Toy companies

As a mom one thing that will turn a good day bad fast is a toy that stops working, especially a new toy!!  They are playing and laughing, then upset and fighting over who broke it.
"Mommy fit, broke". ugggg. Its just heart breaking and frustrating. These things are expensive!! We have a small fortune in toys here.

There are companies that actually stand by their products and who are extremely helpful.

My first experience was with Melissa and Doug.  The triplets got monster bowling set for their second birthday. They loved the little monster pins and carry them around as babies instead of bowling pins. They are happy, I'm happy. About a week after getting it, Emerson brings me the bowling ball, says broke and walks away. It is a little cloth ball, simple. The stitch to close it came undone no big deal I sew and can easily fix it. I though, I wonder if they know about this. (The company). Maybe it is a thread defect? So I found their contact info and sent them an e-mail. Just a friendly just so you know and can fix this in the future e-mail. I got a e-mail reply quickly asking if I could call. "Wow" I though. This big toy company wants me to call. So I did. Turns out they are not this mega giant toy company I was envisioning. They re a little company with all hand made toys. She was really sweet, asked a few questions and that was it. She said we will send you a new one out today."Really?!? I can fix the one we have so its no need". I assured her. " Please don't we want you to send it back to us when you receive the new one for quality control". That makes sense. A few weeks later I got the new ball but there were no return instructions. I sent her an e-mail asking where to send it. She said not to worry about it. Ok, Thanks! I love their products and I love the way they handle their business.

However not all companies are this good. Vtech, I am not a fan of and will not be purchasing any other products they make.  We have the Tiny Talk Light-Up Phone. Once again my kids loved this toy for the month that it worked. Then it started making weird noises and sounded like it was shorting out. Then it just quit. I took the batteries out and contacted the company. I did it by their web site customer service area.I e-mailed them all what was going on, serial and model #s, all that jazz. The reply was not what I was expecting. Because it was a gift I did not have the receipt and I did not know where it came from they could not help me. WHAT!!?? Ok I replied "then can you tell me how to fix it. I am handy and could probably do it". " We can not divulge how our toys work" was the reply I got.   So basically sorry sucker. As I started to write this I decided to give them another chance and Called them. They were a little more helpful. The toy is now discontinued and pulled from stores. I said because you know it is defective he said correct, I mean. ....  Got you!!! He first offered half off a toy from their online store. Really you want me to pay for you to replace a defective toy. He put me on hold and came back with a counter offer. The toy is only worth $11.99 (even though it retails for at least $15.99) so I can pick a replacement from the online store for $11.99. Said to pick it out and call back. So I did. I called back 15 mins later and got the same person. Now he says that I will get an e-mail telling me how to order it from the store and how to return the defective one. I will have to pay for shipping. Wait What?! So now I have a toy that you said was recalled, I get less that what was paid and I have to pay for shipping???   Ill get back to you on this one. Not happy and will never buy another one of their products.

Back to the great! Imperial Bubble. LOVE them. Replaced our Bubble fantasia bubble machine that the motor went out on. Quick and friendly.

Kids II aka Baby Einstein Great, quick and friendly.

So when you buy as many toys as we do DO YOUR RESEARCH!!. Vtech even has a I hate Vtech facebook!! Apparently they are known for electrical problems in their toys. So if you get the kids a toy from them sorry but I will be exchanging it.

Sorry for the long post/rant. I pray it helps others and keeps possibly dangerous toys away from our kids.

The WHOLE Pumpkin

Fall. Well if you can call it that here in Texas. Its not as hot, Christmas decorations are out, and people every where are putting perfectly good food out to rot on their porches.  It breaks my heart to see this. All the wonderful dishes never baked and enjoyed. I need a minute to cry. OK, I'm better. I mean you have pumpkin bread, pies, oatmeal/malt o meal, drinks, dips, anything you can think of and its all wasted.
 
   If you are as appalled as I am then here is how you stop this injustice and prepare your pumpkin.
   
   Pick your pumpkin. No it does NOT have to be that cute little pie pumpkin. Any big ole pumpkin is good. try to get one that seams heavier than it should be. This means it has more meat on the walls. I let the pumpkin speak to me. I like to ugly, lumpy one that will be passed over because it is "not carving material".
 
    Move oven racks so that your pumpkin will fit and preheat oven to 350.

 
    Now that you have your pumpkin give him or her a little wash down get all the extra dirt off. No need to full on bubble bath him we are not eating the skin.

    Find a pan that your pumpkin will fit in and line it with foil. The pan is to catch any leaking juices and the foil to help keep said pan cleaner.

    Fun part!! Think of you favorite slasher movie and channel that. You need to use a knife and puncture all the way through the meat to allow steam to vent. I enjoyed this a little much.

    Say your good byes and stick your pumpkin in the oven.

   Cook till you can easily puncture skin with a fork.Check every 30 minuets. Mine was 16 lbs and took about an hour.

   Once you remove your pumpkin let it set!!! Do NOT try to cut it, it is full of steam and can burn you. I eat lunch, get kids up from their nap, make and feed them lunch, THEN I cut my pumpkin in half. There may be juice. Remove the seeds and your pumpkin is ready!!

   You can cube it and freeze it or puree it in the food processor. Remember this is fresh pumpkin and you will need to spice it. Enjoy!! You have just saved food from being wasted.

      I pureed half and cubed the other half. I scooped the puree into a muffin panto freeze then into the vacuum sealer.  I got 2 muffin pans full or 24 muffins worth of puree and 3 small bags of cubes.

Dish battle

I keep telling myself I'm going to write today. Ill do it when the kids take a nap. I put them in thier room when they got super grumpy and whiney.  
Did they sleep? Of course not. They talked, sang and counted. For over an hour!! I finally go in there to lay them back down as soon as I opened the door they came at me like crying zombies. I ran. I shut the door and did not look back! Few minutes later they were out.
Now I'll write!!  Nope its now 1 and I have yet to eat today. So its lunch time and cartoon time.
Now the kids are up and our day continues.
Usually at this time I am beyond tired and watching all my cartoons on adult swim. Its my ME time. No kids and No husband.  Imagine my suprise and heartbreak when I see cartoon network is GONE!!!
What the flicker!! Once again corperate America is fighting about money. Really?!?!
I am a tired mother of two year old triplets and I need my relaxation time.
The only good thing is I'm writing. Maybe this is what I needed.  Not sure how well this will come out as it is on my cell phone but hey, I'm doing it!
Now if I can only get my butt off the couch and in to my craft area and to make some of the dresses I have been dreaming of. 
Baby steps.

Hello. My name is Wren and I'm a milkaholic.

My name is Wren and I'm a milkaholic.
If you leave your milk unattended for more than a minute I will drink it. I will then bring all the cups to mom and ask for more in all three so I can drink them all again.

I realy think we need to get a cow. They are at the age I ask them what they want to drink,  8 out of 10 times she wants milk. Between the three of them we go through 3 GALLONS a WEEK!! That does not include what tiny amount my husband or I may drink.

Its really not that bad seeing as how they have a milk intolerance and the only dairy they get is thier 2% milk. Its all thier little systems can handle. They do get yogurt with fruit and bran once or twice a week. I try to give them cheese,a very small amount, every few weeks. Some times its ok other times they get spots. Good think we don't see people to often or someone would probably freak out if they were to are the spots LOL.

But back to Wren. She is adorable but deny her her milk request, then demand and you  will face the wrath of a 2 year old with the lungs and additude of a lion, and a lot of the time an unruly lions mane to match.

Dallas Zoo The first of many, many trips

Finding time to blog is proving harder than I hoped, but about what I expected. Kids are jumping in their beds instead of taking naps. Dishes are piled up from yesterday because we decided to go to the zoo.( I am still worn out from said zoo visit.)
I did how ever survive another day and had a great time at the zoo with my grumpy, nap needing two year olds. I even finished a ninja turtle quilt last night after they went to bed. Get this, its not needed till Saturday!!!  Usually I am up till 1 AM finishing things that are due the next day, so go me!!
After our trip to the zoo making a Mei tai style toddler carrier is my next sewing project.

My mom bought us the family plus packs so there will be a lot of zoo trips once it cools down. Go during the day. It was so peaceful and nice. there were hardly any people there, everyone was laid back and pleasant. The animals were up front and at the glass relaxing. We got the get up close to a cheetah, lion, gorillas, wart hogs and feed the giraffes. I loved it!! Wren, my animal obsessed girl, was terrified. I was shocked. She did finally get close to the cheetah and lion, but was scared of warthogs, turtles and these cute little yellow birds in the tunnel. I hope it was just because she was tired. We made it to 1/3 of the animals, my goal next trip is the goats in the children's petting zoo.