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Tips

Fire Prevention Week: MORE Safety Tips to Make your Home a Haven

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Yesterday, I shared some tips on how to maintain the fire safety equipment in your home. While I wish every home came with a one size fits all manual, they don’t, but we all have our stories. Today, I am going to share some tips we have learned living in an older home, and things we have learned from friends along the way. These tips have kept our home and the people in it safe. Hopefully, this can help you too.

After all, knowledge is power, or in this case… safety.

In The Kitchen


Keep it Clean: While this seems like common sense, keeping your oven, stop top, and grill clean can help prevent kitchen cooking fires. Make sure that you also keep the surrounding areas (counters, backsplashes, inlets) around your cooking area free of decor, electrical appliances, or anything else that could catch fire. Heat radiates off the surfaces.

Scrub, Scrub, Scrub: Regulary clean your stove, oven, microwave, toaster, toaster oven, grill, deep fryer, or any appliance that uses heat for cooking. Any scraps, oil, leftover food, or crumbs, can easily catch fire.


Get Out: When we were kids, the advice regarding kitchen fires was to assess the kind of fire (grease or other) then put out the fire with the appropriate tool (lid, baking soda, water, fire extinguisher). According to the National Fire Protection Association, the solution is now if there is a fire in your kitchen, the solution is to immediately GET EVERYONE OUT! CALL 911! The fear is the fire can spread quickly and noxious fumes can hurt you.



Electrical


Basics: When we moved into this home, we had the home inspected by a licensed electrician. It is a good idea when moving (even if the home is newer) to have an electrician take a look at all the outlets, light fixtures, and existing appliances. It is also good to know information like where your electrical panel is, and how full it is. Before making any home improvements, this is excellent information to have. You don’t want to overload your electrical panel.

Outlets: Our home is almost 40 years old and many of the outlets were original to the home. Also, outlets in the kitchen, bathrooms, and outside where not GFI (ground fault circuit interrupters). In order to be safe, we had all the outlets replaced. This has helped give us piece of mind.

Appliances: The big ticket appliances like washer, dryer, and refrigerator are all plugged directly into the wall. NEVER use an extension cord to bring power to your large appliances. Also, this is another area where keeping clean is important. Make sure to vacuum out the vents of your refrigerator regularly  to prevent dust to prevent overhearing. With all appliances (lamps, hair dryers, fans etc) even small ones make sure that the cord is in tact, there is no burning smell when in use.

A Special Note About Your Dryer: We all know to clean our lint trap every use to prevent a fire, but did you know you should also clean your dryer vent regularly to prevent fires too. Check out this great tutorial from Pretty Handy Girl.

Prevention


Garbage: Proper disposal of certain items can help save your entire home from a potential disaster. Did you know that 9Volt Batteries tossed together in the trash can cause a fire? According the to NFPA, THIS is the proper way to dispose of them: In addition, make sure other flammable items like rags with stain or varnish used from DIY projects or perhaps leftover paint cans, are disposed of safely.

Chimney: Make sure your fireplace and chimney are inspected and cleaned regularly to help prevent chimney fires.

Does anyone else have any other safety tips they would like to share?

If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

 

Fire Prevention Week: Tips for Making Your Home a Haven

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Here at Home Everyday, I love to talk crafts, cooking, baking, and decor, those are only a few things that make a house a home. When we bought this older home a few years ago, the first things we did, were to fix many of the safety concerns we had. First, we replaced the 35 year old furnace, outsourced a complete mold remediation, ripped up every ounce of old carpeting, had the chimney rebuilt, replaced and repaired the dryer vent, and took care of any part of the house that could be deemed unsafe.

We also replaced all the smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors.

While these things aren’t the most fun of things to do, when it comes to a home, it is SAFETY FIRST.  After all, you keep your most precious thing in your home: your family. 

Home is a haven, and every part of is should be safe.

So, since it is FIRE PREVENTION WEEK, I thought I would share some great tips for keeping your home safe all week long.

Today, we are going to be talking equipment. There are things in your home that you must have in order to keep your family safe from fire. Here are some tips for how to use and maintain these things in case of an emergency.

Brian’s little helper. This was over three years ago!



Smoke Detectors


Where: The best plan of action for smoke detectors is to have one on every level of your home, and one in every bedroom.


Batteries: we all know the old adage about changing the batteries when we change the clocks, which is twice a year. If they are hard wired, make sure you test them to make sure they are working.

Replace: Did you know smoke detectors are only guaranteed to work for ten years? That’s right! I couldn’t believe it either. If you know that your smoke detectors are at least that old it is time to replace them. (NOTE: If you’ve recently moved into a home that is at least ten year old, chances are they haven’t been replaced. It is time to get new ones too.)


Wireless: If you don’t have hardwired electric smoke detectors, meaning that they will all go off when one goes off, look into the new wireless battery models. These are battery operated smoke alarms that have a wireless mechanism that will sense when another smoke alarm in the house is going off and will in turn alert if there is a fire in the the house. Home Depot has them.

Practice: If you are living with little ones, let them hear the sound of the smoke alarm, and do a few fire drills to practice. Small children can be startled by the piercing sound of the smoke alarm and often hide in the event of a fire. Teach them that this loud noise is not to be afraid of, but it is a sign to get out of the house. The more they hear it and practice, the more prepared they will be if the unfortunate does occur.

Fire Extinguishers


Where: Knowing where to keep fire extinguishers is extremely important in helping to prevent a fire spreading in your home. In our home, we have one in the kitchen, one in the garage, and I am thinking of putting one in the basement where we have the laundry room.

Replace: Every fire extinguisher is different, but make sure you replace according to the manufacturer’s expiration dates. Why take the chance in a last minute situation, when you could prevent a fire from spreading further?

Used: Also, if you’ve used an extinguisher, it needs to be replaced. They cannot be re used as the pressure goes down in the extinguisher can.

Carbon Monoxide Detectors:


Where: The same rules  smoke detector apply for carbon monoxide detectors. There should be one on every level of the home as well as outside the sleeping area. Many people only have one carbon monoxide detector in their home. This is dangerous as by the time the sleeping area detector has detected the colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas, the lower levels could be filled with it. Your house needs more than one!

Batteries: Check the batteries at the same time you check the batteries in your smoke detectors.

Interconnected: Just like smoke detectors you can find carbon monoxide detectors that will are wireless or interconnected so that when one sounds, all of them will sound. This is especially helpful for multilevel houses.

What safety tips do you have for your home?

 

If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.




 

School Year Organization: 10 Things I’m Doing Now to Keep Myself Sane Later

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Yesterday, I was lamenting about my internal struggle about how this time of year seems to be quite difficult for me as there is so much to do and not do all at the same time. In an effort to make the beginning of the year go smoothly, I organized some parts of the house over the summer so that we can spend the last bit of summer relaxing.

Here are ten things I did while the kids were home to get ready for back to school.

1.) Got Rid of Old Clothes: There is no sense cluttering up the kids drawers with clothes that are too small or clothes that have tears or stains from summer. I typically don’t do any “back to school” clothes shopping until the weather starts to change a bit (and I can hit up sales) as they have plenty of clothes to get them through those first few warms weeks of school. This way it is easier for them to find what they want to wear, and there is room for new clothes.

2.) Organized High Traffic Areas: The craft table, desks, and front hall closet got an overhaul. These are areas that typically see a lot of traffic during the school year. The kids tend to drop school bags, shin guards, ballet shoes, homework, and everything else in these places. I tried to make sure that everything has a place so that when we are in a hurry, we can find everything in a jiffy.

3.) Found a Place for All the Papers: So much for the digital age! Since my kids have started school, I cannot believe the amount of paper they come home with every day. Try as I might to get rid of a little bit every day, there are still some papers that I have to hold onto. I found a way to organize everything perfectly, while still allowing me to save time.

 

4.) Got the Kitchen Ready: I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like my kitchen get a break in the summer, and when school starts I am back to cooking, baking, fixing meals multiple times a day. Since I was cooking less this summer, the kids helped me do a little kitchen organization.

5.) Went Through the Toys: Once the school year starts, our family doesn’t have a lot of wiggle room in our schedule. So, I try and take an afternoon to talk toys with the kids and talk about what they don’t play with anymore and what can be donated. This helps make room for upcoming birthdays and holidays too.

6.) School Supplies for Home: When I do decide to go school supply shopping (I’m the worst), not only do I try and purchase school supplies for school, but I also try and purchase a few extra of everything for home. This helps especially for homework or craft projects at home, and everything is cheaper and can be bought in bulk this time of year.

7.) Got Everyone Back on Schedule: Over the summer we are all going to bed a little later and sleeping a little later. The last part of summer, I am slowly but surely trying to get my kids to bed a little earlier and to wake up a little earlier too. I don’t want to their teachers to experience how cranky they can be when they are sleep deprived that first day of school. We have been doing this in about 20 minute increments, little by little. Rome wasn’t built in a day after all.

 

8.) Got Myself on Schedule: This school year, I will have pockets of time where I will be alone, so I want to be able to fill those with productive things so that when the kids are home I am able to make time for them.

9.) Bought a Surprise: I bought each of the kids a special surprise for their first day of school. It is nothing expensive or lavish, but it is just a little token to let them know we are thinking of them that day. These are things I keep my eye out for over the summer and buy when I see them. This year, I got them each a book about the grade they are going into this year.

 

10.) Pack in the Fun: I scheduled a ton of playdates, events and fun for the last few weeks of summer as I could so we can spend time playing and enjoying the nice weather and each other.

If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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5 Practical and Funny Spring Cleaning Tips

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If you scour
(see what I did there?) Pinterest you can find hundreds of
printables with Spring cleaning schedules, organized lists, and advice for how to
clean and organize your home this time of year. If you follow me on Pinterest, you will see, I am no stranger to obsessively
pinning these types of things. Here is the caveat though, I was finding that
these lists and plans were good in theory but were hardly ever actually put
into practice in my home.
Why?
I discovered many of these lists had few things that made them worthy of my time. Overall, they were missing the mark for what worked for my home and my family. So, I
decided to come up with some SPRING CLEANING TIPS that got our house lemony
fresh just in time for Spring. 

 

1.) Plan a Party: I am the type of person that usually works better with deadlines and
sometimes under some sort of pressure. My family is like that too. Also, whether
the party be big or small, I always invite at least ONE PERSON that a.) it his/her first time to my home or b.) he/she will slightly judge me on the
cleanliness of my home. I realized this is not a time to be having a BBQ with my family
or my best friends who don’t care if there toys strewn about. This helps
up the ante a little bit. Every time I want to give up, I remember so and so is
coming and they haven’t been to our house yet, and I will most definitely
continue on my cleaning journey.

2.) Get the
Family Involved: When I start on my SPRING CLEANING, I try to make a list of
jobs, and figure out who can do a particular job best. For example: who has the best skills for the
job? or Who will complain the least? I also try and figure out who might be
good helpers for a particular job. Like, my husband complains the least
about bathrooms, so he does them. I complain least about deep cleaning the
kitchen so I get that job. The kids are limber and small so they get jobs like
cleaning under the couches and washing baseboards.

3.) Break Up Each Room Into Smaller Tasks: I really needed to stop thinking that I could get all of my SPRING CLEANING done in one day or even one week. With all we have to do as a family, I really needed to break things up. For example, I know I have to sweep floors anyway, so one day, I took a spray bottle full of 2
TBS Mrs. Meyers Clean Day, 1 ½ Cups Distilled Water and while you swept the floor, I sprayed the baseboards in the kitchen with the solution. I, then, and asked the kids (who were playing on the floor anyway) to wipe them down with a rag. Another example: The next time you
empty the dishwasher, set the timer on your phone for 15 minutes and clean out
the junk drawer in your kitchen. Doing one or two of these little tasks every
day really helped go a long way to accomplish each task on our SPRING
CLEANING list. 

 

4.) Reward
Yourself: I am the type of person who is more likely to do something if I know
there is going to be a reward at the end. For me, sleep is the ultimate reward.
I love going to bed early. I know it sounds absolutely lame, but for me if I
can knock a few things off the To Do List, I will go to bed and get an extra
hour of sleep. It is glorious and I love it! Next time you have something to do, hold off on watching your favorite show until you complete a
task on your SPRING CLEAN list. Better yet, check off 5 tasks in a week and
allow yourself a night free from cooking. 

 

5.) Don’t
Get Trapped: When you live in a house with well… anyone, it is easy to get
frustrated and caught up in the clean house trap. I am often catching myself saying things
like, “I just cleaned this place!” or “I’m never cleaning again, what’s the
point?” I have found though, there are a few things that can help in situations
like this: a.) alchohol or chocolate and b.) a little perspective. The alcohol
or chocolate is to calm those nerves and the perspective is to remind yourself
that it is better to be living in a home with people you love that is a little
messy than to be living alone in a house that is immaculately clean. 

 

There you have it! Five practical and (sorta) funny spring cleaning tips!
If you like this post and would like to read more about all things domestic with a touch of humor, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write such as ChicagoNow or Chicago Parent follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.

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Spring Bucket List: The Clean Edition

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Yesterday, I talked about my Spring Fun Bucket List and how we came up with it and displayed it. It has almost everything we will be up to now that the weather is finally nice.

Notice I said, almost.

I made a little to do list for myself for the spring!

There are a few things on my Spring Cleaning Bucket List. Sure, for some, this list is not as fun as flying kites and bike rides, but, for me, there is nothing better than a clean house so that I sit back and enjoy the nice weather!

 

Over the winter time things pile up, what projects are you anxious to get done?

If you like this post and would like to read more about DIY, gardening, cooking, baking or all other things domestic, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write follow Home Everyday on Facebook here.

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10 Little Things that Help This Mom with Preschoolers

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When I go to classes at Second City, there are times when I know I am the only person there with a Mom purse filled to the gills with more things for the kids than myself, however, I also know that there are just some things that make life a bit easier living in a house full of preschoolers.

Here is my list of TOP TEN little things that help me survive parenting three little ones.
1. Spill Proof Cups and Water Bottles: A few months ago my son was mortified that I called his water bottle a “sippy cup” as in, “Mom, c’mon, I’m not a baby anymore. It is spill proof!” Apparently, my little one likes to exert independence when it comes to hydration. However, let’s face it, I know grown adults who spill (cough cough me), so we always have spill proof cups and water bottles on hand for both the kids and adults in the house. 

Look at these cute cups from Target!

 

2. Large Inexpensive Purse or Tote: We are no longer in need of a diaper bag! WOOHOO! However, there are a few things that we need to keep on hand at all times such as water bottles, medications, and some things to keep the kids occupied. Because of this, I have had to upgrade the size of my purse a bit to accommodate what we need while we are out. Instead of investing a lot of money in a fancy purse or tote (sigh, someday I will have a Kate Spade), I found an inexpensive and stylish large bag that I don’t mind carrying around. Since this is a bag that houses sticky medicines and often times snacks and water bottles, I won’t be heartbroken if there happens to be a spill. 

No one will know its from Target or filled with markers and juice boxes .

 

3. Keyboard Protectors: Life with little ones can be sticky. Literally. Between the jelly, play doh, and new found love of glue, kids just have sticky fingers. I found these keyboard protectors for my laptop, and I love them. Now, when someone climbs on my lap to play, I’m not so worried about jelly on my keys. 

These are a lot cheaper than replacing a laptop.

 

4. Easy to Make Trail Mix: (or Goldfish Crackers) Snacks at home or away are necessary for growing preschoolers. For this Trail Mix, I mix together Quaker Oatmeal Squares, Craisins, Raisins, Pretzels, and chocolate chips for a little treat to tide the little ones over until our next meal. Also, when this runs out, Goldfish crackers work just as well.
5. Board Games and Decks of Cards: My kids love playing games. It has become one of our favorite family activities. Games are educational, fun, and are an awesome way to foster family time. We keep both regular and travel size games on hand. 

Our current favorite GUESS WHO?

 

6. Mesh Laundry Bags: These have become a life saver. While my little ones are growing by leaps and bounds every day, their socks are still so teeny tiny and often get caught in the washer. Also, these little bags help keep pairs together. 

These would also be a cheap solution to storing bath toys.

 

7. Library Card: Most people have a Library Card. However, with all kinds of media so readily at our fingertips, many do not keep their Library Cards up to day. Libraries have amazing toddler and preschool programs, story times, crafts, sing-alongs, and all kinds of activities to keep my little ones happy. The programs are free as long as I tote my Library Card. 

 

8. Crayola Color Wonder Markers and Paper: My kids love to color and draw, but again, sometimes the mess is more than I can handle. Color Wonder Markers will only color on Color Wonder Paper. I cannot tell you how many messes these avoid! 

Color Wonder? More like Color Miracle!
9. Good Concealer: Having preschoolers is a whole different kind of exhaustion! My kids sleep through the night and gone are the days of middle of the night feedings and diaper changes, but keeping up with these little ones and making sure they aren’t getting into trouble has me sometimes looking a little worse for wear. With a little dab of some consealer under my eyes, I look fresh as a daisy.
My favorite concealer!
10. Anytime TV: Whether it be Netflix, a DVR, and Apple TV, or an old fashioned VCR, having your kids favorite shows accessible is perfect for those moments when it is time for a show, but their favorite show isn’t on at the moment. Sometimes, you just need 30 minutes to get dinner on the table, fold a load of laundry, or hide in the closet and eat a piece of dark chocolate. 

Apple TV

 

What are your go to items for surviving life with toddlers and preschoolers?





For more tips, organization, DIY, gardening, cooking, baking or all other things domestic, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Tips for Thrifty Shopping at Target: A Rug Story

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(I was not paid or perked by Target in anyway, I just enjoy that store that much!)


I love a good deal. I don’t love a good deal enough to shop on Thanksgiving Day or battle crowds the day after. However, I love when the stars align just right, there are coupons and apps, and sales, and you get something you wanted for way way less.

In this case, patience really paid off.

I have been wanting this rug from Target for a good long while. I loved the pattern, I loved the size (7′ x 10′), and most of all I loved the price. I had my eye on it for awhile as the 5′ x 7′ rug in our family room was not big enough for the space.

When I first saw the rug, it was only available in like a tan/beige color.

Then, a few months ago, I noticed the released two other colors, a charcoal gray and a navy blue. I was elated. The charcoal gray and navy blue would be better at hiding messes.

Next, after flipping through the colors a few times trying to make a decision I noticed, that for whatever reason, the gray one was $10 less. That kind of made the decision for me. Charcoal gray is a good neutral, and will look nice with the family room walls I painted in the the spring. TIP #1: See if variations of the item are a different price and decide if it is worth it to you to spend a little less on a different variation of the item.

When I make my trips to Target, I always ask sales associates if there are any additional coupons or sales on items I am looking at. Usually, they are willing to help and find out for you. A few weeks ago, a sales associate told me about Target Cartwheel. Target Cartwheel is an FREE app you can download with additional coupons and savings. Without the asking the sales associate, I probably wouldn’t have known about Cartwheel, and wouldn’t have seen the EXTRA 15% off on Area Rugs that they were running. TIP #2 If a sales associate asks if you need help, always ask if there are any additional savings on an item you are looking for. They might steer you toward, an app, a coupon, or the sales flyer which are things you might not have seen.



Next, I waited a few days until a Friday. I know that at my local Target they switch around sales, and mark clearance items in the Home Department on Fridays (How do I know this? I asked.) I figured I could wait another couple days to see if anything in the home decor department would be on sale or go on clearance. Sure enough, rugs were marked down another 10-15% which I was able to use with my Target Cartwheel coupon. TIP #3: Always ask when departments mark there clearance items or move around stock or put up sales. If you aren’t in a hurry, it is worth it to wait a few days for the extra savings. Also, if they run out of your item when there is a sale going on, you can always get a Rain Check!


Finally, because we have a Target RED card, and area also a party of the pharmacy rewards program there, I had two more discounts of 5% off each. TIP #4: If you have a credit card account with a store, always make sure you see if there are additional rewards or promotions for card holders. Some stores like Home Depot don’t take the percentage off for cardholders unless you ask (so ALWAYS ask), but Target does it automatically for cardholders.


So, between the extra $10 off because of the color(149.99 – 10.00 = 139.99), the Cartwheel coupon of 15% off (139.99 – {139.99 x 15%} = 119.00) , the sale price of 10% off (119.00 – {119.00 x 10%} = 107.10), I also had a 5% off coupon off my entire purchase from the pharmacy rewards (107.10 – {107.10 x 5%} = 101.75), and I have a Red Card which brought the price down another 5% (101.75 – {101.75 x 5%} = 96.67), I got the deal of the century on this rug. I paid less than $100 for a brand new 7′ x 10′ rug.

The kids were thrilled to help me roll it out, and and play, and I am happy I saved a ton of money!



For more about DIY, gardening, cooking, baking or all other things domestic, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write follow Home Everyday on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

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Vinegar Berry Wash Works, Thanks Again Pinterest

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I’m a pinner. I have been pinning on Pinterest for over a year, and I am always amazed at the wonderful things on there. If you’d like to see all the wonderful things I pin, you can follow me HERE.

One of the things I pinned awhile back was the vinegar berry wash that has been going around, and I am happy to report it really does work. Supposedly, the vinegar helps to kill any existing mold spores to help keep fruit fresh longer.

The berries that are in season right now definitely stay fresh longer after I do this trick. I think I am going to start doing it with all the fruit I buy instead of just rinsing in water.

 

I have never been one of those people that preps my fruits and veggies when I get home from the store. By the time I meal plan, make a list, get the kids ready, go to the store, come home, unload it all I typically collapse and I want to call for take out.
However, my kids are of the age where they can get into the crisper in the fridge or reach the fruit bowl on the counter for a snack, but not old enough to wash anything themselves without adult supervision. Therefore, the next day when I have sufficiently rested from the previous day’s excursion, I am ready to be in the kitchen again and wash some fruits and veggies.
To wash berries (and any other fruit really). Fill up a large bowl or your sink with a combination of 1 part vinegar to 10 parts water. Put the berries or other fruit in the mixture and swish it around for a few minutes.
Drain the the fruit.
Then, make sure to let it dry completely. Also, for strawberries I hull them or cut off their green tops.
Then I put everything in containers and back in the fridge ready to eat.
If you like this recipe and would like to read more about DIY, gardening, cooking, baking or all other things domestic, become a Home Everyday follower! For blog updates or to see other places I write follow Home Everyday on Facebook here.

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Lunch on the Go: Summer Picnic Tips

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With the Memorial Day being the unofficial start to summer and kids getting out of school, it means that it is time for family vacations, camps, plenty of time outdoors, and day trips. With us out an about much more, many times meals and snacks need to be eaten on the go. While I do pull into the Culver’s drive through occasionally, this is not a regular occurrence. Also, I realize that packing lunches isn’t much different than the school year except I thought about it a little more and realized that kids at school are eating lunch sitting at a table, indoors, and come home right after school to a snack. Also, when you have picky eaters and kids with allergies, nothing ruins what is supposed to be a fun time like a hungry or sick child.

In the summertime, day trips often call for multiple meals on the road as well as sometimes eating on a blanket outside or if it is raining in the back of the car. With that said, planning for meals away from home takes a little bit more planning.

 

Here are a few tips I’ve learned:

– When I’m meal planning for the week (you can read more about that here), I make sure to plan portable meals for the days we plan to be out of the house and make sure to add portable foods to our grocery list.
– I think finger foods are the way to go, the less utensils you need for the day the better.
– I hardly ever bring napkins when picnicking anymore. I bring an extra container of wipes. They clean sticky hands and faces better, and they can be used to wipe down picnic tables before eating.
– Some things are better prepackaged like yogurt tubes, applesauce cups, or juice boxes. Typically, I don’t like the extra expense and waste of pre-packaged foods, but when you are on the go, it really is easier to just throw things away than have a bunch of dirty tiny containers or sippy cups to clean when you get home.
– I always pack for the meals we will be out for plus one extra snack. You never know when you are going to get stuck in traffic, make a pit stop, or decide to stay where you are a little longer.
– For long trips, we have invested in an electric cooler like this. We bought it five years ago, and I have to say it was one of the best purchases we have ever made. It was perfect for pre made bottles, storing milk when I was breastfeeding, keeps drinks cold, allows us to pack things like yogurt and cheese, and holds more than a regular cooler because we don’t need ice. Ours comes with an AC adapter for the car. We plug it in the car and we are on our way. When we get to our destination, we use an outlet there.
– I always make sure to pack everyone’s water bottles, and periodically refill them throughout the day. Hydrated kids (and parents) are happy kids (and parents).
– I often free grapes, berries, and yogurt tubes. I put them in the cooler and they are a great cold treat for a hot day frozen or thawed.
– Everyone at our house has their own “picnic” container. I found them at Target last year. They are just divided reusable plastic container with lids. Sometimes, I even divide them further using paper muffin cups. This is perfect because everyone gets the meal or snack made to their needs or wants.

 

 

This past week, the weather was perfect for spending the day at the zoo. I packed up lunches, snacks, blankets, and sunscreen, and we headed out for the day. For the kids I packed some assorted berries, cut up cucumbers, cheese sticks, crackers, yogurt tubes, and Goldfish crackers.

 

For myself, I packed some berries, some Mexican Quinoa Salad I had made the night before, and some tortilla chips.

 

We had a wonderful day, and got stuck in traffic on the way home. Thank goodness I had snacks and water bottles to hold everyone over until we got home.

What is your favorite picnic food?

What I’m Reading

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I love to read!

My love of reading stems from childhood. Some of my favorite gifts as a kid were books. I would spend hours inside in our living room reading book after book. I can remember my parents begging me to go outside and enjoy the day, so I would bring my book outside.

As I grew older, I continued to read. Not nearly as often as I used to, but I am proud to say that I try to always have a book that I’m currently reading on my bedside table.

Since I get this question all the time, I thought I would share what I am currently reading.

The book that I am reading right now as in what is on my bedside table is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. So far, I really love the approach of this book. While many of us can say we are happy, who wouldn’t want to be happier?

For Christmas, I received Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. This book is like a cooking encyclopedia. I know “reading” a cookbook is not everyone’s cup of tea, but I love to flip through the pages and read the entire dessert section or flip through all of the vegetables.  I will try to soak in all the information or directions. I have found that reading cookbooks this way has helped me absorb tips that I can use with other dishes I make. Also, the recipes are divine. I cannot wait to try the Ratatouille. To think, I will be making the same recipes as the Queen of the Kitchen just gives me goosebumps.

 

This book I purchased awhile back, and was able to attend the book signing. Sherry and John Petersik of Young House Love are, in my opinion, DIY royalty. The book signing was in November, but I was finally able to read it. The pictures are beautiful, and I absolutely love love love the inexpensive tips for home decor.

Next up is How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World by Jordan Christy. My partner in crime, Colleen, let me borrow this book a few months ago before starting her PhD program knowing I would like it and knowing that PhD does not = leisure reading time. I have to say, I really enjoyed parts of this book. There are parts that were no longer relevant to me now, but will be great tips for Coco as she grows into a young lady. This would be a great gift for a young woman headed off to college.

Finally, I just had to purchase Notorious Nineteen by Janet Evanovich. I have read the entire Stephanie Plum mystery series, and I recommend if you like comedy and quick  reads you should read them too. I love her style of writing as well as the characters. Hilarity is spelled L-U-L-A!

Next up on my plan is to head to the library and get some comedy books. This is a genre that I have been reading since high school. I love to read books by famous comedians such as Tina Fey, George Carlin, and Bill Cosby. I find the writing clever and who doesn’t love a good laugh?

What are you reading currently? What is your favorite cook book? Who is your favorite comedian?

Time to go, I have to finish this book!