My 4Bits

Tuesday while waiting in line at Walmart (four lanes open out of 30, come on people, really) I picked up an issue of Real Simple. I don’t really know a whole lot about the magazine so I had no idea that it was the family special issue. LOVE, love this issue.

There are so many dog eared pages, I need to just flip through the magazine again in order to see what I liked. I grabbed the magazine and started perusing and made a snap judgement to just buy the thing. I am such a typical magazine shopper. Meaning the headlines are the reasons I buy. Ugh I hate that I just admitted that but it’s true and it’s who I am. There weren’t a whole lot of headlines on this issue but I grabbed it because I wasn’t in the mood to read a tabloid. Aren’t we all sick of Jon & Kate Plus 8 on the front of magazines? I know I am. Some the things that made me drool….

• They have this section called “new uses for old things”. I loved three of the tips but I think my fave was using ankle weights to sturdy a top heavy umbrella stroller. Brilliant. Nothing is more annoying than when your child stands up and the stroller topples backwards sending your purse and your packages to the floor. It’s happened to all of us, we all just pray that the contents of our purse don’t go rolling all over the mall. I’ll be using that idea.
• The article “Fun on the Cheap” had several websites that you could visit for coloring pages. For instance you can visit www.nationalgeographic.com and in the search box enter coloring book and you’ll have your pick of animals. Everything from a monarch butterfly to humpback whales. Love this!!
• “Report Card” had a listing of the best bandages, chicken fingers and wall hooks. The bandages information was good to know info. I just liked the fact that they called the section report card and that they were reviewing random things that us moms use.
• This I am very excited about… the “keep-it-together mom” section had organization tips for your entryway and I plan to utilize several of these ideas. I was so excited I couldn’t wait to show JT when he got home. Although he didn’t show my enthusiasm I know that if our mornings are smooth as silk, he’ll be a happy fella. Plus I can make over our entryway for about $7, can’t beat that.
• “Mom’s Night Off” I plan on making the peanut butter and chicken noodles with carrot and cucumber ribbons. I’m adding it to our meal plan in the next two weeks and hopefully will be able to blog my opinion.
• In the section “delights and distractions” under the new family traditions, they listed a Yes Day. The idea is that everytime you say ‘no’ to your kids you have them write it down (or you) and place it in the ‘yes’ jar. Then on a day when you have time to do something fun you can have them pull out a piece of paper from the ‘yes’ jar. I love this idea. You feel like you aren’t constantly shooting your kids ideas down and they get a say in what we do every once in a while.

Okay those are my favorites things from the family issue, believe me there were many more. This issue has so much packed into it that I feel like I would really benefit from a subscription. I know they all won’t be about family but I just liked all that organization and all the good ideas. I drooled my way through the whole thing.

Check out more TILT at the Diaper Diaries.