Go Bananas

RECIPE: Banana Bread (dairy and egg free but SO good!)

I love to bake so it was a little much to take when we found out about Zoe's dairy and egg allergies. After some trial and error I have now perfected my banana bread and it tastes even better than those with butter and eggs! My husband raves about it, saying it's the best banana bread he has ever had...and, being one of his favorite indulgences, he has tried a few in his lifetime!

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup Crisco Butter Flavor Baking Sticks (you can use butter or any other butter substitute you like but this gives it a nice, buttery flavor)

1/2 cup applesauce (or 2 large eggs)

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (3 medium)

1/2 cup soured soymilk* (or buttermilk)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/2 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, if desired

*1. Make soured soymilk: add 2 teaspoons white vinegar to 1/2 cup of soymilk and set aside (you can also do this trick to regular milk in place of buttermilk in any recipe)

2. Move oven rack to low position so that tops of pans will be in center of oven. Heath oven to 350 degrees. Grease two loaf pans with shortening.

3. Mix sugar and butter substitute in large bowl. Stir in applesauce (or eggs) until well blended. Stir in bananas, soured soymilk or buttermilk and vanilla; beat until smooth. Stir in flour, baking soda and salt just until moistened. Stir in nuts, if using. Divide batter evenly between pans.

4. Bake 30 to 45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans on wire rack.

5. Loosen sides of loaves from pans; remove from pans and place top side up on wire rack. Cool completely, about two hours, before slicing. Wrap tightly and store at room temperature up to four days, or refrigerate up to ten days.

These tasty little loaves are great to make for company or for friends coming over for afternoon coffee. Make mini ones to wrap in festive packaging to give as Christmas gifts!

Let's Heat Things Up

Shark Vac-Then-Steam

Last year my parents told me to pick something for Christmas that they could buy for me. The fashion-loving side of me found a super cute pair of Tory Burch flats that I really wanted. After some internal debate, the practical, mom side of me went with the Shark Vac-Then-Steam mop.

My neighbors give me a hard time because there was a time when I used this thing every single day. Now, two kids and a busy schedule later, I use my vac/mop two to three times a week. I LOVE this thing! I love that it doesn't use any chemicals at all...a huge bonus with my allergy/eczema prone child in the house. I love that it cleans our hardwoods so well without leaving a film on the floor. I love that the floor dries almost immediately after cleaning. I don't know what I would do without it! What would make it even more perfect is if I could mop while wearing a pair of Tory Burch flats!

PROS: No chemicals, heats up quickly, extra long cord, comes with multiple machine-washable pads, cleans very well

CONS: The pads with the thicker fibers leave streaks on the floor (I stick to the microfiber pads or those with smaller fibers, also included), the vacuum feature is a little weak and loud (I usually sweep then dustbust my pile...I don't mind this extra step but some might)

I haven't priced this model in a while but check out Bed, Bath and Beyond...those 20% off coupons really help with big purchases like this!

Step Right Up!

Mommy's Helper Cushie Step Up Padded Potty Seat with Step Stool

Today I began the potty training adventure for my second child. This major milestone spurred the idea for today's blog. When I was potty training my first child I came across this potty chair and it helped tremendously! The weekend before she turned two I spent two days teaching her how to use the big girl potty and I truly feel this potty seat was the reason her training was so quick and seamless. It arrived in the mail and she was so eager to try it out, she would constantly climb up onto it by herself to go potty "like a big girl". The novelty of the device and the independence it facilitated were key to teaching her to use the toilet.

PROS: Folds and stores easily, easy to clean, cushioned seat, handles for feeling of security on the potty, affordable ($20)

CONS: Smaller children need help getting up and down the step, older kids visiting our household like to use it for 'fun' and have broken it so there must be a weight limit, doesn't fit perfectly over oval or elongated toilets (but it will still work on these)

Where to buy: amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com, walmart.com, sears.com, toysrus.com

One for One

TOMS Shoes

A few years ago my power yoga instructor came into class one day wearing TOMS and enthusiastically explained the concept to me: with every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need. Great idea but I wasn't really in love with the look of them...until a couple of years later when I saw them at Whole Foods and tried them on. They are surprisingly comfortable with decent cushioning and arch support and so practical!

I bought a black pair and wore them with shorts, sweats, jeans, and leggings. They quickly became my go-to shoes for running to the grocery store at 9:00 at night or slipping into to go get the mail. Over the summer I purchased a burlap pair that have a great 'natural', summery feel. Again, I wore the heck out of those shoes. I even purchased a silver pair for my then 3 year old. Word of warning, though, the metallic TOMS are 'stranded' and after a few trips to the sandbox and the playground the strands started unraveling. I would stick to the solid kind for kiddos.

PROS: Affordable, easy on and off, variety of colors and styles, goes with almost everything in my closet!

CONS: A lady once told me she thinks they look like 'cleaning lady shoes'...I don't really mind because as a mom and wife, I am often a cleaning lady :)

Life in the Fast Lane

Disney's FastPass

This will be the last post of my Disney spotlight. I have a lot more info about Disney, dining and hotels so just let me know if you have questions!

Disney has devised an ingenious way to make waiting for attractions much more bearable. Certain rides and attractions in each park are equipped with the FastPass capability. I suggest you use the book I mentioned in a previous post to determine which rides offer FastPasses. Here's how I suggest you use FastPass:

1. The day before you hit the park, determine which attractions offer FastPasses. Decide which attractions your family would most like to go to and as soon as the park opens, send one person to the attraction to get a FastPass. THIS PERSON WILL NEED TO HAVE EVERYONE'S PARK ENTRY CARD (or the cards of each member of your party who wants to ride the attraction).

2. At the attraction the 'runner' will go to the FastPass distribution kiosk and insert each card one at a time to receive a FastPass for each member of your party. Make sure they know to collect all park entry cards after getting all FastPasses! You don't want to forget your park entry cards in a kiosk as these cards are linked to your credit card information.

3. The FastPasses will have a 'return time' printed on them. This means that when you come back to the attraction after the designated time on your FastPass, you can enter the FastPass lane and board much more quickly than the regular line. This return time will be a one hour time slot later in the morning or afternoon depending on how many FastPasses have been distributed that day so it pays to get yours early on very popular rides (ex. Toy Story Mania at Hollywood Studios). A very important thing to note is that you do not have to return in that one hour window. For example, if your return time is 10:40 a.m. to 11:40 a.m. you can ride any time after 10:40 a.m., you do not have to ride in the one hour window but you do have to ride the same day in order to use the FastPass.

4. Another notable thing is the number of FastPasses you can get for different attractions at one time. Once your FastPasses print they will display a time when you are eligible to get a FastPass for another attraction. In the Magic Kingdom you can get FastPasses for different attractions just about every hour, however, in Hollywood Studios you can get FastPasses for different attractions every two hours or more. Make sure you arrive at the park early and get the FastPass for the ride you want to ride most right away.

By the fifth day of our trip we were tired and got to Hollywood Studios at 9:30 a.m. (the park opened at 9:00 a.m.). Heath immediately ran to get a FastPass for Toy Story Mania while we went to watch The Voyage of the Little Mermaid. He returned, FastPasses in hand with a FastPass return time of 2:00 p.m. This did not work for our group because the kids would not last that long, especially on the fourth day of our trip, so it pays to get to the parks early or on time and to get those popular FastPasses quickly!

Sitting On Top of the World

Disney's California Grill

Located at the top of the Contemporary Resort (14th floor) the California Grill is a must for foodies visiting Disney. In the middle of the week of kiddie rides, games, shows, characters, songs and stories our night at the California Grill was a little reward to the adults in our party. The view of the castle is beautiful, the drinks wonderful (we were ready for a glass of wine after two days in the Magic Kingdom park where there is no alcohol!), the food divine, the atmosphere relaxing for adults but children still very much welcome.

We participated in the dining plan and this restaurant used two table service credits. If you do the math, this is an incredible deal. Visitors using the dining plan could choose a main course (prices ranged from $30 to $50) and had a choice of a variety of decadent desserts or a truly impressive cheese platter as an appetizer or dessert.

We ordered an appetizer for the table of cheese flatbread with sundried tomatoes and basil pesto that was just delicious. Heath chose the cheese platter and indulged in 5 cheeses along with plum paste, glazed almonds, honeycomb and crostini. Some of the amazing main dishes ordered in our party included pan seared bison, truffle mac and cheese, snapper with crab risotto, beef tenderloin and a beautiful dragon roll prepared by Yoshie, one of the top three sushi chefs in the country! Desserts we ordered included chocolate lava cake with Tahitian vanilla marshmallow and peanut butter gelato and warm bread pudding with Jack Daniels glaze and bacon ice cream (very interesting!). The kids ate steak, potatoes, vegetables, fruit salad and ice cream (all allergy friendly!).

We planned our dinner reservation on a night that the Magic Kingdom was having their "Wishes" fireworks at 9:00 p.m. We sat at 5:40 p.m. and finished our meal by 7:30 p.m. We then rode the monorail around the park and checked out other resorts before returning to the California Grill to view fireworks from the viewing deck (something you can do with a receipt showing that you ate at the California Grill that day). It was a beautiful setting and the music from the show was piped into the restaurant, however, it was very cold and windy on the actual viewing deck. We ended up going back into the restaurant and finished watching through the window.

This is a definite must-do if you are lucky enough to get a reservation at this amazing venue!

Don't Rain on My Parade

Raines by Totes Adult and Youth Ponchos

As I mentioned in previous posts, the next few posts will have a few tips and tricks that are Disney related. One of the tips that I wanted to share was the good, old fashioned rain poncho. I picked up three of these ponchos at our local grocery store for about $7 each (two adult ponchos and one youth poncho). Whatever the season, these are a must for Disney travelers. Not only does it shower frequently in Florida, there are a few rides (ex. Kali River Rapids) where you can get completely soaked. We felt so bad for people sloshing around in wet shoes and clothes because they didn't have these handy little ponchos!

PROS: super lightweight so they travel well, not too flimsy but not too thick to fold, comes in a travel pouch, easy on and off, youth size is great for ages 3-4 and up, much more convenient and practical than an umbrella

CONS: difficult to fold up small enough to get it back into the travel pouch!

Where to find the Raines by Totes Poncho: Walgreens, Harris Teeter, amazon.com

If you forget or just can't find a poncho in advance that will work for you, you can purchase ponchos at the Disney gift shops at a very reasonable price ($8.50). I do not believe they have youth sizes.

The Most Magical Place on Earth

Walt Disney World with Kids 2012 by Kim Wright Wiley

After a week at Disney World, Heath and I feel like we need a vacation! Even though we technically went in the 'off season' there were crowds to push through, lines to wait in and we even missed an attraction here or there because it was just too busy. I hadn't been to Disney World in 22 years and it is now a completely different place. I can not stress enough that if you are planning to brave Disney with your kids then you must be prepared, especially if this is your first time.

The best place to start planning your trip to the 'Magic Kingdom' is with a good and thorough book. One of my very good friends is a seasoned Disney traveler and recommended this book to me when we started planning in April for our October Disney trip. Yes, you really should start planning 6 months in advance if at all possible! Hotels book quickly (there is a hotel offering an incredible military discount with rooms that sell out ONE YEAR in advance!), reservations for the Princess Breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table go fast and there are a number of other things that you can experience with your family that pay to plan ahead.

This book walks you through every detail about Disney from hotel and dining reservations to what to pack to which FastPasses to get at each park. There are detailed maps of each park and information about every attraction from height requirements to 'Scare Factor' to appropriate ages for the ride. Kim Wiley goes into detail about each show and which parts may be scary for little ones as well as which adult rides are located next to kiddie attractions so your party can split up if the adults want to brave the 'Tower of Terror' while the kids romp on a playground.

I spent a lot of time on websites and even checked out a couple of other books but really feel that for our family with two young children this resource was priceless. I'm sure people thought I was a crazy tourist walking around the park with my nose in the book and my detailed printed notes from the book resting on top of our Cadillac sized double stroller. All I can say is we all had a great time and there is nothing that we regret missing out on. The vacation went smoothly and everyone in our party from my 60+ year old parents to my danger seeking, need-for-speed husband to our 4 and 2 year old princesses was happy. I, on the other hand, am exhausted but everything was worth it to see the complete and utter look of shock on our 4 year old's face as she saw Cinderella's Royal Castle for the first time...an expression I will never forget and was definitely worth the months of planning.

BRB (for the non-internet savvy, that's code for 'Be Right Back'!)

We are off to Disney to celebrate our children's birthdays so I'm going to put the blog on hold until October 24th. Stay tuned because those first few posts will be about all things Disney!

You're Such a Loser

The Biggest Loser Cardio Max DVD

I am addicted to exercise. My addiction has gotten a lot more manageable now that I am incredibly busy with 'life' duties but there are times in my life that I absolutely crave a good work out and can't go on until I get it.

In college I taught spinning classes at our local gym and have always had a gym membership for as long as I can remember. There have been times in my life, though, when I have been forced to work out at home and having kids was the final straw...I now almost exclusively work out in my house at any time of the day or night. As much as I miss the 'silent motivation' I would feel when working out in the gym environment with other complete strangers sweating right next to me, I am happy with most of the work outs I have found in the form of a DVD.

I have a whole list of DVDs I can, and will, recommend over the next few weeks, but wanted to start with this one as I think it will appeal to most levels of the home exerciser. I started this DVD right after my first child was born (in 2007) and quickly lost the baby weight. The DVD consists of 3 levels of workout and, if you stick to the regimen, takes 6 weeks to complete (you do one level for 2 weeks before progressing to the next). There is a fun mix of lunges, push ups, jumping jacks, kickboxing and more in quick 20-30 minute work outs.

PROS: little to no equipment required, cheap ($8 on amazon.com), quick work outs (20-30 minutes each), instructors are motivating

CONS: you need to have some body awareness and knowledge to modify some of the activities to protect your knees and back (the trainers on the video don't do this perfectly...but I'm a physical therapist so, naturally, I am a little more critical of this!), instructors can be a little annoying at times

Fall into Fall

Williams-Sonoma Mulling Spices

I love everything and anything that has fragrance in it. Perfumes, candles, laundry detergent, even some hair styling products have the most amazing smells! I used to have a Bath and Body Works Wallflower plugged into almost every outlet in my home and candles galore. Then, our sweet, sensitive, allergy prone Zoe arrived in the world. All of the wonderful smells I loved in my home came to a screeching halt.

A few weeks ago I walked into Williams-Sonoma and was overwhelmed by the most amazing scent. It felt like Fall had arrived; cloves, cinnamon, citrus, allspice...warm, homey and delicious! I was so pleased to learn that they sold this wonderful concoction of spices wrapped up in the nicest little tin. I contemplated for a brief moment about whether or not to purchase it but then decided that since my husband and I absolutely love this time of year AND it was Zoe-safe I should go ahead and grab a container. When I opened the tin at home I was even happier to see that all of the ingredients were indeed actual spices, nothing artificial here!

HOW I USE IT: I simmer mine on the stove in a pan of water but the spices can be added to wine or cider (recipes on the tin).

At only $10.95 this makes a GREAT gift for the hard to shop for recipient!

My Biological Clock is Broken

Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler

For today's blog I wanted to do another baby item but then I started thinking, "I need to start from the beginning!". While we have a number of friends with children, we have a few friends who are still in those early stages of trying to conceive. Heath and I experienced our bout of fertility difficulties (many of you know the details and that we winded up having our first, beautiful child, through in vitro fertilization). If you have been following my blog you must realize now that I am a reader and I picked apart a number of fertility books when we were "TTC" (for the fertility savvy, that's code for 'trying to conceive'). Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler is by far the best book to familiarize yourself with the steps it takes to get pregnant.

This is a comprehensive book that details the Fertility Awareness Method (FAM), something your body naturally goes through each month that gives you signs to tell you when you are most fertile. The book helps you pinpoint your fertility period and also explains anything you have going on that may be inhibiting you from achieving that fertility period. When we were struggling with our own fertility issues, we felt like we weren't getting the right answers from our doctors and this book steered us in the right direction...we discovered things that our doctors were completely missing!

This is a very thoughtful gift for the friend, family or any other loved one facing frustrating and, often, debilitating fertility problems.

Return to Sender

Monogram Address Stamp

I am a sucker for cutsie stationery, invitations, and address labels. Years ago, when we were first married, I had an awesome little return address embosser. I loved the way the tone on tone raised return address looked on the envelope, so crisp and clean. Shortly after my embosser phase, I fell in love with the monogram address stamp and use ours on all of our correspondence (well, all except bills which, if I haven't paid online, I use those free address labels you get in the mail). I love the bold, central initial and the address cleanly surrounding it. It is so quick and easy to use and gives such a nice, neat final touch on your thank you notes and invitations!

My favorite stampers can be found on expressionery.com but the one shown above is from invitationbox.com. I like expressionery.com because they often run super discounts and have many codes on retailmenot.com; OH, and they are offering 8.5% cash back on ebates.com right now!

A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned

AND

WEBSITES

I have a method to save the most I can possibly save when shopping online. Here it is:

First, I consult froogle.google.com (see earlier blog about this).

Then, when I find the item I'm looking for, I head to eBates.com to see if the site I will be purchasing from participates in this money back program.

Finally, I check out retailmenot.com to get promo codes to save even more.

Voila, money back, free shipping (almost always) and promo codes = cheaper than in stores!

eBates: This is a great program that everyone who buys anything online should really consider signing up for...it's FREE and you get money back when you shop! Just sign up and remember to check the site for participating partners before you buy anything. Here's an example: Let's say you want to buy your 4 year old fashionista a pair of boots at gap.com. Go to eBates.com, type in gap.com and the amount you will receive in cash back will be displayed on your screen. Often, from the Gap and it's participating partners, the amount in cash back is about 2%, however, there are certain times that eBates has promos that will earn you 10% cash back! Click on the gap.com link on the eBates page and a new window will open up with the gap.com site so you can get those boots. After you make your purchase at gap.com, your cash back will automatically accrue in your eBates account and at certain times throughout the year you will get a "Big Fat Check" in the mail! Free money!

retailmenot.com: This is, in my opinion, the most legitimate and reliable source for online promo codes. Always check here before purchasing anything to see if you can get a promo code for your purchase!

Hey, Bright Eyes!

Tarte The Eraser Concealer

With age and multiple children comes dark underye circles and tired eyes. I tried every trick I could find: white eyeliner inside my lower lid, undereye brightening creams, more sleep (when humanly possible!), makeup and more but nothing seemed to make my eyes appear 'awake' until I found Tarte The Eraser concealer.

I love the click pen and brush applicator. You just twist it up and 'paint' the concealer under your eyes and on your eyelids. It instantly brightens and is a great base for eyeshadow. You can also use this as a base for lipstick to give it extra staying power.

EXTRA BONUS: This concealer is paraben free, phthalate free, sulfate free, fragrance free, propylene glycol free, gluten free, dye free, petrochemical free.

PROS: Glides on smoothly, instantly brightens, lasts all day, the pen lasts a long time (I am on my second tube and have used this product for 2+ years)

CONS: Pricey at $21 each (but one tube will last a year or more!)

The shade I use on my medium skin with olive undertones is BARE (04)...but I think since I last bought this they have changed the names of the shades so you will have to pick the shade that works for you!

Bundle of Joy

Aden & Anais Classic Muslin Swaddling Wraps

There is nothing more annoying than trying to wrap a squirming baby up in a blanket that is too small or too stiff; pulling and tugging until you finally get all limbs securely wrapped and the little Houdini finds a way to squrim out in a matter of seconds. The Aden & Anais Muslin Swaddling Wraps are every mom's answer to the swaddling battle. The wraps are HUGE...in fact, I had to fold one in half before I could even swaddle our 4+ pound Zoe (our youngest). The material is so soft and so breathable; it stretches, tucks and folds very easily so you can get a super snug wrap on your baby. Amazingly, they get softer and softer every time they are washed!

These wraps are not only soft, stretchy and breathable; they are so versatile it's amazing! You will need quite a few: one for the diaper bag to use as a nursing cover, a burp cloth, a blanket for tummy time at your friend's houses; one in the crib to swaddle your baby before naps and nighttime; one in your car to place over the stroller to shade your baby from the sun...or to place over the carseat to protect your baby from all those strangers who just have to touch your sweet child!

PROS: huge, soft, breathable, the best swaddling blanket on the market (in my opinion!), versatile

CONS: pricey but, again, shop around for deals online!

These wraps are a great gift idea for the new mom or for the old pro having another baby!

A Tisket, A Tasket...Make a Baking Basket!

TIP

I love to bake. There was a time in our past, less busy life that I would bake almost every night. Digging through drawers to find the measuring spoons, measuring cups and beaters was getting frustrating. So, after many cakes and cookies, I realized that it would be smart to consolidate all of my baking tools into one basket. Pick a spot where your basket will live and purchase a basket big enough to hold all of your baking do-dads. This basket can live in a cabinet, in your pantry or anywhere else that it can easily be accessed.

My baking basket contents:

3 sets of measuring spoons

1 set of wet measure cups

1 set of dry measure cups

1 handy little Pampered Chef Measure-All Cup

1 set of hand mixer beaters

It's so much easier to pull out my basket, set it on the counter and get baking instead of rummaging through drawers for my baking tools! (Shown above: Crate and Barrel Sedona Low Open Tote)

Smoothing Things Over

Rowenta DW2090 Effective Comfort Cord Reel 1500 Watt Steam Iron with 300 Hole Stainless Steel Sole Plate

When my iron met an early demise (it plummeted from the ironing board onto our carpet, burning a nice iron-shaped mark where it landed) I was faced with having to find a replacement. My grandmother and my mother have always said that Rowenta is the best name in irons so, since my almost 10 year old Rowenta committed suicide, I decided I should probably stick to the same brand. I found the Rowenta DW2090 at Bed, Bath and Beyond. What sold me on this iron was the cord reel feature...how handy! This iron makes ironing enjoyable (well, as enjoyable as it can be!) because it works so well; it gets even the most difficult wrinkles out and glides so smoothly because of the stainless steel sole plate. I hope to keep this one around for a long time!

Price: $59.99 but get it at Bed, Bath and Beyond and use one of their 20% off coupons to buy it for about $48

PROS: Effectively smooths wrinkles, comfortable to use, cord reel feature is awesome, extra large base for vertical storage, affordable compared to other high end irons on the market

CONS: It is pretty heavy but you do get used to it, it may be considered by some as expensive but I feel it is totally worth it especially since it will last for years!

When There are No Words

La Belle Dame Jewelry

One of the hardest things for a woman to go through is a miscarriage or loss of a child. I know this because, before our first was born, Heath and I suffered a few losses. There wasn't anything that anyone could do or say to make it easier, time and faith in God was what helped us heal.

When a friend or family member is faced with such a loss it is difficult to know how to help them cope but at the same time you want to show your sincere sympathy and concern for their well-being. During our struggles with our own fertility, one of my dearest friends suffered a miscarriage. Knowing, from personal experience, how devastating this is I began to research ways to show her that I cared, to acknowledge her loss and to give her hope for the future. This is when I found http://www.labelledame.com/. This website has a wide selection of necklaces, key chains, rings and more that can be personalized in a variety of ways. A nice idea is to order a piece with a birthstone that represents the birth month (or the expected birth month) of the baby.

The site claims that it is 'jewelry to nurture and support the spirit' and I feel that it does just that.

40 Weeks and Counting

The Pregnancy Bible: Your Complete Guide to Pregnancy and Early Parenthood

When I was pregnant with my first child (almost 5 years ago) I stumbled upon this book in one of my girlfriend's "libraries". Since she wasn't planning of having any more children she kindly 'gifted' this book to me. It turned out to be one of the best resources I had throughout my pregnancy and beyond. Being a Women's Health specialist I have bookshelves full of pregnancy books, nursing books, birthing books, child-rearing books, etc. but I have not found a single book that is as useful and comprehensive as The Pregnancy Bible.

The illustrations are superb, the text is very easy to understand and there is detailed medical information based on contributions to the book by two medical doctors. The book takes you week-by-week through fetal development in utero, discusses nutrition and exercise, options for pain relief, prenatal and postpartum care, how to cope with emotions, how to take care of a newborn and more. It is a must-have for anyone who is pregnant...makes a great gift, too!

PROS: Beautiful illustrations, easy to read, informative, edited by qualified and knowledgeable medical doctors, a great gift idea for any mom-to-be no matter how many kids they already have!

CONS: Some photos can be a bit graphic for some (especially some husbands!)

Online prices range from $15 to $30+ so make sure you shop around for the best price before you buy!

I See London, I See France

Soma Intimates Vanishing Edge Microfiber with Lace Hipster

I have always been particular about my undies but I have never found a pair that I absolutely love...until now. The Soma Intimates Vanishing Edge line is amazing. There are absolutely no panty lines in most pants (even some yoga pants!), they are stretchy and don't bunch up anywhere, they have full back coverage and they don't look like granny panties at all! What more could you ask for?!

Go to http://www.soma.com/ or visit a Soma store to try them out. My favorite is the Microfiber Hipster with Lace (as pictured). To determine your most comfortable size, I recommend buying one in your regular size and one in a size bigger as they do fit snugly. You can always return or exchange as needed!

PROS: Minimal to no panty lines, wear very comfortably, a variety of cuts, colors and fabrics to suit all tastes

CONS: Costly ($16 a pair) BUT Soma often runs deals where they are BUY 3 GET 2 FREE which ends up being $9.60 a pair...it's totally worth the investment for such an essential article of clothing that you will wear every day!

I'm Seeing Green

TIP

Many of you know, we have a child with pretty severe food allergies. Because she has so many allergies it is frustrating and anxiety inducing to leave her with a babysitter, a friend, even a family member. I used to make long, drawn out lists detailing each of her allergies and what she could and couldn't eat. This was not only time consuming but it was stressful because I didn't want to forget anything. After some thinking I devised the "Green Dot Method"!

I purchased a pack of colorful dot stickers (like those you see on garage sale items) and on each and every thing that is safe for our little one to eat, I place a green dot. You can find these dots in the office supply section of any grocery store, Target, office supply store, etc. It is so much easier to tell people "Anything that has a green dot is safe for her to eat/drink". It has even helped my own husband to know what to give her...after all, he has been the one who has given her something 'not safe' in the past!

The green dots can be used for so much more than food allergies, though. Here's a list of examples:

1. Helpful for sitters who are watching infants/toddlers and don't think about choking hazards!

2. Helpful for children to know which snacks they are allowed to eat

3. The dots are great reminders to do a number of things outside of the pantry like:

- one placed on the mirror reminds kids to wash their hands after using the restroom

The physical therapist in me loves the idea below :)

-place one at the kitchen sink, one in your wallet, one on your steering wheel, etc. to remind you to do your pelvic floor exercises (Kegels), to correct your posture, to take some deep, cleansing breaths, to do your favorite stretch, etc.

If you can think of ways to use this idea in your life, please post a comment and share your idea with us!