This is such a great time to start organizing and cleaning out our closets, drawers and storage, which feels so great! Now, what to do with all this stuff, where do you get rid of things that are still good, but you no longer need? Who can use my unwanted stuff? I have some ideas to share with you that you might not have thought about before.

Donate Baby items and Baby clothes plus Toddler clothes and toys: The crisis pregnancy centers and local woman’s shelter can use your good, clean clothes and baby items. Also, great for your maternity clothes . Of course there are many resale stores where you can receive credit for your clothes and find larger sizes for your little ones at the same time.

Donate Pet food, pet toys and dog and cat treats: You can donate these to your local pet rescue (find them with a simple online search or go to your pet store and ask), your local animal center or animal shelter or boarding and grooming business. They love to have old blankets and newspaper also!

Recycle Readable Magazines and Newspapers (and Books): Give them to a nursing home, senior centers, hospital or women’s shelter. Newspapers are sometimes welcome there as well, if not check the pet idea above.
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Wall-E is a much beloved figure around the Duck household, even before the movie came out. The very first Wall-E toy that we got for Lil’ Duck was this Interaction Wall-E, who loves to chatter and play. Lil’ Duck loves to play with him, the switch is easy to turn off and he likes to play with this Wall-E while off a lot, making him “talk” on his own and such. When we got it, we told him to be gentle to Wall-E’s head per the warning on the back, but we have picked him up by his head and dropped him a few times and nothing happened yet, he’s pretty sturdy. The front flap easily pops on and off if a certain child tries to stuff things “inside” and snaps it off, no harm done. It’s a little loud, but so are most of his toys. Well worth the purchase as he adores it and plays with him constantly, I think the many hours spent with this toy already will only multiply in the future as there is no sign of retiring this little guy in the near future . Plus, he plays so nicely with our iDance Wall-E!

We all know how much fun the little ones have when they get to make pine cone/peanut butter bird feeders, but this is a fun, easy activity that can help teach preschoolers & younger school age children how to recycle at the same time.  It was passed along to me by a fellow mama – enjoy!

What you need…
Mesh Bags (like the ones onions, apples, or oranges come in)
Dryer Lint
Bits of Thread and Yarn

How you do it…
Stuff the mesh bags with dryer lint and short pieces of thread and yarn (supervise younger children).  Hang the bags high in trees and shrubs where birds can find them.  They will use the lint, thread and yarn in their nest-making.

Here is a great free resource from Clorox to help you and your family stay healthy at all times of the year. We pass along the following information sent to us…

Even though the “traditional cold season” is supposed to end in late winter, its important for parents to remember that your family can still catch a cold at any time of the year. According to the CDC, last year’s influenza season officially peaked the week of February 4-10. And we all know that with the fluctuation of temperatures, the germs seem to grow regardless what season it is.

To help families keep homes healthy and tackle germs on their own terms, Dr. Kelly Reynolds – a public health researcher, professor from the University of Arizona and mother of three – has partnered with The Clorox Company to launch a Help Hotline (which is live now), 1-888-MIC-MOMY.

All of us need to be reminded at times, or we can call in with our questions for this microbiologist mom to answer.

Call today – 1-888-MIC-MOMY – to listen to the useful, common sense tips as to how to keep homes healthier year around.

Why do children latch into certain toys, waking up and asking about that one or two toys immediately? Lil’ Duck asks about his Pat Pat Rocket every morning and it is never far from him throughout his day.

As an adult it doesn’t look all that appealing to me, but putting the characters in their correct seats (of course they had to enter the rocket by stepping three times on the steps), closing the cover and having it make sounds is exciting each time for this 3 year old. I will admit the sounds are annoying to me while other adults don’t find them that way – hey, what child’s toy doesn’t make sound?

This would appeal to the child in the 2 – 4 year old range when repetition and putting little plastic “people” in their correct places is at it’s strongest.

Yes, the child whacks the cute moles with a plastic mallet and those moles pop back up with a giggle! The moles are dressed with hard-hats if that makes you feel better .

Lil’ Duck was delighted on Christmas morning to find a toy where he could take it out and have some good ol’ fun and have the Whac-A-Mole Game light up and giggle back at him. I was pleased to discover that there are various levels of play with a flip of a switch and it does teach the child to listen for their tune rather than just randomly whacking away. Another bonus is the child can play solo or with up to 4 players so this would make a good multi-age game for families.

How to help your furry friend adjust to the new family member:

Bringing a newborn into the home is exciting, but it can also be a major upset for the family dog, especially if he’s used to free reign in the house. Fortunately, Canine behavior specialist Kelly Beasley of Camp Bow Wow can provide dog owners with easy tips and tutorials for getting Fido on his best baby-ready behavior:

• Bring your furry friend to the vet for a check up and vaccination update.
• Nip bad behavior in the bud. Visit an animal behavior specialist to make sure your pal knows how to mind his manners!
• Bring on the crying! Get Fido used to hearing baby noises months ahead by playing recordings and turning on baby gear like bouncers and swings.
• Get into a routine. Although junior may not arrive for another few weeks, get your furry sidekick used to baby activities to make the transition easier. A great tip is to carry around a toy doll and use the stroller on your afternoon walks.
• Make sure your furry pal does not get lost in the shuffle when you arrive home from the hospital. Greet him with a warm and calm welcome before introducing him to the newcomer.
• Lastly, don’t forget about your furry friend when creating your birthing plan. Make sure Fido has a place to stay, like Camp Bow Wow, which provides your pup with a friendly and warm home away from home. Camp Bow Wow also makes a great reprieve for overtired new parents.

For more information or to schedule interviews with an Animal Behavior expert from Camp Bow Wow please contact Kate Dowdle

Looking for good Christian music for your children? Tired of dumbed down lyrics and low quality music? You will enjoy the group, Go Fish. They have lyrics that teach with quality music that parents and children enjoy. We have enjoyed this trio for years and are delighted that they have children’s music for Lil’ Duck (he LOVES their songs) and we love listening to it! (I love it for workout music too.)

Being a musical family, vocal and instrumental quality with the good lyrics are so important and is amazing in the sounds they create with just their voices and percussion.

Using music to teach is a proven, enjoyable way to memorize, so you need to listen to the new spin on a classic Sunday school activity – memorizing the books of the Bible in the song titled “Bible Book Bop”. What fun!

Dads, here is a tip for a special Mother’s Day gift she will never forget – have the children learn “The Mom Song” which was inspired by the group’s participation at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) conventions. And if you want tears, listen to the song, “You’re My Little Girl”. For a new baby, try “Welcome to the World”.

Visit Go Fish on Amazon to listen to sample sound clips and/or download this delightful songs.