Want a Garden, but don't have the time?

Don't have time for a garden this summer because you're too busy now that you have kids.  No excuses this time because your kids can help you plant, water, and pick.  You don't have to worry about them running through it and you can control what they pick too with no problems.  Have you ever heard of using pallets, PVC piping, or hanging your gardens?  You don't have to spend your time hoeing and tossing manure and soil into the garden or constant weeding either.  Sounds like a dream, doesn't it?  It's for real!

Google any of the gardens or visit:
Hanging garden: http://www.ahahomeandgarden.com/garden/how-to-make-a-hanging-gutter-garden/
PVC garden: http://urbangardenmagazine.com/2010/02/build-it-yourself-the-pvc-pipe-hydro-garden/
Pallet garden: http://www.growingagreenerworld.com/creating-a-pallet-garden-step-by-step-instructions/

You can also find variations on tube.  PVC's use different irrigation systems but also use plastic cups which is nice, because you can move your plants or vegetables around.

My personal favorite are window boxes. I have several which were hanging off the porch this summer and they are PERFECT! I could water them without the hose. I could harvest them with out a basket. If I needed a pepper I would just open the kitchen door and break one off or even fresh parsley. I was the best garden to manage with kids and they could help too!

Healthy snacks

Out of ideas for snacks because your kids won't eat the ones you've been preparing for the last month.  Here are some new ones.

1. Use the left over tacos.  Make them as you would for yourself just not as full.  Slice each into quarters.  Roll up each quarter and stick a toothpick into it and microwave for 25 seconds or just enough so that the cheese melts.
2. Mozzarella breadsticks with ranch or spaghetti dipping sauce.
3. Homemade bread (wheat, rye toasted or pumpkin, banana, etc.)
4. Jello and fruit
5. Yogurt with berries or another kind of sliced fruit
6. Apple slices or carrots and peanut butter
7. Frozen grapes
8. Cucumber slices with a little salt
9. Pita wedges and hummus

Ask your kids to help with new ideas and pay attention at the table they might just give you some ideas.  Good luck with these.  I hope your kids like them.

Shopping alone with the kids

Since Walmart replaced the plastic carts with the hooks on the sides with the new metal carts it's almost impossible to shop with more than one child. So how do you do it?
I know there are child carts available but they are almost never there when I shop and I have a young toddler and a little one still in a car seat. I took lanyards and recyclable shopping bags with me.  Usually, less is better.  So, I tried to minimize my load by putting 2 bottles, 3 diapers, and the wipes container in my purse.  I was only going to be in there for an hour so I didn't worry about the bottles being out too long.  I shoved my purse into a canvas bag that held 2 recyclable bags and clipped the lanyards to the handles.  I lucked out and didn't need to change my kids or feed my youngest.
When I got to the registers all the items went into the recyclable bags and were clipped onto the front of the cart.  There were no worries about bags falling off the bottom, eggs being broken, bread smashed, or my son trying to throw something out of the cart.
It was a real success.