Best Price Toys are known for their quality. I saw this tent on their site and thought of Baby J. When our son was young, he had a little tent that he loved to play inside of with his toys, and so I know Baby J would have so much fun when he’s a little older playing inside of this tent just like his uncle. He would probably have it full of toys and be right in the middle of them!

They also have swing sets that are safe, tough and durable. The KETTLER® Swing set is known for its uncompromising safety by the leading German Testing Institute. That means a lot to parents! I can just imagaine Baby J in just a few years swinging and saying, “Push me higher!”

The Party Starts Here! has so many cute birthday invitations for all ages, but I tend to look at the kid’s party invitations. They have so many to choose from that it would be easy for someone to find invitations to match their theme. I also tend to look at little boy’s items now that we have a grandson who is nine months old. I know “C” and our s-i-l will plan a cute party for his first birthday!

How many of you have video games at your house? We certainly do! We’ve had several game systems for the kids through the years. We started off years ago with Super Nintendo, then Nintendo 64, then GameCube and Game Boy, Nintendo DS, and then the Nintendo Wii. As a teacher, I think there are some great games out there for kids that are good for eye/hand coordination, problem solving, memory, and other skills. Some games we have that I think are excellent include Tetris, Big Brain Academy, and Animal Crossing. They’re not only fun for kids, they’re fun and mind sharpening for adults as well! What are some other good games?

Mega Brands has recalled around 2.4 million Chinese-made toys.  They are recalling 1.1 million Magtastik and Magnetix Jr. preschool toys and around 1.3 million MagnaMan magnetic action figures. Some of the stores where the toys were sold are Wal-Mart, Target, Toys “R” Us and Kmart between January 2005 and December 2007.  Tiny magnets could fall out and be swallowed by children and possibly kill them.  For details on how to return the toys and receive a free replacement, call 800-779-7122. Information is also available at http://www.megabrands.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.

If you live in Charter’s serviceable area, here’s a chance to register and win a Nintendo® Wii. The neat thing is that this game system is fun for all ages, young children through grandparents. We have one, and it is an awesome game system. Of all the systems we’ve had through the years, this is our favorite. The game is displayed on TV so that everyone in the room can see what’s going on. There are interactive sports games that come with it that are a lot of fun. The bowling, for instance, feels almost like real bowling, only with an imaginary ball. There are so many neat games that you can buy, one of my favorite being Big Brain Academy which is an educational game that exercises the brain, yet seems like a really fun game. Now, have I sold you on it if you don’t have one?

Click Here for a Chance to Win a Nintendo® Wii™! The winner will receive the Nintendo® Wii Console and Stand, five Sports games, two controllers (a Remote Controller and a Nunchuk Controller), a Sensor bar, an AC Adapter, and an AV Cable. That’s everything needed to play!

Not only can registrants have a chance to win a Nintendo® Wii, but there’s also an auction where they can bid on Charter High-Speed Internet for life. The bidding starts at $10, and the only requirements are that the registrant lives in an area serviceable by Charter and can receive Charter High-Speed Internet service. So register now to win a great game system that provides many hours of great family and friend time.

When our daughter was growing up, she was in Girl Scouts. One snack she learned to make was called “Ants on a Log,” not too appetizing of a name. But in actuality, it was and still is a very tasty snack, one that we have continued making through the years. I remember when she’d be home from college during the summer, I’d make a big plate full of these for both of us to snack on, and they’d be gone within ten minutes or so. The neat thing about this snack is that all the ingredients are healthy, and it’s satisfying because of the fiber and protein in it:

• prepare celery in varying lengths, 2-4 inches long
• spread with reduced fat peanut butter
• top with “ants” (raisins - considered to be a “super food”)

This is also a great snack when trying to lose weight.  It’s a healthy snack for kids and everybody, and in case your kids don’t like ants, you can call it something different.

After watching a video about the safety of fluoride in our water by Dr. Bill Osmunson, I decided to sign the petition for Congress to have hearings about fluoridation.  It’s especially dangerous for babies.  (I’m glad Baby J’s bottles are made with bottled spring water.)  According to the CDC, one third of children are showing signs of too much fluoride on their teeth.  And if you look on toothpaste tubes, if someone swallows toothpaste, they are to call the Poison Control Center because the fluroide is not safe.   There is as much fluoride in a pea size measure of toothpaste as there is in an 8 ounce glass of tap water.  That doesn’t sound good to me.  Dr. Osmunson urges everyone to check out both sides of the issue for themselves and sign the petition for hearings on fluoride safety.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=_Ys9q1cvKGk

Everybody needs it, everybody wants it whether they realize it or not, and it’s the kind of love that lasts…unconditional love. It’s the kind of love that says, “I love you no matter what.” This kind of love is crucial for a marriage. Marriage is not always easy, but it’s definitely worth the effort put into it. As parents, we must have that unconditional love for our kids, especially during the teenage years when peer pressure is so intense and maybe on some days self-esteem is low. If a teenager knows that mom and dad will always be there and value them, always love them even though they don’t like their action sometimes, then that gives a sense of stability. And unconditional love gives just that…a sense of stability…no matter what happens!

If you’re looking for something unique and trendy for baby gifts,then check out Polkadot Patch Baby Boutique. They have fun and funky styles as well as colorful designer styles that are unique. If you’re looking for something with that handmade look, they have unusual handcrafted gifts as well. And they offer the largest selection of colorful unisex baby clothes online which is great if you need a gift and don’t know if the baby is going to be a girl or boy.

I love homemade soup, especially during the winter. Elizabeth at Table4five.com also writes for the Precious Moments site and has a great soup recipe. It sounds so delicious and is called Lemony Turkey Rice Soup. Click here to see the recipe. To see other good recipes and kid-friendly ideas, just go to PreciousMoms.com and click on “Mom-to-Mom” and then go to “Mom Cooks.”