A friend of mine told me about a local church that has a drop-off type program for kids 18-months & up a couple days a week for 2.5 hours. It is $9 a pop - and soooo worth it! They play and interact with other children, have a snack, do a craft and play some more. BRILLIANT! Lauren benefits from the social interaction and I benefit from a couple hours of productivity without a toddler in tow. This place is a saving grace! And here is today's craft, representing the REAL saving grace:

Today I paid $3.04 for a gallon of whole milk....and that was the STORE-BRAND! The name-brand stuff was $3.14 and up! When did this happen?!@# I'm pretty sure I haven't always been paying over $3 a gallon. The 2% is significantly cheaper, but her pediatrician says she needs to be on whole milk until age 2....that they need the fat in whole milk for brain development...or something like that. Anyway - I'm outraged at the price of milk! Anyone else???

I need to go get groceries..but I need to plan meals first…and I’m not in the mood. What should we eat this week?

Lovin' the Easter Bunny....umm..not so much.

Today was the day Lauren was going to see the Easter Bunny. I told her he was big, but nice and soft and that he had a toy for her. We arrived at the mall and she was excited to see him. That is, until it was her turn to walk up to him. She started out very slowly....and then looked up at his larger-than-life head and started to cry. She was scared! I snapped a quick picture and then off we went.

I tried to distract her with the nice toy the Bunny had given her - but now she didn't really like that, either...because it came from the creepy Bunny. And then her eye caught the Easter train. Fun! I could see excitement in her eyes. So we walked over to the train.

I explained to the money-taker that I wasn't sure if she'd really like the train..and could he stop it if she freaked out. He was a wonderful man - said he wouldn't take my money until we saw if she would be okay. So on the train she climbed. We taught her how to ring the bell (the coveted seat on the kiddie train). And off the train went.

Lauren was the only kid on the train - and she wasn't so sure this was fun anymore once it took off around the little track. I waved enthusiastically from the sidelines...shouting many things that only Mommies shout in public...like "Wee!" "That's Fun!" "Hi!" "I see you!" and many other phrases that would have had Bailey diving under the nearest rock.

Finally, after four times around the track, the train stopped. Lauren emerged from the train with HUGE tears on her cheek. She wasn't actively crying - but had the saddest look on her face!

Honestly - I was just trying to let her have fun this morning - but it turned into a torturous ordeal! I thought I'd make it up to her by getting her a Happy Meal for lunch....but she replied, "No, no, no"...in a terrified voice with big scared-to-death eyes. "Home," she said.

As we left the mall, she waved at the Easter Bunny and said "Hi" repeatedly. I think she was so relieved to be leaving that horrible place with that wretched bunny.

Who decided it was a cute idea to incorporate a GIANT furry rabbit into the holiday anyway? Little tiny bunnies - cute. Big, giant-headed bunnies...scary! Mommy's sorry, Lauren.

The potty-chair saga continues... After spending 15 minutes in the potty-chair aisle at Target this morning, I finally decided on one. AND it was on sale. However, after bringing it home and taking it out of the box...it is going back to the store. Here is what NOT to buy: Evenflo Magic Potty Trainer PLUS (see picture below). All of the pieces that can be removed fell off very easily, with no way to really secure them in place (floor grippers, the boy shield, the bio-degradable liners, the height adjustment ring). The magic part of the potty - the music and "atta-girl" sayings....didn't work! Of course I only discovered that after I hunted and hunted for the teeniest Phillip's screwdriver I could find so I could open the battery case and install 3 new batteries. No good! This is a dud...and not just because one element didn't work. So, back to the potty-chair drawing board we go. I had settled on the Bjorn potty...but when I got to the store - they didn't have it! I wonder if it is an online-only item?

Oh - and I also saw a Dora potty at the store...it ALMOST got me...but after closer examination, it was cheap and little and didn't convert to the big-girl potty. Plus - do you REALLY think a little girl is going to "go" on Dora? No way! Maybe Swiper...but not Dora! =-)

I don't think anyone would argue that the toll of war is huge. Just HOW huge is hard to comprehend if you aren't directly affected. I don't pretend to know exactly which strategy is best for our military, but this can't be it...can it? Stay and fight? Pull out the troops? I don't know. But I DO know that there is a whole generation of young Americans being torn apart by the tragedy called WAR.

I have a friend who teaches at a military base. The MAJORITY of children at that school have a parent (or two) who have been deployed at least once during their lifetime. These children are growing up without their parents. Some are fortunate enough to have them return. But at what cost?

I support our troops. I am grateful for the men and women willing to serve on my behalf. I can't fathom the sacrifices they make. But no matter your stance on Iraq - I can't imagine anyone NOT hoping and PRAYING for the day that they can all come home.

I saw this clip http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=889466da-5eb2-42da-aed6-2edd2b656525&f=00&fg= on The Today Show this morning. I don't care which side of the political coin you sit on....this is heart-wrenching. God be with our nation.

Well, the time has come...it is time to buy a potty chair. I have gone to buy one on at least three different occasions and have not come home with one. So, perhaps it is denial that my baby is growing up and ready to potty-train, maybe it is that I don't want to start such a demanding task just yet, or maybe it is because there are too many choices when it comes to a toddler toilet! You can buy one that plays music, one that sounds like a flush, one that fits on the big toilet....OVERWHELMING! So, please tell me which potty chair you have used and if you like it or not? This is one (bjorn) that looked good to me - simple, but good...but then I read it is too small. (Sigh). What to do!

I am 14 weeks pregnant. I have on two different occasions in those 14 weeks, taken Tylenol PM...just one pill each time (the dose is 2 pills). I was under the impression that Tylenol products were OK to take. Then today a girlfriend of mine said her dr. said NO. So I called my OB/GYN and they said not to take it. So now...here I am....worrying....that I've somehow cased some sort of defect in my unborn child. =-(

Bailey tried to get a hug and kiss from her baby sister and then realized she needed a diaper change. She said, "Eew...she smells like daycare....like poop and dirt."

Glad to see she has fond memories of daycare.

Every day when Bailey gets home from school, she has a snack and I ask her about her day. My favorite part is when I ask about the drama of the day....because, afterall, it IS middle school, so there is guaranteed drama on a daily basis.

Yesterday she said the drama of the day was huge. She said several boys were suspended. I asked what grade they were in and she said 6th. When I asked what they were doing to get suspended, her response was...

They were "depantsing" each other. When I inquired further, turns out they were pulling each other's pants down, just as boys might run around stealing hats or giving each other wedgies.

All I could think was....future frat boys!

Faux-Hawk?? For the love of God, please don't vote for this poor kid. C'mon! I feel so sorry for him! It's like popular kids deceiving an unpopular, perhaps special kid feel as if he is really part of their clic. It is insensitive, mean and just wrong. He isn't good - send him home with a shred of dignity.

My favorites? (Based on whether I would actually buy their entire album)

Today I received the weekly junk mail packet, which usually goes straight to the circular file without a second glance. For some reason, I was feeling like I needed to give those poor advertisers my attention. Afterall, maybe there was something in there that I could use? A coupon for something necessary or if not necessary, than fun? WRONG! I threw away every stinkin' page of that thing. However, had I not taken the time to read the ads, I would have missed this shocking news:

IHOP now has the dine-in or carry-out option, called IHOP 'n Go Carry Out. http://www.ihop.com/ihopngo/index.html

MMMMM..carrying out eggs over-easy and pancakes...yeah....that'll make it home in an edible condition - NOT! Give me a break! Now seriously, WHAT would you order from IHOP that you'd want to sit in styrofoam and then trek across the town to eat at home? Or maybe I'm judging a little too harshly based on that time I saw a waitress stick her finger in someone's food and taste it...and THEN come around the corner to SERVE IT!!! EEEEW! Never, and I mean NEVER sit where you can see things happening behind-the-scenes. You don't want that information - trust me.

Have you ever just had a streak where you can't effectively communicate with the people you love? Where everything you say is misinterpreted or makes the person mad? How do you cope? How do you fix this? I'm going out of my mind.

Today my husband had an eye doctor appointment. Not just a regular eye doc, but one that shoots flourescent dye into your veins and takes really cool pictures of your eyeball. Sounds cool....but we've been there once every six months for...I dunno....a million years? What a racket...feels like the same game the chiropractors have going on. You should be cured in....3,582 visits. Whatever. Anyway, as I'm sitting there, watching the other patients, playing a game where I guess what eye ailment they've got goin' on (usually they are tragically going blind and must search for a new way to live life to its fullest), and studying the other miserable designated drivers - completely understanding their painful boredom, I realized the following:

* Being a designated driver sucks. Whether you are sober Sally, or carting your husband's dilated eyes home from a dr. appt., nothing fun about it.

* There is absolutely no reason a dr. appt. where surgery is not involved should take 3 hours. That's just rude...you should pay me for the visit.

* There is not a single pop or snack machine available to the public in that office building. Coffee that was made at 7:30 a.m. this morning when it is now 2:30 p.m....and a public water fountain - not good enough.

* Reading material doesn't help in these situations...because after 2 chapters, now I"m tired...and there is absolutely nowhere to lie down.

Next time (6 months from now, of course), I'm going to do some research ahead of time. I'm going to look up new, exciting eye diseases...that'll help with my game. And I"m packing a pop and snacks. Or better yet? I'm dropping him off, heading to the mall and he can call me when he's done.

Being a designated driver sucks.

It's Recipe Time again! =-) Today it was hot outside..and I NEVER feel like cooking when it is hot outside (ok - nor do I when it is cold out - but it is a serious problem when it is warm). So, here's a light, cool, EASY meal for those hot nights.

Tuna Tortellini Pasta Salad

1 - 20 oz. pkg. of 3-cheese Tortellini prepared according to pkg. directions and then cooled. (I used the Hy-Vee bag of cheese tortellini - not sure if it was 20 oz. or not - but our family of 4 had tons left over).

1/2 lb. green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces, cooked and cooled. (Yeah - so I didn't have many frozen green beans, so I used what I had, PLUS some frozen mixed veggies I had. I think peas or whatever would be fine in this recipe...but go with the frozen stuff - not canned).

4 green onions, sliced (I left this out).

2 cans solid white tuna in water, drained (I went with one big can)

1 lg. tomato, diced

3/4 C. ripe black olives, sliced (I didn't have these - but they would be good in this recipe if you like olives)

3/4 C. mayo (I used Miracle Whip)

3 T. Balsamic Vinegar

3/4 tsp. celery salt (I left this out too)

Mix it all together and chill. Although it is a pasta salad...it has tuna in it, therefore I count it as a meal. I served it with grilled cheese because I knew Mark & Bailey would complain if they only had a salad on their plate.

My husband and I saw a movie last night - a REAL movie in a REAL theater. =-) We saw Wild Hogs and laughed out-loud A LOT! Now, I know the critics have given it one star...but honestly - everyone was laughing all around us. And we aren't THAT easily entertained in Iowa. I say if you are in the mood for a good laugh - go see it.

82 degrees!!! In March!!! In Iowa!!! Woo-Hoo!!! Yipee!!! The whole family enjoyed the fantastic weather. Well, maybe not Dad and Bailey, who were busy raking and picking up sticks....but the little one had a ball, and so did Mom (who also took her turn raking and picking up sticks, thank you very much).

Lauren doesn't have a lot of clothes appropriate for this weather yet - so her "outfit" is sort of a hodge-podge. She didn't care though - this kid is DEFINITELY an outdoor-type. First, she spent a good 30 minutes on her swing. We really need to get her a real swingset...I don't think the baby swing is going to cut it this year. Then she found the landscaping rocks - and she had a BALL! Picking up rocks, piling them somewhere else, getting mud on her hands and then bringing them to me as if to say, "Do something about this ucky, woman." She did NOT like it when we came inside to clean up.

I can tell already this is going to be an every-night-bath-needed-spring and summer.

Here are a few snapshots from this afternoon. Sorry I didn't get any of the yard workers. Bailey might make me take a shot of her blister though. ha.

My husband and I purchased $50 worth of gift certificates from Hessen Haus for $25 (101 4th Ave., Des Moines) at http://whotv.realdeals-tv.com/

Tonight we decided to have a date-night and cash in on Des Moines’ German cuisine. What we were surprised to find was an experience we might want to share with the kids in-tow. Granted, the Hessen Haus IS a “bar,” it was also much, MUCH more than that. In fact, as we entered the front door, we saw at least two families dining with young children. I immediately noticed that high chairs were available.

We headed clear to the back of the restaurant to the non-smoking section. This section is not really separated from the other section, so if there ARE smokers around, you would be exposed. However, we were early diners arriving around 5:30 p.m. (seems the families with kids had the same idea) and the restaurant was not smoky at all. In fact it wasn’t until around 6:45-7-ish that it started to feel more like night life. I feel confident that for lunch or an early dinner families would be in the clear.

Other things I noticed that made me consider this venue for a family outing?

* It is literally a hop, skip and a jump from the new, AMAZING Science Center, making it a handy stop after a family day of fun at SCI.

* The parking ramp for the Science Center is right there, too, providing for hassle-free parking for the family minivan.

* Children’s menus full of kid-friendly American food, including Hamburger/Cheeseburger, Grilled Cheese, Corn Dog Bites and Chicken Tenders. Leave the ‘kraut to the grown-ups, this place has grilled cheese, milk and the like for the kids.

* Beverages for kids include Coke products, Iced Tea, Lemonade and good ole MILK! Did I mention the plastic cups with lids????

* The children’s menus were paper (good for pre-dinner drawing/coloring), and offered German-themed activities, like the Black Forest maze. Cute.

* Prices are VERY reasonable. The most expensive thing on the kid’s menu is $4.20. Everything else is $3.95.

* A very unique and cultural experience for the whole family.

Where they fell short:

* No changing table in the restroom. I’ll cut them some slack though, since it IS also a “bar.” But fyi – owners? There is totally room for a fold-down changing table in there. Install one! And don’t forget the Men’s room, either. That would be absolutely wunderbar!

* A REAL non-smoking section would be nice.

Husband trying to quit smoking + Hormones-kickin' in Preg-o Wife = T.E.N.S.I.O.N.!!!!

1. My pants won't even come close to buttoning, but maternity pants look stupid.
2. You can't wear sweatpants if you want to take your husband out for a nice b-day dinner.
3. Breastfeeding two babies has left me with a situation - and I can't believe people actually use bandaids to remedy it -- do they really do that? or was that a 70's solution?
4. The restaurant we are going to has things on the menu like "in raisin sauce" "served with pickled cabbage" or "sauerkraut". HURL!