Target's new brand, Up & Up, has been coming out with some terrific products. Among them are a new brand of baby wipes that are soft to the skin and come in several varieties. My daughter has sensitive skin, and other products can contribute to diaper rash or make her break out. I always try to stay away from any products with fragrance added. Sometimes even then they are too harsh for ...

Trader Joe's has done it again. This adorable little plastic bear holds a children's chewable multi-vitamin. Yes, they are for kids. However they are just fine for adults too. One dose is two vitamins. They taste kind of chalky-fruity, like you expect from a chewable vitamin, although they don't have that overwhelming orange Vitamin C taste you sometimes find. They are in the shape ...

My husband and I like to rent snowmobiles sometimes in the winter for some cold weather fun. I used to just use the helmets provided, but when I saw this pink one I was hooked. I like the idea of having my own helmet for a number of reasons. For one thing it makes me feel like a much more experienced snow bunny than I actually am. Also I like that I'm not wearing a helmet that hundreds of p...

Target has recently changed its store brand name to Up & Up. We shop at Target several times a week, and we use the Target brand all the time. Their baby wipes are cheaper than brand name wipes, but they are exactly the same thing. They also come in sensitive varieties as well as in a couple of different scents. I don't know why anyone would buy expensive baby wipes. I've never...

The Kenmore refrigerator in the house where I grew up lasted 20 years. That's why when I was buying a refrigerator for my own first home, I headed to Sears to pick up a Kenmore. Things have changed. The refrigerator we bought was a side-by-side model in white with a freezer on the left and a fridge on the right. The warranty lasted a year. We hoped we'd have this fridge much, much longe...

I am painting my porch this weekend. My dad told me that Behr paint is the best. I don't usually go to Home Depot, and I wouldn't normally buy a more expensive brand of paint. (My thinking would be paint is paint). I'm glad I listened to my dad! I got two colors. One is Swan Wing (W-F-400). It's a bright but creamy white color. It's very pretty, reminds me of cake icing. The...

Because of an injury a few years ago, my husband now has to live with low vision. He has always enjoyed watching football and hockey on TV but was finding it hard to see all the action. His mother and I decided to get together and buy a big TV for the bedroom so that he could watch his sports. We aren't the people who run out and buy the new products immediately. We have TVs in our home, bu...

There have been thousands of pictures taken of my daughter in her short life. More than a few of those were professional portraits. I have tried the expensive places that claim to be so fabulous. They are okay. But nothing beats good old JC Penney Portrait Studio at the mall. There is where I've learned to turn to again and again for beautiful portraits of my daughter. The studio near our h...

This frame by Hallmark is the most precious I've seen. It's ivory with an ivory bow on top and holds a 4x6 frame. It says "all of God's grace in one sweet little face"The style and color would allow this to fit right in with any decor. I have a sepia photograph of my daughter in mine, but you could use black and white photography or color as well. Grouped with other white ...

My poor baby has had a terrible time with teething. She's just one of those kids that has a hard time cutting teeth. I have known children who cut teeth with no problem at all, and I have known children who just fuss and drool a little. My daughter actually screams in pain the night before a tooth pops out. It's so sad. She's on molars now, and it's just been awful. One thi...

Hershey Pennsylvania is an excellent destination for families any time of year, but it is especially magical at Christmas. We took our daughter, who was an infant, and our favorite 9 & 5 year olds. This time of year the theme park is alive with lights and fun. Not all the rides are open in the winter, but plenty of them are. Almost all the rides for kids were open and that's what we wer...

Sometimes, especially in the summer months, I just don't feel like dealing with my hair. This is a product I tend to turn to on those days. I put some in my hair and do some scrunching, and it finds those hidden curls in my normally straight hair. I have rather thin hair that responds well to curlers and other styling aids. It is mostly straight, but gets some natural curl to it when the hu...

I was recently chosen to be a bridesmaid in my college friend's wedding. To be honest, I was hoping not to be asked. Being a bridesmaid can be such a time-consuming, expensive, thankless job. It's something I really only want to do for my closest friends. Usually you end up spending hundreds of dollars on an ugly dress you will never wear again. So imagine my joy and surprise when ...

 Cabbage Patch dolls are back, and in general that is a good thing. These oddly cute dolls are something that many women remember fondly from childhood. The newborn dolls are smaller than traditional dolls and made to look like babies. They come in a variety of skin tones and hair colors, and they are a great size for tiny hands. The problem I have with these dolls is that they all seem wh...

The Step2 Water Wheel play table is a fun toy for warm weather activity. Toddlers and preschoolers can splash and play in the water table. The toy comes with a couple of boats, but you could add almost any bathtub toy of your own. The water wheel feature is unique, and the kids really seem to love it! The toy is plastic and about as durable as you would expect. It's fairly easy to clean. Ju...

I will admit that $18 is a lot to spend on a lip gloss. That's why it took me awhile to try it. However I have several friends who swear by this stuff, so one day I decided to pick some up. Wow. This stuff is great. This is a water-based lip stain that goes on light and stays on all day. That's really hard to find. Usually products that last are thick and even uncomfortable. This feels ...

I was taken in by the Home Shopping Network. When I first saw the Tan Towels demonstrated on HSN I thought to myself - yeah, right. But that's what happens with HSN. At first you think the product is useless, but you watch those happy big-haired women for awhile and they get you! This has happened to me more times than I would like to admit. The thing that got me was the leg test. You know,...

My daughter got the Fisher-Price Bounce N Spin pony as a gift, and she has enjoyed it very much. This is a riding toy that sings songs and makes a trotting noise. It also connects to your tv, and your child can play games as he or she rides the pony! At one, my daughter has found the pony easy to get on and off of and loves to ride on the regular or non-tv setting. As she grows, this toy will g...

I love Aquaphor. It is absolutely hands-down the best product to treat diaper rash that was ever invented. My daughter came home from the hospital with terrible diaper rash. Everyone recommended a couple of other brands, but they didn't work! Her pediatrician said to use Baby Aquaphor as well as to wipe her bottom with a wet tissue instead of a wipe which can irritate a newborn's tender...

I have to admit that I am new to the world of power washing. This spring, though, I looked around outside my house and realized that there were lots of things that could use some cleaning. I went to my local home improvement store to see what I could find to do the job. What did I see? Power Washers! I have discovered something fantastic! I feel light a firefighter when I spray my deck, house a...