Organizational Help for Moms

Organization has never been my strong suit.

In fact, I've spent most of my adult life in search of an organizational system that will allow me to manage all of the random details of daily life. I've tried everything from the Franklin Planner to the Palm Pilot. Each new system was met with only short-lived success.

When I became a mother, things on the organizational front went from bad to worse. I had trouble managing the details of one life -- now I'm faced with trying to juggle the details of four. My most recent attempt of tracking it all was a large wall calendar, but even that became cluttered and was impossible to carry around (making it difficult to schedule appointments when I was away from home).

But then I read about the momAgenda.

The momAgenda was created for moms by a mom. Creator Nina Restieri put over a year of research into creating an organizational tool for mothers everywhere.

I've been using the momAgenda for a few months now, and I can tell you it's the best format I've ever used. I keep it open on my desk to the week at a view layout.

Not only is there space to record the my own daily appointments, but there are blank spaces below for each child. So, I can track Jilly's school program, Josh's playdate and Grace's doctor appointment, without the day looking like a scribbled mess. (I even have a box left over and, if I'm feeling particularly spry, I can fill in blog post ideas for the week.) At the bottom of the page, there's room to write the dinner menu for each day.

The momAgenda also gives a month at a view, has space for addresses and phone numbers, even sections for party and vacation planning.

See? All the important info in one central place -- that I can also take with me if the need arises.

Organizational perfection. It's what works for me.

For more great ideas to make your life easier, head on over to Works for Me Wednesday at We are THAT Family.

WFMW Backwards Edition: Laundry Staining

I was so excited to learn that this week's edition of Works for Me Wednesday is the "backwards edition," where I ask y'all for help with a problem.

Because I desperately need help with this little laundry issue I'm having.

Every now and then, I'll pull some clothes out of the wash only to discover they have blue stains on them.

The stains are impossible to remove. Nothing I've tried (even my beloved Carbona Color Run Remover) has touched them. I'm pretty confident the stains are not the result of another piece of clothing "running" because I don't think a color run would spot stain like that.

At first, I thought it was the laundry detergent. So, I switched to a clear-colored liquid detergent and made a point to add the detergent only after all the clothing was completely submerged in water (so the detergent wouldn't hit dry clothing and spot stain). But, that hasn't fixed the problem.

I'm completely stumped -- and a little irritated. It always seems my favorite items of clothing -- or even worse, my daughter's school uniform -- fall victim to the blue spots.

Does anyone know what is going on here and how I can stop it from happening?

Thanks in advance for trying to help a sista out.

And, after you solve my little issue -- be sure and head over to We are THAT Family and check out the dilemmas other people are having this Wednesday. They need some input from smart peeps like you! :)

Simplifying Mealtimes

Today I'm going to share a tip that has the power to literally transform mealtimes with little ones.

In our house, at each meal, I have three plates worth of food to cut up. One plate requires small, "non-chokable" bites for Grace. Another requires medium-sized 4-year-old bites for Josh. And then there's a plate of regular-sized bites for Jilly.

Y'all -- that's a lot of cutting. It's rather tedious and, if you happen to be eating something like pizza, the cutting can get a little messy.

The solution?

A humble pair of Kitchen Shears:

Many of you probably already have a pair in your kitchen utensil drawer, but, if you're like me, you had no idea what to do with them.

With the kitchen shears, I can cut up three kiddie dinners in about 1/3 of the time with the precision of a samurai chef. Seriously -- it's such a time saver. And for pizza? It's golden. You actually manage to keep the cheese on the crust, instead of tearing all the cheese off the pieces you try to cut with a fork and knife.

I've also been known to tuck my shears into the diaper bag for birthday parties and the like, because the only thing worse than cutting food into small bites with a fork and knife is having to do it with a plastic fork and knife.

For more great ideas and tips, head on over to Works for Me Wednesday!

And -- it's the last day to enter the book and beauty makeover at Chic Critique. Be sure to check it out!

Easy Gingerbread Houses

We've done gingerbread houses for three years running now, and we've had some failures and some successes. So, I present to you all I've learned on how to do this holiday tradition right.

First, DO NOT buy one of those gingerbread house kits. The house itself will be petrified and inedible. The included icing will be like mortar and the 12 colored candies they include for "decoration" will (obviously) not be enough.

Now, you can also go the route of the homemade, from-scratch gingerbread house. And while the real deal smells absolutely divine, it requires a ton of time and energy (as well as the patience of a saint). I'd prefer to save my patience for the decorating part, rather than expend it all in the baking phase. It's all about making a memory, people. And a crabby, impatient mommy doesn't say holiday cheer. Just sayin'.

So, how do you decorate a gingerbread house so that fun is had by all? Well, to borrow a phrase from Sandra Lee, you do the "semi-homemade" version.

This year, we used graham crackers to build two small gingerbread houses. It was super easy. Check out this quick tutorial:



The best part about it is that each child gets a house. So, there's no arguing about the decorating scheme. That is holiday bliss, my friends. (Btw, I also like to use some icing to secure the house to some foil-covered cardboard. Nothing ruins the holiday mood faster than a smashed gingerbread house that when zinging off the table onto the floor.)

I'm including my recipe for royal icing, because the right icing makes all the difference. This recipe makes enough for two graham cracker houses and will stay soft if you seal it in a ziploc bag. When you're ready to pipe on the icing, just make a small cut to remove a corner of the bag.

Royal Icing

2 egg whites

1 pound sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

2 tsp. glycerin (you can get this at the drugstore)

Beat whites until frothy. Add sugar, 1 T. at a time. Add lemon juice and glycerin. If the icing begins to harden, add a small amount of hot water. Pour into a ziploc bag and seal. Cut corner of bag when ready to decorate.

There you have it. The Gingerbread House tradition, done with minimal fuss.

Now, for more tips that will make your life (and holidays) easier, go visit Works for Me Wednesday!

What's Working for Me...

by lifewiththree


This post was inspired by Sarah's over at whoorl. I call it "My Favorite Things" or "What's Totally Working for Me These Days."

1. Twilight movie -- As of this writing, there are 2 days, 1 hour, 1 minute and 38 seconds to the premiere. Not that I'm counting or anything. But, just so you know, my ticket for Saturday's 7:45 show was bought over a week and a half ago.

2. Twilight CD Soundtrack -- Just about as good as the book. Love. It.

3. Weleda Skin Food -- It's that time of year when my hands get dry and it feels like the tips of my fingers are snagging on everything I touch. Skin Food is the only cream I don't have to reapply 500 times in a day. One or two daily applications of this super thick (and great smelling) moisturizing cream makes my hands happy again.

4. Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer -- They say the average woman ingests about 4 pounds of lipstick over the course of her lifetime. If that's really the case, I'd prefer my lip color to be made of beeswax, vitamins and citrus oils, as opposed to petrochemicals, parabens and questionable minerals. Burt's Bees has made a great cross between a lipstick and a chapstick that provides natural, pretty color for mere pennies.

5. Relish! Weekly Menu Planner -- (More credit goes to Sarah on this one.) I hate menu planning. But, even more, I hate showing up at the grocery store with three kids in tow at 5 o'clock wondering what I'm going to make for dinner. So, I spend about an hour a week planning our meals, and complain about it the whole time. Know how much time I spent menu planning this week? 10 minutes. I chose my meals from the Relish list, then printed out my ready-made grocery list and recipes. It. Is. The. Bomb. Just this week we've enjoyed Chicken Stir Fry Lettuce Wraps with Ginger Rice, and Basil Jack Meatloaf with Cheddar Mashed Potatoes. For $7 a month, it's worth every stinkin' penny.

6. Word Girl -- Know how hard it is to find a superhero-inspired show that's appropriate for my 4-year-old son? It's nearly impossible. That's why I love PBS's Word Girl. It's cleverly written, sticks with a great superhero theme and teaches my child new words, all within the span of 30 minutes. This show is the reason my son climbed in our sun-baked minivan not too long ago and announced, "Mom, it's sweltering in here."

7. Pashmina Scarf -- My blogging pal Jane is Queen of the Scarf. She's inspired me to wear mine more often -- it adds a stylish flair to my outfits, without breaking the bank. I'd really love one in every color...

8. Shop it to Me -- Hat tip to my friend Heather who emailed me an invite for this clever personal shopping site. Just click on your favorite brands, and each week (or day) Shop it to Me will send you an email with the latest markdowns on those items. It takes the exhausting footwork out of finding a great deal. A couple weeks ago I bought a Juicy Couture bathing suit for next summer at 60 percent off.

9. Iced Green Tea -- Everyone's always espousing the benefits of drinking green tea, but whenever I make it, it ends up tasting bitter. I finally discovered the secret -- steep for only 3 minutes in very hot (not boiling) water. It comes out perfect. Throw in a little honey and serve it over ice -- it's a healthier version of sweet tea, with antioxidants to boot.

So, there you have it -- the things I'm totally loving right now. For more tips and ideas, head over to Shannon's place!

Laundry Lifesaver

So, I grew up in a house where laundry was pretty much an art form.

When it came to doing the wash, there were rules that had to be followed. And the women in my family, well, they took laundry very seriously.

The cardinal rule: Always sort your loads according to color and/or type of fabric -- whites, pastel colors, primary colors and fragiles.

That rule has pretty much stuck with me.

Except that after a while, I get lazy.

That's when I start throwing everything in together. Just so I can finally be done with the laundry.

So, that's exactly what I was doing the other night when I threw my daughter's white school uniform blouse in with a pair of red shorts. The shorts had been washed a bazillion times before. I had never had a problem with the red color "running" over other articles of clothing.

Until that night.

In fact, I was in such a rush to finish laundry duty, that it was only after I took the blouse out of the dryer that I noticed the pink splotches.

Great. There goes $30, down the tubes.

But, a moment later I recalled a conversation I had with a friend about laundry mishaps and she heartily recommended this:

My friend had washed a pair of white pants with a rust colored shirt and claimed that Carbona Color Run Remover worked miracles. It contains no bleach, formaldehyde or phosphates -- but claims to be effective, even on previous color run accidents where the streaks or dyes were set in the dryer.

I dissolved the powder in a bucket of water and emersed the shirt. Within seconds, the stains were gone.

Whew! Now if I could only find a spot remover that was as instantly effective.

For more helpful tips, head on over to Works for Me Wednesday!

Laptop Lunch Alternative or How Target Actually Saved Me $30

I've been hemming and hawing about buying this Laptop Lunchbox. It's a great idea. It would allow me to pack my daughter a variety of foods for lunch. It would seriously reduce the amount of plastic bag waste. See?

But, it would also seriously dent the budget, because the cheapest I can purchase it for would be $40 shipped. A pricey lunchbox, no doubt. And, as I mentioned before, it's substantially bigger than my daughter's current lunch box and there is no clever Disney Princess marketing slapped on the front of it (that reduces the "cool" factor, you see).

So, I popped over to Target this weekend and look at what I was able to find -- a handy-dandy sectioned container that comes with its own reusable silverware:

It allowed me to pack this:

And it all fit neatly into this:

Here's the cost breakdown:

Lunchbox: $7.59

Sectioned Container: $2.99

A totally functional lunchbox that helps cut back on plastic bag trash: Priceless

For more great and useful tips, head on over to Shannon's place.

There's a vegetable in it, so it must be healthy...

I found this recipe in the latest issue of Taste of Home's Healthy Cooking magazine. It's for "Makeover Chocolate Zucchini Bread." My son -- by far the family's pickiest eater -- ate it without complaint. My daughter didn't eat it, but that's because she saw me add the zucchini. If she hadn't witnessed it I'm sure she would have been none-the-wiser. I'll admit, it's pretty darn tasty. In fact, given that it contains a vegetable, I refuse to consider it a dessert and have been eating it for breakfast. So there.

Makeover Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Makes 2 loaves

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/3 cup canola oil

3 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cake flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. baking powder

2 cups shredded, peeled zucchini

1. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar, eggs, applesauce, oil and vanilla until well blended. Combine the flours, cocoa, salt, baking soda, cinnamon and baking powder; gradually beat into sugar mixture until blended. Stir in zucchini. Transfer to two 8"x 4"x 2" loaf pans coated with cooking spray.

2. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

1 slice:

137 calories

4g fat (trace sat fat)

26 mg cholesterol

165 mg sodium

23 g carbohydrate

1g fiber (more if used whole wheat pastry flour)

3g protein

For more great tips and ideas (even another tasty recipe or two) head on over and see Shannon.

5 ingredients (or thereabouts): Pineapple Salsa Salmon

Shannon has deemed this Works for Me Wednesday the "Five Ingredients or Less" edition, so I'm going to share one of the easiest recipes I know. Technically, if you count the salmon filets and the lemon pepper seasoning, it's just over five ingredients, but most of the ingredients for the sauce are usually things I have on hand. So, really it couldn't be simpler. Serve it over some 10-minute Boil in a Bag brown rice and you're out of the kitchen in 15 minutes. Promise.

I will warn you that the mix of ingredients sounds a little crazy, but the result is delicious.

Pineapple Salsa Salmon (courtesy of Publix)

1/2 pound fresh pineapple chunks (you can also use chunks from a 20 oz. can, just drain them)

1 cup refrigerated mild or medium salsa

2 tsp. horseradish

1 tbsp. honey mustard

2 tsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 pounds skinless salmon fillets (I use frozen)

cooking spray

lemon pepper seasoning

Chop pineapple into 1/4 inch pieces. Place in medium mixing bowl and stir together with salsa, horseradish, honey mustard, and cornstarch. Set aside. Rinse fish and pat dry. Cut into 4 servings, if needed. Spray both sides of fish with cooking spray and sprinkle with lemon pepper seasoning. Preheat large saute pan on medium-high for 2-3 minutes. Using tongs, place fish in saute pan and cook 3 minutes. Turn fish over, and add pineapple mixture. Cover, reduce heat to medium and simmer 5-7 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Season fish to taste with salt and pepper. Serve fish and sauce over rice.

Keeping Kids Entertained

We don't go out to eat a lot these days. Taking three kids under six to a restaurant is not really my idea of a good time. It's always chaotic. I inhale my food without tasting it. I'm always in a rush to leave before the inevitable meltdown.

I'm usually pretty good at pre-packing activities to entertain my children at restaurants. But, there are many times we decide to go to dinner "spur of the moment." I don't have time to pack an activities bag and we wind up at the restaurant without any form of entertainment at all.

Not too long ago my sister-in-law purchased small cloth bags for each of my kids. I wasn't sure what to do with them until one day, it hit me. I filled each bag with small, age-appropriate activities and stuck them in the trunk of the car. Keeping activity bags ready in the trunk at all times has been an absolute life-saver! We can bring the bags into restaurants and other places where the kids have to wait (like the doctor's office -- do you really want them touching the germ-laden abacus?).

Here's my son's bag:

Here's my daughter's bag:

I even pack a small bag with baby toys and a bib for my one-year-old (because I am always forgetting to bring a bib). Some smaller type items that I have found work well include crayons, Matchbox cars, small puzzles/games, silly putty (my son's favorite), Brainquest cards and stickers.

Every now and then, if I see something at the Dollar Store or the Target $1 section, I might swap out a few items and add a few new ones. I try to keep things interesting. But having it with me, has spared me many a public meltdown.

For more helpful tips and ideas, head on over to Works for Me Wednesday at Shannon's place!

Be a Pot Luck Rock Star

Summer's here and chances are you're going to be invited to a fair share of barbeques and potlucks. I always agonize over what to bring to these little get togethers. I want to bring something kid friendly, but a dish adults will enjoy as well. I want to bring something "out of the ordinary," but I don't want to spend hours in the kitchen.

Well, I have found the "Holy Grail" of pot luck recipes: The World's Easiest Ice Cream Cake.

It's not something you want to set out on a picnic table next to the potato salad, but once the dinner plates are cleared, take this one out of the freezer and watch everyone swoon. This recipe is insanely simple, but people will think you worked long and hard on it. Seriously. The toughest part is peeling off all the wrappers.

World's Easiest Ice Cream Cake

Serves 12 to 14

1 (24-count) package ice cream sandwiches

2 (8-ounce) containers frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided

1 (8-ounce) package mini milk chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 (2-ounce) package chopped walnuts

Caramel or chocolate syrup

Maraschino cherries, sliced (optional)

Cover the bottom of a 9"x13" glass baking dish with ice cream sandwiches. Spread with 8 ounces whipped topping. Add another layer of ice cream sandwiches, placing sandwiches in the opposite direction as the first layer. Srpead remaining 8 ounces whipped topping over sandwhiches. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and walnuts. Drizzle generously with caramel or chocolate syrup. Garnish with cherry slices. Cover with foil and freeze at least 2 hours before serving. Cut with a sharp knife while still frozen.

And then, be sure to get it out of the house. Because, if you're like me, you will not rest until every bite is gone.

For more great ideas and tips, head over to Shannon's place.

Storing Puzzles

My 5-year-old loves puzzles. She could do them for hours on end. So, it should come as no surprise that we have a lot of puzzles around the house. Storing puzzles? Well, that's where we had the problem.

First, all the boxes take up a lot of space. Secondly, the boxes are all different sizes, so even if you were trying to neatly stack them in a cupboard or closet, the stack eventually becomes disorganized. Finally, the boxes are so flimsy, they start collapsing after a few uses. This means pieces get lost. Tears ensue. You know the drill.

The solution? The humble Ziploc bag.

I choose either a quart size or, for bigger puzzles, a gallon size, ziploc. I cut the picture from the front of the box and use packaging tape to secure it to the front of the bag. (I try to make sure I also cut out the number of pieces and the age for reference). My daughter has a basket in her closet where she stores all the puzzles. It's that simple.

Pieces don't get lost. Storage is easy and takes up a lot less space.

For other tips to make your life easier, check out the growing list over at Shannon's place.

What Doesn't Work for Me: Having No Summer Plan

I'm a planner and I thrive on routine.

I think that's why the mere mention of Summer Vacation never ceases to send me into a cold sweat.

Don't get me wrong -- I can handle a couple days of spontaneity every weekend. But day after day of an open schedule stretching through the summer months -- I have a hard time coping. I've learned the hard way that I inevitably run out of fun things to do with the kids. Or, even worse, I stumble across some really great activities, but I'm too late to sign up or have missed them entirely. It makes for a very long 10 weeks.

What doesn't work for me is not having a plan in place.

That's where the Summer Planning Session comes into play. For the past three years, I've gotten together with four of my closest girlfriends for a "Girls Night Out/What are We Going to Do with the Kids This Summer" dinner. This is where we all pool our collective resources. Julie brings information on Vacation Bible School and music classes. Christine has a son on the swim team, so she's our go-to person for water sports/lessons. Abby, Bridget and I are always about town, so we bring fliers for things we've seen -- storytimes at the library, special community-wide events and the like.

After ordering dinner and drinks, we set it all out on the table and talk about it. We bring calendars so we can check our availability. We might even pick a few special dates for pizza night at the local pool or plan a field trip day to a museum. The goal isn't to create a jam-packed schedule, (it is vacation, after all), but we want to schedule some fun activities to keep the kids busy and to make the most of their time off.

We don't usually do everything we plan. Some ideas are never executed. Some classes are never attended. But in the end, we have a framework. In other words, some semblance of a clue of what we'll be doing for the next 10 weeks.

It's just enough structure for me to relax and enjoy the time I have with my kids. It helps me to make the most of our summer together, and allows us to make some great memories in the process.

To find out other things people have learned the hard way, head over to Shannon's place for What Doesn't Work for Me Wednesday!

Restoring Peace on the Homefront

Things have been a little tense around here lately. Jillian (5) and Josh (3) have taken to arguing over just about everything. The argument is always the same -- it revolves around being "first" and believe me when I tell you, nearly every event that crops up during the course of a day is up for "discussion."

Who gets to say prayers first.

Who gets to get their hair blow dried first.

Who gets to watch a video first.

Who gets to use the bathroom first.

Who gets to climb into the minivan first.

Who gets a bedtime story read to them first.

You get the idea.

It's been driving me slowly insane.

I tried to keep track of things for a while. You know, I did the whole, "Jilly, you said prayers last night. Tonight it's Josh's turn." But, after a while, I lost track. I'm trying to run a household here and there are a few more pressing issues for me to keep top of mind. So, a few days ago, I took a new approach. I told Jillian that on odd-numbered days, she would get to go first for everything the whole day. Josh would take even-numbered days.

This has worked out perfectly. The arguments have pretty much vanished. Whenever someone starts to whine, I merely point out the date. If you have more than two kids (thankfully, my 10-month-old isn't old enough to argue yet), you could assign a particular day of the week for each child.

It just makes life much more peaceful.

Hey -- listen for a second.

Do you hear that?

What? You don't hear anything?

Exactly.

For more tips that will add peace and simplicity to your life, head on over to Shannon's place!

Best Baby Product Ever

When we brought our eldest home from the hospital, we were like most new parents -- overwhelmed. I found there was so much to do, so many things to worry about:

"Why is she crying?"

"Will she ever stop crying?"

"Did she nurse long enough?"

"How many wet diapers should she be having?"
"Is she still breathing?"

But all of those concerns were nothing in comparisson to my greatest fear -- the thing I dreaded doing more more than anything -- giving our baby a bath.

I just couldn't figure out how to do it all by myself. I could draw the water. I could set her in the tub and even manage to do a fairly decent job washing -- but it was getting her out of the tub that was always a problem. How was I supposed to lift her out of the tub without soaking the front of my shirt, wrap her in one of those postage-stamp sized infant towels and get the little hood on her head? All while supporting her head, mind you, because she was a helpless newborn, after all.

Lucky for me, I stumbled upon one of these:



This is the Snowflakes Towel Cozy. Allow me just a moment to tell you why this is THE BEST baby product ever. This towel velcros around your neck, like a large cloth apron. It keeps you dry while you're bathing your child, a huge plus if your baby likes to splash. But the best part comes when you pull her out of the tub. You simply cuddle that baby to your chest and wrap the towel around her. Viola! It's made of thick terry cloth (much warmer and cozier than that thin cloth they use for traditional baby towels) and has the built-in hood.

We own two of these towels. I also buy them six at a time to keep on hand for baby gifts. It's a gift no one else gives and ends up being something really appreciated by new parents.

Because they've got concerns, and how to get their child out of the tub should not be one of them.

For more great tips, head on over to Shannon's place!

Help Hauling Groceries

Grocery shopping. It's the unending chore.

You make your list.

You drive to the store.

You shop for your groceries.

You pack in them in bags.

You load the bags in the car.

You drive home.

You unload the bags.

Unload more bags.

Unload more bags.

You unpack the bags.

You put the items away.

The process, it takes a while. I haven't found anything that will do the job for you (unless maybe your husband is willing -- in which case, I envy you), but I have found something that makes the bag hauling a little easier:

When I first saw these for sale at our grocery store, I didn't think much of it. I mean, I'm no die-hard environmentalist. Don't get me wrong, we do what we can to save the earth. We recycle. We try to eat organic. But I don't drive a hybrid car. I'm not a vegetarian. My children use disposable diapers. Bringing my own bags to the grocery store always felt like it would be more work.

But, I noticed my friends were starting to use these bags. A shameless follower, I bought four bags for $0.99 a piece and thought I'd give it a try.

I'm in love.

These bags hold two to three times the amount of your average plastic grocery bag. That means less trips back and forth unloading groceries. What's more, they have long handles, so I can haul heavier bags by slinging them onto my shoulder, instead of feeling like my biceps are going to explode. The bags also come in handy for toting various kid items to the park. The only drawback is that they do not efficiently tote kids. Ah, how I jest!

Anywho -- it's a simple change that makes your life easier while helping out the earth in the process.

For more tips, go over and check out the growing list at Rocks in My Dryer!

The Treasure Drawer

My 5-year-old daughter Jillian is a bit of a pack rat. A sparkly Easter egg. An old birthday card. A party trinket. A sparkly rock found on a walk. All of these things hold some significance to her. In her mind, these items must be kept and preserved for years to come.

Now, I think I do a fairly good job of keeping the kids' toys under control, but these small treasures were creating a big problem. I found them all over the house. There was never a good place to put all of these odds and ends. And, because there was no set place to put them, inevitably a few of these "treasures" would be misplaced. Predictably, meltdown would ensue.

About a year ago, I came across an idea submitted to a parenting magazine. It suggested creating a drawer as a place for your child to store special items. So, I cleared out a drawer in her dresser and declared it her "Treasure Drawer."

It has worked beautifully. Jillian finally has a place where she can store all of the miscellaneous items she collects. It's also an ideal place for her to store things she might want to keep out of reach of other siblings. Every couple months, Jillian and I go through the drawer together. She decides what she'd like to keep and what she's willing to part with.

It's a simple solution that makes clean up easier, keeps the house neater and keeps everyone happy.

For more great ideas, head on over to Shannon's place.

Taming the Science Projects in Your Fridge

It's the "Greatest Hits Edition" of WFMW, where everyone re-runs a helpful tip they posted in the past. Seeing as how I've only run one WFMW tip prior to today, I thought I'd offer up the following instead:

Cleaning out the refrigerator. Not a task that I enjoy, per se, but one that needs to be done on a somewhat regular basis. In the past, my "clean out" approach was to put all items to the "Look and Smell Test," -- was the item growing mold or did it smell bad? If either answer was yes, into the trash it went. But, I soon discovered there were many partially-used items that had been in my refrigerator for a while, but didn't show the slightest fuzzy growth or emit the faintest foul aroma.

Salsa, comes to mind.

As does spaghetti sauce.

Capers.

Baby food.

Chicken broth.

How long had those things been in there? Were they safe to eat?

To help me decide, I started using a permanent marker and writing the month and date I opened the item on the lid. Having some idea of when the item was initially opened makes it easier to decide if a) it's still edible or b) I'm just entertaining a case of food poisioning.

For more great tips, head on over to Shannon's place!

Help with Handwashing

We began potty training my son back in November. Since then, he's become pretty proficient and has even been managing solo trips. The one sticking point, however, has been hand washing. It's not that he can't (or won't) wash his hands -- it's that he's too short (even with a stool) to turn on the spigot by himself. This turned into a full-fledged problem when he went through the "Potty Fascination Stage" of using the toilet several times a day. I was spending a lot of time helping him wash his hands.

Well, we have found the path to self empowerment. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the humble pool noodle. Cut the noodle so it measures around 12 inches in length. (It's important that you use a noodle that has a hole in the middle.) Then, place the noodle onto the spigot.

Viola! You have easily extended the reach of the spigot, while also ensuring that your child can control the temperature and water flow.

Of course, you could also just buy a taller stool! :)

For more great ideas, head on over to Shannon's place!