Category Archives: Family matters

In which we discuss matters of the family.

Toddlercising works for me

I always have grand plans to get up and go to the gym before Rockford leaves for work in the morning. I’ll give you one guess as to how that’s been going.

Works for Me WednesdayOn those days when I don’t actually get to the gym (and by “those days” I mean “everyday”), I turn to toddlercising. Poppy loves to lead exercises, and she’s a pretty strict taskmaster. We do jumping jacks and sit-ups, and we march around the coffee table with our knees as high as we can get them. She’s also a big fan of the “crash game,” where I lay on my back and lift her into the air with my feet on her tummy and she counts to 20. And then she crashes down on me. I used to play it with my dad as “Airplane” when I was her age, but I guess we’re running a more dangerous household than the one in which I grew up.

It isn’t quite the workout I’d get if I went to the gym, but it’s better than nothing, right? At the very least, I’m not gaining any weight. So toddlercising. It works for me.

Toddler dreams

“Get into bed with Mommy?” Poppy asks when I go in to wake her. She requests this most mornings.

I crawl into bed next to her and ask her the usual. “How did you sleep? Did you have sweet dreams?”

She giggles. Then she says:

Did you see that silly Baby Bear? Baby Bear was flying! He was flying to Bert. Bert was so close! That silly Baby Bear was upside-down and down.

Works for Me: The shopping edition

Works for Me Wednesday

We’re sharing our favorite online shopping haunts this week at Works for Me Wednesday. I did most of my Christmas shopping online this year, because I was too pregnant and tired to brave the crowds in “real life.” Most of the year, though, I try to limit my online shopping. I find I spend less if I have to drag myself to the store rather than just sit down at the computer and click.

I do, however, like to take advantage of a great deal. And there are a lot of them to be had online. Here are a few sites I read regularly to keep up-to-date on available online deals:

  • Baby Cheapskate is a great resource for parents. Angie regularly posts where diapers and formula can be found at the lowest prices, and she keeps an eye on clothing and other kid-related products, too.
  • Mir at Want Not lets me know about all sorts of free sample deals. She also highlights great finds in the Amazon Friday Sale each week.

    When I do shop online, I never, never place an order without first searching for a coupon code. Sites such as Coupon Cabin and Retail Me Not are great resources for free shipping or percentages off.