Since It's Halloween, What is Your Favorite Candy?

We'll all get to go through bags and bags of candy at some point today. Perhaps at the office bucket, or picking through the little ones' bags of loot....but you'll do it...and you'll be looking for the good ones!

You know what I mean! You want the candy that is your favorite - the one from your childhood that you loved best, or still do.

My top 5 candies:

• Nestle 100,000 bar - I've loved since I was little ( I guess they call it 100 Grand now)


• Reese's Peanut Butter Cups - The perfect marriage of flavor. Ironically, I don't eat peanut butter in any other form.


• Take Five (or is it Take One?) - any way a new favorite from the candy makers, love that pretzel, chocolate combo


• Hershey's Chocolate in any form


• Snickers - I almost said something else, but when I examined my behavior, I steal this from my children a lot at Halloween

What do you like (or like to steal)? I heard it said recently as asking your kids to pay the Daddy tax (perhaps Mommy tax) by giving a portion of their haul to the parentals. Let's see if we can get away with it.

Grandparents Plan Financial Security for Kids' Holiday Gift

As we countdown to the holiday and plan our gifts for the season, I am asking that everyone, parents and grandparents, other family and more, take a look at a gift of financial security for the kids.

Our children have more toys than they ever play with. We have weeded and tossed, especially with the toy recalls. They still have easily 200 plus items crowding the room. I hate to do the math as to what the dollars "invested" in toys would have added up to put instead into their college fund. Countless thousands. I am not advocating a toyless Christmas, just a more moderate one.

AARP did a survey of grandparents about gift giving. Some of the key findings were that gift giving is mostly tied to key events, like Christmas and birthdays, not a surprise. 83% say they give because it makes them happy. But some answers were revealing about what they might really wish would happen regarding the gifts.

• A small financial gift can grow to huge amounts with the power of compounding. Yet only 22% of respondents have opened a savings or investment account for grandchildren. Those that did were most likely to put money in the lower return accounts, like bank savings accounts.
• On average, grandparents spent a median total of $600 in gifts or cash on all their grandchildren last year.
• Less than one in five (19%) have given money and/or gifts worth $1,000 to a grandchild for a single occasion or at one time.

Just imagine if only a portion of that was invested in a 529 College Savings plan. How much further along would your kids be in college preparation?

Just think about buying one less toy and giving that amount to the college savings plan your family has in place or create one - everyone will thank you later when they are debt free upon graduation.

Visit Uptown Saturday Night in St. Augustine, FL

Very fun and interesting arts Events in St. Augustine abound. We live only 30 minutes away and often take advantage of the diverse and eclectic arts and crafts events there. It is a beautiful and historic city to visit anytime, but Fall offers the best temperature and great holiday shopping opportunities. Nights of Lights begins in November and the sparkling lights all over the city only add to the ambiance while you enjoy these special times.

One of the best and newer arts events is Uptown Saturday Night. Enjoy free parking at Mission of Nombre de Dios and stroll along the northern shopping district. There are also great restaurants along the northern corridor of San Marco Avenue, like Raintree and Cortesses Bistro, to enjoy. But take advantage of the festivities, as each participating shop features an open house with wine and refreshments that add to the festive night time atmosphere.

During the last Saturdays in October and November the focus is on the incredible antique shopping opportunities available in the Nation’s Oldest City. On that evening, the antique district concentrated along San Marco Avenue comes to life with lively street music and endless opportunities to shop for antiques, rare books – even authentic Spanish treasure. During this monthly event, participating antique dealers provide great workshops covering a variety of antique related topics, book stores provide readings and book signings by local authors, and art galleries feature exhibit openings of some of the finest Florida artists.

A short walk away, additional antique discoveries can be made along Aviles Street – the oldest street in America. Galleries, antique stores and unique shops between Ripley’s Museum and the Mission of Nombre de Dios remain open during this special time. Meet the artists, go to book signings and enjoy live music, refreshments and other events in the party-like atmosphere.

A favorite end-of-the-month event, Uptown Saturday Night takes place from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm the last Saturday of October, the 27th and November , the 24th, as well as every last Saturday going forward. So get out and enjoy the best city and best weather to enjoy art!

Consumers Union Finds Unreported Lead in More Toys

I am unhappy to say that I am not surprised to read that more toys and objects have been found on the store shelves with unhealthy levels of lead. The consumer protection group Consumers Union did their own testing and found unhealthy levels of lead in a number of products, including Elmer's Glue Stick caps, a Fisher-Price Blood Pressure Cuff from a play doctor kit, and duck shaped backpacks. They found these by using home lead testing kits on the products and then confirming those tests in laboratories. You may check their findings at Consumers Union.

This just keeps on confirming that everyone has to watch out for heavily painted products, even if they haven't been recalled, especially China-made. We have those blood pressure cuffs in our home and lord knows, we have a million glue sticks. Now we have to worry about kids putting those caps in their mouths and ingesting lead. How many other school supplies will we need to check?

My Favorite Chocolate Pie Recipe

This chocolate pie recipe has been handed down on my father's side for at least 4, possibly 5, generations. His family is from eastern North Carolina, so all the food that comes from there is very yummy, very Southern, and not very diet. Keep this in mind as you prepare. (Also, keep in mind that you really have to stir the pudding while on the stove for a longgggg time). We serve it in our family every Thanksgiving and Christmas. It is not a holiday without this pie.

The recipe and our family has been using a hand mixer to do the "mixing" part. There's an opportunity to improve the execution of this recipe if you use a Hamilton Beach® Stand Mixer . Hamilton Beach has a fantastic new Eclectrics® Mixer out, that they offer in really funky colors. I would really, really like one for Christmas! Then I could make even more pie! And by using the Hamilton Beach® Mixer, I wouldn't get so tired holding that little hand mixer any more! So, family and friends, you can add this to my Christmas list!

I call it Maw Maw's Chocolate Pie (we called our grandma - "Maw-Maw" )

Here's the recipe:

Makes 2 Pies

4 small packages of Jello pudding & pie filling chocolate Jello brand preferred
2 Pet Ritz Bake and Fill Pie Shells (regular size) or any other bake and fill regular pie crust
2 TB real cocoa
2TB Sugar
Evaporated Milk to fit amount called for pie recipe on the Jello box (get two cans)
4 Egg Yolks/use whites for meringue (may want extra egg whites to make taller meringue) Eggs should be at room temperature
1TB Vanilla
1TB butter
pinch of salt

Following crust instructions, pre-bake the pie shells. Beat egg yolks first with mixer. Add balance of ingredients and stir by hand constantly over medium heat and as it starts to boil. It will be slightly lumpy when you take it off the burner. Remove from heat, beat it by hand to smooth it out, then pour into pre-baked crusts.

Prepare meringue by beating egg whites with ¼ cup sugar (5 egg whites) using mixer. Feel free to double the merigue if you want it to be thick on top of the pie.

Bake at 350 degrees until merigue is browned. May be served warm or chilled.

Are You A Gifted Adult?

As you may know, I have a highly gifted daughter who has the challenge of being quite different than most of her peers. She is highly creative and speaks well beyond her years, with insight and wisdom that go over the heads of her classmates. I was researching emotional issues related to giftedness at SENG, when I stumbled upon the forums for Gifted Adults housed there.

I too, was (am) a gifted child. I know only too well the hardships and challenges that most gifted people face socially and in the work place, but I hadn't considered how much this had continued to impact my adult life.

If you want a great place to discuss such issues and talk with others in the same situation, head over to the SENG Gifted Adults Forum. You'll find a sympathetic ear and lots of creative ideas for moving ahead and life and with your career.

Holiday Freebies for You to Put in Your Stocking

Wow, I like free stuff! You can get cool Personalized Pens for your home or business to use for holiday giveaways or to put in your stockings! VistaPrint is also offering some other freebies you might want to use as you prepare for Christmas or Hanukkah this year. They are offering coupon codes that get you some elf goodies:

Use these codes to take advantage of their generous nature:

Coupon Code- “FreePen07” One free custom promotional pen that you can customize, just pay S&H
Coupon Code – “FreeCalendar07” One free custom wall calendar, just pay S&H
Coupon Code- “FreeHoliday” – 10 free custom holiday cards

This is the perfect time to get your cards and calendars with your precious children ready to mail out to your admiring friends and family. We are doing our photography next week and I plan to take advantage of the savings.

Just go to VistaPrint to enjoy these nice holiday baubles!

Dog Saves Girl from Attacker

Check out this video. A little Jack Russell terrier attacked a man attempting to abduct her 8-year-old little girl owner. She tore him up so bad, he ran away. Chalk another one up for the dogs! And the one's who love them! This dog was very mild-mannered but came through when her family was threatened. Give this dog a medal!

Do You Let Your Kids Trick or Treat?

This coming week is Halloween (duh!) and it's off to find that street that is "candy heaven". Our current neighborhood, which is the one I grew up in, is not a good venue for trick or treating. There just aren't enough kids and the houses are really spread out. So we do the ghetto thing and get in our car and travel to find the "mother load street of candy".

We hit the jackpot in 2006 and will probably revisit it this year. The people in this neighborhood go all out. One of the houses is owned by a set and costume creator. He decks out the front of his home like something out of Universal Studios. Then, on Halloween, they debut the latest costume that they have designed, to spook the kiddies. I've never seen anything like it - so it's a big hit. They were featured in the newspaper last year, so here's the article. Maybe we'll see you there!

Recalls of the Day - Halloween Pails, Bobble Heads, Shrek/Spiderman Jewelry, Fisher Price Diego Boat and More

There are so many recalls I decided to break a few of these up. Here's the rest of today's CPSC recalls today. You can get the details about contact information by going to their website. I'd have to say we all need to take a stand against the manufacturers who are perpetuating the blatant disregard for our children's health by allowing lead paint at all!
Please take a look through your children's toy boxes again and through the Halloween decorations for offenders.

Family Dollar - Purple Halloween Pails with Witch Decorations

Football Bobble Head Cake Decorations












JoAnn's Fabrics - Expanded Recall of Children’s Toy Gardening Tools
About 97,000 (an additional 16,000 toy rakes were recalled on September 26, 2007 and 6,000 toy watering cans on August 28, 2007)











Fisher-Price Go Diego Go Animal Rescue Boats




Dollar Store - Beary Cute, Expressions, and Sassy & Chic Children’s Metal Jewelry




WeGlow Children’s Metal Jewelry (features Shrek/Spiderman)

Not the Bumbo Too? Bumbo Recalled!

You all know I how I love the Bumbo videos. Now that cute little seat the baby sits in in the videos and teleports with is being recalled too. I wonder if their video action prompted any of this recall stuff (ha ha).

Here is the info from the Consumer Product Safety Commission - they are working overtime these days.

Bumbo “Baby Sitter” Seats - See the above CPSC website for the details about returns and hazards.

The Arrow of Time - Showing Your Family As It Changes and Grows

Tim sent this link to me, called Arrow of Time. It is really cool. He is proposing that we do the same thing starting this year...taking new photos so I can actually see my aging in process! I guess we could do some footwork and collect prior photos and put those into place as well. Take a look - it's kind of a neat way to keep up with the changes in your face and in your family through the years. Here's some old photos of us to amuse and entertain you...Tim and toddler Butterfly c. 1999 and video of Stacey and baby Butterfly c. 1999. My how time flies!

Top 10 Children's Hazards to Avoid/Recall

I see these every time I visit the Consumer Product Safety Commission website and they bear repeating, please pass this along to anyone with children. Especially with so many soccer playing children out there, you might want to really look at the soccer goal hazard.

CPSC's Most Wanted:

Top 10 Safety Hazards for Children - Avoid/Remove from Your Home and Your Life

• Kolcraft Play Yards


• Simplicity Cribs


• Movable Soccer Goals


• Lane Cedar Chests


• Playskool Toy Tool Bench


• Top 5 In Home Hazards

Target Recalls Cars Magnetic Game Pieces from Cars Backpack

I just saw this hit the wire right now. Target is recalling its magnetic game pieces that were sold with Cars themed backpacks. All of the information can also be found at the Consumer Product Safety Commission website. With all that back-to-school purchasing everyone did just a few months ago, this has got to be out there with our readership. So take a look and help to keep your children lead-free.

Magnetic Game Pieces sold with "Cars" Themed Backpacks
Units: About 110,000
Importer: Global Design Concepts Inc., of New York, N.Y.

Small magnets inside the four game pieces that were sold with the "Cars" backpack can fall out of their plastic enclosure. Magnets found by young children can be swallowed or aspirated. If more than one magnet is swallowed, the magnets can attract each other and cause intestinal perforation or blockage, which can be fatal.
Incidents/Injuries: The firm has received three reports of a magnet that became loose. No injuries have been reported.

Description: The 12 inch "Cars" Backpack was sold with four sealed game pieces that contain magnets. The game pieces included a red plastic car; a blue plastic car; and two red and black plastic disks that have “GAS,” “OIL” and “SERVICE” printed in red letters on the black perimeter of the disks. “Warning: Choking Hazard-Small Parts. Not for children under 3 years” is printed on the backpack hangtag. “Disney Presents a PIXAR film” is printed on the gray vinyl front of the backpack.

Sold at: Target stores nationwide from February 2007 through September 2007 for about $13.
Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should immediately take the recalled game pieces away from young children and contact the Cars Backpack Recall hotline for instructions on returning the recalled game pieces for a free replacement "Cars" wallet or equivalent product.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact the Cars Backpack Recall hotline toll-free at (877) 848-4070 between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the http://www.carsbackpackrecall.com/

New Tests Reveal Children's Chemical Exposure

I was immediately intrigued to read today's article at CNN.com about new testing called Body Burden testing that reveals a person's industrial chemical exposure. The subjects of this article were young boys, one of whom was only 18 months old. He tested for certain chemicals at seven times the amount his parents did and had flame-retardant chemicals in his system at two to three times the level that caused thyroid dysfunction during animal testing.

The worry is that this exposure could lead to increased ailments and diseases during these kids' lifetimes, perhaps even sooner than others in the same family. I remember breaking out in hives for a week after I put new carpeting in my house a few years ago. I thought I was allergic, now I find it might have been the fire-retardant.

I will be looking into how we can get this done. In today's chemical-laden world, the children are exposed to so much more than even a few years ago.

Do Your Children Have Talent?

Or do you have talent? Check out Talent Rock, a way to connect you with talent agents and job opportunities. Talent Rock Events connect aspiring actors, comedians, dancers, models and singers to the entertainment industry. Talent Rock hosts its three-day, two-night talent search events in top travel destinations.

As one of the largest talent search events of its kind, anywhere in the world, Talent Rock creates the perfect mix of fun, entertainment, competition and education. Talent Rock has its next available competition at Disney World's Swan Hotel in Orlando, FL. So take a look and register to attend their next event...you might be their next star!

More Recalls Hannah Montana Boots, Gymboree Swords

Sorry guys, I'm really late in reporting the recalls from last week, it just got really, really busy! And of course, there are really too many recalls coming out, aren't there? Who doesn't have Hannah Montana items in their children's closets? Heck, maybe even you Mom's have some in your closet (c'mon, you know all the words too, don't you?)

Here's the update of kid-related recalls, you can also get details from http://www.cpsc.gov/ for any recalls.

Payless Shoes - Hannah Montana Girls Boots
Manufacturer: Payless ShoeSource
The guitar-shaped zipper pulls on each boot can interlock while a child is walking, causing the child to trip and fall. Payless has received five reports of the zipper pulls interlocking, including one report of a four-year-old girl who fell and skinned her knees.
This recall involves black jeweled girls’ boots. The boots have a silhouette of a guitar on the outer leg and a guitar-shaped zipper pull on the inner leg. “Hannah Montana” is engraved on the boot outsole and a photo of the singer and show’s character is printed on the box. The boots were sold in girls’ sizes 10 ½ to 4 ½ . No other styles or models are involved in this recall.
Sold at: Payless ShoeSource stores nationwide and Payless.com from August 2007 through September 2007 for about $27. Remedy: Consumers should take these boots away from children immediately and return them to the store where purchased for a full refund or exchange.

Gymboree Toy Pirate Swords

The swords can break, creating a sharp point, which poses a laceration hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Gymboree has received 11 reports of the sword breaking. No injuries have been reported.
Consumers should immediately stop using the swords and return them to any Gymboree store for a full refund. Consumers also can contact Gymboree to receive instructions on returning the swords via mail.

Skull Pails Filled With Halloween Candy Mix

Manufacturer: R.L. Albert & Son, of Greenwich, Conn.
The surface paint on the eyes, nose, and teeth of the skull contains excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.
Sold at: Retail stores nationwide from September 2007 through October 2007 for $2.
Manufactured in: China
Consumers should immediately take the recalled product away from children and take it to the retailer where it was purchased to receive a full refund.

Cool Clip™ and Mini Cool Clip™ Bookmarks
Antioch Publishing
Paint on the clip of the bookmarks contains excessive levels of lead, which violates the federal lead paint standard.
This recall involves various designs of the Cool Clip and Mini Cool Clip bookmarks. The themed metals bookmarks include the following designs:
Cool Clips™ Bookmarks
Sun (two styles)
Daisy/Believe
Tiki
Flip Flop
Lady Bug
Music Symbol
SHH!

Mini Cool Clips™ Bookmarks
Flower & Tiki
Peace Flower & Yin Yang
Lighthouse & Sailboat

Sold at: Book, card and gift stores nationwide from April 2003 through October 2007 for about $4.










Guidecraft Tabletop Puppet Theaters

Surface paints on the puppet theater’s wooden panels contain excessive levels of lead, violating the federal lead paint standard.
The recalled puppet theater has red panels on the front and sides and a chalkboard signboard on top. The puppet theater measures about 24-inches in length, 6-inches in width and about 28-inches in height.
Sold at: Specialty toy stores, gift shops, catalogs and Web sites nationwide from June 2006 through August 2007 for about $35.

Dunkin' Donuts Pink and Orange Glow Sticks (free giveaway with donuts)

The recalled glow sticks are not properly labeled to warn consumers that the cap and lanyard can detach, posing a choking hazard. Additionally, the lanyard poses a strangulation hazard to young children.
The pink and orange glow sticks were given away free with purchases of donuts.
Sold at: Dunkin’ Donuts stores nationwide from September 2007 through October 2007. They were a free giveaway with the purchase of donuts.
Manufactured in: China

2007 Huffy “Howler” and “Highland” Bicycles
The bicycle crank can unexpectedly come off, causing the rider to lose control, fall and suffer serious injuries.
Incidents/Injuries: Huffy has received two reports of the crank coming off, resulting in one injury.
The recall involves 2007 model year, multi-speed bicycles with 26-inch, 24-inch or 20-inch wheels. The “Howler” was sold in black (model K3587, boy’s model), blue (model K4587, men’s model), and red (model K6587, men’s model). The “Highland” was sold in white (model K4597, women’s model) and blue (model K6597, women’s model). The name "Howler" or "Highland" is printed on the frame of the bicycle, and the name "Huffy" is on the front of the frame. Model numbers are located on a label on the bottom of the frame where the crank is attached to the bicycle.
Sold at: Kmart stores nationwide from May 2007 through July 2007 for between $80 and $100.

Where's Molly - Reuniting Brother and Sister After 47 Years

I read about Where's Molly, a movie produced by the subjects of the film, several months ago on CNN.com. I got to view the film recently.

Where's Molly is the story of two siblings, Jeff Daly and Molly Jo Daly, of Astoria, Oregon. When Molly was almost three years old, and Jeff, only six, their parents decided to place Molly in an institution for the disabled. Only they didn't tell Jeff. The longing in his voice is readily apparent as he describes missing his only sibling and playmate of his childhood. One day she was there, his constant companion, the next day, gone forever. His parents wouldn't tell him where she'd gone, only that something was wrong with her and that she was no longer to be mentioned, asked about or even considered family.

Molly suffered from mild mental retardation, but at the time, doctors simply told families to put their children into state care and to forget them. Jeff's dad didn't forget though. He continued to see Molly, even dressing as a clown to continue to see her when his short visits upset her. The family was forever broken and saddened by the removal of Molly from their family.

I highly recommend this film to anyone, but especially anyone who has a family member with a disability of any kind. The mistreatment of disabled individuals throughout our recent history is astounding. Even though the film is relatively short (72 mins) it conveys the pain, longing and connections of a family torn apart by the system and by its own members who thought they were "doing the right thing".

In today's mainstreaming world, we need to be reminded that only a short time ago, people with even mild disabilities were often taken away from the only people who loved them and sent away. Jeff and Molly's story has a happy ending. Jeff and his wife were able to locate Molly and reconnect with her, just before her 50th birthday. They hadn't seen each other in 47 years. The message they want to send out to the world is that there are still people out there who have family members that they can't locate, or don't even know about, due to outdated privacy laws. Jeff was instrumental in changing Oregonian law to allow siblings to find institutionalized siblings, but not all states have yet followed suit.

I have an aunt who has been deaf since the age of three, due to an illness. She is about Molly's age and was sent away to school most of the time my mother was growing up in the 1940's and 1950's. My mom painfully relates how they would all cry at having to separate and that my aunt didn't understand why she couldn't stay with her family. Now, children with every kind of disability can learn and stay with their families thanks to changing educational views and thanks to changed laws.

My own children, who are not disabled, attend a school that is a magnet school for children with various disabilities, including autism, Down's syndrome and hearing impairment. They are learning firsthand that people are people first and how to interact and learn with people who may be outwardly different from themselves. I find it fortunate that our children get to see and learn this lesson early on. They are there because they are gifted, but they can share with and teach other children, while growing their own abilities.

Please visit Jeff Daly's website Where's Molly to see more about their story, to see this compelling story firsthand, and to help others connect with their missing families. As Jeff states, time is running out for these now elderly "missing and forgotten" children to find their remaining family and siblings.

FDA Advisers Say Stop Using Cough and Cold Medicines for Children

FDA advisers recommend stopping all use of cough and cold medicines for children under 6. They said they simply don't work. This comes on the heels of recalling cold medicines for children under 2. The FDA is expected to make their own ruling based on this evidence soon.

Reading some of the comments surrounding this story, this all is causing a huge uproar. Lots of people said they have been using these kinds of drugs on their kids for years with no repercussions. I, myself, don't use them on my kids, because when I tried, they were just too sensitive to the ingredients, as I am I. Perhaps this is where some of this comes into play. Sudafed makes my kids bounce off the walls, even at a reduced dosage - it does the same to me as an adult, so I don't take it. I will never be a Methamphetamine abuser for the same reason - as you may know that's what the druggies make Meth out of - Sudafed). And of course, I don't do drugs anyway ;)

Cough medicines, like Robitussin, don't seem to do the trick either for children or adults in our family, yet they were recommended for years. And guaifenesin actually gives me worse asthma, rather than helping a cough. I simply don't give it to the children.

Another member of the extended family has been known to give some kind of cold medicine to the kids to knock them out - I certainly abhor such practices, and have made my opinion know to those parties. If I ever caught them doing it, they would get reported. This is the stuff that the FDA has to contend with. Your comments all? Let us know what you think.

Flu Pandemic Planners Overlook Children

Planners are overlooking children as they plan for a possible, if not probable, flu pandemic. Children, as we parents know, are prime flu and cold carriers and it is surmised that they will be the prime targets for a bird flu pandemic. I am a chronic worrier about such things and do believe in planning ahead. Of course, I belong to a family of the other type of people, who are typically saying "whatever will be, will be". So the planning is up to me. So, all the tips for planning for disaster apply here - keep supplies on hand: food and drink for sick people, like soups, gatorade, crackers, children's tylenol and advil, prepackaged cold packs, etc. You can buy adult size masks and put them in your disaster pack. Just think about what you'd need if anyone gets the flu and keep enough for your family on hand.

If this does happen, grocery stores will have runs and items will be hard to find, there will be quarantines and general panic. So next trip to the store, get a few items and put them away, you'll use it anyway, why not be the planner that we don't seem to have in our government.

Dads Pimp Themselves for Hannah Montana

Whoa, I wish I could have entered Tim in this contest! 150 dads actually donned high heels to try to win tickets to a Hannah Montana contest. I wish there were better ways to actually get tickets. They also mentioned that Disney is trying help the fans out by filming a 3-D film of her concert with plans to feature it in movie theatres in February 2008! We'll be there for sure! The children are still disappointed that they won't be going to a live concert due to lack of available tickets (damn you, robots).

North Carolina Coupon Site Saves You Money!

At NCNatural's Adventure site they have a wonderful list of national Online Coupons where you can save money on national brands, while supporting a great North Carolina website. You can get money saving coupons for your favorite retailers, like Lillian Vernon and Franklin Covey, two of my favorites for gift giving opportunities.

The are growing, and updating the site everyday to add new offers from hundreds of merchants. This is great way to find money saving deals and to do your Christmas shopping ahead of time and online to save gas money.

It's really easy to find the merchants you love. So take a look and don't pay retail this holiday season!

A Better Way to Get Kids to Eat Veggies? I hope.

This seems like a good move and a natural one for Disney to promote. They are rolling out a new line of Disney branded fruits and veggies. They are introducing them this week, including Disney Garden Foodles, which will be combinations of fruits, vegetables and other sides like dips, raisins, crackers or cheese in a Mickey Mouse-shaped tray, and Disney Garden Fresh Veggies & Sauce, which will be cut vegetables with a pouch of specially formulated sauce which can be microwaved.

We are having a terrible time getting our veggie-challenged children to eat fruits and veggies, so maybe we can reintroduce them with some of these. They were certainly fed tons of them as babies and toddlers, but their father is a non-veggie eater, so we have a double-challenge on our hands. Maybe I can feed them to him too ;)

Blog Action Day

I'm participating and encouraging everyone to take a little stand to help our environment. Just do one thing and it will help our world be a better place. Just take those plastic rings that hold your soda cans and cut them into tiny pieces before you place them into the trash. This keeps birds and small animals from getting their heads caught and dying a horrible death...perhaps at a landfill. Better yet, reduce your trash, be sure to recycle and try to use recyclable materials.

Please consider participating in today's event. Go here for more information!

California Bans Chemical Found in Toys - More to Follow?

California is the first state to ban the use of more than one tenth of one percent phthalate in toys. It is commonly used to make toys and goods soft and pliable, such as rubber ducks, soft books, teething toys, and baby bottles.

I have personally tried to reduce the number of toys we have in our home that fit this description. We already tossed the rubber ducks because of lead paint concerns. But I know we already have had years of soft chewy toy exposure in our home. At this point, all we can do is hope harm has not been done.

Worries about the effects of phthalate have been communicated in the USA for years. Phthalates have been banned by the European Union and at least 14 other countries after studies found that the chemical interferes with hormones and might lead to early puberty, reproduction defects and other health problems.

Other states are considering banning the toys and goods made with these chemicals. I would suggest a major purge of the toy box and bath toy tub, if you are serious about keeping your young children safer as they grow.

I got My Bumbo Evil Pomeranian Mug and Shirts!

I am writing this because I just got my box of Ready Set Bumbo movie related "stuff" that I ordered as Christmas presents for the two girls. This is not a paid ad, but I wanted to tell you that these things are soooo cute, and if want some fun internet-related Christmas gifts, you can't beat t-shirts and mugs with that cute little baby, her evil clone and/or the evil Pomeranian, Kodi (Cody?), from the Bumbo videos! My kids will watch these videos over and over and over....
You can find the "stuff for sale" at their website http://www.ready-set-bumbo.com/. You can watch all three Ready Set Bumbo videos here on my videos page. Happy shopping!

I Used to Make Fun of Soccer Moms....

Really, I did! That was in the days that media was touting the soccer mom as being the "typical mom" of the day, driving her Chrysler minivan, with 2.5 kids to every soccer game and working for the PTO, maybe working, maybe not. Fast forward ten years and where am I? At a soccer game every weekend watching the little one play. We did drive a van for a few years, but really it was terrible - bad motor! Now I still have an SUV (bought one month before the gas prices soared) bad move...but I use it to tote the children around to their various events: soccer, dance classes, yearbook meetings, girl scouts, Odyssey of the Mind is starting, volunteering at school....Yes, it's me!

Keep in mind that I spent fifteen years as a single, corporate, do-nothing- but-work-woman. I really didn't have extracurricular activities outside of my work friends..well, maybe my cat (but that's another story). I really do enjoy having the children as the main focus of my life at this time. I am blessed to have two very brilliant, loving girls, who are enjoying childhood.

Who could want more...I'm off to soccer this morning!

Hannah Montana Concert Tickets Too Hot to Buy

I've updated this post to include this new link that says that Miley and Billy Ray Cyrus are aware of this scalping and thus far don't seem to know what to do about it. Disney also seems quite mute on how to fix it. Here's what I said before:

My daughters would love to go to a Hannah Montana concert, just like about every girl (and boy) in America. Unfortunately the power-moguls-that-be have made that impossible. Apparently, the tickets are selling out within just a few minutes of going on sale. Then the scalpers and ticket sellers are marking them up, in some cases over $2000 per ticket, according to my friend, MaryAnn, who lives near Tampa.

Her daughter's birthday is coming up and she had hoped to take her and friends to the Tampa, FL show for one of the big gifts. She and four of friends were logged in for the recent ticket sale and she said ALL the tix were gone in 3 minutes! I smell a robot!

Disney, wake up! Don't disenfranchise the people who keep you going! Do something to stop this! You too, Miley Cyrus (and Billy Ray!)