Not a hotel...it seems for us that a rental home/condo/townhouse is really the best way to travel with an infant or child. Last Christmas we rented a townhouse in Irvine that was pretty good; central to all our relatives, actually fit almost 30 people for an informal gathering of family, and was relatively close to shopping, park, and the freeway. I'm hoping we can stay with family to save money but with lots of busy schedules and coordinating, this may prove more difficult.

Vacation Rentals SFGate.com

Who would have thought a female race car driving could be so involved in making her sport more "green." Leilani Munter definitely has the brains, beauty and confidence to pull off bringing this awareness. Good on her! I'm also glad to see more women involved in this male dominated sport.

J had a great time recently trying to research the possible options for replacing our dead microwave. So much for making huge batches for dinner to last 2 nights, now I have to cook daily and B pretty much eats everything room temp. I'm glad she's not so picky.

First we discovered it was from 1989 and I'm not surprised it looked really old skool. Also since it's inset in the wall we had to get a trim kit which actually doubles the price of getting a microwave. Oh and somehow all the models that would actually fit in the hole in the wall were all backordered by over a week. What a challenging week on top of planning for B's birthday.

Staring into the kitchen, we have a big hole and the kitchen really looks dingy. Now I'm trying to convince J to remodel. Yeah right in this economy :)

While as a SAHM I've made the decision to give my full time to B. There are of course compromises. For instance, we really need to be more mindful of our budget. I've had to let go of a housekeeper and J brings lunch to work most days(it's actually better since his options for buying lunch are really slim). However reading this article about sharing responsibilities at home and the kids made me realize how lucky I am that J really does help me out. He gives me an extra hour or 2 in the morning and gets home most days in time to help get B ready for bed. It's been almost a year since B entered our lives and it's been quite an adventure for both us.

When Mom and Dad Share It All, NY Times Magazine June 15, 2008

Great links to many articles about simplifying your life.

30 aritlces that will help you simplify your life

I've linked it here to remind myself every so often to reduce, reuse, and recycle. We've been practicing many of these suggestions for many years now.

Banana Cake

Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting

Interesting article through Yahoo Finance on how to cope with your college savings investments.

College Savers Stuck in Stockas as Market Falls

Ok, so I would have posted this under Baby Products but this article totally encapsulates my issues with a minivan. I drove the same wannabee extended stationwagon with the fake wood paneling in high school. But was great toting lots of folks to the beach. Right now I think I want one, but perhaps will consider when the prices are lower.

Oh Sweet Minivan O Mine"

SafetyTats

Let's parents put their contact info on a temporary tat in case the kid gets lost or if they have food allergies or medical conditions. Knowing how Brooklyn likes a fun adventure of wandering around, I can only imagine how I would lose sight of her easily.

When we go back to Vancouver I hope we can visit Assembly of Text. I love their products and gets the organizer/librarian/bibliophile in me just so excited...and on top of that they have cute baby/kid stuff.

This is an old article from NYT Magazine regarding "off-ramping" from one's career. Specifically women taking some time to stay at home with their children. It's definitely a topic that still lingers in the back of my mind, however I'm definitely itching to do some consulting again.

The Opt-Out Revolution by Lisa Belkin(Oct 26, 2003)

WSJ did a review of various children booster seats. Some of their conclusions include a list of good and bad as well as what to consider for your child and the type of car you have. One thought to consider is that price doesn't always mean better for your child.

Shampoo Product Guide

Great overview of the chemicals to avoid in shampoo including a listing of some popular products. I highly recommend checking out Cosmetics Database.org created by the Environmental Working Group.

We've been using California Baby unscented & lavender for B. J and I use Dr. Brommer's castille soap(in peppermint as well as unscented baby mild) for both shampoo/body wash. One less bottle consumed. We also fill up the handwash dispenser with this soap as well as use it for the kitchen as dishwashing liquid. Such a versatile soap.