If the thought of a family road trip conjures up images of whining, sibling fights in the back seat or cries of “Are we there yet?”, think again. A road trip can actually be a great way to communicate better with your kids and even learn something about each other along the way.

Ways to make a car trip more enjoyable.

• Distractions.
  • If your home is anything like mine, it seems like there are more distractions than opportunities to talk to each other. Between the television, cell phones and electronic games, we’ve found more and more ways to not communicate. However, in the car, things are much different. Not only do you have a captive audience, but no distractions – save for a DVD player or other device you might have installed. Turn off the TV and radio, and talk to your kids. It might take a little while to get them warmed up, but after you do you may be surprised at what you learn.

• Broaden horizons.
  • A road trip – any road trip – can broaden your horizons and introduce you and your family to something new. Even the same weekly drive to Grandma’s house across town can be a new experience if you take a different route or add a new pit stop along the way. Take a few minutes before leaving to map out new directions or find a new place to stop that no one has been to before.

• Play games.
  • Games aren’t just for kids – get the whole family involved. Whether it’s car games, such as watching for out of state license plates or counting the number of a certain type of car, or playing 20 Questions, everyone can play. Or, for younger kids, sing a silly song together — either make up new words to a familiar tune, or sing a favorite. Playing games together can strengthen bonds and be fun for the entire family.

• Start a new tradition.
  • In our family, there are certain stops we always make, depending on which direction we are headed. These stops become part of the journey and make the time more enjoyable. Try adding a new tradition to your road trips, such as collecting a certain type of souvenir, like post cards, or taking a photograph in the same spot each time you drive by and make a scrapbook. You and the kids will come to enjoy these special traditions that you all share.

Summer goes by so quickly. Before you know it, the school year has started and chill has filled the air. Before you dig out the winter coats, take some time to enjoy the sunshine. Even for busy parents, it’s important to spend some family time outdoors (with sunscreen on, of course!). If you’re short on time but still want to enjoy the weather, try dining out in the great outdoors at a restaurant patio or terrace.

5 Reasons to Dine Outside With the Kids

• Noise. In a quiet restaurant, even the softest baby squeal can seem too loud; outdoors, on the other hand, it might not be heard at all. Among the street noise, sounds from other diners and outdoor sounds, a few cries from a baby probably aren’t going to bother others.

• Baby can stay in the stroller. Crowded restaurant dining rooms can make it difficult or impossible to pull a stroller up to the table. Outside, there is usually more room. Just pull the canopy of the stroller over baby to shield him or her from the sun. Best of all, if baby starts to fuss, just roll the stroller back and forth – the movement just might lull him or her back to sleep.

• Messy is permitted. Cheerios on the floor of a fancy restaurant? Not good. Cheerios on the sidewalk? Fine – in fact, the birds will probably eat them up before anyone even notices. Just don’t let the kids intentionally throw things to the ground – be mindful that it is still a restaurant and someone does have to clean up.

• Distractions galore. Distractions can be a two-way street. On the one hand, feeding a baby or toddler while something else is going on can be difficult; however, if he or she isn’t eating – or is being fussy – distractions can be a welcome opportunity. Let your child watch the traffic, passers by or other diners at the restaurant – then feed him or her when you get home.

• Learning opportunities. With all the activity around you, there are also ample learning opportunities for your child. Count the number of people passing by, the number of red items or the number of cars. Or point out certain colors, shapes or patterns.

Dining outdoors can be an enjoyable way to spend time together – and enjoy the summertime weather while it lasts.

Our toddler loves to hide. Whether it’s pulling a blanked over her head and walking around like a miniature quilted ghost or sitting under the table, she loves to be hidden – and to suddenly jump out at us. Sometimes, you can just walk past the table she is underneath and hear a little giggle coming from it. Look under the table, and there she is – laughing and smiling and thinking she has pulled one over on us.

Now that the weather is warmer, we spend more time outdoors, where, sadly, she has no place to hide. Our backyard is a big open area with nary a tree to hide behind. So this year, as I was gathering up the various seeds I needed to plant our garden, I happened upon some sunflower seeds. Sunflowers are incredibly easy to grow – I’ve grown tall ones from simply planning the sunflower seeds picked out of the birdseed mix we buy – and grow tall and cheery in the summer sun.

A row or a semi circle of sunflowers would also make an excellent fort for our daughter. Simply find a sunny spot in the yard, plant the seeds and water generously. Keep an eye on the seedlings and water as needed, and in several weeks the sunflowers will begin to get taller. By the time summer arrives, the flowers just might be tall enough to hide our little girl – or at least make a fun area for her to play in while her father and I are tending to the garden or doing work around the yard.

Sunflowers are easy for even the non gardener to grow, but you could try any tall flower or plant. Hollyhocks, foxglove or even corn would work just as well. Try planting a “green” fort for your little ones — it’s simple, inexpensive and sure to be a hit!

We’re just starting to get ready for the holidays in our house. The cards have been chosen, the gifts ordered or purchased, and the menu is planned. Unfortunately, there is still an inordinate number of projects that need to be done before we can truly be merry. While our daughter is still too young to be involved in much of the preparations, we try to include her in as many ways as we can. We’ll park her in the high chair next to the kitchen counter or table, so she can watch me fuss around the kitchen and bake bread and cookies, or she “helps” me to wrap gifts by playing with some papers and ribbon, or “helps” her dad while he puts together yet another new toy for her or her little brother to play with.

Next year we’re looking forward to having her more actively participate in all the holiday preparations. For those with older children, here are some holiday treats your little ones can be involved in making this holiday season:

• Build a gingerbread house. Do yourself a favor and purchase one of those all-in-one kits at the store, or buy it online, so you don’t have to mix frosting or bake the gingerbread yourself. Most come with the pieces already cut out and ready to be put together.
• Make buckeyes. These are quintessential holiday treats and very easy to make. Find the recipe here.
• Bake sugar cookies. Another holiday tradition in many homes, sugar cookies are easy to make and fun to decorate. In fact, they can be as elaborate or as simple as you like – simply frost and coat with colored sugars or shapes, or pipe frosting on the cookies for a more detailed look.
• Make chocolate-covered pretzel sticks. This one is easy for little hands to do. Simply dip pretzel sticks in melted chocolate and let sit on lightly greased waxed paper to dry.
• Make fruit kebabs. These are great low-fat treats and easy to make. Cut up slices or cubes of your favorite fruits – apples, oranges, pears, grapes, pineapple, etc. – and stick them on bamboo skewers. Provide yogurt for dipping, or eat them as is.

I’m a gift giver. At least, I try to be. Whenever someone makes my day or goes out of their way to do something for me, my family or someone else I know, I like to say thanks by giving them a meaningful gift. It can be something small, like a batch of home made cookies or a hand made card, or something larger to go along with a larger gift.

Thinking along these lines, I started to wonder: what kind of gift could I give the nurses who help with my labor, delivery and recovery in just a few short weeks? What sort of gift would be appropriate for the men and women who are going to be helping me with one of the best gifts that anyone could ever receive? How can I possibly express my gratitude?

With all the expenses of a newborn, money is definitely tight, so here are some inexpensive ideas I came up with:

• Flowers. A single rose or other flower (perhaps the birth flower for that month?) for each of the nurses.

• Candy, Cookies or Snacks. Small boxes of candy, a tin of flavored popcorn or a fruit basket that can be shared.

• Breakfast. Bagels and cream cheese or a box of doughnuts in the morning is a great way to start the day on a positive note.

• Gourmet Coffee. The coffee in most hospitals is pretty bad – treat the nurses to the good stuff!

• Handmade Ornaments (for the holidays) or Other Hand Made Items. I enjoy knitting, and have thought about knitting up wash cloths or some other small items that I can hand out to the nurses. Bath salts or other crafty items also make nice gifts.

Don’t forget the thank-you notes and birth announcements!

What will or did you bring to the nurses when you delivered?

At my baby shower for my first born, I received a number of useful items – socks, bottles, sleep sacks, and even diapers and wipes. But the most useful item, which we are still using on our now almost-2-year old daughter is the plethora of receiving blankets.

Receiving blankets are not much more than a piece of flannel, with the edges finished so that they don’t fray. Unfortunately, during their 20+ months of use, our receiving blankets are looking a bit scrappy. But they’re still being used, probably more heavily now than when our daughter was an infant. At first, we swaddled her in them, covered her with them when she napped, and rolled them up to be makeshift head rests when the head rest in her car seat was too big. Now, they’re finding all kinds of use, both baby related and around the house. Here are five of my favorite uses for receiving blankets.

1. Clothing cover. When our daughter first began eating table food, we discovered just how messy a toddler can be. Since she takes off any bib we put on her just as fast as we can fasten it, we’ve resorted to all sorts of solutions to protect her clothes. The best one so far has been a receiving blanket. Tied at the back of her neck, sort of like a halter top, then draped over her chest and tucked under her arms and around back, this smock-like device catches most of the crumbs that fall from her hand or mouth, and can be taken outside and shaken out when mealtime is over.
2. Dirty changing table or seat cover. A thin receiving blanket is easy enough to tuck into a diaper bag or purse, and can be used to cover up any untoward-looking public changing table, booster seat or high chair.
3. Sun shade. In the car, a receiving blanket tucked into the top of the window makes a nice, light curtain to help cut the glare of bright sunshine and keep our daughter cool in her car seat.
4. Play thing. Our daughter loves to play with non-toys, and a receiving blanket fits the bill. She can make a fort out of it, drag it around, use it to cover and uncover other toys – the possibilities are as unlimited as her imagination.
5. Cleaning rag. This one’s for the tattered receiving blankets we no longer use for our daughter. The clean and lint-free flannel fabric makes a great cleaning rag around the house – especially when washing windows.

What unusual uses have you found for receiving blankets?

Our living room has become the playroom. As such, there are toys strewn everywhere which, although I pick them up several times a day (okay, so I actually just sort of brush them out of the way with my foot most of the time), seem to multiply as the day goes on.

There are wind up toys, toy blocks, stuffed toys – you name it. But the worst offenders are the battery operated ones. Not only are they (usually) larger and made of hard plastic that really hurts when you stub your toe on them, but they are loud.

We learned a trick recently for all those loud toys: keep them off. I don’t just mean not letting your child turn them on or keep them on the lower volume; don’t put batteries in them at all. We tried this with a few of our daughter’s toys and found that she loved playing with them on mute just as much as the noisemakers. In fact, after we did install the requisite batteries into the toy and she figured out the on/off switch, she’d actually play with the toy more when it was off than when it was pumping out all kinds of noise, lights, and other hoopla.

We also found that allowing her to play with the toys without sound – and then adding batteries later – renewed her interest in the toys. In fact, it was almost as if the toys were brand new to her once they started to make noise. A two-for-one!

There is a new crispness to the air. As we gather our fall jackets from the closet and begin to think about where we left last winter?s scarves and mittens, it?s time to start thinking about Halloween. It?s a great chance to get the kids together and do some fun family activities, like hay rides and visits to the apple orchard to pick apples, and stopping at the cider mill on the way home for some hot cider and donuts.

And what fall day would be complete without a visit to the pumpkin patch? Visit a local pumpkin patch if you can for the freshest pumpkins and the best selection. What?s more, it?s a blast letting the kids run around the patch and choose their own pumpkin.

Once you get those pumpkins home, the real fun starts. Turn up the Halloween music, whether spooky or fun, and spread some newspapers, because it?s going to get messy. Clean out and carve the pumpkins on a picnic table outdoors if the weather permits.

You?ll need:

• A marker or felt-tipped pen to draw on your design before you begin cutting. Consider drawing it out first on a piece of paper, cutting on the lines, and then tracing it onto the pumpkin.
• A serrated knife, to cut out a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin from which you can scoop the insides out.
• A long-handled spoon to scoop out the seeds from inside the pumpkin.
• A small carving knife to cut out your design (for children old enough).
• A bowl for the seeds and other pumpkin innards.

Be sure to pick out the seeds ? roasted up, they make a healthy and delicious snack. Just take 2 cups of raw pumpkin seeds and toss with about 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Spread the seeds on a cookie or baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes at 300 degrees. Salt to taste, and serve.

When I was growing up, we spent more time outside than inside. While this was indeed before the days of Game Boys and iPods and the like, there were still children?s programs on television. We just chose against watching them, in favor of a bright, sunny day where we could go to the park or just run around the backyard, until the street lights came on and we were all called back into our respective houses by our parents.

Take A Child Outside Week takes place in the United States September 24-30, 2008.It is a program initiated by the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, designed to get kids back outside and discovering the natural world. By arming parents, teachers and other caregivers with resources on outdoor activities, the goal is to help children across the country to develop a better understanding and appreciation of the environment in which they live, and an enthusiasm for its exploration. The program asks that parents take their children away from the television or other electronic devices and outside for just 30 minutes each day.

There are myriad benefits to children?s playing outside, including the connection to the natural world, keeping kids focused in school, and reducing the likelihood of obesity.

So take a child outside to play! For structured play ideas, take the kids to the park and play on the playscapes and push each other on the swings. Or you could take a hike, visit the local zoo, or take a trip to the lake for a canoe ride, a swim, or to fish. Even better, stay close to home and explore your own neighborhood or backyard. Take the kids around and identify different types of trees or flowers in the area, and see who can come up with the most. Or look at the fall colors if you live in an area where the leaves are turning, and see how many different colored leaves each person can collect.

If your children see you enjoying the outdoors, they?re more likely to feel positively about it as well. Share the experience with your children and help them to experience the joys of the outdoors.

New and expecting parents receive a lot of advice, whether solicited or not. When I was expecting my daughter, well intentioned friends, family and strangers all seemed to have something to say to me and my husband. The most common advice was to sleep ? because, as they said, we would never sleep again. While, sadly, in some aspects that advice actually is true ? I can?t remember the last time either my husband or I got a good night?s sleep ? it was not the best advice we received.

The best advice was: your baby is not you.

It might not have even been advice we received directly; it might have been something that I read somewhere. Either way, I thought it was excellent advice then, and still do now. Our baby indeed is not us. As much as we do see ourselves in her personality, or her tantrums, or just when she looks at us and makes a certain face, she is not us. She is herself, an individual person with her own individual needs and desires and reactions to various stimuli in her environment. She does not respond the way that I might under certain circumstances, or react in a way that is similar to my husband?s responses. She is her own person, and our job is to get to know who she is and what she needs so that we can respond to her in a way that suits her. She might not need the afternoon nap we think she does; nor does she like something that we like. She doesn?t necessarily laugh when we think we are doing something funny, but she will crack up at something that leaves us shaking our heads in wonder.

It all boils down to this: our daughter is her own individual person ? and we love her all the more because of it.

Anyone with a baby knows that they grow faster than you ever imagined. At first, you might not believe how big certain clothes are on your little one, but before you know it they’ll be too tight to wear.

But don’t toss out those too small onesies, dresses and shirts quite yet — there are some ways to breathe new life into them and get some use out of them again. Consider these suggestions to re-use or re purpose those too-small clothes, and do good for the environment (and others!) at the same time.

• Make T-Shirts
  For onesies that are just too short to fit your baby, cut off the snaps on the bottom and dress baby in them as t-shirts.
  Baby girl dresses can make cute tops – pair them with jeans or even a skirt for a cute, casual look.
• Use Them as Smocks
  Onesies work really well as cover-ups to catch any spills when your baby starts eating solid foods – just cut off the snaps at the bottom to make into a t-shirt, then pull over baby’s head and use as a smock that he or she can’t easily remove.
• Decorate with Them
  Clean and non stained onesies or baby t-shirts can make cute decorations for baby’s room – hang them up on a clothes line along the wall and secure with clothes pins.
• Craft with Them
  If you’re crafty, you can make a memory quilt with scraps of old baby clothes. Just take the fabrics and cut them into same-sized squares, then sew them together to make a blanket, or finish it off to make a quilt. You can also find companies and individuals who will make a quilt out of the fabrics for you – ask crafty friends or family, or search online.

If your baby’s clothes are still in good condition but you won’t use them again, consider donating them to friends, family, or charity groups. Your local church or the Salvation Army will happily receive them – and you will receive a tax receipt for the donation.

Queen of talk Oprah Winfrey has put together a list of age appropriate kids reading books to enjoy reading with your kids, or, for older children, for them to read, based on recommendations from the American Library Association.

The books are sorted by category: infant to 2 years, 3-5 years, 6-9 years, 10-12 years, and 12 years and up. The lists include both new releases and classic stories for kids (including the current favorite in our house, “Goodnight Moon“) of all ages.

Also included are tips to get your kids interested in reading. One of my favorites: Reading isn’t only about books. Just as you’d hunker down with your favorite magazine, encourage your kids to read everything they can, including comic books and jokes; even game directions will make a difference.

This statement reminds me of when our daughter was an infant — we would read anything with words and within reach to her, such as the back of a cereal box, a magazine that might be lying around, or even the warning label on her crib. Later, we progressed to the labels on her baby food jars, telling her all the details of the nutritional information she was getting from eating a jar of pears or prunes, and the ingredients therein. The reading material may not have been the most “age appropriate” at the time (lots of big words on some of those baby food jars!), but we did find that reading out loud to her would certainly get her attention — and it was a good way to show her the importance of language.

What’s your favorite children’s book, either that you read to your own kids or from your childhood?

Calories, fat content, fiber, protein, vitamins. All of these are things that my husband and I wanted to keep track of when we started our daughter on solids. Unfortunately, short of creating a cumbersome spread sheet and logging the data for how many ounces of which food she consumed at any given time, we just couldn?t keep up. A half jar here, a couple of spoonfuls there – not to mention the times we?d feed her while we were out and then lost or threw away the food containers.

After a few weeks, I came up with a trick to keep track of what she was eating ? or at least that she was eating a somewhat nutritionally balanced diet. Remember how they tell us as adults to eat a variety of colors in each meal? That?s the premise behind my feeding by colors baby diet. Each morning, I set aside the jars of baby food I plan to feed her that day, as well as notes on any fresh fruits or vegetables or dry foods, and make sure that there are several colors represented. Usually, there?s an orange or two (such as sweet potatoes or carrots), green (peas, green beans, spinach, pears), pink/red (applesauce or raspberries), brown (meats, grains), and sometimes a yellow (squash, corn or bananas) or purple (prunes or grapes).

I?ll be the first to admit that it isn?t a fool proof diet ? we are no longer counting calories or grams of vitamins and minerals ? but we are giving her what I have come to see as a variety of foods and a variety of flavors each day. In fact, it?s a lot more colorful than my own diet tends to be, which has got me thinking ? maybe I need to start my husband and myself on this diet as well! Maybe not with baby food, but with making sure our dinner plates represent a variety of colors.

Be sure to also give your child enough fluids throughout the day, including water and juice, and dairy products.

Anyone who has spent any time in the car with a toddler knows what a challenge it can be. Time it wrong and you can be faced with any number of melt downs – from the needs-a-nap tantrum to the hungry-and-yet-refuses-food fit. Fortunately, there are some ways that you can prevent – or at least cope – with these difficult times and make a car ride more enjoyable for everyone.

Following are five ways to keep a toddler entertained and happy during a trip in the car.

Time it right. If you’re planning a long trip, try to time it around (or during) nap time or times when you know your child is more active. We discovered that, with our daughter, if we leave before the crack of dawn in the morning for a five-hour trip, she will usually only wake up once or twice during the drive, and will wake up happier once we reach our destination.

Bring food. Be sure to bring snacks and juice or water along for your little one, including a bottle or other car-friendly fare. Don’t forget to bring a bottle or two of water – both for your toddler and for you.

Be silly. Don’t be afraid to get goofy. Sing along to the music with your kids, or even make up silly lyrics to go along with a favorite song (such as re-writing the words to a favorite lullaby or nursery rhyme). If you’re in the passenger seat, turn around and make silly faces at your child.

Bring along a surprise. Be sure to tuck away a special toy in the car that your toddler either hasn’t seen in a while or that is new to him or her – he or she will be much more likely to play with it and be amused longer if it’s something that’s not old and tiresome.

Roll with it. No matter what happens, be flexible. If your child needs to stop yet again for a potty break or a diaper change, go with it. Both your toddler and you will be happier that way, and the trip will be much more pleasant.

Having a baby means registering for half the baby super store (and getting a quarter of it, if you?re lucky!) and filling every available space in your home with baby gear. Suddenly you find that that extra end table isn?t as important as a baby swing, and a baby bouncer replaces the extra wing chair in the living room. Even the dog bed might get put in a less than prime location to make room for some sort of baby gizmo or apparatus.

So when it comes to baby toys, more is better, right? Wrong! In fact, you already own many things that have the potential to be baby toys. Many items that you probably already have in your kitchen can be made toys ? just make sure they are clean and in good shape with no loose pieces or sharp edges. Got some plastic Tupperware containers? Those make great play things for babies and toddlers ? they?ll spend hours stacking them, putting one in the other and running around the room with them. Wooden spoons? Those can be drumsticks to use on all those plastic containers. Plastic measuring cups are fun to play with as well ? kids can put one in the other, or put them in and take them out of the plastic containers. And pots and pans make the best toys of all, although if you?re prone to headaches or having company over, you might want to refrain from letting your little one bang on the pots and pans for too long. On the other hand, that just might be a good way to get rid of guests who have overstayed their welcome.

Look around your house ? I?m sure you will find plenty of safe things that can be used as baby toys. Of course, using knick knacks from around the house doesn?t completely replace the need for toys ? there are many learning toys on the market that babies? developing brains can greatly benefit from.

Among ourselves and our family members, we’ve probably spent a small fortune on toys for our daughter. Sadly, her favorites don’t seem to be the toys that make the most sounds or offer the most activities. No, she seems to prefer the joys of the less expensive toys; that is, the free ones.

They’re not even toys, really: they’re things that were lying around the house that she came across and thought were fun. Right now, she’s having a blast playing with the box from a wireless router we purchased. She’ll open the box, look inside, close the box, open it again, and then hand it to me and take it back again. She also stands on it, pounds it with her hands and hides her toys inside of it.

She also loves the sight and sound of tearing paper. Instead of using the shredder, we now tear paper by hand – getting rid of our documents so they can go in the compost bin or recycle box, and putting our daughter into fits of giggles and laughs.

As they say, having a baby does indeed change everything, but most of all it changes your perspective. Who would have thought that a simple object could result in hours of entertainment? It’s given us a new way of looking at things, and made my husband and me more creative when it comes to everyday objects. A crumpled up piece of paper? A ball! A discarded sock? A mitten, a hand puppet or a handy pouch to hide a toy or two inside of. Best of all, there’s always something around to entertain our daughter, even when her ‘official’ toys are out of reach or in a different room. Just be sure that the object isn’t dangerous or pose a choking hazard – any item that can fit inside a paper towel or toilet paper tube is a potential choking hazard.

I love summertime because there?s so much to do. What?s more, many of the activities are free of charge or inexpensive. So if you end up bringing a fussy child to the activity and end up having to make a quick and early exit, it?s no loss. Some of my favorites include:

Concerts in the park. Many cities and towns have local bands play once a week or several times a week in local parks and other areas. Bring a towel or lawn chairs and pack a picnic lunch, and enjoy the free entertainment with your kids. Even if there?s not a concert going on, it?s still fun to pack a lunch and spend a summer afternoon playing at the park.

Story time. Our local library offers story time for kids on Saturday mornings. It?s a great activity to get kids involved with, as well as a good way to meet other local parents.

Festivals. Local festivals offer a range of activities for children and adults alike. The Traverse City (MI) Cherry Festival takes place over the Fourth of July, and the Taste of Chicago runs June 27-July 6 in Chicago Check with your city or county for a festival schedule.

Parades. Holiday parades are a great place to take kids. Find out if your town offers a parade for the Fourth of July or other holidays and bring the kids along.

Ferry rides. Many ferry boats give passengers a free ride across the river. The Staten Island Ferry offers a free, five-mile, 25-minute ride between Staten Island and Manhattan. The Galveston-Port Bolivar ferry is the only way motorists can cross the waterway between Bolivar Peninsula and Galveston Island, and is free. The Jamestown-Scotland Ferry takes passengers to the historical attractions of the Historic Triangle (Yorktown-Williamsburg-Jamestown). The free ferry service runs from Scotland Wharf in Scotland, VA, to Glass House Point, in Jamestown, VA.

Also check with your local parks department or city newspaper for activities in your area.

What are your favorite free or inexpensive summertime activities?

When the temperatures outside start to rise, the last thing I feel like doing is heating up the kitchen cooking dinner. While I do still want to have good things for dinner, I don’t want to get heat stroke preparing it. What’s a parent to do?

My solution is breakfast for dinner. Both my husband and daughter love having breakfast for dinner, and consider it a special treat. Plus, it’s a good way to have a healthy, quick and easy meal and inexpensive compared to many popular dinner dishes. Use what’s in your fridge already, or fruits and veggies fresh from the garden or farmer’s market to save money and increase the health value of your meal.

Instead of roasting a chicken, take a baked rotisserie chicken purchased at the grocery store and make chicken-and-biscuit sandwiches (buy the already made biscuits or frozen biscuits for a fresher taste). Or whip up an omelette (or an egg scramble if you’re less culinary inclined) and mix in some chopped veggies like onions, green peppers, and tomatoes. Or you can chop and throw in some of last night’s leftover meats or veggies and use up what’s in the fridge. Fire up the waffle iron or heat up the griddle and make waffles or pancakes – try a buckwheat mix for extra fiber and health benefits.

Don’t forget some whole-wheat toast and a dish of fresh mixed fruit or chopped melon to round out the meal. Bon appetit!

Now that we all have our digital cameras, let’s start using them in fun and creative ways. Let’s use them by looking “through the looking glass”.

First, take one of your glasses out of your cupboards. Make sure it has a somewhat clear bottom. Put it up to your eye, like you are using it as a looking glass. Find something you want to take a picture of. Kids are always a good subject. I used my daughter.

You will have to play around with the settings and distance from the glass to find out which ones you like. I did my picture with no flash, but that was just me. I also held my camera right up to the opening of the glass to get the pictures I liked.

It will take several pictures to get a few very cool ones. I must have been taking pictures for at least 1/2 hour to get 3 pictures I really liked. But that is the wonderful thing about our digital cameras…you can delete the bad one.

Did you take any pictures “through the looking glass” that you liked? We want to see them! Get a free baby website and post them for your friends and family to see.

You can even enter them in our Baby Photo Contest. Show everyone just how creative and fantastic your pictures of your kids really are.