Thanks Giving Thursday: Potty Train, All Aboard!

It's a Potty Train! (Hum Soul Train theme music here. If not old enough to remember, just substitute theme from Thomas the Tank Engine. It'll be fine.)

Thanks Ladies for the comments regarding yesterday's post. When it comes to potty training, I have been feeling a bit like I have been sucked into the swirling vortex of the toilet flush. Just then you came along and offered your hand. (Lovely imagery, eh?)

You have paid me one of the best compliments I can imagine by implying I might have a spec of something insightful to offer on this subject. So, today I am thankful for the camaraderie of my fellow potty training blogging mamas. Muchas gracias.

Here is my little smidge of insight. Let's all do this thing together. I would love to hear your insight too. The best advice I get on all things baby almost always comes from conversation with other mommy ladies.

I promise to post on the Potty Train on Mondays, and I hope you will come along for the adventure. Your two cents in advice is your ticket to ride.

All aboard! Please keep hands, feet and flailing toddlers inside the compartment at all times. It may be a bumpy ride.

*The idea is that the Monday Potty Train review will be a bit like the Weight Watchers weigh-in, where I lost, where I gained and where I flubbed and totally need your advice.

Wacky Wednesday -- Diaper Double Duty

We have just begun potty training at the House of ZoKai and already I am dreaming of what to do with the disposable diapers soon to be left high and dry.

Although I pride myself on the fact that I fashion a fine looking diaper hat, a girl can only wear so many hats. So what do with the rest? What to do? What to do?

I did a little research and found the following suggestions:

Microwaveable heating pad (Not so sure I would toss a diaper in my microwave, but OK.), keeping a plant watered longer by putting a diaper in the bottom of the pot, and packing material for shipment of fine china (Somehow that just seems wrong.) all from Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things from Reader's Digest RD.com.

You can even make a "diaper cake" for a baby shower as seen here.

Who knew?

Toddler Files Tuesday -- Chicken Grease Hair Grease and Other Beauty Secrets

My 18-month-old twin girls have a flare for beauty, especially at the dinner table. Their innovation and style are awe-inspiring.

Before them, I never knew:

Chicken grease makes a lovely hair pomade (hair grease).

A partially chewed chicken stick makes a lovely hair barrette.

Applesauce is intended to be worn on your eyebrows.

Bowls and spoons are simply tools of application.

Cheese is to be worn upon your head.

~and~

Strawberry-banana cereal bars make a lovely shade of lip color.


Who needs MAC when you have babies like these?

Achieving Nirvana

I have achieved nirvana. I weigh less than Tyra Banks.

I mean seriously, who could say she is fat? Look at her!

Hooray for Tyra Banks for standing up to the silly people who called her fat. Wouldn't we all like to be fat like that?

A review for you, or is it for me? Well, anyway . . .

Recently, one of my favorite bloggers and role models wrote a great book review. It got me thinking, maybe I should do a review. Then I went to the grocery store, and one thing led to another, and here we are.

I will review CHOCOLATE, Emily's Chocolate Covered Fortune Cookies. This is an entirely self-serving review I have burdened myself with simply because writing a review is as good an excuse as any to try new chocolate. (This is not an ad, nor will I receive any sort of compensation, other than rewarding myself with copious amounts of chocolate.)

The shiny, red Chinese take-out box caught my eye from the Valentine's Day display at the grocery store. (Shiny and red. Oh boy.)

So how are they? The sweet chocolate coating is complimented nicely by the crunchy and delicately sweet fortune cookie beneath. It is a nice change of pace from the average boring boxed chocolate you see every year.

The love message fortunes inside the cookies are a nice touch too, although not exquisitely inspiring.



The one criticism I have is that the chocolate is not the highest quality. It's clearly built to have a long shelf-life. Still, I must admit I was amused by the warning on the bottom of the box: Temperature Sensitive Chocolate. (Ah yes, as opposed to the non-temperature-sensitive chocolate that wouldn't melt if you held it directly over an open flame.)

All in all, the packaging and originality make for a cute gift for a special someone, even more so if combined with Chinese take-out and a good bottle of wine.

Mombot Monday -- When Specials Are Not Special

It's on special!

The special at a local grocery store this week was to sell my favorite brand of laundry detergent for 2 for $9 rather than 1 for $3.99.



Mombot tip of the week: Beware of the special. Just because the flyer says it is special does not mean it is. For example, I fell for this ad because it said 63 oz. to 100 oz. sizes were on special for 2 for $9. I assumed that must mean that the 100 oz. was on special for 2 for $9 because I knew the smaller size was regularly priced at $3.99. Oh yes, we all know what happens when we assume. So, I wasted my time.

Another time saver bonus tip, I try to make a mental note of which stores use this type of advertising frequently and avoid them all together. Although I noticed today, there are times when I might not.

2000 Bloggers -- Blogging Buzz

Tino had a great idea. What fun!

Click here to see: