Double Boiler to the Rescue

Double boiler pans are great for melting chocolate and cooking delicate sauces. Unfortunately, with work and an almost 2 year old, I don't have much time to melt chocolate or cook delicate sauces. But I learned another great way you can use a double boiler...to keep mashed potatoes warm! Okay, so this would have been better to know back at Thanksgiving, but at least you will know for future reference.

One of the most difficult things to do is keep mashed potatoes warm after you have prepared them. Usually, by the time everything else you are cooking is ready, the mashed potatoes are cold. Well, not any more! Once you have mashed, mixed, and put the finishing touches on your mashed potatoes, put them in the top pan of a double boiler, put water in the bottom pan, and turn the heat on your stove to low. This will keep mashed potatoes warm without drying them out.

Shown above are two great options for double boiling. The first is from Macys (now on sale for $29.99) and the second double boiler is from Crate and Barrel ($34.95).

Have other uses for a double boiler? Have another way to keep mashed potatoes warm? Please share in the comments section!

Ice Down Your Water Bottle

Nowadays, water bottles aren't just for water. You can add Crystal Light mix or airborne to flavor your water and boost your immune system. And now you can add ice cubes to make your drink cooler...try the water bottle ice cube tray from Linens' n Things ($3.99).

This ice cube tray can also be used to make icicles for your next get-together, as mentioned in Dress Up Your Drinks - Without Having to Buy New Glasses.

Needy Meds

In a recent post, I menioned a few ways to save money on your medications. I would like to thank Rich Sagall for posting a comment to let us all know that NeedyMeds.com is out there.

I have had a chance to take a look at the Needy Meds website, and this website has comprehensive information that can help you and your family. The information can be especially helpful to your parents and grandparents. Since they may not be as savvy to the internet as you are, take a few minutes to check out NeedyMeds.com. You may be able to help your grand/parents health in ways you never imagined.

Babystyle Sale

Babystyle.com is having a great offer for free shipping on orders $25 or more. But check out it now, this offer ends soon (no specific date is indicated by Babystyle. Be sure to use the coupon code, WARMUP, to get free ground shipping.

Looking for the Perfect Spa?

An opportunity to rest, relax and recharge is what weekends are made for. But life tends to get in the way. Look no further...Spa Finder™ to the rescue. This fantastic website can help you locate spas all over the country and read important reviews that can help you choose the right spa for you. Spa Finder also shows you what services each spa provides and its price category.

Alone time with your spouse can be hard to come by, but it's well worth it. Weekend Getaways with Spa Finder can allow you an opportunity to relax and reconnect with your spouse.

If you are planning a trip with friends, Spa Finder Group Spa Specials is a great way to get the ball rolling. And if you are just looking for a good deal, Spa Specials from Spa Finder are always available.

If you love the look, smell, and feel of a spa Buy Great Spa Products and Gifts at Spa Finder. On this site, you can find great ideas to make your home your santuary.

And, of course, spa gift certificates are always a great choice for birthdays, promotions, anniversaries, and just because. With a Spa Finder gift certificate, your loved one can choose whichever spa they would like to visit. Click here to order Spa Finder Gift Certificates today!

Dress Up Your Drinks - Without Having to Buy New Glasses

Perhaps you are having a party or just a small get together. Here's a great way to sass up a drink without breaking the bank...spice up your ice! You can either use shaped ice cube trays to make your own ice shapes or use popsicle trays to make icicles. The shaped ice cubes look great in any size glass, and the icicles look best in taller glasses. You can find the trays shown above at Amazon.com ($4.95). You can find popsicle trays at major retail stores like Target, Wal-Mart, and Bed Bath and Beyond. Happy hosting!

California Baby - Protect Your Baby's Sensitive Skin

As a woman, skincare is really important. But I didn't realize how important it was until my son came along and I became practically paranoid about protecting it. So I apply the typical sunscreen and lotions to protect his skin and prevent dryness.

I have some friends that have babies with eczema that ranges from managable to downright painful. And although many baby lotions out there contend to be gentle on the skin, they can still contain chemicals that ultimately don't help the skin.

But thanks to California Baby, a chemical-free line of skincare, bath time and diaper products can help your child's sensitive skin...it works for adults, too! The California Baby line of products are organic and biodegradable, so they are great for the environment, too!

Be sure to check out the Overtired and Cranky Aromatherapy Bubble Bath ($12.50)as well as the Calendula Cream (which can be used on the body, face, diaper area, and even used to treat cradle cap; $11.50).These products not only are beneficial to you and your family, but they can also make great gifts because the packaging is so cute! The Bubble Bath Tote (above, $21.99) is a great baby shower or baby arrival gift.

For more information on these and many other products, visit http://www.californiababy.com.

Discounted Designer Bags - Too Good to Be True?

These days, handbags are just about as exciting as jewelry. But with so many internet sites claiming to have discounted, authentic handbags, it is easy to be persuaded to save some money and get the handbag of your dreams. Many of the bags are advertised for half the price, but still cost hundreds of dollars. Unfortunately, this win/win may be a lose/lose. Many of the bags are the same knock-offs being sold on New York City's infamously counterfeit Canal Street. (And on Canal Street, the bags average about $35.)

Moral of this short story, you get what you pay for. There is a reason that Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Prada bags never go on sale at Nordstorm or their own stores...because the designers don't discount their bags. To get the real thing, go to a reputable source like Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, or the designer's store. And if you are okay with a fake bag, make sure you are not paying excessive amounts.

Of course, there is always the fun option of Bag Borrow or Steal. This website allows you to borrow a bag and swap it for another when you grow tired of it.

For more information, check out Hunting for Handbags, Finding the Fakes at abcnews.com.

Chanel, Louis Vuitton, and Prada handbag photos courtesy of Bag Borrow or Steal

The "Push" Present

Some of you may have already heard the term, "push" present. However, to some it may be foreign. If you are having a baby, you need to listen up. A "push" present is exactly what it sounds like - a present for pushing your blessed child out. Not that your blessed child isn't present enough, but since you are doing all the laboring, your husband can step up and provide you with this coveted gift. What the gift is can be entirely up to you or your husband.

If you husband has not heard of this present, have girlfriends drop hints. Or if you are more straightforward, tell him you have heard of other women getting this present (if that wasn't the truth before, it is now because I have been the lucky recipient of a "push" present). To some this may sound like a ploy to get a gift out of your husband (and, oh yeah, it is!), but it is also a wonderful reminder of the wonderful day you gave birth - even if it was extremely painful and exhausting!

Photo courtesy of Tiffany.com

Turn Your Daddy-to-Be into a Diaper Dude

As a mom-to-be, or a mother already, you may notice that most attention is put on you in the pregnancy (which is fantastic if you love attention). One very important accessory a mother must choose is the baby bag, since she won't be able to leave home without it. But a great way to make a daddy-to-be feel included in all the baby fun (and to get him to change diapers once in a while) is to buy him the Diaper Dude.

The Diaper Dude is a baby bag made specifically for dads with masculine styles that make a dad proud to carry a diaper bag. I bought my husband the Diaper Dude before our son was born and he was so excited to receive something, especially since I already had my "push present." (The push present will be addressed in another posting.)

You can buy the Diaper Dude at stores such as Babystyle and Pea in the Pod or online at RedEnvelope.com. Visit diaperdude.com for more product information and store locations.

Photos courtesy of Babystyle.com and PeainthePod.com

Celebrate with Cupcakes

Baking cupcakes can be so much fun...but transporting them once frosted can be so messy...but not anymore. Thanks to Hostess with the Mostess, a cupcake carrier has been found! Crate and Barrel now carries a 24-cupcake carrier ($19.95) that allows you to bake, stack, store and carry cupcakes. For ideas on how to decorate cupcakes, check out cupcakes! by Elinor Klivans($16.95), also available at Crate and Barrel.

There are so many fun ways to decorate and display cupcakes. Here is a fun example from my son's first birthday party last year.

Happy Valentine's Day

Today is Valentine's Day, and if you are like me, you have pretty much resolved not to do anything above and beyond. (Hello, it's Wednesday, it's a school night!) But I saw a few inexpensive on Good Morning America (basically, the show I have decided to base my life off of) to romance your home. Some of the great ideas are according to our senses:

Touch: Make your own faux fur pillows by covering your own outdated throw pillows with faux fur and fabric glue. (No sewing necessary!)

Create affirmation pillows by taking silk pillows and writing words like "passion" and "romance" with a black marker.

Smell: Create your own diffuser by using a little bit of rubbing alcohol and an essential oil like lavender, vanilla, or musk; then use kabob skewers to radiate the scent throughout your home.(P.S. Vanilla is said to be the number 1 fragrance a man is drawn to!)

Sight: Create your own romantic or inspirational candle holders by taking a glass vase and write words such as "love" and "passion" in crayon.

Sound: Turn on music instead of the TV. Music is said to especially relax women.

Of course, if you prefer, you can purchase many of these items such as the diffuser at West Elm (featured above; $24.00)and the faux fur pillows at Bedbathandbeyond.com (featured above: $19.99).

To see additional ideas and details, check out Moll Anderson on Romancing your Home on the GMA website. Be sure to check out the video clip as well.

For additional design ideas, visit mollandersonhome.com.

Romance Tips for Parents

With Valentine's Day just one day away, I find it all too appropriate to share some romance tips I discovered on BabyCenter.com. I have found since being married, and especially since becoming a parent, it is hard enough to find time for yourself and sometimes even harder to find time for your spouse, and oh yeah, romance.

Some of the romance tips include:

• Flirting and cyber-flirting
• Playing hookie for nookie
• At-home dating, and
• Taking advantage of the shower

For more on these tips and others, check out Parents Say: Keeping Romance Alive After Kids Arrive.

I also heard a few good tips to enhance romance on Good Morning America:

• Massage
• Leave love notes
• Schedule time together

The ideas are simple, and yet, so frequently we just don't take the time to put the ideas into action. For video and more details, check out Time Troubles: the Romance Brigade to the Rescue.

FYI: If you want additional romance tips, go to a search engine like Google and type in "romance tips." There are hundreds of tips and ideas!

Photo courtesy of BabyCenter.com

Win a trip to a Spa for You and Your Baby

So, if you haven't figured it out by now, I love entering contests. I found the coolest contest in the Sunday newspaper ads for a spa getaway geared specifically for a mom and baby. The contest is called the Mom and Me Spa Retreat and you could win a five-day getaway for you and your baby, along with a friend and her baby to THE GREENHOUSE Spa in Arlington, Texas. No purchase necessary to enter the contest. For more information,visit SimilacOrganic.com/sweepstakes.

And if you are interested in learning more about Mommy and Baby activities at THE GREENHOUSE Spa, visit their website, www.thegreenhousespa.net.

Unique Nursery Furniture

While browsing Decor8 (an amazing blog featuring interior design ideas) I discovered a cool, yet very different line of nursery furniture. Celery Furniture is a company based out of Montana and was started by two architects and a licensed midwife. This line of nursery furniture includes a cradle, rocking cradle, crib, changing table, rocking chair, rocking horse and rocking pony. The furniture comes in several different colors and is designed to "appeal to a parent's aesthetic and nurture a child's need for comfort and fun." To find out more about Celery Furniture, visit www.celeryfurniture.com.

Thanks again to Decor8 for the great find!

Photos courtesy of Celery Furniture

Cleaning Your Food

Contaminated food can be a problem in restaurants, but not at home, right? Wrong! Check out Your Food: To Wash or Not to Wash on Good Morning America that gives you some simple tips on how to keep you, your food, and your family safe.

Some tips mentioned in the article include washing the skin of any fruit, keeping chicken out of the sink, and triple washed bagged lettuce does not need to be washed again.

Be sure to watch the video clip that is included to get additional information.

Romance is in the Air

With Valentine's Day a little over a week away, you may find yourself thinking of what you can possibly get for your significant other. Well, look no further...the Hostess with the Mostess has posted amazing Valentine's Day type treats that are sure to get the romance going. From romantic table top settings, to chocolate and bath essentials, this Hostess can steer you in the right direction. The hiphostess even has V-day gift ideas for the canine sort. (Those dogs must be models they are so darn cute!) What will she come up with next....

For more on these items and many others, visit Hostessblog.com.