kiddie picnic

potterybarn kids

Well last week i talked about how we have been bringing out our "good" china for regular dinners, even for when we barbeque and my husband liked it but...then he asked about all the really cool everyday plates, bowls and cups i use for the kids normally. So I have to tell you about the great melamine items we use and you can find, we pick these awesome sets and pieces up wherever we see them, the foodstore, potterybarn kids, etc. and they are great because they dress up the table, are (usually) unbreakable, and they are RE-USABLE!!! When any of our four kids has a party, we use these in place of traditional paper plates and such.

The only real draw back is the clean up, but we have learned if you have the sink emptied except for water with some dish soap, most people will toss the dishes right in and the major work (soaking) is done while you enjoy the party.

Then we have the plasticware, but not just any, we have these awesome little animals...zoo pals, the kids love them and they are again washable to be re-used.

hefty zoo pals


As far as drinks, I stay away from juice boxes and I am even buying more frozen juices for less waste, i make the juice in a great container from rubbermaid and use adorable little tumblers...these are from crocodile creek

and for the baby we use the first years take and toss sippy cups (we don't toss though) and i am happy to say these are BPA-free

Most of the time the kids will pick a theme for their party, we will buy the party ware to match and then we use the cups, plates and utensils as part of the childs "goody bag", they LOVE it!!!

I really wanted to mention the cloth napkin thing here also, we are begining to use them here, with four little ones I'm sure you can all understand how much laundry this is now producing!!! This is such a great idea because they are re-usable, you can change them up for the seasons and holidays, and they make every meal feel special...just like at a grownup restaurant!!!

let's shop...

maybe it's just because i love, love, love this boutique SO much, ;) but i had to let you all know pretty little pumpkins has new sale items!!! we are so happy to tell you our FAVE line...misha lulu is one of the many FAB lines marked down along with appaman, knuckleheads clothing and even sckoon organic baby...some items as low as 65% off!!! check out the delicious deals at...

pretty little pumpkins

breast cancer petition

See link below to sign up for the petition. I just did it and it only took about 1 minute.

From a nurse:

"I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the doctors to keep these women in The hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies.

So there I sat with my patients, giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank You they muttered.

A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a Mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an outpatient procedure.


Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important .. Please take the time and do it really quick!


Please share this link with everyone you care about. If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on."


PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.


http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php


PLEASE PASS THIS ON to your friends and family, and on behalf of all women, THANKS.

spring dining

Although we have had a spring set back and the temperatures have fallen again i am still dreaming of spring. Oh the fresh fruits and veggies, the barbequeing!!!

Sadly most people associate their grill and picnics with disposable flatware, plates and cups...BREAK THE CYCLE!!!! Not only is it so much better for the condition of landfills to use our everyday china but think about using your beautiful "good" china. We love to dress up our dining room with our seldom used wedding place settings, the kids get a kick out of being able to use wine glasses (no alcohol included!!!) and lighting candles for an uneventful tuesday night dinner of takeout chinese or daddy cooking steaks on the grill!!!

checkout some beautiful settings to brighten up your spring at :

pfaltzgraff

lenox

add some beautiful stemware with:

Orrefors

and finish off with your flatware!!!

oneida

Have a FABULOUS week!!!

growing green

Spring is FINALLY in the air...in the northeast anyway.

Flowers are starting to spring up out of the empty mulched beds, trees are sprouting those perfect little green buds that will in no time be wide, shading leaves and now my home seems...stagnent. It is still a little to chilly most days to throw open all my windows, but believe me I do until I hear "mom, my toes are cold!!!"

I am trying to green up our lives in case you didn't know, and this week my mission is to freshen the air in our home without having frost form on our tables. The best way to do this is plants!!!

Now I have the FARTHEST thing from a green thumb but these little guys seem to be durable enough to survive even me, the girls "picking flowers" and, inevitably the cats chewing on them.

Not only are houseplants an easy decorating option, they bring in vibrant colors, warm up a space but they also filter the air we breath, everyday items in our homes such a carpets, bedding and wallpaper produce mold and release toxins into our enclosed rooms that we breath in all day everyday.

Check out this list of common, beautiful houseplants that will improve the quailty of air in your home or workplace:

Gerber daisy

Bamboo palm

Spider plant

Areca palm

Reed palm

Dwarf date palm

Boston fern

Janet Craig dracaena

English ivy

Australian sword fern

Peace Lily

Rubber plant

Weeping fig

Have a Fabulous week...

and remember to stop and smell the flowers ;)