4 Family Dinners For $10 or Less | Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog

4 Family Dinners For $10 or Less | Healthy Eats – Food Network Healthy Living Blog

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

If you have kids 5 and under or know someone who does, this is a great program for every child! The Imagination Library joins forces with local agencies to sponsor this literacy program that strives to get books into the lives of children under 5. A free book is sent out every month until your child reaches their 5th birthday.

Our son received his first book last month, The Little Engine That Could, and just loves it.

Thanks Dolly!
It'sABusyLife,
Danielle

Rainy Day

It was great to have friends over last night to grill and play on the patio a gorgeous summer evening (Thanks again Monica!)...until the first signs of rain cut our outdoor fun a little short. It rained steadily here in New York all night, all day and is expected through tomorrow. Days like this make me sleepy...but not my toddler! He's raring to go as I'm reaching for another cup of joe!

I ain't gonna lie...there was some television viewing while I got my bearings. After that, a trip outside to the sand table in the rain was a nice change of pace, then a trip with Daddy to the Museum of Natural History to visit the dinosaurs filled the rest of the morning. TimeOutKids has more great rainy day ideas in NYC. Here are some great lists of Rainy Day Activities from Family Fitness and Rainy Days with Toddlers from Toddler Toddler.

Now {yawn} off to nap with the rest of the house.
It'sABusyLife,
Danielle

Back to School Shopping

Oh Darn it - I missed the folders for a penny sale at Staples for a second year!! Grrrr...This is the time of year when I've finally slipped into summer mode, and now have to start thinking about school again already? *sigh*

Well, just because I missed some of it, doesn't mean you have to. Below are some of my favorite back to school coupons and sales so your little (and not so little) ones can start the year right and your wallet won't be completely wiped out in the process:

• Back-to-School Shopping Tips - A good short video on why it will cost more this year
• Staples - Missed the penny folders, but this week's composition notebooks for $0.10 and spiral notebooks for $1.00 not too bad a deal either.
• Walmart - Has a good selection of sales and discounts for the season
• Upromise - Save extra money for college while taking advantage of sales and deals. I cannot say enough good things about this program that has added thousands of dollars to my kids college funds just because we clicked through on these links
• About.com's Back to School Guide is a great collection of their guide network's resources
• Retail Me Not - Promotion codes for your favorite shopping sites. I check here nearly every time I'm making an online purchase

Now, off to the races!

It'sABusyLife,
Danielle

Nightmare Train in Crazytown

My 2.5yr old's favorite movie right now is The Little Engine That Could (2011), affectionately called "I think I can," which is just adorable when he asks to watch it, "want I think I can on TV Mama!" In the story, adapted from the classic book The Little Engine That Could, There's a big train that appears to want to help the little blue engine, but turns into the big scary nightmare train. I feel like that's been the markets recently.

The downslide in global financial markets had been a teeth-grinding, wild and crazy ride to witness and difficult to navigate, even for those of us working in the financial sector. "Crazytown USA" said a wise observer I know.

For those of you considering changes to your personal accounts, 401k, IRAs and 529s, please be especially cautious of doing so at times like this. Market timing is difficult for professionals and non-professionals alike and moving out of risk assets (stocks) at the bottom = locking in losses while moving into safe havens (bonds, gold) at the top is no better.

Below are a few articles on the subject of personal finance:

• Timing the Market Risky for the Average Joe *may require subscription
• After the Downgrade: 10 Steps to Protect Your Retirement
• Bargain Hunters Beware *may require subscription
• Buy Stocks, Sell Bonds

**please note these are resources and do not constitute investment advice

Be careful out there!
It'sABusyLife,
Danielle

Thomas the Tank Engine Cake Tutorial

Am I crazy for thinking I might want to attempt this for my son's 3rd birthday? Am I crazy for thinking of this five months out?

Thomas the Tank Engine Cake Tutorial

Heat warning

My office is in midtown Manhattan, with a view north right behind my desk. One of the prominent buildings in that view is the former New York Magazine building, now owned by Burberry whose name adorns the top prominently over the time and temperature. In the midst of our winter-like spring a few months back, my colleagues and I were amused by a fluke in the temperature gauge that sent the reading to 139 degrees amidst the fog and chilly rain of March.

Today's reading of 102 at 9:00am however, is no fluke. It's a heat wave, one I am happily escaping (somewhat) by leaving to visit family and friends in the cooler upstate New York.

With only 57 days of 100+ heat since 1870 in Central Park and none from 2002 through June 2010...I urge everyone to be cautious, courteous and judicious in these extremes.

Below are a few important reads that can help you and your family stay safe and cool:

• Heat-related illness in children from Yes Five
• 6 Tips to Keep Your Child Cool in the Car
• Heat Wave precauttions from the Red Cross
• Emergency Preparedness from the CDC
• 23 Ways to Beat the Heat from Real Simple
• NYC's official Beat the Heat Guide
• TimeOut Kids Beat the Heat Guide

Well, time to get the heck out of this hot, hot city!
It'sABusyLife,
Danielle