This one is pretty simple. Socks get lost, stick to clothes in the dryer, and just are a pain. My solution.....wash all socks in lingerie bags. I actually do this for a lot of small items. This way they are contained and it is as easy as dumping the bag and matching the socks. This is really helpful with baby socks, however I even do it with my husband's socks. I spend 5.00 at Bed, Bath, and Beyond and bring a little organization to my laundry. Happy washing.

This one is for those of you who buy diapers. Wish I had found this sooner. If you go to Amazon.com and select the diapers you buy (I buy Pampers Cruisers), you will see in the shopping cart area the option to select the Subscribe and Save...you save 15% off their already good price. You do have to opt to have it shipped at a regular interval, but hey you need that anyway!! So, a case of diapers that they sell for 40.99 along with free shipping is now 34.84 still with free shipping!! LOVE THIS!!!! They have lots of items this way. What a deal.

Veggies.....did you know yellow tomatoes are well tolerated by children because they are low in acid, versus red tomatoes.

Before you buy any kid items, check out amazon.com. They are often cheaper and very often have free shipping. Sure beats lugging home a large item from the store. I did it with our son's sandbox and folding slide. Both large items that I would rather not have to bring home in my SUV.

This one is a no brainer! If you plan to go to the Please Touch Museum in Philadelphia it is 15.00/person for anyone over 1 year old. So a family of four is 60.00. If you plan to go more than once, or want to take guests with you, it is better to buy a membership for the year. They start at 150.00 for a 4 person membership. This means 4 people gain entrance at any time, no matter who they are so long as they are with you. Totally worth it!! A 6 person membership is only 170.00/yr.

Sharing good things is something I love! One of my best finds as a Mom is Huggies Overnites. They come in sizes 4, 5, and 6. They are the ONLY thing that saved us with our son. On occassion he would still wet through them, though that was rare. We usually put them a little higher in the front for two reason: he is boy, and he sleeps on his stomach. You can find them at Target or Diapers. com (my favorite)! Remember to enter referral code: aceman at diapers.com to get 10.00 off your first order.

Best advice I ever received from the pediatrician was to put our son down for a "roll around". What is a "roll around"? After about 12 months most children drop the morning nap. While this is totally normal, just the break for the parent and the child is good and healthy. When we were going through this the pediatrician recommended that we still lay Ace down at the same time he would have taken a nap. He usually "rolls around" for anywhere from 20-30 minutes. He plays with his toys or just rests. I get a break and he get rejuvenated! When he has had enough, he stands up and calls for me. We all need some time to ourselves during the day. Little ones don't really get this unless they are sleeping, so this answers the need for some time to themselves. It also helps to prepare children for time in their room on their own sitting reading or just thinking when they are older. Quiet time is good for all, and hey, we all need a break sometime!!!

Looking for an easy, healthy alternative to chicken nuggets? Try Perdue Shortcuts. They are in the meat section. They come already cooked and are delicious. I first thought they were a little high in sodium, however if you compare them to nuggets, they are less. Great to throw in a stir-fry or in a salad too! Love it!

Finding new things to do with my son is always at the top of my list. You have to keep it interesting. We went to a storytime in the Park today at Wentz Run Park and then off to the airport! Yes, the airport. We visited a local airport, Wings Field in Blue Bell, PA. Mesmerizing....is all I can say. We watched Penn Star (the U of P medical transport helicopter) gear up to take off and then go up and fly away. Ace was just in awe! It was sooo cool. We also watched some planes take off and land. It is really neat to watch the small planes with the propellers. Ace kept saying "up, up, up!!!) It made me feel so good to watch the excitement he was feeling! Try to find a local airport and just go watch. It is free, fun, and exciting! :)

To top it all off, then we went to Maple Acres Farm. It is very local to us. They have amazing heirloom tomatoes, which Ace loves to pick out himself. Only problem, he picks them and bites right into them if I do not catch him fast enough! Too funny!!! His favorite are the Brandywine Yellow Tomatoes....again, very yummy! Just visit your local farms, see the produce, visit animals if there are any, and embrace the way it used to be. Fun does not have to mean commercial, good old fashioned things can be fun and free!

In my ongoing effort to feed Ace a variety of healthy foods, I decided to buy him ground turkey. Healthy, right? What I found was really interesting. Ground turkey can be just as high in fat as ground beef. You have to look for ground turkey BREAST. It is much whiter that regular ground turkey. Apparently, regular ground turkey also contains dark meat and the skin! I have several simple ways to prepare this. One of Ace's favorites is turkey, sauce, and some mozarella chesse. I also make little meatballs that he can pick up and eat. Yes, they take a while since they are child bite sized, but they are soooo cute and he loves them.

So, take a closer look at what you think you are buying and make sure it really is what you want!

This one if for those new mommies. If you are buying a stroller, look for one with rubber wheels. They are quieter and wear better. (If you buy a Graco with plastic wheels, you can contact them and buy rubber wheels to fit most of their full size stollers.) Many high end strollers already have them, and the difference is amazing. Doesn't seem like a big deal, until you have a sleeping baby in there, and then boy are you thankful for the quiet ride!!!

Coupons....google what you are looking for and coupons usually come right up. One of my favorites are Johnson's products. A dollar or two off really adds up. Print them out and use them. Remember, coupons are really just like free cash!

If you know me you know how I love to find great things to feed my son. One of them is the Pepperidge Farm Very Thin bread. I buy the Whole Wheat (comes in white too). It is great to make sandwiches and toast with as it is really thin, so you do not end up with lots of doughy bread that you don't really want your kids eating anyway. Isn't bread really the conduit for the sandwich fillings anyway?? Oh yeah, I like to use Spreadable Philly cream cheese and Polaner All Fruit (there is no added sugar!). Tastes great and is good for them. Much better than lots of other things out there!

Rewards. There are rewards programs that are simple and easy. One of my favorites is Pampers Gifts to Grow. I collect the numbers off of the Pampers products and then enter a bunch of them all at once. You can't say you don't have the time, as it only take a couple minutes. I usually do them when I am watching TV. This one is easy, just enter the code numbers and get the points. Then redeem them for great stuff. I have gotten 3 GAP gift cards and 200 free prints from shutterfly. Heck, for all the money baby stuff costs, this one is a must do.

If you are looking for toys for your kids, and want to make sure they will actually use them, try borrowing them from a friend first. Ask around to see if anyone has the toy you are looking for. Then ask them if you can borrow it for a week to see if your child plays with it. Offer to lend them something in return for the week. When the week is up, take the toy back. Do not make your friend ask for it back. If your child likes it...go buy it. If not, you did not waste your money. Everybody wins!

Keeping your children active with wonderful activities lets them experience the world around them. I will keep you all in the loop as to the wonderful things we do, and how you can plan similar experiences.

Keep it seasonal. A friend and I took our kids to an Organic Farm/Orchard today. How great it was to watch them pick blackberries! My son was amazed at how his hands turned purple...too funny! He thought it was fun picking...but more fun eating the berries right off the vine. As a Mom, the best part was knowing he was not injesting any chemicals and/or pesticides. Google your area for Organic farms and see if they have "pick your own". If you live in the Philly Area, check out Willow Creek in Worcester!

I have to thank Kim for this great idea. A good time and fun, new experience. Now, to eat the fruits of our labor...yummy :)

Running errands like grocery shopping with children is CRAZY! Kids of all ages, grab for the closest item. In my son's case, he wants to open all of the freezer case doors!! LOL How do you overcome this....either shop at night after the little ones are in bed or shop online. Online as in Amazon.com's grocery section or online, locally, at your supermarket's site if they offer delivery.

I know you will say, "By the time the kid(s) are in bed, I am tired!". Well, I hear ya! However, shopping at night means virtually no crowds, peace, and an easy checkout. Nothing is perfect, but this is one solution to the "market woes".

One of my favorite things as a Mommy has been Diapers.com. It is easy, well priced, and comes right to your door. The customer service is AMAZING.

Enter code: aceman and get 10.00 off your first order!

Diapers is one thing you should not have to stress about not having in the house....can you imagine? Start shopping now. They also sell lots more than diapers. I usually order diapers, Earth's Best Oatmeal, Triple Paste, Sippy Cups, and even clothes! They have everything baby!

Oh, by the way, if you shop through US Airways Dividend Miles Shopping Mall you will also get 1 mile for every $1 you spend at Diapers.com. How can you lose?

Ready, Set, Go......on the journey of motherhood I have learned a lot in a short period of time. I want to share with other Moms and here is my forum. Stay tuned!