DM's Gift Guide: New Baby

This is probably the most "I'm-repeating-myself" post of the gift guide series, but that was awhile ago so I'm back at it. Seriously, someone's having a baby - and I know LOTS of people having babies - and I almost always go to one of these! Sometimes I mix it up by adding a DVD/toy for an older sibling or Babyproofing Your Marriage if I know them well enough to be frank. My spreadsheet newborn gift list is actually more than three times this long, but I rarely move beyond these few items. This is one topic I know a little about.

1. Zutano booties, size 0-6 mos, $15-20 - The fact is that tiny shoes and socks are super cute but what's the point when they don't stay on those flimsy little infant feet? I'm a Robeez fan but newborns' feet are like wet noodles and I can't even get a Robeez on a 0-6 month old, much less get it to stay. That's why I love, love, love these booties. With the soft cotton, double-snap elastic ankle, they're not going anywhere but they are also super cute and non-pinchy. (These are perfect for new babies; the bottoms are not grippy so as soon as they are pulling up to stand it's time to move on.)

2. The Baby Book, $14 + The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD, $20 - My absolute top two best baby references, these have answered almost every problem or question I've had with new babies. I like to give one or both of these especially to first-time parents.

3. Miracle Blanket, $30 - If you're a swaddler, and I swear by it, this is the best blanket I've found. A huge square blanket is great if you've got a tight technique down but for those that don't, this baby does it for you. Worth every penny, and if it's for yourself and not a gift, there are always used ones on Ebay - save a buck and just wash them well.

4. Ugly Doll, $10 - Uh-dorable, funny, modern twist on dolls and stuffed animals. Who says a lovey has to have two eyes?

5. Food Smock, $35 - Most of you know my friend Corey makes these. I was present for the idea-to-business process; I LOVE this product! Genius and cool, these have got you covered during that super messy learning-to-eat-by-oneself stage, and the blooming artist stage that comes next. Free shipping code: DISCO MOM.

6. Swallow or other Flensted mobile, $26-38 - We've had a couple of dumb mobiles in our parenthood so far, but if we have another baby I'm upgrading to one of these! Who wouldn't love to watch a train or flock of swallows soaring above?

7. Any toy by Haba or Kathe Kruse - Simple, classy and fun for little ones. Hard to go wrong with one of these.

DM's Gift Guide: Wedding

A note on wedding gifts: I'm a bit out of practice - most of my friends are married and we don't go to 100 weddings each summer like we used to. But a few things I do know and remember - stay away from home decor items unless they're on the registry - don't go choosing the happy couple's towels, sheets, clocks, art or anything colorful for them. TRUST ME, it's annoying. Sticking to the registry is always a safe and much-appreciated way to go.

But if you feel like branching out, these ought to be winners:

1. Penzey's Spice Gift Box, any budget - Penzeys is just the best, and anyone would, and should, love to get a gift box. You can spend from $14.49 to $219.99, and if you live near a store you can go in and make your own gift box. Seriously, when you have no idea what to get someone - for any occasion - you cannot go wrong with spices.

2. Pampered Chef Classic Batter Bowl, $15 + Small Batter Bowl, $11.50 - These are in the tippy-top of my "use-the-most" kitchen items, and they are a STEAL at these prices. Easily worth twice that. The small bowl is good for beating eggs, measuring cream, etc. The classic bowl gets used for everything I need to pour, from leftover homemade stock and soup to pancake and waffle batter. And you can even use it to cook a cake in for the skirt of a doll cake, or half-ball (like baseball or soccer cake), though I haven't tried it myself yet.

3. Martha Stewart's Homekeeping Guide: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home, $30 - This could double as a great housewarming gift as well. It's the ultimate reference for all homekeeping, a room-by-room exhaustive guide to caring for everything and keeping it clean and comfortable. I've given it as a gift twice but still don't own it myself. And frankly, I could use it. I don't know if my entry floor is granite, marble or something else, and I certainly don't know how to care for it. And that's just the tip of the pathetic iceburg of my new home-ownership status. Wait, is this post about me?

4. Slow Cooker, prices vary - Speaking of me, I LOVE the slow cooker. Mine broke the week before we moved so I'm working with a loaner and dreaming of a new one, but I can definitely attest to every household needing one. A bunch of set-and-forget meals is a great way to start your new life together.

5. Collection of kitchen gadgets (metal measuring spoons/cups, rubber spatula, egg timer, brown sugar bear, garlic press, vegetable peeler, ice cream scoop, juicer, etc.), any budget

6. Dutch Oven, $80+ - There is actually a long list of kitchen staples a new family needs, but a good dutch oven stands out. It goes from stove to oven and you can cook almost anything in it. I know this particular one goes against my don't-pick-their-colors-for-them rule, but you can get a plain dark one or figure out what goes with their kitchen stuff. A smart couple would never balk at a good Dutch oven.

7. Cookbooks - Like with the spices, you can't go wrong with a cookbook, and they are all so much fun! OK so I am biased and maybe not everyone loves to cook as much as I do, but it's fun to do together - a practical, cheap shared activity. Throw in a couple of matching aprons, tasting spoons or Santoku knives and it's even cuter! A few suggestions:

Disco Mom Takes on Christmas Cookies (shameless self-promotion), $26-39
Rachael Ray's 365: No Repeats, $13
The New Best Recipe, $23
Better Homes and Gardens New Plaid Cookbook, $20
Vegetarian Planet, $16
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking, $18
Intercourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook, $20

DM's Gift Guide: Graduation

1. 101 Things to do with Ramen Noodles, $10 - Is it too cliche? I just can't help it - what an awesome book for a college student! I have 101 Things to do with a Slow Cooker and I've seen Zucchini. There's also treasures like 101 Things to do with Yogurt, Mac and Cheese, a Potato, etc.

2. Going Solo in the Kitchen, $12 - Plus a cute saucepan or skillet, and they are good to go!

3. Gift cards - Bed Bath and Beyond, iTunes, bookstore

4. Swiss Tech 9-in-1 Tool with USB Flash Drive, $32-45 - Swiss Army Knife meets flash drive. Love it. Everything you need - pliers, wire cutter, wire stripper, sheet shear (uh, whatever that is), Phillips and flat screwdrivers, 1/4" rule markings and USB memory stick. Have Tool, will travel!

5. Livescribe Smartpen, $146.30 - Normally I don't spend this much on a gift but ever since I found this thing I've been kind of obsessed with it. Makes me realize how antiquated my college days are now, and makes me wonder if this actually works as awesomely as it seems. Just watch this video and join me in awe. Even if you have no interest whatsoever, watch the video - it is hilarious.

6. Computer stuff like flash drives, Hub Man, Wi-Fi HotSpot finder keychain, etc.

7. Tune Lamp, $32 - It's a lamp, it's an ipod dock, it's a desk organizer. One of the best gifts I received for my high school graduation was a desk lamp/organizer much like this (minus the dock), and I used it for all four years of college and most of grad school. This is the updated version - the perfect graduation gift for a new generation.

Disco Mom's Gift Guide

I can never remember my gift ideas for the right occasion at the right time. Father's Day, and all I can think of are baby gifts. Wedding time, and I can only think of some awesome random gadget I'm getting my brother for his birthday. Then I go to a baby shower and get all these new cool ideas.

I may have mentioned before I keep a spreadsheet of gift ideas for children at each age. Because as soon as my kids are past an age my mind goes blank and I can't for the life of me remember what a 1-year-old likes. So with each birthday I make a list of things they like at this age, so I have ideas when other birthdays and birthday parties come up. Then there's the teacher gifts each year. And the occasional relative's wedding. Birthdays and anniversaries come around EVERY YEAR, too! It's harsh.

Gifting is DEFINITELY one of my love languages. I love magazine gift guide spreads - they often pop up near Christmas and in the spring when it's graduation and wedding season. LOVE gift guides. Even though I rarely need to use the suggestions, I love having suggestions to choose from when I do need them. I'll do another post with my kids gift guide sometime, though I only have it up to 4 years old.

So for the next week, starting tomorrow, I'll post seven gift guides of seven of my current go-to's for New Grads, Newlyweds, New Babies, New House, Teachers, Women and Men. Some of them you've seen before; I'm not that creative. Read them and weigh in. 'Cause we all need help.

My Awesome House: Office

Excuse me, it's actually the office/sewing/art studio. Officially the "second master bedroom" because it has a walk-in closet (storage, laaaaah!) and private bathroom, we opted to NOT put the girls in here because it's directly above our bedroom. And with hardwood floors, you hear every little sound and we knew we'd regret it. So the girls are sharing a smaller bedroom and this corner of the house has become my haven.

First, we had to paint it. It was a light orange that I couldn't live with. Nothing a little Benjamin Moore "Patriotic White" couldn't fix. Now it's a lovely serene light blue.Next, the IKEA unit. I love these pieces from the EXPEDIT line. An afternoon of assembly, and several evenings in front of the TV putting the drawers together has given us this masterpiece:
It's a dream come true; after years of poring and drooling over organization spreads in Real Simple, I finally have all my office, sewing and arts & crafts supplies in ONE place! And sometimes I can even remember where I put everything.

Here is where the kids can play. Drawing, playdoh, and games are kept up here. Notice the area rug separates Mommy's area from the kids'. This is awesome because when I'm on the computer and the girls want to be near me they can do something this table instead of trying to climb on my lap. Not that they don't still, but there are other options to offer them now. And the window nook is the perfect size to stow the easel when it's not being used. Did you see the magnetic paint above the kids' table? It's magnetic primer. It smells foul, splatters like crazy, and it took about 5 coats to get a weak hold. Regular magnets still slid off so I got these mega strong magnets from Amazon to do the trick. It was a fun experiment but I'm not sure I'd do it again.
So now as you read, you can picture me blogging at my desk while the girls roll playdoh or play Memory in our sweet office suite in MY AWESOME HOUSE.

Welcome Phinn

Phineas Archer Younce
July 20, 3:36 am
Harrogate, England

Sure to be as cute as these guys -

Woo-hoo!

So Disco Mom, What's it Really Like Where You Live?

My Awesome House: Downstairs Paint Job

Huh. The summer seems to be getting away from me, on so many fronts. The house is just one of them. But it's a big one. And it's not just the all-consuming painting and unpacking anymore; now that we've been here about 6 weeks it's also trying to keep the monster clean, and trying to find things again once I've found a place for them. Takes all my time.

Painting the downstairs was down on the priority list, after painting several other rooms and getting some things fixed. But I spend most of my time downstairs in the kitchen/dining/living room, and the colors were getting to me. The dining room has a chair rail trim - above was crayon orange, below was tan with white frame trim. The living room was a peachy peach that was so-so in the daytime but really offensive at night with the lights on.

I had no idea what palette to choose. Warm? Cool? Blues? Golds? I'm not down with red, and I was tired of orange. My default is to lean towards earthy stuff - brown? Green? I'll spare you the tortuous play-by-play of the decision process, but after about seven or eight samples and still no progress, my sister Maren marched me over to Home Depot where she efficiently walked me through to a decision, and it was done. Here's what I did last week.

Dining Room
BEFORE (with samples)

Primed
Trim being painted

AFTER

AFTER (with furniture, with light on and off)

Big change, whaddaya think? On top is Desert Moss, bottom is Willow Herb, both Behr colors. (Two different people with good taste told me it's tacky to paint trim in a room like this a different color - the entire lower half should all be one color - so I did the frames the same as the Willow Herb wall. I left the baseboard and chair rail white because the big window frame is white; not sure if I'll leave them or paint them.) I like it; I have a thing currently for yellowy greens. But this exercise showed me how easy the dining room is to paint, so I expect I'll change it again whenever I want.

The kitchen is in the middle - didn't do anything there yet. The living room is in the back of the house, and I went with the same colors.

Living Room

BEFORE (with samples)

AFTER

Back wall behind couch is Desert Moss; other two walls are Willow Herb. The wall to the right in the above picture is a built-in bookshelf and all brick to the kitchen so there's nothing to paint there.

We're having about 100 people to a housewarming party this weekend so I wanted to get it painted before that. I think pictures on the walls, new curtains and for that matter new furniture would complete the look, but one thing at a time. For now I'm enjoying the paint.

End of School Teacher Gifts Follow-Up

Thank you for all the ideas and suggestions. This year, with the new house purchase, I was looking for something with a small price tag (the parents' group gave the teachers a large restaurant gift certificate from our fundraiser treasury.) In the end, I figured, can you ever go wrong with a book? Granted, there's always the chance they've already read it, but that has rarely happened to me, so I think it's worth the risk.

I gave each of Hazel's teachers a thank-you card, a small stack of homemade cookies, and one of my favorite books I read last year, Three Cups of Tea. It's a great way to go because there are always new books coming out and every year I'm sure to have a favorite or two, so it's never the same gift twice. By the way, I'm in a good run of books right now - it's very exciting. First, The Inimitable Jeeves. Then Guernsey, and now The Book Thief.

Very. Exciting.

My Awesome House: The Spice Drawer

So I've been working my tail off for exactly one month trying to unpack, paint, organize and set up house. We've come a long way and we are getting there. Checking one thing after another off our long, long lists. So it's time for a little flaunting, just a little.

My kitchen counters are 14 feet long. Lower cabinets, dishwasher and sink along the island counter; upper and lower cabinets, stove and refrigerator along the wall. When I saw the kitchen I knew it was bigger than my last one, so I would have no trouble fitting all my stuff. But I'd conveniently forgotten the huge rack of kitchen appliances, serving dishes, and tupperware I'd been keeping in the laundry room.

No matter, I worked and worked those first weeks, to get the kitchen put together. Each day I'm getting a little better at remembering where things go when I unload the dishwasher. I'd gotten almost everything a place by week 2, but one placement eluded me - my spices! I have a lot and they need their space. My double decker lazy susan was cracked and crippled but I would still use it if I could. Only there just wasn't an upper cabinet for them. Or a lower cabinet. Or a shelf. I'd started researching wall-mounted wire racks when I had a vision. What the heck was I keeping in that huge drawer across from the fridge?

I'd overlooked it, walked right past it, in my considerations. I opened it and found a pair of scissors and the dishwasher user manual. And a huge empty drawer.

Behold, my spice drawer:

It's a beautiful thing. I almost hate to post it because I love opening it for first-time visitors, especially family who understand the spice thing, and observing the appreciative awe, but it's a good way to start my My Awesome House series.

I also keep my rolling pin in this drawer because it's too long for any others. That leaves almost no space for new spices so I knew I would have to be prudent. Then one time my dad laid one jar on top of the others and closed the drawer. "See?" he exclaimed, "You can do a whole second layer!" Aaaaahhh.

Bake Sale Report

Hallelujah - camera cord has arrived so I can get back to blogging! It's high time for a bake sale report.

It was a grand success! A little crazy, a little stressful, but a screaming success. Friday, the day before, everybody dropped their goodies off at my house, and amongst all the boxes (we'd been in the house 6 days), a kingly mound of sweets developed on the dining table. Around 8pm my friend Lori came by and we hunkered down to a night of Diet Dr. Pepper, cellophane and ribbon. I printed off return-address size labels for each item, telling name and price, and we individually wrapped several hundred goodies in bags, plus about a dozen loaves.

The next morning I took my baskets, boxes, table cloths, aprons (I'd gone a little project-nuts one day and made iron-on "Carlin Hall" aprons for the Bake Sale workers), and lists and headed to the school. We set up a U-shape under a tent, with goodies on 2 tables, pizza on the third, and coolers of drinks and ice pops on the ground nearby. Someone dug out foamboard posters from the school attic and we hung them up - open for business!
Luckily the weather was perfect! Partly sunny, in the 80's - warm but not too hot. We ordered pizza from Domino's and sold it by the slice, made a killer profit on the water and sodas, and raked it in on the goodies. The other two workers and I were hopping the whole 3 hours of the fair, and I only ever stepped away to call for more pizza or run over to bid at the silent auction. Ed and the girls passed by once in awhile on their way to or from games, and for the occasional treat. By 4 o'clock the fair was over, everything was cleaned up, I was sweaty and had a killer headache, only realizing then that I was probably hungry and dehydrated.
Overall the fair made a record profit, about $2500, and the bake sale make about $400. I've got big plans for next year, like ordering more pizza (we kept running out) and charging more for it (at $1 a slice we only made $1 profit per pizza), rallying more help with the packaging (it took two of us almost three hours), and buying less water (I bought five cases from Costco and only used one.)

But what we really care about is what I made:

Cookies: Lime Meltaways, Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies, Molasses Gingersnaps, Peanut Butter Cookies, Mint Surprise Cookies

Bread: Chocolate Zucchini Bread, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread (from a Trader Joe's mix)

Cake: Lethal Peppermint Chocolate Cake

Visit The Virtual Goody Plate over the next week or so to get the recipes I haven't posted yet.

As a side note, the twin-sized quilt my Mom made for the silent auction brought in $150, and we're already planning for next year's. My cookie-of-the-month offering only brought in a disappointing $25 but I scored winning this awesome herb pot for my deck - chives, parsley, rosemary, basil, mint, thyme and oregano, and no work on my part!

Mom Tip: Shopping List

Kind of random but here's how I do my grocery shopping list. I keep a magnetized paper pad on the fridge and write down things as I run out or as they occur to me. Then Saturday or Sunday when I make my menu plan for the week I write down everything else I'll need.

But the list is all jumbled, not in categories - RECIPE FOR SHOPPING FAILURE!

Between scolding, wiping noses, giving snacks, and issuing nonstop threats with one or both kids at the grocery store, I'm lucky to get anything on my list, much less read through and double-check it in every aisle.

So on my computer I have an excel list divided into categories. I take my handwritten list, enter it into the computer and print it out - makes life much easier!

But since moving to Virginia, with it's overwhelming shopping choices, I shop at four or five different stores, depending on the sales, or what area I'm going to be in for other errands. And of course all stores are arranged differently, and it's hard to keep track where things are in each one. It makes me crazy to have to backtrack when I've got ticking time bombs in tow.

So for the stores I frequent the most, on the back of my list I've written down the aisle numbers and what they contain. Then I've come home and made a custom list in excel for each store, not just with categories but with aisle numbers so I can really hopefully get what I need in each aisle:


I guess it kind of sounds obsessive but grocery shopping with kids is a science and takes as much preparation as possible. And even then it can be harrowing. Since preschool has ended I've taken both girls a few times, and usually come home in a deep sweat and having forgotten several things anyway. And in a bad mood to boot. So I'm back to my NY routine, which is getting up at 6am to shop before Ed leaves for work. Even so, the shopping list thing helps a ton so I'm not searching like crazy; after all, who likes to think at 6am?

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Writing book reviews is mentally taxing, especially when one feels, as I often do, that words fail. How to perfectly capture the tone of someone else's work in your own words while also relaying just-enough-but-not-too-much plot, and, in this case, trying to convince every person I know to read it immediately? Even as I write, I waffle whether to even try, the alternative being to copy the entire back cover into this post, summary and book review quotes in full.

Ever since finishing Jeeves a month ago I've had trouble getting into a book. Tried a few but the timing just wasn't right for me and them to make it happen. One afternoon I finally sat down and gave myself 15 minutes to browse categories, lists, and reviews on Amazon to find a suitable read, one that would fit my mood just right. I wanted easy but not fluffy. I wanted deep but not depressing. I wanted humorous but substantial. Reviews of Guernsey gave me high hopes so I took the leap.

Aaaah, the leap! Could hardly put it down - I wanted to savor but couldn't help rushing through. Charming is too cliche but what says it better?

"Traditional without seeming stale, and romantic without being naive...It's tempting to throw around terms like 'gem' when reading a book like this. It's as charming and timeless as the novels for which its characters profess their love." - San Fransisco Chronicle Book Review

All I usually need are fabulous characters, gifted writing and a great ending - maddeningly hard to find altogether, so when I do I make a big deal about it.

"The characters step from the past radiant with eccentricity and kindly humor. The writing, with its delicately offbeat, self-deprecating stylishness, is exquisitely turned." - The Guardian (UK)

And ok, the obligatory summary, totally copied because it's so well put:

January 1946: Writer Juliet Ashton (love her!) receives a letter from a stranger, a founding member of the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. And so begins a remarkable tale of the island of Guernsey during the German Occupation, and of a society as extraordinary as its name.

My only sadness is there is no sequel. What on earth shall I read next? Maybe I should look into Charles Lamb...

Argh!

So while I was moving/pulling the computer across a room the other day I managed to bend my plugged-in camera cord enough to permanently incapacitate not only it but also one of my precious USB ports. So a new cord is on order but until then I'm strapped and can't upload pictures, pictures upon which most of my blog posts rely. I'm not gonna lie to you, it's annoying. I can try to start drafting but I don't like to without the pictures. Guess I'll just go hang a curtain rod or find a place for those last remaining kitchen items.

In other news, I LOVE my house. LOVE IT. The honeymoon was short, as we have quickly discovered its flaws, and the repair list grows longer, but every day I look around and love it. I expect there will be a new series on the blog - What I Love About My House or some such. May come off braggy but whatever. I think back on our history of apartments and decide I deserve to love my house and revel in it.

Disco Mom is in the House

...and I have internet, woohoo!

We are up to our chins in boxes, and the house echoes as we move around, but bit by bit, box by box, we are settling in. I could tell you the story of moving day, the details of organizing the kitchen, the way "rough" is an understatement for the girls' adjustment, or our new favorite game:
"Where Did I Put _____: (I Just Saw it a Minute Ago)."

But I'm too tired and have too much else to do right now. Like paint. And clean. And unpack. And put together. And get all the stuff for the bake sale organized. And baked. So for now a few pictures:

Living Room

Dining Room
First Batch of Chocolate Chip Cookies
(I've got my priorities straight)
And a final two words for you:DOUBLE VANITY
(I have arrived.)

Done Deal

The agent called this morning around 8 am to remind us what to bring to the closing at 4 pm - drivers licenses and a big fat certified check for the amount due. I was functioning on an adrenaline buzz all day knowing we would be homeowners by the end of it. At 2:30 we met at the house for the walk-through. At 4 we were in the signing room at the title company. By 5:10 we were on our way home, and the combined relief and disbelief sent me into an emotional crash and I almost fell asleep in the car.

But we had one more thing on the agenda. We got my mom who was watching the girls, my dad, my brother & his daughter who were in town to join us at the new house for a maiden meal: watermelon slices and Pakistani takeout from Ravi Kabob.

Just the first of many, many happy dinners to come!