Darned if you do: Darned if you don’t

November 30, 2007 | Leave a Comment

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Recalls, Recalls, Recalls and more Recalls…..

Graco recalls SnugRide carseats -PHILADELPHIA (AP) - Graco Children’s Products on Tuesday said it’s recalling more than 300,000 infant car seats because they pose a possible choking hazard.

The company said the recall affects standalone SnugRide seats manufactured between Aug. 1, 2006, and June 30, 2007. They were sold at mass merchandisers, specialty retail stores and department stores from August 2006 until last week.

Graco said the backing of the seat pad may pull away from the seams, exposing the pad filling that could pose a potential choking hazard. The recall does not affect SnugRide models sold as a travel system or those made before August 2006, because the design is different.

Graco said the child seats are still effective as a child-safety restraint.

The company said customers should not return the seat to the retailer. Consumers can get a replacement seat pad by calling 800-345-4109 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Mondays to Fridays

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Tips & Advice

Bear Hands- a great gift

November 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment

For those that are searching for unique and useful gifts for the kids on your shopping list this year check out the Bear Hands selection of fun hats, mittens and scarves. I found these a couple years ago at a trade show and not only do my kids love wearing them, they always get comments and fun reactions from people.

Not only are they fun and different but they wear and wash great. After several rounds in the washer I was very happy they did not lose the softness (for my texture sensitive kid) and they did not pill like some fleece does. For those of us that have a large assortment of winter belongings??? Each kid has their own “animal” theme so I know who really left their hat in the middle of the living room

This product is an A in my book!

Shop online for a wide selection of frogs, horses, bears, dogs and cats that are built into the hats with matching animal scarves- it’s like letting them bring a stuffed animal with a purpose to do errands and fun in the snow.

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Cool Finds

What’s for dinner?

November 29, 2007 | Leave a Comment

I’ve fallen into another dinner slump… what to make when all the kids have now decided they don’t like the same things or have suddenly become very picky eaters.

My Miss. Taylor is my sanity savor because she is so good about at least trying something new. She also does a good job eating a wide variety unlike my son who is purely on a meat only diet… steak, sausage, bacon, steak, hot dogs… and corn on the cob and that’s about all he’ll eat no rice, no potatoes cooked anyway. The youngest picks here and there and doesn’t care for meat or chicken but will eat hamburgers and hot dogs.

Today I sat down and brainstormed a list of what they will eat, all eat and decided to share just in case you get in a slump. There is nothing fancy.. come on… did you really think I can make fancy meals while doing homework during the “witching hour” with four kids??

I do rely on the crockpot when I can or prep during lunch time and put it in the fridge so it’s ready to go with little effort at dinner time.

Chicken Parm
Stuffed shells or lasagna
Homemade biscuits
Steak on the grill
BBQ chicken on the grill
Pork Chops
Goulash- my granmothers style of american chop suey
Homemade mac & cheese
Meatloaf- I generally make in a muffin tin so they each get their own little meatloaf
Homemade pizza or calzones- a weekend favorite of making their own dinner
Tacos
Meatball sandwiches
Applesauce
Rice Pilaf
Raw carrots and ranch dressing for dip
Corn on the cob
baked potato (2 out of the 3 will eat)
Mashed potato (2 out of the 3 will eat)
Asparages with olive oil and sea salt baked
Salad with ranch dressing
Sweat potoato chips - homemade & baked
Broccolie with cheese - homemade
Chicken Cordon Blue- store bought frozen
Burgers on the grill
Hot dogs and chicken nuggets are a sure favorite but I try to offer sparingly and only when I need a quick fix

I also try to offer fresh fruit with each meal and find if I make fruit kabobs on skewers they eat more then just leaving it out in a bowl.

The kids also eat more when we cook dinner together and they participate in setting the table. Although, sometimes it’s more work for me as you try to referee who’s putting out the napkins fight it is worth it.

CHOW!

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Recipes

DO IT YOURSELF building your page rank

November 28, 2007 | Leave a Comment

I have been seeing alot of fellow mompreneurs asking- “what can I do to increase my page ranking in the search engines?” I just updated my site and changed some pages so I’m starting from scratch and working on the following suggestions myself. I’m not claiming to be a tech expert- just sharing the knowledge that was given to me:

1. Content, Content Content- the more content you can link to your site the better. High Quality 4-6 paragraph articles can make a difference. If you can’t make it- find it- there are plenty of “free’ articles out there you can use as long as you keep the credentials listed.

2. Focus Key Words- Do your homework on google tools and other keyword tools find the top searches and narrow your own keywords for each page to focus only on 2-4 top keywords for EACH page. The more keywords you add to a page the more you “dilute”- so select the top ones and optimize your page using that keyword in your title, meta tags, descriptions and content. Do this for Every Page on your site. Don’t try to “stuff” keywords in your content- incorporate them into quality content. You need to remember to make the text readable for spiders and people.

3. For those websites that are heavy on products -Combine 1 & 2 and write articles on a topic that is one of your best keywords and post it on your site. Just having the link on your site will help the spiders.

4. Quality Links- there are online tools ( I believe thru Alexa?) that allow you to search for the top ranking websites for your keyword OR do a search for your keyword and look at the links attached to those sites and if you can try to link to the higher ranking ones also. I don’t know if someone mind find an ethical flaw to this method?? I personally have not come to this step for myself yet.

5. Inbound Links- Use blogs and other websites to link to you by doing product reviews and posting in blogs and including your web url in your tag line

6. Blogs- that’s a whole topic in itself but I’ve been told they do work for traffic and regular spiders

7. Off Line does count- keep up that PR and get people to visit your site. I’m told that search engines are even getting more sophisticated to know that the longer visitors stay on your site (of course they will when you have great content) they put that in your favor and know you’re a quality resource.

I just wanted to give back a few suggestions that I found are cheap, can be done yourself and make a difference. Also there is a woman by the name of Cricket who offers a great FREE SEO course, don’t be fooled it is work, but it is worth it and can be found here CRICKET

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Tips & Advice, Work at Home MOM

Christmas Angel Craft

November 24, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving behind us now I don’t feel so guilty getting ready for Christmas. I tend to want to “buck” the system when it comes to commercialism pushing the holidays. You know what I mean, when Halloween products are on the shelves of stores before school even starts.

Today I found a cute craft project to make angels with tulle and it looks pretty straightforward. I’ll try it tomorrow with the kids and see how it goes.

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Chaos of Life

Tanners First Thanksgiving

November 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Tanner celebrated her first turkey day.

Shown here with cousin Brooke who swears she wasn’t pinching her.

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Baby Life

Happy Thanksgiving

November 23, 2007 | Leave a Comment

A day of Appreciation

A day of Giving Thanks…….

Especially when your a six year old boy finds a really cool sling shot tree

A day of family from near and far

and Grammy’s Tapioca Pudding when she’s no longer here

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Chaos of Life

Facing Fear. Today is my Day.

November 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment

While folding laundry today my daughter and I had a conversation regarding fear. Not being scared of spiders fear, but fear of the unknown, unexpected. Fear of rejection and not knowing how to handle situations. A complex topic to be discussing with a seven year old but she actually started it.

But in the process I realized that I, myself, especially lately, have been avoiding certain things on my To Do list due to my own fears and for some reason it was only during this little conversation that it dawned on me that I was actually afraid. Hence, why my feared items never seem to be removed from my To Do list. I was just assuming it was procrastination on my part, but really it was procrastination due to being afraid of the results.

SOOO I am making a bold statement today. That I am facing my fear and setting my goal to get these 3 items removed from my To Do list within the next week.

For better or worse, rejection or acceptance I won’t know until I do them and what ever the result I promise myself to not be disappointed but learn from the process and be proud that I faced my fear. Now… I’ll stop writing about it and just do it but will keep you posted.

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Chaos of Life

Survey Says….

November 17, 2007 | Leave a Comment

Yup… just as expected…. ended up with teeth grinding, shin kicking little man in the bed…..

So the baby and I moved to the floor bed and surprising enough it was super comfortable. Poor hubby didn’t realize we moved and the little man never slid over so the hubby still slept on about 6 inches of bed. Ouch.

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Chaos of Life

Weekend Sleepover

November 16, 2007 | Leave a Comment

The weekend has arrived already. I don’t remember the weeks going by so fast when I was young.

I have been having such issues with the kids bouncing between beds all night.. yes we do eventually go thru a phase of them all sleeping the night in their own beds but it always swings back to another round of climbing into my bed at 3 a.m.. So in an effort to get everyone to sleep in their own beds for three nights straight I promised that if they could spend three nights in their own rooms, then we could have a family sleepover night in my room on Friday.

Tonight, I brought up the cushions from the couch and made the kids beds on the floor next to my bed. They of course then complained of sleeping together because this one kicks and that one grinds teeth… so I made a smaller version on my husbands side of the bed (knowing he was going to curse me when he had to climb over someone to get into bed…).

Then I came downstairs and listened to them read stories to eachother as I settled the baby and their little chitter chatter and eventually…. silence. When I went back upstairs I was surprised to see them squeezed into the little bed snuggled together.

I have to admit, it’s nice when they have a good night together without fighting and enjoying the company of their siblings. I hope they remember these moments. I’ll let you know if they actually stay in the small bed all night or if they will end up in my bed

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Posted by Kristen | Filed Under Chaos of Life