Category Archives: Fun

Kids and Money

24 Sunday Jul 2011

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Summer break sometimes means summer vacations if we are lucky enough to get away.  With my ever-expanding brood, it not only takes more time for me to get places, but also more money.  Not so much that the twins want everything they see, but my older two think they need to have it.  It’s way past the wanting phase now.

We planned a trip to Disneyland and I was a little concerned about blowing every last dollar on unnecessary Mouse items to clutter up our house, only to be given away or thrown out within the year.  We had a few holidays and birthdays coming up before hand, and I remembered seeing Disney gift cards at the grocery store.  A while back I had considered buying my kids Starbucks gift cards and telling them every time we go in, that they had X amount of dollars they could choose to spend, as Starbucks is another place my kiddos seem to always want to go wild in.  I decided they were too young at the time to figure it out, and fortunately, we’ve curbed that habit since then.  But, I figured, this may be the Golden Opportunity to teach them a lesson in the value of a dollar as well as keep me from having to feel like a Disney version of Hoarders.

Here is what I did:

  • Prior to the trip, when people asked, I suggested gift cards to Disney for each kid for their birthday or holiday.
  • Before we left, I explained to them that they would each be given “Disney Dollars.”  The Dollars were for their use, they could spend it on anything they wanted in the park…anything, including lollipops, character cups, light up night toys, t-shirts, dolls, etc.
  • When the Disney Dollars were gone, however, that was it.  Mommy wasn’t buying anything else for them.  I explained to them they had to be very mindful as to what they were going to spend their Disney Dollars on.  We were going to be there for three days, so they should take their time and look around, then decide on big things later.  (I also didn’t want to get stuck pushing two newborns, while chasing after two kiddos, bogged down with plastic Disney bags!)

I did not spend Disney Dollars on this shirt. My mom bought it for me years ago!

Here’s what they did:

  • My son is a thinker.  Immediately, I could see the little wheels turning.  Once he got it, he right away started the negotiations.  Would I buy them food? Did that include breakfast, lunch and dinner (not kidding)? What if he wanted an ice cream, who would pay for that?  What if his cousin wanted something, who would buy that for him? What about clothes? Who would pay for that because he certainly wasn’t spending his money on a sweatshirt, that would have to come out of my pocket.  The questions didn’t end until we finally left Disneyland…like two weeks later.
  • My daughter listened to all the questions her brother asked.  When we got there, she did exactly what I suggested, calculating all the responses I gave to his questions earlier.  She knew exactly what she wanted.  She bought herself the Tangled baby doll (which apparently was in high demand), matching toys for her and her BFF, some mints for her daddy to thank him for the trip, two toys for the twins, and some lollipops and jewelry for herself.  She was most definitely a satisfied customer.
What it taught us:
  • It really made the trip more enjoyable because they were not so intent on making sure they had everything they saw.  They were more interested in the rides, the characters, having fun vs. shopping and merchandising.  The reality is that we have been to Disney so many times, they already have it all: the hats, the light sticks, the dolls, the shirts, the suckers, the balloons…what else could they possibly need from Disney??
  • They kept asking how much things were, and what they would have left if they bought it.  This was great because it was teaching them math skills as well as the value of  a dollar.  They didn’t want to spend all of their money, and they didn’t ask me to spend mine either.  They were pretty proud of their Disney Dollars, and I heard them say things like, “Nah, we don’t need that.”  “That’s too much money.” They did take their time with their big purchases, in fact we went back on the third day to shop, and it was fast because they already knew what they wanted from looking around before.
  • I felt more relaxed because I was able to stick within my planned budget.  I paid for all their meals, like I promised, bought them each a sweatshirt, and even got the babies a toy.  (It was their first trip after all.)  I treated everyone (my kids and nephews) to a light up sword for the World of Color show…which ironically, they all refused because they thought they would have to pay for it…and a few small treats in between.
  • We really got to focus on why we were there…to enjoy each other and the magical kingdom like Walt himself intended us to!
I was so proud of my kids, and myself, for sticking to our budget, respecting our money and not over-spending.  I felt great at the end of that trip, not only because we were able to learn some pretty valuable lessons, but I also wasn’t stressing about how I was going to juggle the funds until the next paycheck because we dipped to splurge.  No splurging was needed and we all had a fun time.  Can you believe…my kids are so frugal, they even came home with dollars still left on their Disney Gift Cards!  

Twinners: The Other Mommy

22 Friday Jul 2011

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I often find myself laughing inside when I notice how quickly I can go straight from “Mean Mommy” to my 7 and 5 year old, then turn to my sweet little angels and bestow a thousand kisses on them and tell them how much I love them.  With the age gap between the two sets of kids, it is almost as if I am two different mommies.

With my two older kids, I am fun loving, but also the disciplinarian.  A side of me the twins have yet to discover.  The only time I tell them “No!” is if one is pulling hair, scratching out his brother’s eyeballs, or stealing his bottle.  Other than that, they can have anything they want because they are so beautiful, and delicious, and adorable…they are my bubbas, and I am over the moon for them.

I think to myself, there is no way I will ever yell at them like I do their older siblings.  Then I laugh again, remembering that I once felt that way about them, too.  I ponder the thought of whether or not I will be like one of those parents who had their kids late in life, so they are more lackadaisical about raising them.  Then I am interrupted again by my little girl, who just adores her two baby brothers.  She jumps in the crib to sing them a lullaby as I kiss them good night, set up their humidifier and close the curtains.

Then I say to them softly, “It’s still me, we just haven’t gotten to know each other on that level yet.  One day we will, but for now, I’m enjoying the innocence of you being a baby because one day, soon, the wrath of Mommy will unleash on you, too.”

It’s kind of like owning a dog.  You know how they say owning a dog helps lower your blood pressure, makes you happy, and releases stress.  That’s what my babies are like for me.  It doesn’t matter what is happening around me, when I see those rosy cheeks, gummy smiles and chunky thighs, I just can’t help but to feel a calmness come over me.  I’m loving this time because I know it’s going to be over all too fast.

 

 

Eco-Cool Back to School Lunches

22 Friday Jul 2011

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This review was written for the eco-friendly and super cool website, Mighty Nest.  The items reviewed were complimentary and specific to the review request, however, the post below is 100% my own words and opinions.

Back to School.  Yes, already.  I know, we’ve still got one more good month of TV filled, lazy, jammie days, but in the meantime, it’s lingering…it’s lurking…the thought of actually having to get up at the crack of dawn, breakfast made, teeth brushed, hair combed, clothes on, lunches made and backpacks grabbed to race out the door before the bell rings!  To go along with that is all the shopping that has to be done in the next few weeks to prepare for all that organized chaos…school clothes, shoes, school supplies, lunches…call me crazy, but all this talk is getting me excited to have some routine back into my life!

My daughter is starting Kindergarten in the Fall.  Just like her brother before her, it is now tradition in our family for the Kindergartner to pick out their brand new backpack and lunchbox that will hopefully last them two years.  I’ve also been diligent about using less waste in their meals.  We have spent the last year focused on taking excess out of our foods (preservatives, additives, and artificial dyes and flavors), now it’s time to focus on eliminating the chemicals and waste with the items we use to transport their lunches.  Thus, was my introduction to an amazing website called Mighty Nest.

It was perfect timing, too, because I had been slowly purchasing items to replace things like old BPA filled water bottles and sandwich boxes, plastic snack bags, and juice boxes.  Tracy, at Mighty Nest, contacted me and asked if I would be interested in reviewing several lunch box products.  After having discovered their site, I was happy to oblige!

She was kind enough to recognize that my kids might be particular to certain colors, so I requested purple for my daughter, and turquoise for my son.  A couple of days later, I had a fun box waiting for me in the mail  filled with great lunch box goodies!

First up…LifeFactory Glass Water Bottle, in none other than purple, of course!  I had made the switch from the clear colored plastic re-usable water bottles to

LifeFactory Glass Water Bottle in Purple

stainless steel ones a few years ago, but since then, had been curious about trying out a glass option.

What was great about the LifeFactory Glass Water Bottle:

  • It does what it is supposed to do:
    • BPA-free, non-chemical leaching
    • Silicone protects bottle from slipping and breaking
    • Cleanliness, reusability
    • Added bonus is that the liquid inside tastes the same…no funky metal taste and the glass is easy to drink from.
    • Cool, fun colors, and replaceable parts
    • When you are finished using it (for good) it can be recycled again!
    • 9oz is perfect for lunchtime

Would I use it on a regular basis?  Probably not.  I think the item itself has great features, and they also offer the same bottles for babies with a nipple vs the silicone cap, and larger sized ones for adults.  In my house though, with four kids, my concern is that it isn’t going to last long.  I did check with Tracy on this, and she mentioned that the silicone is there to protect the glass, but it will break if dropped on the right spot.  I also didn’t love that it obviously has no insulation to keep the drink cool.  We live in the desert, and it’s kind of not an option for my kids to have room temp or car temp water.  I know that room temp is better for them, but when it’s 115 degrees out, that point is a little hard to argue.  My daughter loves to fill it with water and carry it around the house.  She takes it to bed and keeps it on her nightstand, so for those kind of uses, I would recommend it.  It also fits nicely in the lunchbox if you decide to go that route.  (See my pics for more.)  It is top rack dishwasher safe as well, and it did wash nicely.

LunchBots Steel Food Container in Blue

Next up…LunchBots.  When Tracy asked if I would be interested in trying this, I was ecstatic!  We have a ton of plastic sandwich cases, but I had actually been considering getting the kids bento boxes for their lunchboxes this year.  The LunchBot is an oversized, 100% stainless steel food container, again containing no leaching chemicals, and much better for the environment in ways of eliminating both plastic baggies and containers.  I really liked this product!  I could fit a sandwich and some chips in there easily, and it stayed shut tight.  I did try to see if it would retain heat for items like pizza or mini-burgers, and alas, not really, but that’s ok…it’s hard to find anything that really will.  I loved the size, I love the shape, and it fits easily in both kids’ lunchboxes, in addition to other items like their water bottle and a piece of fruit.  I’m still going to buy a bento box, but I’m really happy I have this because if I don’t use it for them, I have a feeling it might just end up in my diaper bag!

Finally…snackTAXIre-usable snack bags.

So, admittedly, I have a few of these

snackTAXI Reusable Snack/Sandwich Bag in Groovy Guitar

by other brands, and truthfully, I love these as well.  I use them all the time…for my twins, for my kids, and even for me.  I put all kinds of things in them, too…goggles, binkies, Goldfish…I’ll even use it to stash my money, chapstick and phone when we are at the pool or beach.  Overall, if you are looking to change one thing in your kids’ lunch to make it more environmentally happy, this would be an easy fix.

What is so great about the snackTAXI bags?

  • They also wash nicely (I turn them inside out and throw them on the top rack of the dishwasher.)
  • Materials are free of lead, phthalates and BPA
  • I really liked how this bag in particular fastened.  It’s a simple Velcro fastener, but it comes up and over the sack part, keeping items inside tucked down below, safe and secure, and not spilling out all over your diaper bag or lunch box.
  • They come in fun, funky, cool colors and patterns…and especially for the bigger kids, they are not baby looking at all.
  • Using just one of these bags keeps about 1000 plastic bags OOC! (Out of Commission)

Everything fit nicely in my son's Pottery Barn Kids Mackenzie Collection Classic Lunchbox

When I think about all of the materials that will go to waste and most likely, not recycled, this school year, it gives me a little solace knowing I am doing my part, and that I am teaching my kids to do their part as well.  We have six people in our family, so we most definitely need to reduce, reuse and recycle.  My kids are totally engaged in Earth friendly products and love having these items for their lunches.  They like to make their own lunches and fill up the water bottles, snack bags and lunch containers…for some reason, it makes their food taste better!  Whatever.  I’m just happy they are happy and the Earth is happy, too!

Check out Mighty Nest on Facebook and Twitter!  An eco-cool place to find healthy, safe and non-toxic items for your whole family!

It's the simple things...

Why I love Mighty Nest: being Super Mom is a tough job.  Not only does she need to make sure she is raising her children to be little citizens of the world, she also has to help save the planet at the same time.  That’s why Super Moms need Mighty Nest.  Not only can you find products that are safe, healthy and non-toxic, but they also break down the process of going green by showing you how to take baby steps before getting completely submerged in Earth Friendly products.  What is also great about them is that you can trust the items they sell have been tested and reviewed by other Super Moms, just like you and me!  They do all the worry work and questioning so you don’t have to spend one minute of your worldly powers on details like that.  The best part…when you open your mail box, a simple cardboard box shouts out at you, “It’s Here!”.  Super Mom, your work here is done.  Thank you for doing your part in saving the planet.