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Whether they are squeezing the bottle of lotion all over the floor or unrolling toilet paper, little kids love exploring their big world one mess at a time. Learn some tips on how to control and survive the chaos.

Trying to keep your home neat and under control while there is a toddler around can seem like a hopelessly lost cause. The minute you tidy up the toys or fold a stack of laundry, another mess is waiting to be tackled. Your child's messiness can get so bad at times; that you might thinks she's trying to make you crazy! But 1 year olds are simply making discoveries in their world the only way they know how, by getting into their surroundings, literally. This makes a lot of cleanup for mom and dad! Combine curiosity with wanting to be independent and lack of fully developed manual skills and you can count on plenty of mishaps! While messy play is beneficial, it doesn't mean that you should let your child run wild. Check out a few common toddler disasters and learn how to set limits without stifling development.

UNROLLING TOILET PAPER
Toddlers get a kick out of watching toilet paper come undone and pile up. Rolling it back up is a pain for you but it may help to realize that this messy activity requires a pushing and throwing motion that builds your child's fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Limit the Mess - Let your toddler have her own roll of toilet paper in a different color or pattern, and only keep it half full-less for you to roll back up. Make sure she knows that this roll belongs to her to play with, but that the others are off limits. You will have to help her roll it back up still, but this will help prevent unexpected surprises in the bathroom. An alternative is to have her play with balls instead. Pushing, rolling and throwing them will develop the same skills-minus the mess.

DRAWINGON WALLS  read more »

Babies grow much faster in their first year of life than at any other stage. Following, some of the most common size and growth concerns are covered.

During the fist 12 months of your baby’s life, some incredible changes will occur. This will be a period of amazing growth. By the time you are proudly sending out his first birthday invitations, he will have tripled his birth weight and grown about ten inches. This development will be hard to see on a day to day basis, but will be well noted at his regular checkups. Your baby’s weight, height and head circumference will be closely monitored to make sure he’s growing at a healthy rate. You will probably have lots of questions about how your child is doing compared to other babies his age.

You’ll remember your baby’s birth weight forever but it really is temporary. Newborns typically lose up to 10 percent of the weight in their first week. A healthy baby will then begin to gain a half an ounce a day (a pound or so a month) for the first 6 months, then the rate will slow down a bit. Babies that are born preterm grow at a slower rate and don’t generally catch up until about age 2.

At first, breast fed babies may not gain weight as quickly as formula fed babies. Many women don’t produce a great quantity of breast milk early on, but it’s ok because early breast milk is rich and babies are born with natural fat stores that will sustain them. If your Doctor is concerned that your baby isn’t gaining enough weight from breastfeeding alone, she may recommend supplementing with formula.  read more »

Here are a few important tips and expert opinions for starting your baby on solid foods.

You're likely to receive more advice and help regarding the first few months of parenthood than you will know what to do with. Those well-intentioned family, friends, and neighbors will no doubt have many stories and advice to help you get your baby going on the transition of getting your baby ready for solid foods. How do you know whose advice to take? When is the right time?

No one can tell you when it's the right time. This one comes down to you trusting your instincts and paying more attention to your baby's cues than that calendar everyone keeps reminding you of. That's not to say that first feedings don't come with a healthy measure of trial and error as well.

MAKE YOUR BEST GUESS
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you offer nothing but breast milk or formula until your baby is at least 6 months old. Your neighbors and grandma will tell you 3 to 4 months. On average, most babies start solids between 4 and 6 months of age.

Look for some of these cues from your baby to indicate if your baby is ready for real food:

1. Baby is able to eat sitting up and has good control of her head.
2. Baby is showing an interest in the food on your plate and grabs at your fork or your food.
3. Baby's tongue does not stick out; she can keep food in her mouth, and move it to the back of her mouth and swallow it. This indicates a loss of tongue-thrust reflex.
4. Her mouth opens easily when a spoon touches her lips or if food is being offered.
5. Baby wakes often at night or wakes earlier and earlier in the morning after having a regular sleep routine.

TAKING THE PLUNGE  read more »

I was terrified of my Grandmas. One had dimentia and once screamed at me, accusing me of trying to kill her family. I was 11. The other seemed more concern with the negative affects of us being around than the fact that we were actually there. I was a nervous, rule breaking wreck.

Thank heavens for marrying into good families! My husband has wonderful Grandmas. Lila was so jovial and sweet. Jean is my heaven sent.

The bad news is, Grandma Jean fell and broke her hip. The good news is, she was brought to the hospital near our house - 2 hours from her home. I've been able to go see her nearly every day. Today she got moved to a rehab facility just a few blocks away. I rode my bike to see her and told my hubby I'd be back in 45 minutes or so.

2 hours later I waltz through the door. I felt so happy and at peace. We talked. Grandma was actually in a laughing mood, so we laughed. She told me about her late husband and we cried. It got late, so I hugged and kissed her. She told me she was glad I was her grand daughter, and we cried and hugged some more.

What a blessing grandparents and great grandparents are! We moved from Oregon to Utah because I felt so strongly that I wanted my kids to have a loving, happy relationship with their grandparents. They've got the best ones ever, so we really need to take advantage of that!

My kiddos get so excited to hear that Granny G is coming to stay the night, or that we're going to Gammy and Grampa's for the weekend. They offer an measure of knowledge, patience, and compassion that I simply cannot provide for them. When we leave the kids for a week to go on vacation, it's like they're doing a Life Apprenticeship. They learn and grow and laugh and cry and trust and hope with their grandparents.

What kind of grandparents do your kids have?

If your four-legged first child has a wet nose and gives sloppy kisses, he may need some help adjusting to baby number two.

It may surprise you to know that your pet may have been the first to notice that there was a change in you at the beginning of your pregnancy. Pets are very in tune with their owners and can sense when things have changed. They will notice the change in hormone levels with an owner that they are really attached to. They may not understand what is actually happening and it is our role to make the adjustment a positive experience.

It’s common for pets to become more affectionate during your pregnancy. This positive attitude should carry on into baby’s arrival. In most cases it is estimated that about 98% of dogs will get along with a baby. There are a few dogs that will not get along and if you are in any doubt, you should seek the expertise of a dog trainer.

Still, there is plenty you can do on your own to get your pet adjusted to the baby yourself. The key is the introduction.  read more »

• Give your pet a chance to be well behaved when your baby comes home.
• Set up the nursery and put baby items around your home before your delivery so that they are familiar things to your pets.
• If anything in your pet’s routine is going to be different after baby’s birth, such as where they are to fed or where they will sleep, make the changes before the birth.
• Send your partner home with a cap or blanket that smells like your baby if time permits, and have him hold it while your pet sniffs the item.
• If your pet has annoying habits like excessive barking, resolve the issues before the baby arrives.
• A dog that is trained to obey basic voice commands is an easier dog to control when you’re busy with your baby.

Have you brought home a little nocturnal critter from the hospital? Following a few simple and surprising tricks can help to keep everyone rested, rational and sleeping through the night as soon as possible.

TOO TIRED TO SLEEP
For the first 6 months of life, babies need and average of 13 hours of sleep each night. Don’t be fooled into thinking that skipping a nap will mean a longer and better night’s sleep. It could mean just the opposite. An over-tired baby can have a difficult time settling down at night. What’s worse, an exhausted infant often suffers from a more fitful sleep, with more waking throughout the night, causing a pattern that’s hard to break and pretty unpleasant to manage. So keep to those daily naps-you’ll all be happier for it.

STAY ON TRACK
By engaging with baby in the middle of the night, you are actually telling him that it’s playtime, not sleep time. Instead, let your actions speak the language of sleep during those wee hours. Keep the lights low, avoid eye contact, say little, keep him warm on the changing table with a blanket, and make sure it’s all business. This way, everyone gets back to bed as soon as possible and your baby learns the difference between night and day.

DADDY GETS A TURN
When you are weaning your baby off of late night breastfeeding, send daddy in for a turn at diaper changes. This way, your baby won’t see or smell mommy and think it’s time to eat. It won’t happen right off, but eventually your baby will realize that his dad isn’t equipped for feeding and won’t bother to wake in the night. Having a turn with the night time visits will give dad a chance to step into your slippers.

MAKE SOME NOISE!  read more »

My sister called me the other day about natural diaper rash remedies. She'd been using whatever came from the store. Those typical ointments are typically loaded with artificial ingredients and fragrances that can actually irritate baby's sensitive bottom even more.

There are some great balms out there from companies like Burt's Bees that are all natural and absolutely wonderful. But your baby is upset RIGHT NOW! Here are a couple of things you can find in your very own house.

Oil - To keep moisture off, use a natural oil like vitamin E (I buy in capsules and can keep them in baggies in my purse/changing table). Olive oil and coconut oil have both been shown to have tremendous protection and healing properties.

Honey - If there are bad sores, honey also has amazing abilities to heal sores.

Baking Soda - make into a paste with water to neutralize excess acid in stool.

Blow dryer - Have a hair dryer with a "warm" or "cool" setting at your changing table. At each frequent diaper change, blow dry the bum for a few seconds til it's completely dry.

Prevent - don't use synthetically scented diapers, wipes or creams. Scents are one of the most irritating things to human skin. When baby has diaper rash, just use a wet paper towel to wipe.

Diet - Dairy products, meats, and corn and other grains are acidic and can cause and irritate diaper rash. Focus your child's diet (and your diet if you're breastfeeding) mostly on vegetables and fruits. Google "acidic foods" to find some good food charts of what to eat.

Diaper rash is a total bummer, but Mother Nature has a lot of tricks up her sleeve to help that tender tush get back on track.

Whether you are planning on breastfeeding or formula feeding your baby, or a combination of both, you’ve probably already got a selection of bottles, nipples and storage containers in mind or on your registry list. Nowadays, bottle safety is getting a lot of attention, so how do you know which products to choose? Which ones are safest for your little one?

Baby bottles are typically made of plastic. Plastic bottles may seem like the safer choice for babies, they are, after lighter and less breakable than glass. But plastics contain chemicals, some of which may be transferred into baby formula or breast milk.

A common plastic used in making baby bottles is called polycarbonate, which can release a hormone-disrupting chemical, Bisphenol-A (BPA) into the bottles’ contents, particularly during sterilizing and heating on the stove-top, but also just at room temperature. Bottles that have become scratched or damaged can leach up to nearly double the amount of new bottles.

Animal studies have shown that Bisphenol can interfere with development and can cause irreversible damage. These studies showed, in some cases, precancerous tumors and urinary tract infections. And the earlier the exposure, the greater the damage. Laboratory evidence suggests that exposure to BPA could be linked to breast and prostrate cancer, diabetes, obesity, neural, immune and reproductive problems, ADHD, early onset of puberty and autism.

Plastic bottles can also be made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), also known as vinyl, and the most toxic for IQ deficiencies, learning disabilities, impaired hearing, and reduced attention spans, as well as other behavioral problems. Soft PVC which had been used in the past to make nipples, pacifiers, and teething toys contains phthalates, hormone disrupting chemicals used as plastic softeners.  read more »

No one can argue that parents do not love their babies, but carrying a baby around constantly can be a major problem. When your hands are constantly tied up, you can feel as though you are half the person you normally are, which makes you much less productive. This is one of the major stresses that is associated with parenthood, but it can be completely eliminated with the baby sling. This product is designed to give you more freedom than you have ever had before, as it has created the ultimate hands free method of carrying a baby. You will never have to worry about how you will do the laundry or vacuum the house while keeping your baby close again because baby slings will do all of this work for you. Also keep in mind that baby slings are very affordable, with some models going for as little as $24.99, but they are made from high quality, natural material, which will not only provide your baby with the support that he or she needs, but will also feel very comfortable on both your and your baby’s skin. Countless people all over the world are discovering exactly how much easier life can be with a baby sling, so give it a try and experience the difference for yourself. Having your hands free while keeping your baby close is something that is extremely valuable for a new parent and is something that baby slings provide for people all over the world.  read more »

Babies are a joy to have around the house because they show us exactly how precious life can be. They are absolutely perfect when they are born and watching them grow is one of the most rewarding experiences that a human being can have. With that being said, it can be extremely tiring carrying a baby around non-stop because babies need 100% of our attention 100% of the time.

Carrying a baby around is an exhausting experience for both mothers and fathers because they truly are much heavier than they look. Luckily, baby slings are around to make the lives of parents much easier than ever before. This is because a baby sling allows parents to carry their babies close to them, without the use of their hands.

These items are specially designed to keep your baby both safe and comfortable, while taking much of the stress off of your body. You will definitely be surprised by how well baby slings work because unlike some baby carrying devices, a baby sling will hold your baby in a comfortable position.

Now you can easily carry your baby everywhere you go thanks to this original design, without worrying about your baby being disturbed. In fact, you baby will feel as though he or she is asleep in a crib all day long, but you will never have to worry about anything happening to the baby because he or she will be with you at all times. If you are having trouble getting around with your baby, remember to pick up a baby sling.

One great feature of baby slings is that they are not bulky and are made with a streamlined fabric that is not any larger than it needs to be. Many devices of this type feel as though they need plastic and other materials in order to keep your baby safe, but the designers at HugaMonkey know that naturally designed products are always much safer and they are more comfortable as well.  read more »

A newborn baby is an amazing addition to any family because he or she will immediately bring a couple closer together and will create a sense of unity that will last a lifetime. With that being said, a newborn baby can also be difficult to deal with because he or she will need your undivided attention 100% of the time.

Baby slings are devices that have been designed to allow you to pay attention to your baby constantly, without having to sacrifice your freedom. This is because a baby sling is a hands-free baby carrying device, which makes it easy for you to get your work done around the house and do your shopping, all while keeping your baby as close as possible to you.

Babies are more comfortable the closer they are to you and if your baby is always with you, you will not have to worry about the baby getting into any trouble. The majority of injuries to newborns and infants occur when the parent is not around, so a baby sling can easy allow you to keep your baby from harm, no matter what you are doing.

Your baby sling will adjust to both you and your baby's bodies, so you will not have to spend time finding the perfect fit, as it will find this fit for you. Baby slings are also durable enough that even as your baby ages, it will still be strong enough to offer him or her the support that he or she needs.

Many products like the baby sling will never offer you the customer support that you desire, but that is simply not the case with these products. HugaMonkey Baby slings come with a 100% money back guarantee, which means that if you are not completely satisfied with your baby sling, simply return it for a full refund.  read more »

There's a lot that goes into preparing for a new baby because a baby is a tiny bundle of completely helpless love. You need to prepare the house, the room, the car, any siblings, and even mom and dad. While some of the preparation is definitely mental and emotional, most of it centers on making sure baby has all of the necessary little items. There are a lot, to be sure. While you'll probably never have quite enough of what you need, here are a few necessary items to get before baby is born.

We'll start with the bigger items. The car seat is the most important thing you can't leave the hospital unless you can strap the baby safely in the car, so make sure you get one. If you want a stroller, which you will need unless you like the idea of carrying that baby everywhere, invest in a car seat/stroller combo. These are extremely nice. The car seat usually has a base that stays permanently in the car. You can snap the seat into the car or snap it into the stroller as needed. Very convenient for when your baby isn't sitting up.

The next thing you'll need is a bassinet or a crib. The bassinets are wonderful because they can go right by the bed where you can simply reach over and pick up the baby if you need to do a midnight feeding. If you want to save money then you can simply get a crib. Baby can sleep in this until he is at least two... old enough not to roll off the toddler bed.

While there are plenty of larger items, such as a swing and bouncer, the car seat and bed are the most important. You could fill your house with small baby items, but here are a few essentials. Necessary clothes consist of two or three nightgowns with elastic or a drawstring around the bottom, eight undershirts (onesies), at least four pairs of footed pajamas, two hats, and a package of socks (six pairs). For bath time make sure you have a hooded towel or a couple hooded towels (so you don't have to do wash quite as often) baby washcloths, and baby soap.  read more »

Recently I had a little chat with someone I know and love quite well. She's got a wonderfully adorable baby belly and all the anxiety that comes with it! She tells me things like, "Pregnant women aren't supposed to eat cheese," or something equally crazy. Most of our conversations begin with something along the lines of "Have you heard of doing/not doing _______ during pregnancy?"

Almost every day there is a new "danger" she's heard of, or something of dire importance that she MUST do in order to have a healthy baby. Is it just me, or does it seem like the pressures are getting a little insurmountable? I know I had anxieties, but I can't for the life of me remember being so overwhelmed. I remember telling my grandma about how babies under a year old aren't supposed to eat honey. She gave me the weirdest look and told me her babies had honey all the time and asked, "Who makes these rules?" So I quite fretting.

I suppose it's just personality types. When it comes down to it, my thought process is that women have been having babies for a bagillion years just fine without taking eighteen supplements and avoiding direct sunlight and soft cheeses, and so can I. My lifestyle is pretty balanced, natural, relaxed. I'm a go-with-the-flow kinda gal.

Perhaps the internet is to blame, with its endless store of useless (and largely made up) information. Do this, don't do that, eat this, don't eat that. And there are forums dedicated to "I heard of this lady who..." stories that never end well. Don't ever read them.

So here's my final word: chill out. You'll have the baby, and both be okay. Life will get more complex, yet more simple. It will be hard. You'll cry. Do what feels right. You'll laugh, and both be okay.

Reason number 1,896 to get a HugaMonkey (as if you needed another): Container Syndrome!

What the? Experts actually warning against leaving a baby in a car seat, stroller, swing, bouncer, etc. all day to avoid developmental delays. We already knew that, right? Hold those babies, people!

Full story here:

http://www.newschannel5.com/Global/story.asp?S=8783294&nav=menu374_7_7

This is the first "I've been tagged" blog post. Excitement! Auguries of Innocence tagged us wonderful folks at HugaMonkey to name 6 unimportant things that make us happy. It's hard, because if you they make you happy, they're not unimportant! So I'm mildly changing it to "little" things, because it's those unimportant little things that keep you sane.

#1 - Snot. It's just such weird stuff, and it seems like I see it constantly, on little face I love or my own clothes. I ALWAYS have someone's nose to wipe, so I guess if it weren't there, I wouldn't feel needed. Yesterday I got some in my ear and my hair from a loving two year old. Nothing makes a child more affectionate than a snot face.

#2 - Good water. I'm a water snob, and when I have to drink it out of the fountain at the park, I remember how glad I am to have good water that doesn't taste like it just came from a swimming pool.

#3 - E-chords.com. I just learned to play a bunch of High School Musical songs for my seven year old. We've been singing "What I've Been Looking For" all week, and it's fun to set the lappy on the piano and pound out the chords.

#4 - Lavender cleaner. All natural, non toxic, germ killing, good smelling cleaner. Puts a little lift in my cleaning regimen, which is always a bonus.

#5 - Getting tagged! These little reminders that the business that I started with one sewing machine in my basement is helping people and making a positive impact.

#6 - Clean glasses. I'm trying to type through smudgy ones right now (see point 1) and it sucks.

I'm supposed to tag 6 others, but I want to tag everyone who sees this. One reason beign that it's 11 pm and I just ate my first Pop-tart in probably 9 years. I'm going to regret it soon. But also...give me that little reminder that you're out there, checking out my site, making a positive impact. It keeps me going!

Those are the two reasons I can think of to NOT buy the baby sling I found online last night. It cost (and you may want to sit down for this) $1,120. For those of you who think your contacts are fuzzy and read that wrong, I'll tell you again. One thousand one hundred twenty dollars.

Seriously? I remember walking around the block with my infant all snuggled up in the sling one sunny morning. I reached my hand up to pat his little back through the sling, and felt that stickiness that sends needles down your spine. Yup, a blowout. U-turn back home, strip down, stain stick, load of laundry. Voila! It all came out. We were back to walking in no time.

I wonder what's going through your mind when a blowout happens in an eleven-hundred dollar sling. Because mark my words, it will happen. If not the blowout, then the puke-out. Or the spilling of grape juice from the sippy cup. To what extent are you going to go in order to protect that rare Laotian hand-woven silk? Maybe I could invent a plastic suit for babies so no sort of fluid can escape. Better yet, maybe carrying a baby in that sling should just be out of the question all together. Yeah. Poop happens.

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I have Google Alerts set up to notify me anytime HugaMonkey is mentioned on the intertubes. Its a great way to keep track of what people are saying about a particular subject. I even have a Google Alert for my name.

A few weeks ago, Alerts found this little gem. It's a great non biased review of HugaMonkey baby slings.

I like the author's style. She is very concise and to the point. I also enjoyed how she broke it down into positives and negatives.

Thanks Shay!

My Momma turns 50 on Sunday. 50! It's funny how your perspective on life changes as you get older. I remember when she turned 30 (I was 8) and I was like, "She is sooo ooooold."

So here's a tribute to my Mom. She raised 6 kids, one handicapped, all by herself. She had a pet skunk. She climbed Mt. Timpanogos. For my brother's 16th birthday, she turned his room upside-down: bed, desk, and chair bolted to ceiling, comforter sewn on, pictures hung upside-down, the whole nine yards.

She is the BEST Grandma, and takes kids on "their day" where they get to do whatever the heck they want - and she's right in there with them. She makes messes, gets dirty, laughs, and cleans up.

She is giving, unprejudiced, humble. In her words, "I've had everyone from convicts to Jehova's Witnesses in my house. Have I treated any of them differently?"

So here's to 50 fantastic years. And may there be 50 more. (And I don't think you're soooo oooold any more!)

By the way, I'm throwing her an awesome surprise party, complete with pinata, bounce house and a game of "This Is Your Life" complete with childhood friends! I'm so excited!

From time to time we get asked for a printed paper packing slip. Well, we don't do these for several reasons.

1. Printing stuff is mega-lame, saving paper is way cool!
2. Only 1 in 100 people actually look at them.
3. It costs more, if you want to pay for shipping we'll be happy to include a packing slip! But since free shipping is way totally cool, we wont' be printing packing slips

You can always check your order status and details in your HugaMonkey account.

We ran out of black baby slings this week but we're back in black!

I ran down to the manufacturer (just down the street, how convenient :) to double check our stock and we're good to go.

Black sells out so fast but we have more. Parent's must love it because it matches everything.

Happy Mother's Day! In a sense, HugaMonkey is all about moms. HugaMonkey was created by a radical mom (Leah) and most people that buy a HugaMonkey are moms - you rock to the max! We sure do appreciate all the moms (dads too but this is mom's special day) in the world. To show our appreciation we want you to have some acoustic guitar music. We use the songs as lullabies for our kids after a long day of fun. Truth be told, I listen to the songs for my own enjoyment. The musician (Chad Woolner) and the music are astounding. Just listen for yourself.

To listen, click on a song title and give it a second to load.


To get your free music, click FREE Songs and then add any sling to your cart. Once you've bought your slings, a link to download the songs will be emailed directly to you.

Enjoy!

Just a quick note to tell you about the best birthday surprise. My sweet hubby spent a good deal of time making a fancy dinner, and asked me to take the kids to the neighbors. When I got back, there were my 2 best friends that I don't get to spend enough time with. He was our server and kept coming with the garlic spinach potatoes, herbed from-scratch rolls, arugula salad, and chilled strawberry soup. Amazing! I ate til I nearly died and had such an amazing time spending nearly 3 whole hours just talking with my ladies. It was the most thoughtful thing.

Double bonus! He did all the cleaning up after! I am a lucky woman. And he is a wonderful man. Pardon me whilst I go kiss his face.

It's birthday season at my house. It begins with mine, and ends in three weeks with my husband's. Between are my eldest daughter, brother, brother in law, 3 nephews, a best friend... yeah, it's busy. Let it be known that I LOVE birthday celebrations. Let it also be known that I have never spent more than $25 for any such celebration.

When my daughter turned five, I was quite pregnant with baby #3 and had little energy for party planning. I managed to get invites out to a handful of little girls. I realized too late that I hadn't even made a cake! A cake! I quickly frosted a loaf of banana bread I had made two days before. There were no games planned, no take-home bags, no decorations. What a terrible mother!

The girls arrived, bejeweled and eager. There was a lot of giggling. They were surprisingly excited about the banana bread "cake". After unwrapping the simple gifts, the girls played with them and danced around to the demo songs on the digital piano, draped in scraps of chiffon and satin from my sewing room.

After 3 hours, I decided to take them all home, and there were actual tears. One girl even declared that it was the best party she had ever been to!

A few weeks later we went to a cousin's 4th birthday in which hundreds of dollars and countless hours of planning had been spent. It was TORTURE getting all of those kids to "stay on task" with the dozens of games, and making sure they all kept the rules and paid close attention while he opened piles and piles of gifts. And it took about 15 minutes and 3 candle relights to get a "perfect shot" of him blowing out the candles on his $75 cake.

I went home with complete resolve to keep it simple. To me, a birthday is a time to enjoy a happy moment in the company of people you care about. People, especially kids, don't need extravagance to have an enjoyable time. Most often, they can turn almost anything into an enjoyable time with a bit of freedom and imagination.

Attention Chatty Patties, Gabatha Christies, Sir Talks-a-lot!

Now you can chat with HugaMonkey. Simply click on the "Chat with HugaMonkey" link on the left hand side. A little window will pop up and you'll be connected with Carrie.

Carrie is our sister in law/customer love expert. She is mega friendly and loves to help out. If you have any questions, just ask her.

She isn't available all day everyday but you should be able to get a hold of her in the morning during the week.

If she's not online, take a look at Frequently Asked Questions or you can ask us questions on our contact us page.

Millions of years ago, our caveman predecessors would take armfuls of stoneware to the cave opening after a wicked awesome mastodon barbecue. Surrounding saber-tooths would smell the leftovers and come to lick the plates clean. Upon arising, mother neanderthal gathered up the newly cleaned plates and began scrambling a pterodactyl egg for breakfast.

Even prehistoria had it easier than me! Out of my nearly 28 years of life, I have had a dishwasher for 1.5 of them. Lame! I grew up with 5 siblings and no dishwasher, so I'm no stranger to hand washing. But now that I have a business, three little kids, a fixer-upper, and want to maintain a shred of sanity, I feel I am in desperate need.

We began tearing apart the 60 year old kitchen several weeks ago. The dishes have been carried down to the basement utility sink every day, and then carted back upstairs to be put away. Even I, Reduce Reuse Recycle Leah, have resorted to using paper plates and plastic spforks! I'm losing it.

Just think of the things I could do with those 6 or more hours of saved time. I could sew. I could read. I could nap! Oh, Dishwasher Gods, take me out of the Dark Ages of Dishwashing! Look kindly upon me and direct me to that craigslist treasure I have been seeking!

Want a little help with getting the house clean or the yard work done? There are many local businesses out there that specialize in custom yard care and anything from a heavy spring cleaning to light weekly house work. Many of these places offer great service, but it can be pricey. Then after the work is done, it may not be to your satisfaction. A simple solution? Recruit those kids! Yeah, right!

This is not such a crazy and unthinkable idea. Kids are natural pleasers and are happy to offer their expertise if they know it is needed and appreciated. I have found that while my kids don't love to do chores, they are willing to help out if they know that how much they are contributing. A little bit of a reward goes a long way to recruiting cooperation. I don't really like the idea of bribery, but when you call it a reward, I'm all for it. After all, a clean yard and home are reward in itself for mom and dad, so why not reward our kids for their efforts?

The first part of getting your kids to want to help is by making cleanup time fun. There are quite a few songs that go along with cleaning time and as silly as they sound, they actually do make putting toys away seem pretty fun. For older kids, let them listen to their own kind of music, whether on the stereo or on their personal music players via headphones. Rocking out to cool tunes makes (almost) any job go a little faster!

Working together as a family shows teamwork. If you bark orders at your kids to get their chores done while you are watching TV, the kids are not likely to want to jump into action themselves. If you tackle a batch of laundry or a sink full of dirty dishes together, work can become a fun way to communicate and appreciate each other's efforts.  read more »

If you are like most proud parents on the planet, you are well aware of and love every one of your children's art projects. Well, there are a few that are stretching the imagination at love, but most of us appreciate the creativity and excitement in sharing the masterpiece.

I have given birth to five little creatures that know how to use a crayon and markers. A couple of these have turned their colorful imaginations into creations that actually resemble something, while the others have gone for the more abstract form of art. No matter our interpretation, our kids have used one of the most basic forms of self expression by creating artwork. My favorite pieces are the holiday crafts that the kids come home from school with. The cute little matching Pilgrim and Indian couples, the various ornaments including the paper lanterns and light-bulb Santa's at Christmastime, to snowflakes, hearts glued to doilies covered with 10 layers of glitter, shamrocks, Easter eggs-the list is endless. But the Holiday art is by far my favorite!

I know a woman who had 7 children beginning in 1967 and has saved much of her children's artwork. She still brings out a chosen few to decorate her home with at each Holiday. Now the grandkids can see their own parents' artwork from "way back when".

As you are aware, we cannot save all these little gems of talent. I have tried several different ways to appreciate, save and preserve my kids' projects. I have been given the thumbs up on some ideas and been given a very crusty look by the artist on others. I have spoken to friends and family who have given me their favorite ideas too. So read on and try a few ways to show off the art that is so important to our children's self esteem.

PLACEMAT TABLE ART  read more »

Finding the time for fun, quality time with our families is becoming more of a challenge every day! From piano lessons, soccer practice, karate class and play dates, to weekend errands and office work at home, time is something we all seem to be short of!

Dinner time is often overlooked as beneficial quality time. We tend to think of dinner as an end of the day necessity to rush through before checking homework, brushing teeth and reading stories before bed. Families are looking to carve out ways to get in some relaxing time with kids and spouses and don’t realize that one of the most perfect times to visit and catch up with one another is already a scheduled time of day-Dinner time!

The benefits of sitting together as a family for dinner are many. Toddlers and younger aged kids feel the rewards of family dinners by being part of a group in close quarters. Passing items of food, taking turns talking and sharing comments are ways that children feel a sense of belonging. Young kids learn a sense of good nutritional habits, literacy development and communication skills. Older kids and teens learn tolerance and compassion for family members. The time teens spend with family members in a positive environment such as dinner time greatly reduces the factor for adolescent tobacco, drug and alcohol use. Other benefits for adolescents include better grades, higher self esteem, reduced risk of dangerous friendships and relationships; they are more likely to be more motivated, they are more likely to say that their parents are proud of them and can open up and discuss important matters with their parents.  read more »