P_W

Vegetarian Lasagna ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-24T05:55:00.000-07:00

Since I had a request to write out my vegetarian lasagna recipe, I thought I'd share it here too. Its not tough, but just takes time, and there's quite a few ingredients. The best part about lasagna is LEFTOVERS. Eat it again for lunch, another dinner, or just freeze it for later.Cooking Temperature:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees - when you are nearly done with the lasagna assembly

Ingredients:

1 box of lasagna noodles, cooked according to box directions, then keep the noodles in a cold water bath to prevent sticking (prefer the boiling ones over the non boil)
1 (32oz) large can of whole tomatoes
2 (15oz) cans of tomato sauce
olive oil
1 medium diced onion
1 (15 oz) can of fire roasted diced tomato - optional
1 medium container of ricotta cheese (low/nonfat works well)
1 bag of baby spinach - lightly sauteed and drained
1 (16 oz) bag of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon each of oregano, rosemary, basil
1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes (optional)

Preparation for the sauce:

Lightly brown onions in a small amount of olive oil
Empty the canned tomato, sauce, and diced tomato into a large pot. Break up the large pieces of tomato
Add oregano, rosemary, basil, salt, sugar, chili flakes into the tomato mixture - add to your liking
Heat until a rolling boil and remove from heat

Assembly of Lasagna - you will make 3-4 layers total depending on the noodles

Using a lasagna pan or a casserole dish, spread approx 1/4 cup tomato sauce on the bottom of the pan
Lay 3 noodles on top of the sauce (lightly drip some water off)
Spread 2 -3 Tbs of ricotta cheese on top of the noodle
Break up some small pieces of spinach and lay on top of the ricotta
Scoop approx 1/3 cup of tomato sauce over the layer
Cover the layer with 1/4 cup of shredded mozzarella cheese
Repeat steps 2-6, the top layer does not have ricotta cheese

Bake lasagna for 45 minutes - 1 hour or under the top is bubbly and brown. Serve with a garden salad with dressing of your choice. My hubby suggests a red zinfandel, borolo, sangiovese, or your favorite glass or red wine.I'm getting really hungry thinking about this dish. I hope you enjoy this delicious and vegetarian version of lasagna. Maybe I'll make one this weekend....oooh

Shopbop 20% off coupon code on Jackets and Sweaters

2008-09-23T23:28:00.000-07:00

Our friends at Shopping and Info have a 20% off Coupon code for all coats and sweaters from Shopbop. Go to their site at www.shoppingandinfo.com to check it out.

Your Baby Can Read by Dr Titzer event at Giggles N Hugs this week

2008-09-23T04:23:00.000-07:00

I like Giggles N Hugs. My daughter used to go there when she was younger on a very hot day or a rainy day to play. It is a great safe, clean indoor play area / restaurant to take your child. Jennifer Garner and a few other celebrities have been known to go there on occasion with their children. I just got an email from Giggles N Hugs today that I thought may be of interest to you.I tried this with my B when she was 2 years old and she really did learn how to read a bit from this program. At the age of 4 now, she is loving practicing letters on her own for fun, as well as doing games where she sounds out letters and puts together words. I attribute this to reading to her every night before bed and also this Dr Titzer, Your Baby Can Read video series that she watched.I just got an email about Giggles N Hugs having an event in Los Angeles on Thursday for Dr Titzer's video series. If you are interested, read below:World renowned program by Dr Titzer called "Your baby can read" will be doing an event at Giggles N Hugs in Los Angeles. The program has been featured on CNN, ABC, Discovery kids , The Wall Street Journal, and many other media outlets. The event will be at Giggles N Hugs for the first time this Thursday, September 25th, 2008 at 10AM.You will not want to miss this incredible seminar. Tell all your friends who have kids about it and they will thank you for ever. If you are interested in coming please RSVP by e-mail and or call us at 310-478-HUGS (4847). There is limited seating space so HURRY !Lots of Giggles N Hugs to you and familyThanks !!

Joey Parsi

Owner/CEO - Giggles "N" Hugs

This series is available on www.amazon.com so you can go there to look it up if you do not live in the Los Angeles area.www.puppiesandworms.com

Celebrity Weddings like Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are hard to compete with but finding an event planner who can help make it beautiful is a good idea

2008-09-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise had an amazingly beautiful and lavish wedding. They can afford it. Marcia Cross has an extravagent wedding because she is an actress on Desperate Housewives. But, why can't we all have a celebrity wedding within our budget? I think we can try.Our friends at Type A Planning are doing a Wedding Salon tomorrow in the Beverly Hills Hotel, September 22nd, 2008 from 4P-9P. Go visit them and ask how you can plan your perfect wedding within your budget. I bet you they have some great ideas. Tell them Puppies and Worms sent you.And if you miss them tomorrow - check our blogroll for a link to their site. Email them for more information. Click here to go to their blog. http://blog.typeaplanning.com/

Jeremy Piven of Entourage takes home an Emmy and Los Angeles sales and online sales

2008-09-22T01:28:00.000-07:00

Jeremy Piven just won an Emmy for Entourage. He is a great actor and really deserves it.For those of you who live in Los Angeles, there are some great sales right now in LA.You want great jewelry - visit Cabochon on 1426 Montana Avenue in Santa Monica they are having their 40%-60% off everything in the store sale. They only do this once a year and it is a good sale. The dates of the sale are September 25th - September 28th, 2008. If you want that Neil Lane look alike celebrity ring in white gold with diamonds. Come to Cabochon for your sale prices. This is not costume jewelry, but the prices are not Neiman Marcus on sale either.Fred Segal Melrose - the store for the celebrities is having their 50% off sale starting September 26th, 2008. This is PRE SALE day which means you get to see everything and buy everything and come back and pick it up the next day. Who knows you may even see Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie there.Calypso in West Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard is having an amazing sale on their summer dresses and tunics. Everything is $29-$49. Run don't walk.For those of you who do not live in Los Angeles, check out our friends at they are having an amazing sale right now and they carry Mike & Chris leather jackets, J Brand Jeans, Black Halo dresses. They are having one big end of season sale right now too. They also do not charge tax outside of California and offer free shipping. Now that is a great deal. 30% to 70% Off Men's Designer Fashion at Tobi. Click Tobi now and go shopping while you are watching the Emmy Awards.

Miley Cyrus is having her birthday at Disneyland on October 5, 2008

2008-09-21T18:59:00.000-07:00

Miley Cyrus is having her birthday at Disneyland on October 5, 2008. If you want to enter to win a trip to Disneyland, go to Radio Disney to enter. You must get the CODE in order to enter. Listen to Radio Disney for the code and enter to win.My B loves Miley Cyrus and sings to all her songs so I will be entering this contest for sure.See the birthday video of Miley's birthday at Disneyland here now.Embedded video from CNN VideoPersonally I love these sweats worn by Miley Cyrus. If you want them click here Miley Cyrus' Gypsy 05 Sweats

Free Admission to Disneyland or Disney World on your Birthday in 2009!!!

2008-09-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

Wow!! What a great offer going on right now! Disneyland and Disney World Parks is giving away free admission tickets in 2009 on your birthday! All you have to do is fill out your information in the link below and you will be registered to get your free admission ticket (valid on your birthday)! I just signed up!http://disneyparks.disney.go.com/disneyparks/en_US/WhatWillYouCelebrate/index?name=FreeOnYourBirthdayPage If you are already an annual passholder or have a multi-day pass, they give you the option to select another gift of the same value. There is some FAQ on the site.*Puppies and Worms does not collect the information for this Disney Parks offer, you will be going directly to the Disney Parks site and providing your information to them. We are just providing good information to our loyal subscribers and readers.Click here to order Disney movies now and get a free trial when you sign up. Now your little one does not have to wait for that trip to Disneyland or Disney World. Get all the Disney he or she wants now in the comfort of your own home. Rent them now for a free trial. Click now. Hannah Montana, Snow White, Little Mermaid, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Get it all from Blockbuster now.

Aye matey - Talk like a Pirate Day

2008-09-19T16:17:00.000-07:00

Today is the international Talk like a Pirate Day. Time to break out your best pirate lingo, jokes, and gear if you really want to get into it. Its like halloween is here early with this day.Show off your pirate lingo skills at work and later on in the day with Happy Hour. (Vocab words courtesy of wikihow.com)

Ahoy! and Aye! - "Hello!"
And ye may lay to that! - "You betcha!"
Arrr! - This is often confused with "arrrrgh," which is, of course, the sound you make when you sit on a belaying pin. "Arrrr!", like "Aloha," means variously, "yes," "I agree," "I'm happy," "I'm enjoying this beer," "My team is going to win it all," "I saw that television show, it sucked!" and "That was a clever remark you or I just made." And those are just a few of the myriad possibilities of Arrr!
Booty - Anything of value a pirate can plunder

Don't forget your trusty parrot and eyepatch!

First Anniversary! ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-18T17:06:00.000-07:00

Does it mean that I'm no longer a newlywed? I'm going to still call myself a newlywed for some time, so its ok.My hubby and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary this week! We decided to head up to Napa to stay at our favorite resort, eat some great food, and enjoy a few wine tastings. It was such a great time, and we really didn't want to come back home. It was depressing on Tuesday afternoon, as our flight back to LA was looming in just a couple of hours.We wanted to celebrate our first anniversary in a special way. Instead of buying each other extravagant gifts, we spent the money on this trip to Napa. I am a lot happier to spend our hard earned cash for experiences, over material things any day.Here are a few photos from our trip.Ahh Napa - I love this place! I think Napa is a perfect place for people to go and relax. If you enjoy wine, this is going to be really fun. Even if you don't really enjoy wine, there are so many other things to do, like hot springs, spas, fine dining, beautiful resorts, and plenty of outdoor activities.We are already thinking about next year for our second anniversary...we're thinking about the Big Island, Hawaii. YAY!

Mary Poppins and fairy tale movies for your toddler

2008-09-17T02:38:00.000-07:00

Today my B came home from school, and happily told me about what she learned in Musical Theater class. I thought to myself, that sounds nice, Mary Poppins songs for my toddler how age appropriate.She then asked me to play some of the songs for her on Youtube. (I usually play music from Jonas Brothers and Miley Cyrus for her on Youtube because she likes to sing to this type of music while playing her little wooden guitar). So I played her the Mary Poppins video, "a Spoonful of Sugar", which was such a delight, I played her a few more songs including someone's version of "Chim Chim Cherree", which I did not know was not the version from the movie. This version caused my B to cover her ears and run out of the office screaming and crying at the top of her lungs. I had to pick B up and hug her to get her to stop kicking her legs and crying. I looked over at the screen and realized it was fireworks and a very loud recording of the "Chim Chim Cherree" song which frightened her.I then realized from now on I need to edit everything I play to B on Youtube. Youtube has lots of surprises even for something as innocent as a Mary Poppins song because it is uploaded by individuals for all different reasons and purposes, and may not take into consideration what is age appropriate for a 4 year old.At that point, I decided that I should just rent versions of movies I like for B so she can watch them in our home while I sit there with a fast forward button. I know it seems a little overprotective, but to a 4 year old toddler sudden loud noises can be frightening even if it is just loud bursts of fireworks on the screen.Here is the nice safe version my 4 year old enjoyed today from Youtube:[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5IW9wK_HNg&hl=en&fs=1]

Gap Casting Call so your child can be a Gap Model 2008

2008-09-16T02:52:00.000-07:00

Do you have a good looking child? Does everyone tell you your child is too cute or amazing looking?Click our Gap banner above that says FALL SALE and enter the Gap Casting Call and your child can be in the next Star Model in the Gap Store Ad campaign in every store.What you will win:A trip to San Francisco for a Gap Photo ShootA Gap Giftcard for a Gap wardrobeA Snapfish prizeA Chance to be seen in Gap Stores across the countryTo learn more click our gap banner above to go to contest entry and contest rules. (The Gap Contest Rules not our Puppies and Worms contest rules are located in the Gap site after you click the banner with all the kids faces and enter the contest.)Also you will get a 15% off coupon to Gap for your next purchase online or in the store after entering the contest and a Snapfish coupon too. Good luck.I entered my B - you should enter your child tooAlso subscribe to our newsletter to be entered to win our Puppies and Worms giveaway which is worth $120 in prizes that includes Thomas the Tank Engine, Cherry Tees, Eco Friendly Stainless Steel water bottles.Click here to go to our Puppies and Worms giveaway now. Contest ends very soon.http://puppiesandworms.com/2008/08/31/free-stuff-giveaway-contest-for-end-of-summer-back-to-school-celebration/Note: All information including photos submitted for the contest are collected through Gap's online site through the banner above. Puppies and Worms is only giving promotional information about the contest.Photos will only go from your computer on the internet to Gap and their affiliates directly. Any information about privacy policy and contest rules should be read after clicking on the Gap banner above. This is a Gap contest and their information is on their site.If you want a Halloween costume on sale for your little one - click here - they are having an amazing sale on the cutest costumes for your little one. Thanks for reading from:www.puppiesandworms.com

Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair the Brothers Grimm Version

2008-09-14T20:23:00.000-07:00

I was at a birthday party yesterday for one of B's friends who was turning 4. We went to an indoor play place and they had Tinkerbell come do games, stories, and face painting. It was a fun party with cake at the end and a nice goodie bag that kept my daughter busy while I drove home from Woodland Hills.At the party a mom told me about the Brothers Grimm version of Rapunzel. I could not believe I never heard this version before. Growing up, I remember being read Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tales, and now as a parent I have found that I have had to censor certain books that I grew up with because there was lots of reality and violence in some of these fairy tales that are just a little too scary for a 4 year old.This mom told me that Rapunzel was actually a story about a pregnant couple who had to give up their child to an enchantress to lock away in a tower away from the rest of the world to pay off their debt of stealing her vegetables from her garden. This girl, Rapunzel, grew to be beautiful and had long locks. Rapunzel used her locks to let a prince up to visit her night after night and agreed to marry him. One day she realized her stomach was bigger but did not understand why, and the enchantress banished her into the forest and blinded the prince when he came up one night to find the enchantress in the tower instead of Rapunzel. Later, the prince and Rapunzel are reunited with her twins that she gave birth to, and her tears magically help him regain his sight and the family of 4 move back into the Kingdom together.As a mother, I just cannot imagine reading a story like this to my 4 year old and then explaining why her stomach got bigger and bigger as the prince came to visit her every night after he yelled, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair." I already had to circumvent explaining why Katie Perry sings, "I kissed a girl and I liked it," the other day in the car.I don't want to shelter my child, but I do believe that a 4 year old should have limited exposure to all this reality until a certain age. It is just so strange to discover now as a parent that all these Fairy Tales have so many crazy reality topics in them. Teen Pregnancy is not a topic I am ready to explore with my 4 year old yet.Also, I noticed that all the princess stories that I loved as a child always have an evil element that a prince must come and kill to save the princess and then they can live happily ever after. I don't want my little B to think that some prince is going to save her from evil when she grows up because that is not reality. The reality is the Princess moves to New York City to live in a 6th floor walk up with roaches and has to go to work for an internship salary while working her way up the corporate ladder and may never meet a prince. Or when the princess finally meets the prince, he may have to work in some Italian restaurant in the Bowery somewhere for minimum wage while they spend weekends together sharing a baguette and cheese and a bottle of wine on a picnic blanket in Central Park.Here is a photo of Bloomingdale's version of Rapunzel from a Holiday Display one year in New York City.In case you have not seen this version of the Rapunzel story, go to google and put in Brother Grimms Rapunzel, and you will read it online.

Bruce Lee Yellow Jumpsuit like Enter the Dragon and Game of Death Kill Bill Suits

2008-09-13T05:49:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for an amazing Halloween costume. My husband found the most amazing costume for Halloween from the original seller who has been selling the jumpsuits for 5 years on Ebay.They are having a special 15% off one time sale to celebrate their 5 years selling this suit on Ebay as well as to thank their customers for their loyalty. The sale starts October 9, 2008 at 11AM Pacific Time.This is the only seller on Ebay who sells the real deal. The exact suit Bruce Lee wore in the movie Enter the Dragon made of the same material. This seller has had feedback from hundreds of their buyers and my husband loves his suit. CLICK THE PHOTO TO GO TO BUY THE SUIT NOW.Click here to buy the suit now

Lucky Brand Jeans 30% off Coupon Code and Tory Burch 60% off Information on Pre Fall

2008-09-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

Dear Puppies and Worms Readers,Thanks for all your comments and feedbacks. We love all of your lovely support.As a thank you - we have a special coupon code for you from Lucky Brand - 30% off online just enter code 8SVIP at www.luckybrandjeans.com at checkout and you will get 30% off your order. Offer Expires on Septeber 21st, 2008. Enjoy!For those of you who love Tory Burch. Go to www.toryburch.com to get 60% off yes that is right 60% off Tory Burch PRE FALL right now on the site. I know it is crazy. They have some great stuff too.

Puppy Love ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-12T16:30:00.000-07:00

When we were growing up, we had the best family dog. She was a fun loving, over-sized, Yorkshire Terrier who answered to the name Cookie.My sister and I brought her home when I was around 11 or 12 years old, much to the surprise of my parents, who were not originally consulted with the dog decision. My sister was older and had access to my parents credit cards, so we were able to go to the local pet shop to bring her home. (I know now that pet shops are not the place for dog purchases, but we were young and didn't know any better.)Cookie was a terrified little puppy weighing in at a whopping 3 pounds. She was shy, timid and mostly just scared out of her mind. We tried our best to make her feel welcome by making her a bed, buying her toys, and offering lots of dog treats and food to make her transition smooth. We definitely had no idea what we were doing and did not know how to care for a puppy. The poor girl cried and cried all through the night and we could do nothing to comfort her. That was a rough first few nights with a new puppy.Slowly, but surely, we started learning more and more about how to care for a dog. We took Cookie to dog training classes, where instead of doing the commands, she ate all the snacks out of the trainers bag when we weren't looking. Needless to say, she never learned a whole lot from those classes.Fast forward to a couple years later...You know how people say that dogs start to resemble their owners? Well, Cookie definitely adopted lots of personality elements from each member of the family. She had her fun loving spirit about her, and then also she would unpredictably become moody and cranky. She was a great dog though and the family loved her unconditionally, and she loved us back the same way.She loved my dad the most. I think it had to do with the fact that he fed her under the table every night at dinner. She would beg for food from my dad, by scratching the table leg of our kitchen table. That one leg of the table no longer had white paint on it. This would probably also explain how a Yorkshire Terrier can become 17 pounds, when the normal size is about 5-7 pounds.When I left for college, and then post college I stayed on the west coast for work. I missed Cookie dearly, and I would not have the opportunity to make my frequent trips home with my new job. To fill the void, I decided I wanted a dog of my own. I wanted a Yorkie because of Cookie, and I wanted a slightly smaller one to manage in my tiny studio apartment.I was slightly more prepared this time around to raise my own puppy. I named her Pepper because of her personality and because of her coloring. I brought her home at 8 weeks old, when she only weighed about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds. I loved taking care of a new puppy, she was great and always kept me company when I was home.About a year or so later, I decided to bring Pepper home to meet Cookie over the holidays. I knew this would pose a problem. Both dogs were spoiled and neither had ever been around other dogs before. Pepper was more even tempered, but Cookie for sure had the fire in her. Being an older dog, Cookie would be assuredly territorial.Predictably, Cookie was upset at Pepper being in her house. Cookie would growl and try to snap at her. Meanwhile, Pepper had been around other dogs through classes and dog socializing that she was good with meeting new dogs. Thinking back, I probably could have socialized them a little better outside of the house, but I always knew that Cookie hated other dogs. She was a people dog, not a dog dog.Overtime, Pepper was able to gain Cookie's trust. We even caught the two of them enjoying the day's sunlight together (Cookie's favorite pasttime).Those are great memories that I have of the family dogs. I adore dogs because of the love that they give you in return. Its true what people say, your dog will always be happy to see you, and just glad to be around you.We miss Cookie a lot. She lived to about 12 years, which is not long for a Yorkie; but unfortunately she was hit by a car one winter on her daily walk with my dad. Thankfully, my dad is now recovered, but sadly we lost Cookie. We kind of think that Cookie had protected my dad, and made the ultimate sacrifice.I had a dream about Cookie not too long ago. In this dream, she was happily running around chasing my brother. That made me really happy, and well, a little sad too. She's now in doggy heaven chasing the mailman, chewing her favorite toys, and eating her favorite snacks.I loved growing up with a family pet. I would think that it'd be a valueable life experience for all children and parents. I feel like I learned a lot caring for a dog that has carried through to today.

New Sushi Restaurant Beachside ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

The other night when my hubby and I had our impromptu Munday date night, we took a walk around the neighborhood and came across this brand new fancy schmancy sushi place called Sashi (Sake + Sushi). On a Monday night this place was pretty full, with people filling their patio seating and then a few tables inside as well.Photo from Yelp.comThe partners are real estate investors/developers and decided to open their own fine dining restaurant. They hired Japanese chef Makoto, and a House Manager formerly of Katsuya Brentwood. This place is upscale dining at its best. It looks really nice inside and the location is great. Its right across the plaza from our favorite greek place, Petros, and next to the boutique hotel Shade. Manhattan Beach is getting more and more upscale these days.Has anyone out there been to Sashi? Can you let us know what you think? Is it worth a try? There seems to be mixed reviews on Yelp. I'm undecided on trying this place out. I have tons of favorite local Japanese eateries that are more mellow and less trendy, and that makes me not want to test out this new hot spot.

Back to my NFL Entry ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my sister A - she has found some medicine for the NFL blues called Pigskin-exia by Frank Deford at NPR. Now I too can pretend to hear non football noises.P.S. I am very sad to hear that Tom Brady will be out for the season. I will still hope for the best for the Patriots!

Simple Date Nights ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-09T04:27:00.000-07:00

Ahhhhh what a nice way to deal with the case of the Mundays. Tonight my hubby and I went out for a simple and low key date night on the town. It wasn't an expensive evening by any means, and it was quiet everywhere which was a nice change from a normal Friday or Saturday night.We ate Wahoo's for dinner, walked around a bit, and then visited the local ice cream shop. It was great! I actually really enjoyed going out on a Monday night to feel better about starting another work week.What do you guys do out there thats fun for simple date nights? I'd love to hear your ideas. Post your comments!

The NFL is here...again ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-08T00:33:00.000-07:00

Between now and February - my Sundays, Mondays, and later on Thursday chunks of hours will be devoted to football, football and more football. My husband likes football season the best, so much of our time will be spent in front of the tv over the next months. It also doesn't help that we now subscribe to HD channels on our home tv. I guess at least its good that we don't have a stockpile of beer at home, well, at least not yet.Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoy watching football every once in a while. However, I am a specific team watcher, which means I just watch the Patriots (Bostonian girl here). The rest of the time, its not really that interesting to watch NFL games. During this season I get to catch up on things like: reading, chatting with friends, alone time, and blogging like I'm doing right now.I don't get how my husband can watch SOO much football in one day. The games started this afternoon at 1pm and they are still going on 4 hours later. I fell asleep on the couch during the Cowboys / Browns game since it wasn't my Pats playing. Its a good thing we have dinner plans with my parents tonight, otherwise we'd be sitting here for another 2 1/2 hours for the Colts / Bears game.Can you NFL fans explain why football needs to be watched in bulk hours? What about you non NFL fans, how do you pass your time when your significant others are now married to the HD plasma screen for the next 5+ months?P.S. I hope that Brady feels better soon! I know us New Englanders are worried about his knee!

Irritated mom of a 4 year old: My husband went to the market with her today not for the first time

2008-09-07T21:39:00.000-07:00

So I know I am a mom of a 4 year old and I normally talk about my daughter...but today I am going to talk about my husband... I sent my husband (who looks like a hybrid of George Clooney and Brad Pitt...just kidding he is not bad looking though) to the park with my daughter AND to the supermarket with my daughter today so I could have 2 minutes to myself after a whole summer of no school for my B.My husband has a masters degree and has a job where he manages quite a few people. He cannot go to the market without calling me 6 times on average. He also cannot remember my cell phone number or our home number to enter into the supermarket checkout thingy to get the Ralphs market discounts.So here is what happened today and I will give you the short version today:A says "I am at the market, what kind of cheese do we need?"Me - " The laughing cow cheese."A - " Which kind is the laughing cow cheese?"Me- " The kind that is branded the laughing cow cheese."A- "Where is that cheese in the market?"Me- "In the cheese section."A "Oh right ok I will go find it bye."I am listening to L.E.S. Artistes on youtube while I am working online and I get another call mid song...the song is 3 minutes and 30 seconds long.A " There are no chicken thighs without bones here."Me "Get the chicken with the bones then."A "How many?"Me "How many what?"A audible sigh "How many thighs?"Me "I don't know get 2 packs."A " Ok fine but they are fresh do you want fresh or frozen?"Me "I prefer fresh."A "It costs more."Me "How much more?"A " I don't know it just says $5.49 for the one and $6.79 for the other."Me "Ok so make a decision do you want to spend a $1.50 more? If yes, go for it."A "Ok fine, bye."Song is over....ring- guess who?A " So I don't know which phone number to enter to get our Ralphs Discounts."Me " Try my cell."A " What is your cell number?"Me " You are kidding right?"A " No I am in line can you just tell me?"Me " Ok here it is (xxx) xxx-xxxx."A " Ok thanks." hangs up.Ring a sec laterA "It is not the right number."Me "OK...try our home number?"A "It is not right."Me "Try your cell number."A "None of them work. Forget it. Oh wait it is working. Ok thanks bye."This is what I go through everytime. Do you go through this? It is the same thing every time? So do I say "Oh forget it, I will go to the market from now on and you never have to go again?" Or should I just say, " Practice makes perfect, he can keep on going?" I will opt for the latter until I go crazy or until my daughter gets tired of making 2 hour trips to the market.I don't feel guilty about this alone time when I know my daughter is with my husband spending quality time at the park and the market. They are both learning at the market so it is time well spent.

Jennifer Garner is a paid spokesperson for Baby Einstein at their 10th anniversary Birthday party and all I can think is I hate my neighbors behind me

2008-09-07T20:00:00.000-07:00

So I am reading about Jennifer Garner on Forbes.com and how she is the paid spokesperson for Baby Einstein and helped celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Baby Einstein at the Walt Disney Concert Hall when I hear "FIVE FOUR THREE TWO ONE BLAST OFF" from the backyard and I run out to my yard to hear a bunch of (adults) people hooting and hollering because they just launched some rockets or something from their yard and are cheering.My first thought is - I hate them- they suck damnit they are always making noise. My 2nd thought is they are the same people who had a party until 2A a month ago and left us a note letting us know at 5P that night and that I should call the police right now! Then I stop and take a moment to think and tell myself, "Well when we make noise I am sure they feel the same way and I should try to be a little more tolerant since it is 12:30P in the afternoon this time and not 2A".Then I think - wait WE NEVER MAKE NOISE. They are the ones always making the noise. So I am boiling and getting angrier and angrier and I call my husband who is at the park with our daughter. I sent him to the park with her after he was out all morning riding his bicycle so I could have a break. This is a story for another time...Anyhow, I tell him about the rocket launching in our neighbor's backyard. He says, "OK what do you want me to do about it?" I say, "Well what should I do?" He says, " Calm down... if they don't stop in an hour call the police." I hang up and continue to boil over. Thanks for the help B's dad.I know this sounds silly but this is constant so this Rocket Launching thing is just one of a series of issues we have with these people and this as they say was the last straw for me...So I wait and finally 30 minutes later it does stop. So I get over it until next time I suppose.The real reason I am bringing this up is because I know that my 4 year old learns from my actions and I don't want to be angry and yell at the neighbors in front of her if it is noon and they are trying to just have some fun (albeit not that safely) in their own backyard on a sunny day. But at the same time people who are inconsiderate will continue to be inconsiderate if we don't do anything about it and I don't want her to be a pushover when she grows up. So lately, as a mother who has learned that her 4 year old tends to copy everything she says or does, I have started to censor myself and be a little more careful in front of her.It is just so hard to know what to do. Sometimes I am just angry with my husband because he is gone the whole morning riding his bike on a Saturday and Sunday and I wanted some family time as opposed to time with B alone and by the time he gets home, I am boiling and want to let rip on him because he was so inconsiderate. However, I don't want to do that in front of B because I don't want her to feel that her parents have a volatile relationship when we are simply having a disagreement about his beloved hobby versus our family time.So the question is - what to do? What to do when you want your child to learn to stand up for herself but not to be irrational and get angry over every little thing. How do you teach that to your child in daily situations?Daily situations present themselves constantly and how I handle it will probably affect how B deals with issues as a grown up. I don't want to censor myself too much because then she will never see how to deal with real life situations. At the same time, which situations should I censor and which situations should I allow B to participate so that she grows up to be confident in dealing with disagreements and confrontations?As a parent I guess I am learning as well. I just want B to grow up and learn to fairly deal with situations and stand up for her beliefs when necessary, but not unnecessarily. This will take time, and I am sure there will be more situations in life and probably again with my neighbors where she will have an opportunity to learn how to deal with a difficult situation.

When are you going to have a 2nd child for your B?

2008-09-07T05:02:00.000-07:00

I despise this question - When are you going to have a 2nd child? And I believe it is a personal choice and really none of anyone's business. I get all kinds of comments constantly - you should hurry up and just get it over with, your B needs a sibling, how can you just have one child? Your child will be a spoiled brat. I mean really what do these people really know? I come from a large family with many siblings and really I feel like I have done it already. I changed my brother's diapers who is more than a decade younger than me and also changed the diaper of my youngest sister who is more than a decade younger than me.As my good friend J says - they will complain when they grow up whether you have 1 or 4. If you have 1 they wanted a sibling, if you have 4 they never had enough attention. If they went to public school because you did not have money to pay for all of them to go private they will say you should not have had all these children so I could not go to private and if you send the 1 to private that child will say to you well I always wanted to go to public school...whatever it is you are damned if you do or damned if you don't as they say.I read an interesting news item today about brothers on a Jet Blue flight from Boston to Florida who started a fight on the Jet Blue flight 455 today because the one was angry at the other for smoking in the bathroom. The plane had to be diverted to North Carolina while the one man was arrested and the other was holding his bloody head and helped off the plane. Brothers...Siblings are supposed to love one another right? I mean for the most part I love all my siblings and we get along reasonably well. We are all in our 30's and 20's now and we have our differences but we try to make sure we get along most of the time. I prefer one or two over the others at times but for the most part we enjoy one another's company.I cannot say that is true for my parent's siblings or my friend's siblings who for the most part don't get along so well with their siblings. So as a result of that, I take that experience and will most likely decide that my B may end up an only child. This is of course a personal choice based on my own personal decisions and experiences but lots of people feel the opposite from similar experiences.My friend M felt that she grew up in a family where she and her siblings did not get along and therefore she needed to have a large family that she hoped would grow to love one another and rely on one another as they grew older. I am still waiting to see the results as her kids are my B's age. Hey everyone is different right? So if M felt her large family did not work out and she wanted to make her own big family to improve on how she grew up - more power to her I say.I am not saying my experience was bad. I just have made a personal choice to keep things simple and having one child for me is a simple lifestyle.My husband works with a guy C who has 6 kids- they live in a 3 bedroom house and drive a huge car. They also have 2 dogs and 2 cats. They love having a large family. They say it is great because they love the craziness and chaos and just love seeing the little ones grow up. C says his wife would have another if they had the room in the house. I love hearing this story because they do without a lot of material things but just love being together. Isn't this what it is all about? They are an amazing example of what really counts in life. I admire them for that even if it is not for me.

Hiroki Kuroda Dodgers pitcher's daughter goes to a local school - the question is public versus private school

2008-09-07T03:48:00.000-07:00

So my B's best friend- her brother is in the same class with Kuroda's child. That is the funny thing about living in Los Angeles it happens. In this same school which happens to be a local school - not one of those hoity toity private schools with the horrible wait lists and all the "fabulous people" who think they are so fabulous, many local famous people actually send their children to this local school.I love to see that people who can afford to send their children to all the private schools choose not to send their children because their local neighborhood school is a good education and they choose to be a part of the system.I personally believe that if your local school is good, your child should go there. That is why we pay our local taxes and if we don't go then we are not supporting the system. As a product of a local neighborhood school through grammer and high school, I believe that if your child has the will to study hard and has the desire to learn, with loving and caring parents at home, a good local school should be all that your child needs.Are there benefits to going to a private school? Well yes, I am not saying that private schools are a waste of money. No, on the contrary if you can afford $20K a year just for tuition and another $5K for the rest and more...I say go for it. Private Schools do give some advantages that local schools cannot. Private schools have strong supportive alumni, teachers that are incentivized to make sure their graduates succeed, parents who have a lot of time and income to foster the education of their children, and new books and technology such as smart boards to equip these children to succeed.On the other hand, if you don't have the extra $20K to $25K on average to spend on each of your children to go to public school or you would rather do things like eat out once a month, go on vacations, buy groceries, put gas in your car, a good local school with some help from parents after school at home should be enough for a child who grows up in a nurturing environment.I know this is a generalization and not every child grows up in family where a child comes home to a mom who does not work who has milk and cookies waiting and is ready to hear about everything that happened at school. But I believe that those who are lucky enough to live somewhere where they can go to a local school should try that first before turning to a private education.Local schools are only as good as the people who support them. Local schools with high attendance by local neighborhood children usually turn out alumni that test very well on the whole. I think when local support wanes then and only then do the local schools start seeing test scores drop. Local schools need local neighborhood support.What am I going to do with B? I am for sure sending her to our local school. I believe in the system and believe that parents who work together in the system can only make it better together by supporting the teachers and the administrators by working as a strong united group.What do you think of our educational system? Do you believe our system is working? I only know about the areas I have lived and I have been pretty happy about them but to hear some people talk about their local schools, I don't think others have been so lucky. I would love to hear what you think. People in large cities like New York City and Los Angeles start worrying about schools from the day their children are born. Is this the case in other cities?

Do you feel badly about taking time for yourself as a mom?

2008-09-06T22:26:00.000-07:00

I feel like I never get any downtime for myself. I am constantly taking my daughter to classes, playdates, to the park, or to swim lessons. At times I feel run down and just downright exhausted. But when I do arrange a time to go out with a friend for dinner or my husband (which is not very often) I find I either spend all my time talking about B or worrying about leaving B behind. When I am out to dinner, my thoughts are: Does B have enough to eat? Will she go to sleep on time? Is she missing out because I am out enjoying myself?Other times I just feel so inundated by my little B and her constant chattering that I just cannot gather my thoughts and then I find myself tuning her out. Then I feel badly that I am not listening to my child. It is like a no win situation.When I am with her - all day long- all summer long- I feel exhausted and catch myself sometimes being impatient. Then I tell myself, "well you are so lucky to have this time with your wonderful sweet child and you should stop being so impatient."As a parent I feel like I need to try to do everything right for her, and then on the flip side I feel like... well what about me? What about my ME time? I want a haircut or go for a walk or just to read a book without interruption.Being a parent is the constant feeling of guilt and of not doing enough for your child.I guess as a mother of a 4 year old I am still trying to figure out balance in my life between being a wife, a mother, myself, and someone who is trying to get back to working while she is at school. All these things. AND I also want to find some time to read a book or work out.My father told me to just take it minute by minute or day by day. He says take each moment of your life as it comes. You cannot control or worry about everything all of the time. What good does it do if you worry about everything at once when you can only do one thing at a time?I guess I am trying to find that balance.So today I tried it...This morning, I spent the morning going around in my neighborhood passing out my business cards with my friend who is a realtor who passed out her business cards while B was in the stroller. So I guess you can say I multi tasked and found some balance today? I hung out with my friend to chat, passed out marketing materials for my company, took B out on an excursion of sorts, and worked out (we walked around the neighborhood in the heat for 2 hours). 4 things accomplished in 2 hours - that was a good morning.Was that really balance you are probably asking me? Well what do the rest of you do? I feel like I am constantly "balancing" as they say...I wish I could just sit and read a book without someone saying to me, "mom I am hungry or I need help on the potty". Don't get me wrong I enjoy all my time with B, but being human, I need a break once in a while too.The big question is - how do you give yourself time out without feeling guilty? Lots of people say well drop them off at grandparents or just don't feel bad when you hire a sitter. I don't know many moms who can do that and not feel badly. OR when you do have that time to yourself a fellow mom may say something to you like, "why are you so tired?" And then you feel like she is judging you because she is a full time working mom with 2 kids and a husband that works on the weekends and she never has time out from her kids. Then you feel like the bad mom who needs too much time away from your child...your only child.I really don't know what the real answer to this question is. I guess my problem is that I should stop feeling guilty and stop caring what other people think and do what is best for me so I can be happy with my life because it is my life after all.Now you are probably wondering well what does that photo of Katie Holmes with Suri and Tom Cruise have to do with all this? I just thought the photo was nice. Even though they have lots of help and can leave Suri at home. Sometimes they take her out too. They want to spend time with her just like all parents want to do with their children and although I am not the biggest fan of Tom Cruise I do think Suri is super cute.

TGIF - Date Night ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-05T18:30:00.000-07:00

Thanks Alexis for your comment about Date Night recipe suggestions. I have a perfect suggestion for a fancy feeling in home meal!Last week my husband and I made a really simple pepper steak and potatoes dinner. We happened to have a couple of Omaha steaks in the freezer, thanks to my sister and her bf! They gave us those steaks for a gift a while back, and one Saturday night we decided to make use of these delicious steaks on our bbq grill.A great steak needs little preparation and when cooked properly will end up being a really delicious meal. We happened to have frozen filets, BUT you can use any cut that is your favorite: NY strip, top sirloin, filet mignon. In fact - Omaha is doing some great deals on their packs, you should look into ordering some to save in your freezer also.Ingredients:2 cuts of your favorite steakOlive Oil3 Tbs Fresh Coursely ground peppercorn1 1/2 tsp Fresh ground salt / or any salt2 russett potatos for baking1-2 bunches of asparagusDessert - see more belowDirections

Wash the potatoes and bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour, or if you want a quick way - use your microwave settings for a quick 5-6 minute baked potato (save the microwaving towards the end of your cooking process)
On two separate plates, drizzle olive oil to coat the bottom, and the other will have the peppercorn
Press both sides of the steaks into the olive oil, followed by the peppercorn, set aside in the fridge
Wash asparagus and trim the bottom (it will be fibery)
In a bowl - drizzle olive oil, salt and pepper on the asparagus

Now to cook!You can cook the steaks and the asparagus on the bbq grill or you can make it all indoors on a couple of frying pans.Indoor cooking:Heat a heavy pan to medium-high heat - allow the meat to sear on each side. Reduce the heat to low and allow the meat to cook to the tempurature you want, check after 5-10 minutes have passed. For medium rare - you will want the internal temperature to reach 130-140 degrees. My suggestion is to pull the meat off the pan about 5-10 degrees earlier (125) and allow it to rest on a plate for another 5-10 minutes. This will give you the best results.The asparagus can be simply sauteed in a separate pan for about 5 minutes on medium heat.Outdoor Grilling:Heat your grill to 350-400 degrees. Place your steaks in the middle of the grill and allow to sear on each side. Continue to cook until the tempurature is to your liking. Medium rare will take about 5-10 minutes or 125 degrees. Allow the steaks to rest before serving. While your steaks are cooking, place your asparagus on a piece of foil and cook on one side of the grill.Don't forget your potatoes!Start your meal with a glass of chilled sparkling wine or champagne. Then when you are ready, serve this delicious date night meal with a delicious cabernet, or a richer pinot noir. You will be really impressive to your date, or your significant other. I know I was impressed by my husband's skills with the bbq grill.DessertAs a finale to your beautiful date night in, you can serve an easy but delicious parfait.2 martini glasses or 2 wine glasses1-2 cup of vanilla yogurt1 cup of berries of your choice1/4 cup of granolaDirections

Start with yogurt on the bottom, then add berries, granola, top off with more yogurt. Continue until you get to the top of both glasses

Prepare this delicious parfait before you get dinner ready and store in the fridge. You will have it ready to go after your steak meal is done.Light some candles, dim the lights, and turn on the music. How nice is it to privately dine and have a gourmet restaurant quality meal?[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="315" caption="Photo from Old Black Horse"][/caption]

I was at Disneyland in Anaheim today and Heidi Klum and Seal were there yesterday coincidence? Also why gifts that give an experience are sometimes better than things

2008-09-04T05:14:00.000-07:00

Heidi Klum and Seal and their kids were at Disneyland yesterday in Anaheim and I went with my B to Disneyland today. What do Heidi Klum and I have in common? Absolutely nothing except that we are both moms and work with flexible schedules. Anyhow, I thought it was funny that they went yesterday and rode on the tea cups and we did that today. I know and about 100,000 other people did the same thing also yesterday and today at Disneyland...but I like to believe we have that in common.So...I took my B to Disneyland today with my parents who are visiting from out of town.Main Reasons: My B loves Disneyland and the princesses and my siblings bought B the 1 year pass for her birthday and of course mommy a pass too so that I could take her for the next year anytime we had a few hours to spare during the week.My siblings decided to buy her a birthday gift that was not a "thing" this year. They decided to buy her something that would give her experiences. I thought that was pretty thoughtful and clever. My one sister "A" who is very into not doing anything materialistic and constantly listening to NPR, going to the Hollywood Bowl, and reading The Week was the one who came up with the idea and everyone else agreed it would be great for B to have a present that she would have great memories about instead of a toy she would cast away in a matter of weeks.How did the day go? It was great. B has lunch at Ariel's Grotto and took pictures with the princesses, went on the tea cup ride, dumbo ride, and merry go round, and ate ice cream at the ice cream parlor. My parents also loved spending the time with her. Overall it was a great day. She loved it. She loved everything including taking her picture and getting the year pass in credit card form with her photo on the back like the Costco membership card. It was great.This will be a birthday gift that will keep on giving throughout the year and I have to say one of the presents that she will remember for a very long time.I highly recommend giving gifts to children that are experiences whether it be tickets to a movie, a concert, or a festival. These young people learn so much from their experiences and remember them every time they see the photos or remember the experience. It is definitely the way to go and I will start doing that a little more myself for family and friends.

Free shipping coupon code from Victoria's Secret Catalog and Tiered coupon code

2008-09-04T04:13:00.000-07:00

We know lots of you are Victoria's Secret shoppers. (Here is Heidi Klum a Victoria's Secret model out and about with her Botkier bag in New York City). They have great tops, dresses, yoga pants, bras, undies, and clothing.We thought you might like this...it is a free shipping code for you all who cannot wait for the tiered offers coming this fall.FA811965For ALL of you www.puppiesandworm.com fans-we want to give you a thank you - with the TIERED offer from Victoria's Secret -FALL08 is the code so you can get up to $150 off $500. Also another code to try is FA811953 if that code expires this one is brand new.Also - ENTER TO WIN our contest now- simply subscribe to our newsletter and you are entered for the Back to School Pack worth $120 - see details on our August 31, 2008 post - includes Cherry Tees as worn by celebrities, Eco Steel Water bottles, and more.

Get $10 off your first order of $50 from www.diapers.com coupon code

2008-09-04T03:46:00.000-07:00

So Katie Holmes has a baby, Angelina has lots of babies, Jennifer Garner, Jennifer Lopez- it is a Hollywood baby boom. The secret to getting diapers without getting in your car and running all over town and spending gas money and waiting in line? Go to www.diapers.com- we also have a coupon for you. Sounds like a great deal.Diapers.com - $10 Off Your First Order Over $50 with Code: AFFL10 plus Free Shipping!

My favorite roasted chicken recipe ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-09-03T16:56:00.000-07:00

I posted not too long ago about how cooking together really helps the foster the newlywed relationship. I'm sure lots of us newlyweds also got that Bride and Groom cookbook off their wedding registries as well.I'm going to start sharing some of my personal, favorite, and easy to make recipes where both of you can participate. The one I'm going to offer today is my roasted chicken with potatoes and salad. Tastes like restaurant quality and you get some satisfaction that you made that yourself at home. The best thing I like about this recipe is that you don't have to be precise and its relatively easy.Ingredients -2 Roasting pans1 1/2 lb whole roaster chicken1 small lemon quartered1 medium onion cubed2-3 sprigs each of fresh Rosemary, Thyme, and Sage (Feel free to substitute with your preference or whatever you have at home), Reserve 1 sprig of rosemary for potatoes.3 cloves chopped Garlic2 Tbs Salt2 Tbs PepperOlive Oil8-10 small red skinned potatoes, or 2-3 russett potatoesSmall bag of salad mix - premade in bagsSteps:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Rinse the chicken and remove the giblets from the cavity
Place chicken into a roaster pan
Liberally apply olive oil to the inside and outside of the chicken
Combine salt and pepper into a small bowl and use the salt and pepper to rub the inside and outside of the chicken
Bend the herbs a little to release the oils
Stuff the chicken with the lemon wedges, onion, thyme, rosemary, and sage (reserve one sprig of rosemary for potatoes)

Prepare Potatoes

Rinse and scrub potatoes
Chop potatoes into large cubes
Remove the rosemary leaves and chop into small pieces
Place potatoes in a separate roaster pan
Apply olive oil liberally to the potatoes
Stir in the chopped garlic, and rosemary
Sprinkle on salt and pepper

Place both roaster pans into the oven at the same time. Check for doneness after 1 hour. Let the chicken rest about 5-10 minutes before cutting into it. Serve chicken and potatoes with a side of salad and your favorite glass of wine, and eat on your patio. Maybe even have a dish of ice cream to follow this delicious and easy recipe.I recommend a nice chilled chardonnay for the summer, and a nice pinot noir for fall. If you need specific recommendations on wine - post your comments here! I love to eat and drink!Enjoy!!!

Mark Wahlberg and his kids love the American Girl Cafe

2008-09-03T02:09:00.000-07:00

Ella Rae, Michael, Rhea Durham, and Mark Walhberg were seen in the late afternoon today by Mom of 4 year old at the American Girl store in Los Angeles entering the American Girl Cafe on the balcony. Mark was busy on his blackberry trying to catch up with some work before sitting down to the 2:30P sitting to have some family time with his family. It was very sweet. We just thought you might be interested. If you like American Girl check out their site at www.americangirl.com.As a Mom of a 4 year old I was told by my friend A that my B would love an American Girl and that it would make it easier for relatives and family to give her presents that did not go to waste during birthdays and holidays because every gift would go towards her doll and it would not be something random that she may or may not like. I was at first not convinced and also against dolls for my daughter. I wanted my daughter to only play with tinker toys, legos, puzzles, and blocks. I did not want my daughter to play with kitchen sets, barbies, stuffed animals, and dolls. But I soon realized that children should experience all types of toys and I succumbed to buying her a few stuffed animals, and dolls but still no Barbie dolls.I slowly thought more about the American Girl doll and finally decided to look online and to go check out the store with my B while out one day in the area. As soon as I walked into the store I could not believe the lifestyle that these dolls in the American Girl were living. These American Girls get their hairstyles changed for $10 to $20 each time, ears pierced for $14, ate with their little moms at the American Girl Cafe for $18 for a set menu of afternoon tea set, played tennis and the grand piano. I soon realized the American Girl was what every little girl in America wanted to be. The American Girl was every little girl in American because they had every look and every type of little girl and every nationality we have in America but also this American Girl played every sport and did every hobby an American Girl did or wanted to do. I never understood the fascination with these American Girls but after spending an hour in the store, I wanted the soda fountain, the pizza kit, the bathtub, the lounge chair, I wanted an American Girl. There was a reason why it was such an amazing phenomenon and I must say I love it too.I am so glad we decided to get her an American Girl for her birthday this year, she really loves having the doll and building on her collection. It is so much better than having a bunch of random toys. This is something that can grow with her for a few years too. Finally a great toy that is educational and has good values. I cannot say enough. I am so impressed. Comments are welcome. Do you agree or disagree? What do your boys have for toys that you loves as much as I love the American Girl concept?

Enter for a chance to win Free stuff for end of summer back to school celebration tees worn by Nicole Richie and Jennifer Garner

2008-08-31T17:31:00.000-07:00

As a thank you and a launch for our new Puppies and Worms store we are giving away (1) a back to school pack to one of you lucky moms or newlyweds out there.Enter for your chance to win the $120 prize pack - 1 of these packages will be given away to 1 winner.Click here to see what we have for sale in our new store.http://stores.ebay.com/Puppies-and-Worms?refid=puppiesandwormsOne lucky winner will win the following:We will be giving away the following items in the end of summer package:1 Cherry Tees Tank as worn by many celebrities and seen in Oprah's O Magazine, Redbook, on Jennifer Garner, Nicole Richie, and more celebs as seen also in US Magazine and People Magazine.1 Cherry Tees Long Sleeve tissue tee1 Eco friendly steel Water Bottle by Ecowaterbottles1 Thomas the Tank Engine Lunchbox with the thermos and sandwich holder inside1 Giant Pen that is about 13 inches long really works and fun to useRetail value for this giftback is $120Please leave your comments and subscribe to our blog newsletter to be eligible for the giveaway. You can enter as many times as you like. Winner will be picked in a blind drawing in the Puppies and Worms offices. There will be 1 winner picked. Colors of items for winning package will be based on availability. 1 winning package will be given away. Drawing will be held in Puppies and Worms offices on Sept 30th, 2008. Please email any questions to us at puppiesandworms@gmail.com.

Hangin' with the in laws - how often? - Newlywed Girl

2008-08-31T05:23:00.000-07:00

What is the right amount of time to spend with your in laws? Am I supposed to see them once a week, bi-weekly, monthly, or something else? My in laws actually live within driving distance so the excuse for being too far is out of the question. My husband doesn't see my parents often because they still live on the other side of the US, and they don't often come for visits.I don't want to seem like I'm feeling obligated to see my in laws or anything. The question is more really about, how often is the right formula between too seldom and too frequently. Everytime we go down to the OC to see my in laws - hubby's mom will make an elaborate meal with many courses to stuff us silly. I feel a little badly for making her go through all that work just because we are going there for a quick visit. For example, one time we drove down for a lunch and turns out she had been slaving away for hours to make some of my hubby's favorite dishes from childhood. Then, after the meal is over, she cleans all the dishes and everything! She doesn't want anyone in the kitchen but her, so I can't even help her if I tried.Lately more often than not, I try to suggest that we go out for the meal instead of going to their home for a homecooked meal. I hate thinking about how she puts in all that work to make the meal, and then the clean up. When I cook a lot - my husband helps with clean up, thats just how we operate. Maybe old school moms are different from our generation, but I am not going to be the only royalty in the kitchen domain.What do you think about how often to see the in laws? Do you newlyweds out there deal with a similar scenario? Also, what do you think about my guilt on mom in law cooking and cleaning?

Birthday parties to do or not to do that is the question

2008-08-29T22:56:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, my mom would make a cake / buy a cake, buy paper Raggedy Ann plates and a tablecloth and get some streamers, some chips, order some pizzas and call a few relatives and it would be a big birthday party. Nowadays a birthday party is not a birthday party unless you have it at your house with a balloon guy, some sort of entertainment, a jumping thing, an arts and crafts area, salads and food for the adults, plus food for the kids. What ever happened to the home party that most of us had when growing up?You may think this is a USA phenomenon but it is not - it is happening all over the world. I have been speaking to friends from Canada to Europe and beyond at it is true for everyone. Along with our designer purse prices going from $400 for a Chanel clutch in 1985 to $2,000 and up now, birthday party for kids are no longer just kiddie parties anymore. Bling is everywhere as they say. From watching the hills to even the Disney channel to going to the Barnum and Bailey circus life has become like Vegas.So the reason I am complaining is because going to Chuckie cheese used to be a big deal - go to the party - eat pizza get lots of tokens from the birthday kids family and go home with some prizes. Super fun right? What happened to just plain fun- kids run around - eat some cake- go home?Recently, I went to a party that was more like a debutant ball. No joke. My daughter was invited to a 4 year old's birthday party where there was valet parking, a theme, a chocolate fountain, a full kids buffet, a popcorn machine, a petting zoo, and a show. And on the way out, she got a huge goody bag filled with a t shirt from Kitson - a very well known celebrity store in LA- lots of candy and a skateboard with her name on it. I know...this is not like all the other birthday parties my daughter normally attends, but the others are not that low key either.This year I decided to do a birthday party for B at a kids restaurant so that it would be easy for me. The place would just provide the food and the kids get to play in the play area while the adults mingled. Of course they tried to pile it on once I signed up for the date of the party.The manager of the kids restaurant asked if I wanted goody bags for $10 like Adam Sandler had he said, a balloon guy for $150 like another celeb did for her child's party ( this is LA so this happens a lot in many places in LA- this place is not fancy it just so happens celebs have to do their kids parties somewhere and this is what happens in LA if there are only 7 kids party places in the area), a themed birthday cake for $119, and more.I said no thanks to all the extras and just decided to have the food for the kids and the adults and let them play.I think sometimes people worry too much about what others have done- keeping up with the Joneses etc and then it becomes a little bit of a crazy competition.I heard from a friend who lives in Australia who told me the same thing- she said that she had been to parties in LA and thought that some of the parties in Australia were even more over the top and that it is happening all over now.It must be the media or something. We watch the Hills and the Simple Life and think everyone lives this way. Must also be the economy a few years back when everyone had a house that was worth double what they bought it for...well things are changing...and maybe birthday parties will change too now...

Playdates - mommy or nanny when it is right and not right even Angelina Jolie spends a lot of time with her kids

2008-08-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

I live in Los Angeles and this is the land of people with nannies and stay at home moms. I happen to one of those moms without a nanny but I stay at home and work from home. In Los Angeles, many moms that work have nannies to help them pick up the children from school at 3p and get them settled daily since they cannot get home from their jobs usually until 7P.There are also that rare breed in the world in Los Angeles and in New York City that have nannies and they don't work but they are very busy doing charity work or sometimes just shopping with friends. I am not saying there is anything wrong with that. That is another conversation on another blog...I was just pointing out the differences.Anyhow, my whole issue is the playdates and who attends them. It is now playdate time because it is summer vacation and summer camp is usually done because we are only a few weeks away from school starting again. So playdates or family vacation is what is occupying our little ones who are full of energy now. So in a normal place like a Boston suburb, a mom would call another mom and at 2P the one mom with her child or children would show up at the other's house or a park and the kids would play and the moms would chat.In Los Angeles, it is a more complicated matter ...for example, last week a mom emailed me and said, my son would love to hang out with B, can we set up a playdate. I answered sure what day? She emailed back how about anytime this week? So I thought ok great Wed? She answered no, they have a tennis lesson, how about Thursday, I said sure what time. She answers Thursday at 1:30P? I said ok great.I get there with B and the nanny is there but the mom is not. No explanation no email no call. So irritating. The Nanny is clearly expecting me and the kids play nicely. I like the child and it is fine. Just strange that I am having a playdate with a child and the nanny is there when the mom does not work and could not be there to be with her child and an invited playdate.Could she have let me know at least that she was not going to be there? That would have been nice right? Anyhow, the question is: Is the playdate for the child and the mom? Or is the playdate for the child only? Should I have been offended or should I have just asked if the nanny could stay with my daughter too for the playdate while I sat in the living room to make some phone calls for my work? What is the right behavior for this situation? Was I wrong to feel offended?

The kid talk ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-08-27T05:14:00.000-07:00

I'm back and ready to blog about my next topic!Last weekend the hubby and I went to a kiddie birthday party for his close friend's daughter's second birthday. When we arrived we realized we were one of two couples who were without child. It didnt' feel awkward or anything, but we knew we were going to start getting the usual questions.Sure enough...I don't think nearly an hour passed by before we were asked when we were going to have little ones running around. My husband and I had decided before we got married that we were going to wait a number of years before starting a family. I don't think there's anything wrong with waiting a bit, since we are only just approaching our 1 year anniversary; its just others just don't think the same way. There was the look of horror as my husband explains to his friends that we are not planning a family in the very near future.I do hope that one day we do have our own little family. I just want us to enjoy our lives together before the new chapter starts. The funny part is that its not our parents who want to pressure us, its all of our friends!What do you other newlyweds out there think? Have you experienced this as well? How do you respond?

Making baby food from scratch and cooking for your child

2008-08-23T05:26:00.000-07:00

When my daughter was born I made everything from scratch... I made her vegetables and her applesauce...her soups...you name it, I did it. Finally I was so tired and bent out of shape grouchy from waking up at all hours of the night, cleaning the house, picking up after my husband, and making food from scratch, I went cold turkey and bought everything. I know...I know...why did I have to scrap it all? Well I am just that kind of person. All or nothing. Anyhow, I went to Whole Foods constantly and spent $1.50 a jar on these little 3 oz jars of peas, carrots, apples, bananas, oatmeal...I bought it in bulk. I filled up and used it all and went back for more. It was a never ending cycle and I was too tired to really think about it.One day, after 4 hours of sleep, I felt refreshed and started to think about what was happening. I looked at my receipts and realized just how much money I was spending on all this so called "natural" foods for my child. Holy Crap I spent about $6-$9 a day on jars of bits of food for my kid and it was not even that good for her.At the same time, I was also starting to gain weight again...after I stopped breastfeeding and just buying her food from the market...it all started to happen at once...I will talk about that next time...it was a cycle, I got lazy and my body started to show it.So I started to research what to do...I found all these books from Seinfeld's wife's book to a few other gourmet versions. Seinfeld's wife wanted me to hide mashed sweet potatoes in whole wheat batter and make donuts out of them to give to my kid...not good training I thought...and the gourmands wanting me to make Beef Wellington and grind it up in the cuisinart and store it in little ice cube trays and give it to my kid...I finally found something in between...a book on how to make healthy foods "look" interesting so that your child will eat the food because it looks fun but not altering any of the natural ingredients. I started to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches that looked like butterflies, and white fish with veggies in a fish shape with breadcrumbs on top. My then 1 year old lapped it all up and happily ate more. Instead of wasting jars, I started buying food containers that I could use to store the food and then re use.I was ecstatic and started to introduce more interesting foods such as caterpiller meatballs which are meatballs strung together with sauce on top laying on a bed of spaghetti with clovers as eyes. Meal times became fun for mom and child and I did not spend all my time running back and forth to the market to buy jars of food and recycling too many glass jars.I felt better as a mother because I was able to do this for my child with very little time and effort. What I realized was the effort I could put in with just some simple ingredients and creativity made amazing food for my daughter and it was actually more convenient than a jar of food. I could not believe it, the satisfaction of creating something good for my family was actually rewarding to me as a person and everything else started falling into place again...the confusion of being a new mother and growing into a person who now had a child was no longer this whirlwind...I was starting to enjoy my time with her.

Turn off the Computer and Talk - Newlywed Girl

2008-08-22T04:53:00.000-07:00

Hi, I am newlywed girl, and I'm addicted to the internet. I enjoy chatting with friends, checking my email, writing my blogs, checking my ebay store, and basically sit in front of my laptop for many hours a night.My friend told me during my wedding planning that its healthy to take at least a couple nights a week away from the computer to keep my relationship going with my fiance (now husband). I really have a hard time doing that because all day long at work, I have no sneaky little times in the day to do some of the internet surfing. When I get home I have tons of things to catch up on and lets face it - I'm just addicted to the computer and the internet. I think during the wedding planning it was really bad - my husband was so irritated with the long hours I'd spend looking at the knot, wedding bee, vendor websites and blogs.I think its time to make that conscious decision to step away from the computer for a couple nights a week. I'll have to pick which days I'll be taking my small breaks. Its probably good to not ignore my husband and give ourselves some time to chat and catch up with the day.Don't worry Internet, same to you blog readers - I won't be gone from you too long...

Eco Friendly Stainless Steel Water Bottles

2008-08-21T06:07:00.000-07:00

About 3 years ago - my eco friendly - nature loving sister in law gave me a stainless steel water bottle as a gift for my daughter for her 1st birthday. She said to me- save the environment and I looked at her like she had horns growing out of her head. Here is the back story- my sister in law- has always been on the cutting edge when it came to stuff like this...she was the FIRST to tell us that we should not microwave our foods with plastic containers or drink out of plastic cups when they were still hot from the dishwasher. When she told us the thing about the hot plastic that was way before Johns Hopkins published the study telling everyone that heating items up in plastic in a microwave could cause cancer. She told us this years ago....Anyhow, I finally jumped on the band wagon. Now it is the new thing to do. And most people in the major cosmopolitan cities who watch Green TV with Maria Menunos from Access Hollywood are carrying recyclable totes to the farmers market and the supermarkets now and shunning their plastic water bottles when they remember.Recently we came across these amazing stainless steel water bottles from Ecowaterbottles that we just fell in love with. The reason: These water bottles had wraps with designs, sport tops in different colors and stainless steel bottles with all kinds of designs. Not to mention that the way they make the bottles...the water does not taste like metal and the water stays nice and cold for hours. The designs are very pretty too and they cost less than some of the other brands like Sigg. Check them out here at our online store.http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=320313052509?refid=store

What to do when your child is sick ...and you don't want to get her friends sick

2008-08-21T04:37:00.000-07:00

So this was an issue I was dealing with right before our trip. My daughter had what I thought was a slight cold. Her best friend had a fever the day before we left and she was playing with her the whole day. My daughter started complainging her ears were hurting so I called our ENT to get an antibiotic just in case. The day before while I was packing, my daughter began to get a runny nose. I did not want to get my friend's children sick but knew it would be worse if I cancelled our trip on them and on us. My husband would be upset and they would think we were flaking. So I phoned her and told her, my daughter B had a cold and I had antibiotics. She said as long as I started her on the antibiotics she felt fine with us still coming on the trip.Long story short- we went on a 7 day trip and stayed with them and had an amazing time. The kids got along great and the parents got along great.Today, my husband went out to dinner with my friend's husband M and he mentioned that his kids now have terrible flus. (The kids and the mom stayed another week at their cabin and grandma flew up to help out while dad came home to work for the week and then fly back on the weekend for the end of the trip and to pack them up to drive home.) Needless to say when I heard the kids were sick. I just felt terrible. I immediately emailed my friend and apologized for B infecting her children.What else could I have done? I did not want to miss the trip and I did not want her to think that I was flaking out on the trip. We all ended up having a great trip...but now they have really sick kids on their hands.I forgot to mention during the week we were with them my daughter B got really really sick. She did not have a fever but she had a horrible cough and coughed for 3 nights straight in the room the 3 kids shared....in the day they never shared food or drinks but I guess they shared toys and that was enough...What would you have done? Am I a terrible friend? A terrible mom for dragging my child on a trip when she was sick?

Free Stuff Contest - win a Balenciaga bag

2008-08-20T19:53:00.000-07:00

Check our favorite blogs- Shopping and Info at www.shoppingandinfo.com has information about a few giveaway contests at the moment.One is about a Rakku shoe wheel and one is for a Balenciaga bag and another is about winning $500 from a Children's furniture and clothing website. Check them out and search their archive for the contests.

My 4 year old and the great outdoors

2008-08-20T18:39:00.000-07:00

[caption id="attachment_75" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Nature is great for kids"][/caption]I am fortunate to have a well behaved 4 year old who is not that demanding as 4 year olds are concerned. We are now 3 weeks away from the start of the new preschool year. It is almost like a countdown. Sounds horrible but I think every mom feels this way. I just came back from a week on vacation with my daughter and her 2 friends and the parents. My husband and I are very good friends with the parents so it was a very easy trip.Every day - the 3 kids woke up to fresh air and breakfast on the patio. After breakfast we would take them on a nature hike, a swim, and to the beach. They were busy all day and it was just great for their little bodies.At night it was great for the parents, right after dinner, they were tired and with a few bedtime stories, they were tucked in and sleeping and we got to watch the Olympics for the rest of the night.I am talking about this not because I want to brag about my amazing parenting skills but to show a contrast of what is going on now that we have returned from our wonderful outdoor vacation adventure.Back to reality, I am working on my other blog again, doing my Ebay, paying household bills, my husband is back at work, and my daughter has no school and we cannot afford the $325 a week summer camp in our area. A nanny is out of the question as they are $13 and up an hour. So as I work on my morning items, my daughter plays in her room, has a friend over, or is planted in front of the television for 2 hours while I try to quickly finish my daily to do work tasks so I can take her out for the afternoon for the rest of her summer break.As a mom, you feel pressure to do everything for your child- I want her to be able to have playdates, not watch a lot of television, get a lot of outdoor exercise, ride her bike daily and just never be bored.I don't know how to do that right now while she is still on school vacation. I don't have help and I need to do some work on the computer and around the house. The laundry needs to be done, the dishes needed to be washed, and the house needs to be tidied. The beds cannot make themselves.Some of my friends who have daily help or help a few days a week don't understand. They tell me things like "just let the house go. It is no big deal. Your children are most important." I truly agree my child is the most important but when the dishes are piled in the sink, and the dishwasher needs to be emptied...it seems like the house needs attention at the moment.Would love some comments about what you do and how much help you have. Let me know. I would love to feel like I am not alone.

Introduction Mom to a 4 year old

2008-08-19T23:48:00.000-07:00

I am a mom of a 4 year old. I should have started this blog long ago. I am a stay at home mom who works from home. I have an Ebay business plus am a part time blogger. I love my daughter and love what I do and love the chaos and energy of all of it.On this blog, I will blog about my life with my daughter, my daughters friends, her school, her activities, and all the things she likes right now from toys to foods. I hope you will follow me on this journey and make comments and introduce yourselves to me.

Announcing the launch of our online store!

2008-08-19T16:49:00.000-07:00

We here at Puppies and Worms launched our very own online store. We found some really cool products that we love, our friends and family love, and also hopefully you love as well. You can find our nifty products on our ebay store: http://stores.ebay.com/Puppies-and-Worms?refid=puppiesandwormsRight now we just have a few items but we will be adding eco-friendly products soon - such as Ecousable stainless steel bottles with accessories. They are awesome bottles, locally made and perfect on the go.

Cooking as a couple ~ Newlywed Girl

2008-08-19T04:39:00.000-07:00

I have come to realize cooking couples seems to be a dying breed. This is especially true when you start having kids and are getting over the whole 'honeymoon or newlywed stage.' I really think that we should be bringing this fad back! Its a great way to catch up with your other half, as well as, strengthening your relationship by doing activities together that normally feel like chores.[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="180" caption="Real Simple Magazine"][/caption]Sunday night, my hubby and I combined our powers in the kitchen and made a delicious grilled steak and veggie dinner. He watched while I marinated and coated the steak with my quick pepper crust, prepped the asparagus and microwave 'baked' potatoes. When I was finished with my prepping, he took the veggies and steak out to the BBQ grill to cook. It was simple but it was fun - he wasn't just couch potatoing while I made dinner.We poured a nice bottle of pinot noir to enjoy with our delicious homemade steak meal. This meal would rival any major steakhouse, in my opinion.I wish I took photos of the food! Oh well - you'll have to take my word that it was good looking and tasty.After dinner we caught an evening show of Dark Knight and shared some stale movie popcorn. It was a really great movie, I can understand the hype now. My suggestion: try this date night style, you might just enjoy it.

Husbands and Purses - by Newlywed Girl

2008-08-13T05:20:00.000-07:00

I purchased this beautiful LV Tahitienne Cabas at the Century City store over the weekend. Check it out!I have been drooling about this bag since I first saw it at the Rodeo Dr boutique back in May. I walked out of the store that day thinking about it, and then couldn't put it out of my mind. When I went back to the store it was GONE! My beautiful bag dashed from me before I could make the committment to buy it. I waited patiently for it to come back somehow and I vowed to buy it the next time I saw it.That next time was this past weekend at Century City, where I spotted it again on the top shelf. My husband and I were entertaining out of town guests and took them to the mall to do some open air shopping. I asked the salesperson to show me the bag and I proceded to try it on and stare at it on me in the mirror for 5 minutes. I really had to have this bag this time...it was calling my name. I MUST BUY IT!Now is the part where the husband comes into the story...My husband does not understand my obsession around handbags, or shoes for that matter. I'm sure that many of you wives and significant others out there can relate. We stood in the store discussing my purchase of this bag for about 30 minutes. He was standing there telling me no, while I was telling him I really wanted it. Ultimately, I did WIN and get the bag, but not without some guilting about how much it costs. Also, I have to mention that by WINNING the discussion, I am now purchasing this bag with my small slush fund that isn't part of our combined savings.I really didn't like that feeling of not being able to splurge on myself without getting the whole guilt trip from my husband. I feel as though because we are newlywed, I am really not used to having to discuss and scrutinize purchases. I do make my own money and pay the joint bills, so sometimes I feel like I deserve a little pick me up. Part of me also has been feeling stressed from work lately, putting in 12+ hour days, and wanting something to feel good about.What do you readers out there think? Have you had similar experiences?Post your replies and let me know what you think?? (good/bad/can relate)

Introduction... by Newlywed Girl

2008-08-11T17:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks for stopping by to read the blog! I wanted to introduce myself to readers out there. I am Newlywed Girl, and I wanted to talk about my perspective on being half of a couple.My husband and I were married back in September 2007, and ever since then its been great! We have so much fun together every day, no matter where we are. Life really couldn't be better at this point. We are enjoying our alone time, building our little home together, and starting our new life as a married couple.I plan to blog here about my life, focused around being the newlywed on the scene. Everyday topics such as family finances, careers, home life, my spending habit, my husband's annoyance with my spending habit, random thoughts, advice and tidbits from my soapbox, and everything in between.I am really glad to have an outlet for my thoughts. I look forward to feedback and suggestions on topics for future posts.Please email your questions or suggetsions to info@puppiesandworms.com with attention to Newlywed Girl, or post your comments to blog posts for me to respond.

Why Puppies...? Why Worms...?

2008-08-11T05:28:00.000-07:00

Why did we give ourselves this name for the blog? Its kind of a funny name but its meant to encompass all of our topics from cute and cuddly as well as the dirty and messy. We want to talk about all things messy, cute, and cuddly about life.In introducing our new format, we are going to feature a series of guest authors for our blog who can speak to all different stages of life. Initially, we will have two contributors; a hip / cool modern mom to a 4 year old, and the level-headed newlywed. It'll be fun to read about their daily musings and the things that really make their world go round.Look for their future blogs here at Puppies and Worms!

Cool Giveaway! RAKKU Shoe Wheel

2008-08-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

Our friend Shopping and Info has a great contest going on right now. They are giving away a free RAKKU shoe wheel for one reader selected at random. This is an Oprah selected cool product. All you have to do is go to www.shoppingandinfo.com or the RAKKU blog and comment in the post about what you like about the shoe wheel and enter daily to get your best chance at winning that shoe wheel. Don't forget to leave your contact info for the contest!We love this shoe wheel for our kid's closets or even our own. What a better way to see all your shoes in one space. The design is unique and is often a conversation piece for guests.Go check out Shopping and Info for more details and the contest link.

Cherry Tees is a great new line of comfy t shirts worn by celebs

2008-07-29T23:21:00.000-07:00

We love the new tees by Cherry Tees. O Magazine had a spread on them, Us Magazine and In Style magazine wrote a spread. All these magazines had articles about Nicole Richie and Jennifer Garner wearing them around town and how comfy they were and we could not find them anywhere. We found them and you must get some. We found them in the scoop neck versions, the short sleeve version, cap sleeve and the tank tops versions which Nicole Richie was famous for sporting around town. Check them out by clicking on the tees.

Thomas the Tank Engine Toys and things for back to school

2008-07-27T22:20:00.000-07:00

[caption id="attachment_15" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Thomas the Tank"][/caption]Thomas & Friends has the best new collection of lunch boxes and canteen sippy cup combos I have seen in a while. They really know how to make things kids like and I can see why a child would want this lunch box. It has a box to hold the food, a sippy cup for the water or juice, and the lunch box itself. Your child will love the lunchbox if he or she loves Thomas the Tank Engine.There is also a canteen that holds something to drink plus a bottom unit that screws onto the cup to hold some goldfish or cheerios. This cup can go with you to the park with a snack all in one. I really like this one too.