How About a Third Helping?

Well, I'm adding to my bloggy family. No. This is not a preggers announcement. Could someone please pick my sister up off the floor? Baxter? Thanks bud.

No, I'm just adding to my writing projects so on top of my two blogs and the other book that keeps rolling around in my head, I am going to contribute to Kadi's project Making a Mommy. If you haven't been there yet you really should visit. It's a gathering place for mothers to share the wisdom that they have found in their own parenting journey. So if you are a mom to be, a mom who has been, or a mom in middle of the process there is something there for you. Kadi should know! She has seven.

She is also welcoming other writers so get your tookus over there and throw you hat in the ring. In the meantime, feel free to pop over and visit me there from time to time too. I always welcome the company.

Changing the World One Blog at a Time

If any of you are fans of my other blog The Bowl, you know how I feel about people helping people. The whole world would be a better place if people would look outside of themselves at least once a day and perform som act of random kindness.


Well, there is one team in particular that has accepted this mission is such a huge way that I think you all need to thank them. Over at MomDot, Trisha of MomDot, Kim of Accidental Mommies, and Jane of Mom Generations have teamed up to create Bloggers Give.


Bloggers Give is a way for bloggers to give back to society through their passion for blogging. Review bloggers and companies and bloggers who simply have boutiques or connections are collecting and donating goods to be used for various nonprofit and charitable organizations. Right now all donations are going to benefit Courageous Kids, a camp for children with disabilities to give them a chance to just be children without worries or cares about their challenges.


Any of you who knew me before children know that camp life is a HUGE part of my past. I dedicated seven summers to camp life and working with children of all colors, creeds, beliefs and backgrounds. There is nothing like giving a child unconditional love and fun for a week. Nothing.


This is an incredible opportunity to help a little corner of our world. If you are a blogger, a company, an individual. If you have a heart and a desire to help, check out Bloggers Give and do your part for some very deserving children.

Mom Tip Mini on Listening

If you listen carefully you can hear some of the funniest things never put on stage.

From the Rhino: Did you see that Mom? I just fell off my legs.

I almost went in search of the missing parts until I realized that he meant to say "I just fell on my knees."

From the Orangutan: But I can't brush my teeth because then my orange juice will go to waste because you know Mom that I can't drink my orange juice after I brush my teeth because it will taste all funny and then you'll have to throw it out and Daddy hates it when we have to throw our juice out because we haven't finished it.

And I promise you not only did she never take a breath but that is verbatim what came out of her mouth. I can no longer say that she doesn't listen.

From the Marmoset: Ah neena noonle for Maxie licka me. Which means (because not everyone speaks Marmoset) "I need a noodle so I can put it in my mouth with a little piece hanging out so Max can eat it like a treat."

And yes, that does happen at my house. Not only do I serve naked noodles for dinner from time to time but the dog does get table scraps. And yes, the children have been known to put treats just between their lips and let the dog take them from their mouths. What can I say? He lives a great life. I have often told him that in my next life I'm coming back as him.

From the Lion: (and I have held this as long as I can) I am hyperactivating the fridgidity.

That was in response to my question of why there was a sealed glass jar of $6 apple juice in my freezer just waiting to explode.

And finally From the Zookeeper: If you are not naked in the next 2 seconds I am going to whoop that fanny all the way to Wisconsin!

A - I can't believe I even had to ask twice for someone to get naked! And B - The response I got was not a naked child. It was "where's Wisconsin?!"

Did I mention that in my next life I'm coming back as a dog?

Mom Tip Monday - Menu Planning 101

It's Monday again! And as promised this week we are working on Menu Planning. In preparation for this post I put up a quick one liner over in the MomDot forum. "What challenges do you face when you are menu planning?" Holy Smokes! The response from my fellow mom blogs was overwhelming so we will be spending more than just one week on this. Remember, if you have a question or you want to hear my take on your challenge, zip it over to me at The Zookeeper's Inbox (ineedthezoo(at)yahoo(dot)com). But more on that later.

This week we're vlogging - aren't you thrilled? It's on the old camera so you may need to spike your volume. And please pardon Orangutan's run by interruption. She's got great timing like that!

So are you ready for The Pantry Challenge? Do some digging and send me your challenge at ineedthezoo(at)yahoo(dot)com. And for those who didn't take notes while the web addresses were zipping by, here they are one more time.

allrecipes.com
kraftfoods.com
and pillsbury.com

I hope this helps you stretch that budget a little and gives you some new ideas for dinner tonight. Next week, Budget Stretchers. How I fed my family for a week for $15! You don't believe me do you? See you next week!

Top Reads if You're New to The Zoo

I started scrolling back through my posts for a while yesterday and I realized that there are some really fun posts buried way back there in July and August of last year that some of you who are new to the Zoo will never read unless you really have NO life whatsoever. So I thought I would give you the Cliff Notes Zoo Style so you can see just what this whole Zoo thing is all about. These are a few of my favorites from days gone by (what am I 80?!)

The First Note to the Zookeeper. Which was closely followed by The Zookeeper's Response.

This one is L.M. Lion's favorite - The day's when Mom hates her name.

I think this my be my sister's (the Z.I.T) favorite. When Clothing becomes optional.

And introducing Z.I.T.'s. Please don't pop them!

The study in a mother's language skills!

And finally the Mom Tip that started it all. Super Mom!

For those of you who have been with me from the beginning, thanks for hanging out! For those who are visiting for the first time - Ya'll come back now! Ya heah!

Party Time! MomDot Day 2!

Can I just tell you how much fun I had yesterday? I added several people to my reader and I saw some really awesome pages! If you aren't popping around reading at least a few of the other participants in the MomDot Blog Party you are really missing out on meeting some wonderful and creative people!

Our question for Day 2 is brought to you by:

Sponsors: LaPlates and Lets Go Strolling and Natitys Design

VIP BLOGGERS: Parent Reviewers , Mom Most Traveled, Mommy Zabs, MomStart, HipposToes, Run DMT

And the question is:

Traditions, what are some of your favorite family traditions? What are some traditions you want to begin?

I love traditions. We have a few here at the Zoo and I am certain we will add more as the years pass. Some of my favorite Zoo traditions center on Christmas.

Christmas pajamas – You all got to see these yesterday in our family picture. My mother always makes the kids pj’s to wear on Christmas Eve. Unfortunately for me this is the last year that the three may be able to have matching pj’s. Tuck and Mo are getting a little older and will probably start to move to more “grown up” jammies.

The Cookie Bake – The weekend after Thanksgiving all dieters move away from my house. I will spend all of November storing up baking supplies little by little. Then the Saturday after Thanksgiving I go nuts. I bake all day long. Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Oatmeal Raisin, Oatmeal Scotchies, Chocolate Covered Pretzels, homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries, Double Delicious Bars, Oreo Truffles, and more that I would list if I was less fearful of keyboards across the blogosphere shorting out.

Then on Sunday the plating begins. We make trays for the fire houses and Daddy’s office and smaller bags for our mail lady and any other public servants the kids choose. Then we go as a family and deliver them. I may be off a little but I almost think the kids look forward to this more than they do to the presents.

The Magic Seed – This is by far my favorite!! Since we moved into our house three years ago, we have had a real tree. Daddy picks it out himself and brings it home from work the second week of December. Then we bring the tree stand up from the garage and let the kids “plant” the Magic Seed. It is actually a pistachio nut that one puts in the tree stand and the other waters. Then I put them in the tub.

While they are busy playing in the tub, Stephen and I set the tree up in the tree stand. Then while I do baths and jammies, Daddy puts on the lights. It is the highlight of the holiday season to watch their faces as they lay eyes on the tree for the first time.

That is just a few of the Christmas traditions here at Zoo Suburbia. I am tingly with anticipation that they are approaching quickly for this year again!

Want to pick up some more holiday traditions for your family? Pop over to MomDot and visit some of the other participants who will be sharing their traditions too! Make sure you share a little comment love - it's our version of chocolate (when we can't get our hands on the real stuff)!