What's the best part of raising a family in NorCal?
I love the fact that there's so much to do in just 1-3 hour radius! From young child to young adult, there are plenty of activities and rich cultures to benefit from. With sunshine the majority of the year, plenty of fun and smiles are constantly going around.
What's the biggest misconception about living in NorCal?
We do NOT always have earthquakes and, due to distance, Northern California and Southern are two completely different places. Oh, some also fail to realize that there's SO much more to NorCal than just San Francisco.
What do your kids love most about living in NorCal?
My daughter has so many options for homeschool. Plus, the options for staycations and field trips are amazing.
Cookies & Clogs is about family and how, despite differences, we're so much better together. This Taco Pie is a fun depiction of that. Dutch eat chees ... More Details »
I have never thought spanking was unacceptable when administered properly. For some children, this is an important tool in their upbringing but it should never be done in anger. Also, one whack on the bootie and a discussion of why it was done can be very effective. Used in such a way it is not abuse or scarring them for life. There is a clear distinction between spanking and hitting your child. Disciplining them shows we are truly concerned for them and love them and should be used as such.
Plastic boxes are your friends. Label, sort, and stack to avoid clutter, piles, and just not being able to find things. Hmm, I guess I should follow my own advice too :)
Macy's has the best fru-fru dresses hands down! Just make sure to catch them on sale as the regular MSRP is usually pretty high. They have awesome sales bringing prices down some 60% or more. We've gotten several at only $20-$30! Plus, they are very good quality and far outlive the time your child can fit them (great for passing them down or re-selling). Did I mention I even bought my own wedding dress once upon a time at Macy's?
How do you keep stuffed animals under control? Do you corall them in a net, arrange them on shelves, periodically get rid of the unloved ones? Please include a picture of your solution.
We would store the less played with ones in the closet, after a few months we'd rotate them so they all seemed new. We are also careful about getting new ones, perhaps only on special occasions or as a vacation souvenir. Oh, one of the most important this is that we limit how many toys can be out...the rest have to find a home in a closet, drawer, etc.
Spring marks time when my favorite tulips are in full bloom. Only about 10 minutes away from us is a historic house with manicured gardens - BEAUTIFUL! For the past couple of years we've been visiting each spring and we each take boatloads of photos. I hope to continue that tradition for another year.
http://www.cookiesandclogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/filoliapril5.jpg
The easiest way for me, especially as a new mom, was to buy a pre-made baby book. The one I got by C.R. Gibson had page protectors and areas to add in my own pictures, baby shower invitations, guest lists, sonograms photos, newspaper articles, etc. It doubled as a scrapbook. I also kept a current list (as a Word document) and simply printed it out to include in the book.
