tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post4437422527852416793..comments2024-03-29T02:16:01.130-05:00Comments on Blessed to Be: 7 Things I Could Use Your Help With Right Now, Part 2Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-91575539777793823532017-04-08T15:01:39.392-05:002017-04-08T15:01:39.392-05:00Hello! It's been forever...
I'm not read...Hello! It's been forever...<br /><br />I'm not reading other comments before I share my own (re: sleeping baby), but here's to throwing in my two cents again this round!<br /><br />1 - Last Man Standing, Master Chef Junior<br /><br />2 - Can't help you here! B doesn't eat much at all, nor does it include any variety other than what you previously mentioned.<br /><br />3 - I vote books are ALWAYS great gifts. And if it's not for your own kid, you can always give something like a savings bond (because what 2 year old notices the absence of a gift?). You might also consider bath toys, outdoor stuff, or perhaps some kind of experience gift (aquarium, zoo, etc). <br /><br />3 - Either way on the party gifts. Maybe call it "a potluck in (child's name) honor?" OR, (I'm sure someone else has already mentioned this) ask for donations made in his honor to your favorite charity?<br /><br />5 - We did a garden one summer, it was mildly successful and not at all the following year. I defer to others.<br /><br />6 - No Aldi here, sorry! <br /><br />7 - Hmm...A binder? Easy filing system? Rule about touching mail only once? We're pretty terrible at this so please share any great ideas you find!<br /><br />And again.......hey!!! :)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Lauren @ Here We Geauxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11969093662089695547noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-8142790075552521212017-04-05T21:26:08.326-05:002017-04-05T21:26:08.326-05:00Yup, spinach! Goes well with berries. Or one of my...Yup, spinach! Goes well with berries. Or one of my favorites- though it sounds weird (I think it was inspired by a pb&j smoothie you posted?)-- banana, red grapes, spinach, peanut butter, a splash of milk if you want, and ice. Yum!Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06914343351803930748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-51701612764365323932017-04-04T11:56:13.258-05:002017-04-04T11:56:13.258-05:00(BAH. Did my comment come through no-reply? urgh. ...(BAH. Did my comment come through no-reply? urgh. I keep changing it and it keeps not registering! Glad I came back to check.)<br /><br />1. YES. New Girl totally gets better with watching. The first season is meh, and then grows on you into Season 2. Either season 3 or 4 is really not funny whatsoever, but then they found their groove again and the latest season I've seen (5 maybe?) was making me cry tears of laughter on the couch! Win in my book. <br /><br />House of Cards is a political thriller -- kind of dark and twisted (nudity/sexuality pretty prevalent but not the worst I've seen) about the rise of a really manipulative & corrupt congressman. Eerie and pretty creepy how true-to-life it gets (they somehow predicted a bunch of actual political happenings before they happened, freaky stuff). <br /><br />3. I think the stroller/baby doll works for boys and girls but I only have girls to know from experience...so I'm not exactly sure. I know Kate like using it as a racecar too, pushing it around the house as fast as she can so that should appeal to both sexes. Hannah Gokiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00700388883523161435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-12835689148475958852017-04-03T22:32:33.676-05:002017-04-03T22:32:33.676-05:001. oh we gave up on Once Upon A Time for all the s...1. oh we gave up on Once Upon A Time for all the same reasons. But, easy mistake to make when you're tired, One Day at A Time is one of the netflix original series about a Latino family. I thought it was good though some people thought it pushed a LGTB agenda. (I feel like it wasn't bad and it was dealt with in a very Catholic way.) Other ideas: My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Gilmore Girls, Hart of Dixie, The Crown, When Calls the Heart and Last Man Standing.<br /><br />2. I hope you have been able to breathe a little more about this! It really does come in spurts. <br /><br />3. The water tables make great sensory tables too when you don't want just water. Dry pasta, beans, water beads, kinetic sand, unpopped pop corn. Endless fun! (If you bring it inside, I recommend a cheap baby pool to put the water table inside to catch spills and things that roll. Learn from my mistake!) <br /><br />7. We just have a scanner, but it really has cut down on the clutter. Madelinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17721349139975265768noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-6181857338619965682017-03-28T21:05:25.000-05:002017-03-28T21:05:25.000-05:00The system is courtesy of my dad, who used filing ...The system is courtesy of my dad, who used filing cabinets - I went with binders for my more nomadic lifestyle. Good luck getting everything organized! I know it can be a challenge at the start, but it's worth it once you have a system.cryptic_starhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13146821462742465528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-48932798832525194132017-03-28T13:41:21.405-05:002017-03-28T13:41:21.405-05:00Very boring top 3, but they're so cheap there,...Very boring top 3, but they're so cheap there, so I totally understand loving their staples. :) Yummm chocolate covered almonds! Have you tried their peanut butter cups (not during Lent, of course ;) )? AMAZENESS!<br /><br />Ok, fiiiinnne, maybe I'll try Poldark again. Maybe.<br /><br />You really should just watch Call the Midwife on your own. Like really!! Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-26976223031176831482017-03-28T13:39:00.809-05:002017-03-28T13:39:00.809-05:00Yessss! This is exactly the kind of help I need! A...Yessss! This is exactly the kind of help I need! And I'm glad you wrote this much. I neeeeeed details! I'm thinking this is the perfect system. If I could show you the hot mess of paperwork we currently have. WOOF! You'd be embarrassed for me. So to know I can condense it into two binders (possibly 3 with kid stuff) . . . this is a Godsend! Thank you so much!!Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-21123908926275182552017-03-27T04:38:47.949-05:002017-03-27T04:38:47.949-05:007. I keep two binders for all of our paper documen...7. I keep two binders for all of our paper documentation - one for medical, one for everything else. I'll probably have a binder for kid-related things too when they're older (e.g., school documentation). Each is separated by tabs, so, for example, medical has tabs for plan info, medical bills, dental bills, prescription bills, and instructions (e.g., if our doctor gives us a sheet explaining how to do X, it goes in there). My other binder keeps things like utility bills, mortgage info, banking statements (back when I didn't get them via email), and so on. Within each tab, everything is ordered chronologically; I just stick new documentation at the front of the tab. Any official documentation (e.g., birth certificates, wedding certificates, passports) is in a small envelope we keep in a safe. Any papers I get that detail appointments are immediately entered into a calendar and discarded. Any documentation I get digitally (e.g., bank statements) I just leave in my email and know they are there. There seems to be a pretty clear cut division - all my financial statements are done digitally, everything else with paper. I'll probably revise this method down the road as I foresee getting more documentation more digitally.<br /><br />I like that I can just dump everything in the hanging pocket and worry about it later. I honestly probably shred and recycle about 50% of what I put in there, but it's nice to not devote brainpower to figuring that out every time a new piece of paper enters the house.<br /><br />I've considered getting a scanner, but then I would be saving everything forever (I struggle to delete digital files), and I just don't need that, plus all the additional work of scanning things in. My dad's advice for how long to keep records is seven years for medical (I forget why - I think something to do with taxes, in case you claim exemptions?), one year for everything else unless you have a good reason (e.g., I still have my apartment lease agreements in case I need documentation of the last few places I've lived). So whenever I think about it, when I'm filing things away, I'll go through the backs of each tab really quickly to see if anything has "expired" - if so, I'll take it out, shred it, and recycle it.<br /><br />Whew! I had no idea I could write so much about two binders. ^_^cryptic_starhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13146821462742465528noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-26641155287014964312017-03-26T19:45:07.426-05:002017-03-26T19:45:07.426-05:00When I pop into Aldi for just a quickie it's f...When I pop into Aldi for just a quickie it's for milk, eggs and oats. I guess those are my top 3. (But those are kind of boring right?) I go there for wine too, and it if great fit snacks party food. Chocolate covered almonds forever and ever (but not during Lent for us;)<br /><br />I think Poldark gets better. <br /><br />I know it's a bummer :( Thankfully we can find common ground but there are certain shows I would love to watch that I never will. (Call the Midwife)<br />Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10449189050973961508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-60729057183599653702017-03-25T12:57:50.459-05:002017-03-25T12:57:50.459-05:001. So I watched the first episode of Poldark and w...1. So I watched the first episode of Poldark and was a little bored/confused. Does it get better or am I just lame? Haha. And it's a pretty big bummer that you have to compromise on shows. But on the flip side, it's also cute that you have so many shared shows!! <br /><br />2. Glad to hear he's grown out of it! I think once John Paul's older we'll try the "this is dinner, and there's nothing else" approach. Because I'm definitely not making 5 different meals every night for the rest of my life. :P <br /><br />3. Heck yes! Balance bike ftw! I just asked my parents if they would mind getting it for him for his bday. Woohoo! He has a Radio Flyer mini trike that he lovvvvves so I think a balance bike is the perfect next step. Great rec!! And it's so exciting to hear that your kiddos learned to ride bikes so easily!<br /><br />4. Ohhhh, that sounds fun! I might try that randomly during the year instead of at his bday party, but I love the idea!<br /><br />Ok, so if you had to pick your top 3 fave ALDI items, what would they be?? Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-71765736121815660312017-03-25T12:54:22.516-05:002017-03-25T12:54:22.516-05:002. I'm so glad to hear it's normal from a ...2. I'm so glad to hear it's normal from a professional. :) We will definitely keep offering! And in fact, that advice has already worked! We offered him some veggie Moroccan stew a few nights ago and he actually tried it! No coaxing, no forcing, just sat it in front of him and he eventually took a bite. And then another. And then gave up on it and just played with it all over the table. Hahaha. But progress! <br /><br />4. Yikes! I'm sad that people had that opinion. Maybe if I say something like "John Paul really has all he needs, so in lieu of gifts . . . " Perhaps that would help? We shall see!Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-66042333601466430222017-03-25T12:51:26.880-05:002017-03-25T12:51:26.880-05:002. I'm so glad you chimed in on this!! Thanks ...2. I'm so glad you chimed in on this!! Thanks for the book recommendation. :) It's just so nice to hear it's normal and that I just need to change my perspective. That's easy to do. :)<br /><br />4. You're right that it's a little selfish of us to take away the joy of gift giving from others. Eep! I know you didn't say it quite like that, but that's really what's going on here for sure. I just don't want the clutter! And in terms of toys, he really does have all that he needs right now. So I'm thinking asking for donations for a pregnancy crisis center would be great! Thanks for helping me reflect here. :)<br /><br />5. Ohhhh, thanks for the link!<br /><br />7. Ohhhh, and another good link! You rock! <3Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-13121878389022977442017-03-25T12:48:19.121-05:002017-03-25T12:48:19.121-05:001. So I watched the first episode of Poldark and w...1. So I watched the first episode of Poldark and was a little bored/confused. Does it get better or am I just lame? Haha. And I've actually watched and LOVED Parenthood! Great rec! Just forgot to add it to the list. Oops!<br /><br />3. Oh heck yes! I've seen magnetic blocks before and thought John Paul would love them! Are they good for 2-year-olds? Or maybe more like 3? They seem a little complicated but I've never actually played with them before.<br /><br />5. Hahahaha. Love your garden philosophy! Sounds just like me. :)<br /><br />6. PLEASE name your baby ALDI. Hahahaha. What are your favorite things to buy there?Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-79240712921548867642017-03-25T12:46:20.007-05:002017-03-25T12:46:20.007-05:001. YES! Totally seen Parenthood and lovvvved it! O...1. YES! Totally seen Parenthood and lovvvved it! Oh man, I totally sobbed at the end. Amazing! I'm also watching Once Upon a Time, but I'm quickly losing interest. I feel like they're just recycling story lines with new characters now and it's getting overly dramatic and boring at the same time. Ugh. Are you still watching? It was so clever in the beginning, but now . . . not so much.<br /><br />2. Thanks for giving me permission to not stress about it. It's good to hear that that's your approach because it makes me feel better. :) And yeah, the real issue is that if I just say "eat what we're eating or starve" then it messes with his naps/sleep and I'm just not willing to make that sacrifice at this age. Ha!<br /><br />3. YES! Oh I really love the idea of a water table!! And the other suggestions too! :) <br /><br />4. I'm laughing at "Anyone emotionally stable will be able to handle it." Gotta love it! But seriously, I think I'm leaning toward the donation thing.<br /><br />7. Great idea! Do you have a scanner or just use an app? Any scanning suggestions? Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-26118007625977284812017-03-25T12:42:12.944-05:002017-03-25T12:42:12.944-05:001. You know, now that you mentioned formed.org . ....1. You know, now that you mentioned formed.org . . . our Church as a subscription so we can get it for free! I'll have to check it out. :)<br /><br />2. GENIUS!!! Love the idea of roasting veggies. Oh and dipping too! If only I could convince him that the ketchup on his try isn't *just* for running his fingers through and eating straight off his hands. Hahaha<br /><br />4. I wonder if a simple "no gifts please" will work this year. It definitely didn't work last year, but we'll have different guests this time. Hmmmm. Definitely leaning toward the donation thing though.<br /><br />5. Great recommendations! I'm definitely thinking tomatoes and probably peppers and basil. :) But now you have me thinking about salad greens too! I don't think beets, zucchini, or cucumbers would get used up fast enough around here, so we'll probably pass for now and just let the grocery store do the growing of those for us. :P Btw, I'm salivating over the thought of fresh tomato sauce!! And salsa!!!<br /><br />6. I'm sorry you don't have any. Mega bummer! Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-6516118107700865412017-03-25T12:38:36.492-05:002017-03-25T12:38:36.492-05:001. I've tried to get into New Girl. Does it ge...1. I've tried to get into New Girl. Does it get better as it goes? Totally seen Parenthood and The Crown. Duh! Should have added them to the list. Both AMAZING. I'm adding House of Cards and LOST and West Wing to the list now! Quick though, what's House of Cards about? I'm clueless!<br /><br />2. Glad to hear it's normal! Roasting veggies is a genius idea!! I didn't think of it til you mentioned it, but John Paul has totally eaten roasted brussels sprouts and baked kale before!! I didn't realize the link was that I had roasted and salted them!! GENIUS!<br /><br />3. Oooohhhh, toy stroller and baby doll! Super cute! Do you think that's more of a girl thing? We have sooo many sets of blocks and he LOVES them! Great suggestion! And play tool set . . . he's just started being interested in Daddy's tools, so it may be time to get him his own. :) <br /><br />5. Great suggestions! I think we're going to do tomatoes, peppers, and basil. I didn't know to plant them with space between them so thanks for the tip!! Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-10171322106049815062017-03-25T12:34:40.260-05:002017-03-25T12:34:40.260-05:002. YES! He loves smoothies. Genius idea! What woul...2. YES! He loves smoothies. Genius idea! What would you recommend putting in there? I'm thinking spinach.<br /><br />3. Great suggestions! We actually have several of those already, so you're totally thinking like a toddler here. ;) <br /><br />4. I LOVVVVVE books, but we already have so many because ... I love books. Haha. I'm worried we'll get duplicates at this point. Which would not be the end of the world at all, but again . . . just more stuff we don't need.<br /><br />5. I hope so too!! I bet you're ready to just settle somewhere for good!Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-25410286047959539572017-03-25T12:32:37.220-05:002017-03-25T12:32:37.220-05:00You know, Catholic Charities *just* opened a pregn...You know, Catholic Charities *just* opened a pregnancy resource center in our area!! That may be exactly where our gifts will go! :) Thanks for the inspiration! And you're absolutely right that John Paul will get an awesome learning experience out of it. I think this is a tradition I'd like to continue through the years. Because it's not like he'll get *no* gifts. There are plenty of family members who'll be happy to get him stuff. I just don't need all the kiddies attending his party to each bring a gift too. It's just overkill, ya know? Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-71357212211283475242017-03-25T12:30:42.228-05:002017-03-25T12:30:42.228-05:00Great suggestion! Glad to hear it somewhat worked....Great suggestion! Glad to hear it somewhat worked. :) Hmmmm. Gotta think of a charity we'd like to send donations to . . . <br /><br />Yay for fellow lovers of ALDIs! <3Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-10957716848770015802017-03-25T12:29:46.779-05:002017-03-25T12:29:46.779-05:00I'm really really loving the idea of asking fo...I'm really really loving the idea of asking for donation gifts! I'm a little worried that it may offend folks or they may think I'm a mean mommy for denying John Paul gifts. But he'll actually still be getting some gifts from family members. I just don't need all the kiddos attending to also get him gifts, ya know? <br /><br />With paperwork, what are the few things that you do keep? I think it'll inspire me to hear what types of things are *really* necessary and what other stuff is ditchable. I wonder if we should get a scanner to help eliminate all the paper waste that we just don't feel comfortable getting rid of all together. Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-64779150957582854032017-03-25T12:26:32.389-05:002017-03-25T12:26:32.389-05:005. Ok, I can totally handle this! I'm thinking...5. Ok, I can totally handle this! I'm thinking tomatoes for sure! And pole green beans too! Not sure that we have the space for a teepee though. I'm actually thinking of buying a 4' x 4' raised garden bed from ALDIs next week! I saw that they'll have them in store. And other gardening tools. ALDIs is seriously the coolest. :) <br /><br />6. Oops, already doted on ALDIs while talking about gardens, but heck yes!! Best grocery store ever. I love the cheese too!! Is there a specific one you'd recommend? I recently had their Irish cheese and it was so scrumptious! Their cranberry cheddar cheese is awesome too. I agree with you that the veggies are usually iffy. I'll sometimes get it if I'm in a pinch. Same with the fruit. It's tricky because the deals are so hard to pass up! But if I'm gonna get low quality fruit/veggies for the low price, it's just not worth it. I'm cool with the grass fed beef though. And ours just recently started carrying organic eggs!! Glad to have a fellow ALDIs lover out there. :) Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-75467681659109975132017-03-25T12:22:21.060-05:002017-03-25T12:22:21.060-05:001. Scrubs and 30 Rock! Yes! Never seen either but ...1. Scrubs and 30 Rock! Yes! Never seen either but I've seen clips from each and they always make me giggle. :) Good recs! I've actually seen Kimmy Schmidt and totally should have added it to the list. Bahahaha. So hilarious!! Titus Andromadon is a hot mess. :P<br /><br />4. Totally gonna dive into those articles in a few minutes. Thanks for the ideas! Now to figure out the best approach because there have been so many good recs on the "no gifts" dilemma!<br /><br />7. Love this idea. But serious question -- where does all the paperwork go once you've sorted it? Tell me more about your overall filing system!Stephanie @ Blessed to Behttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15432625948200484509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-42493376149434635832017-03-22T14:44:37.300-05:002017-03-22T14:44:37.300-05:001. Poldark. And another recommendation for Formed ...<br />1. Poldark. And another recommendation for Formed (you will fall asleep it you watch it nursing though).I only watch shows with my husband, which means everything is a compromise and not much is like what you have listed there (The Americans, The Man in the High Castle, Walking Dead.). Sorry though, I kind of wish it were different but it's good. Those look like such good shows.<br /><br />2. My oldest was so super picky at first but he has largely grown out of it. We just kept offering. And once he was several years older we started saying, "this is dinner, and there's nothing else." And eventually he got better. He still won't eat cheese though (weird?). I just kept things separate for a long time. I would make black beans and rice for example, he would eat the rice, never the beans but at least he got something and I wasn't cooking two meals.<br /><br />3.Balance bike hands down. You will not regret it. They are, in my experience, super difficult to find used but they are well worth the investment buying new. And you have other kids to pass it down to. My younger kids learned to ride their two wheelers at 4 years old, as soon as they were big enough to reach the pedals, after very little effort (my oldest was almost 6 before he learned, and it took him a lot of practice). And now that my current 3 year old is using it he can keep up with the big kids on short bike rides, which with training wheels would not be possible.<br /><br />4. Puzzle swap. We ask that guests not bring gifts, but instead invite you to bring a gently used puzzle for a puzzle swap. Every guest goes home with a new puzzle, but no one needs to buy anything, or make room for anything new. It's just replacing. It's a hit with my kids anyway. Old puzzles are boring, but NEW puzzles-so much love.<br /><br />As for the rest I can't help you. We live near forest and the dirt it terrible for gardening, the animals eat everything, and it's discouraging. Good luck though. I love Aldi for everything, not that helpful right? Especially dry grocery, but I almost always go somewhere else for produce. Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10449189050973961508noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-17073883105780105912017-03-19T15:15:51.191-05:002017-03-19T15:15:51.191-05:002. As a Registered Dietitian, it is normal to be p...2. As a Registered Dietitian, it is normal to be picky. Keep offering the veggies. Be persistent in offering the variety and he will come around eventually.<br /><br />4. We always request no presents for our son's birthday parties. Just be prepared to graciously accept the gifts that people will bring anyway. Even if you ask for gifts for charity, be prepared for some people to be upset and think you are denying your child gifts. I was amazed at how many people thought I was denying my child presents when it was his idea, at the age of 5, to give to a needy child!Kellyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11416963474698956624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4753193842106749410.post-74790727052567916632017-03-18T09:45:01.121-05:002017-03-18T09:45:01.121-05:00Hi Steph! Wow, this post is chock full of burning...Hi Steph! Wow, this post is chock full of burning questions! ;) I've got some thoughts on several:<br /><br />2. As a dietitian I can tell you that What JP is going through is completely normal and to be expected (although it usually drives parents crazy!). I would highly recommend a book by my friend and dietitian-colleague Jill Castle called "Fearless Feeding". Here is the link: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-111830859X,descCd-buy.html.<br /><br />4. Asking people to not bring gifts to a party is always so tough because inevitably someone WILL bring a gift. And, honestly, I would think about the true meaning of "gift"...it's something that someone wanted to give you. So should you really not give them the satisfaction of giving something to you when they feel compelled to give? Of course the flipside of that is that then you're faced with the possibility of things you don't need that just create clutter. I have heard of people asking guests that in lieu of gifts they make a donation to a favorite charity. Or, have them bring gifts that will be donated to a local shelter or daycare, etc.<br /><br />5. Check out https://www.growveg.com/<br /><br />7. Look up the "tickler file" concept. It has helped us, but we are still getting in the habit of using it properly! :) Here is more info: http://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/tickler-file.html StephMhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03534370948619486136noreply@blogger.com