking about how to spend the rest of Valentine’s Day.

I’ve already planned to make a cute Read the rest of this entry »

With all that’s been going on in our house this last week (household projects of construction and painting), I’ve almost let Valentine’s Day slip up on me. I’ve got stuff for the kids to take to their friends at school, but I’m still trying to decide on what kind of goody to make to share some love at home! I’m thinking about these, but I also think these might be fun. Then again, I may break out my new mixer to make the divinity I didn’t get to make at Christmas since I didn’t have a working mixer.

Well, we gotta eat something besides Valentine’s sweets, so here’s our plan!

MONDAY
Lunch - Mile-High Tortilla Pie, chips/salsa, apple slices
Dinner - Out with Grandaddy to Cici’s Pizza! Read the rest of this entry »

Although I normally review children’s picture books to share with you, I feel I’m being remiss if I don’t ever mention at least something about one of the best children’s adventure book series that’s been through our household.

The Magic Tree House books by Mary Pope Osborne were a huge hit with our oldest son when he was in kindergarten. We began reading the series to him as he was beginning to learn to read on his own. By the time we hit the fourth book, Pirates Past Noon, he decided we weren’t reading them fast enough; he took off with them on his own!

Listed as a 2nd reading level book, this entertaining series is easily enjoyed by a variety of ages. As we read the first three books to Read the rest of this entry »

Actually, I’m out of off-brand Pull-Ups and store brand diapers. Gee, I never thought about it from the kids’ perspective .