Traveling in a car can be boring and tedious for kids, even if they have their electronic games. To keep it interesting, invest in some travel car games and switch it up with the electronics, movies and music.

Recent hurricanes battering the Caribbean and southern United States and another Sept. 11 commemoration remind us of our fragility and the importance of getting emergency plans buttoned up.

September is National Preparedness Month, and it’s time to get your home and family ready for any event. It can be difficult to overcome the natural inclination to think “it won’t happen to me.” Getting organized and being prepared doesn’t have to involve backbreaking work. It simply means assembling the tools and resources you’ll need if the unexpected occurs.

Sarah on “Know Your Community”:

While we would put a large amount of trust in our local governments and their emergency preparedness, it is important to research their public-policy procedures for your reference. If a town/city evacuation occurs, which roads are deemed the safest? What do the sirens for each kind of emergency sound like? How does the school handle a national emergency? Being well-informed is the best way to handle any difficult situations. Also, find out emergency procedures in your workplace. For more information, log on to www.ready.gov.

Alicia on “Document the Essentials”:

Have the basics for survival, listed below, but get your documents in order ahead of time as well. Put together a binder of the most critical information for your family and home; keep it handy. The binder should contain items such as your roofer’s phone number to check for wind damage or appraisal information for furniture damaged in a flooded basement. It should be organized so even your child knows just where to look for all of your contact numbers. If it’s too daunting to make your own binder, versions such as Life.doc, Valuables.doc, Pocket.doc and Pet.doc can help you organize the essentials quickly and easily. Having this family, pet and home information at your fingertips when the worst happens can be reassuring during an unsure situation.

Here are three steps to prepare your family for anything:

# 1. Make a plan.
Have a family emergency plan. Designate specific meeting places both close to home and farther away, such as a neighbor’s home and Grandma’s house in the next city. Make sure each family member has a telephone number and e-mail contact for an out-of-state person whom everyone can contact and relay news to. In addition, prepare a list of pet-friendly family members or hotels, in case you have to evacuate. Keep these resources in mind when stocking up extra food and first-aid supplies.

# 2. Have the right supplies on hand.
Keep a supply of water, food and batteries in a waterproof container; replace this supply every six months. Store at least 3 gallons of water per person per day, canned food and a can opener in a dry, accessible place. Keep at least half a tank of gas in your car at all times in case of an evacuation. Know the best routes, avoid roads that easily flood and keep maps of alternate routes. Have enough prescriptions and over-the-counter medications on hand to last six weeks. Keep some cash on you, because ATMs and banks may be closed or not working.

#3. Get insured.
Find out the best ways to prepare your home for flood, wind, earthquake or any other elements. Get organized and be sure you document the valuables in your home, taking inventory of its contents with photos and video. Photograph the home itself, inside and out. Be ready with the proper insurance and ask what is covered and what is not. For example, with Florida basic insurance, you may be covered for tropical-storm wind damage, but flood insurance is an extra premium. If you rent, purchase renter’s insurance to cover your possessions; your landlord’s homeowners insurance will not cover it.

Get Organized for Safety! You’re Only 15 Minutes from a Completed Emergency Plan

Do the blaring sirens of fire trucks and ambulances give you the willies? If you’re like most people, that answer is a resounding yes. Nobody likes to think of emergencies, but they creep into all of our lives. Just watch the news and you’ll see coverage of homes torn apart by tornadoes, towns destroyed by hurricanes, and trees felled by lightning storms. And that’s just the natural disasters. Anyone who lived through the harrowing images of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, DC knows that emergencies strike when you are least expecting them. Whether you live in a flood zone or make your home in a part of the country known for its earthquakes, it’s important to spend a little time to get you and your family on board with a completed emergency plan. It doesn’t take a lot of time to be prepared, but if an emergency does strike, it will be invaluable.

Here are a few ways you can get yourself prepared:

1. Organize an Emergency Plan.

Know evacuation routes. Designate specific meeting places both close to home and farther away. Get contact information for an out of state person that everyone can contact to relay news in case you are separated. Visit www.GetButtonedUp.com/emergencychecklist to get a free printable checklist of what you should include in an emergency plan.

2. Hold a State of the Union.

An emergency plan is useless if other people living with you don’t know about it. Take the time to discuss it as a group. Ensure that everybody is aware and knows exactly what to do, where to go, and who to contact.

3. Document Your Valuables.

Walk room-to-room with a camera or pen & paper and document furniture, electronics, collectibles, clothes, and other items of value. Estimate the replacement value for each and check that you have adequate insurance. Save the list and the photos as a digital file and, even if it is rough, send it to another person such as a relative a trusted accountant or lawyer for safekeeping.

4. Have Records Ready.

You can’t grab your filing cabinet and take it with you in an emergency. But you can grab a binder, such as the Life.doc, an accordion folder, or laptop computer. Make sure you have your most important information organized and ready to go in case something happens. Having it organized this way also means that, God forbid, if something happens to you, others will know where to find the information.

5. Get Organized – Create Your Emergency Kit.

Put water, canned food, cash, and a first aid kit in a waterproof box. Make sure you have enough of each of these things to last each person the house 5 days.

Almanacs and weather services have forecasted that we may be in for some severe weather this summer, whether you live in the Southeast, the Central Plains or the Southwest.

And while those are just predictions, we implore you to get organices and get prepared now. We may never be able to predict with much accuracy when and where a major storm or weather event will hit next, but when it’s upon you, it’s usually too late to as much as you would like to get ready for it; as the old proverb says: ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.’ We know it can seem like difficult and daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be.

Alicia on ‘Make Room for One Night of Prep Time Prime Time’

‘If it’s not planned, it rarely gets done. So the first, and easiest, step in getting organized to be prepared is to schedule time to discuss the issue with your family. We estimate that it will take three hours to develop a plan that will have you ready for anything. Instead of zoning out in front of the boob tube, schedule a ‘Prep Time Prime Time’ for your family and use that three hour block you’d normally be watching TV to discuss your needs and work together to get the basics in place. If that is impossible given extracurricular activities and competing schedules, try to make one week ‘emergency preparedness week’ and have your family spend 30 minutes a night (ideally right before or after dinner) going through the steps together.’

Sarah on ‘Avoid Analysis Paralysis’

‘A lot of people get paralyzed when putting an emergency plan together because they want it to be ‘perfect.’ So they either get a tiny fraction of the process started and stop, or they don’t get started at all. Unless you are a psychic and already know in advance every eventuality for which you must prepare, your plan may not be ‘perfect.’ But given the choice to be 80% or 90% prepared versus not at all prepared, you can and should choose the former. The trick is to organize the basics of your plan first and then from there you can layer on details as and when you see fit.’

Three Elements of a Good Emergency Plan

To help you get over any initial fears or inertia, we’ve outlined the three critical elements to a good emergency plan.

#1: Make an Evacuation Plan
Take the time to discuss as a group your plan and once you have landed on the ‘winner’, ensure that everybody is aware of it and knows exactly what to do, where to go, and who to contact. This plan should include your pets. If you are likely to head to a shelter to ride out the storm, you should know that most don’t allow pets inside, so you need to plan for their safety too. Also, make sure everyone has an out of state contact (friend or relative) to call and check in with in case you cannot all connect directly with each other.

#2: Stock Up
If you’re without electricity or running water for days after the storm passes, you’ll have a tough time unless you have stocked up on canned goods, water, flashlights, and batteries. You’ll want to have a battery operated radio on hand as well so you have the latest information as it comes across the wires.

#3: Have Records Ready
You can’t grab your filing cabinet and take it with you in an emergency. But you can grab a binder such as the Life.doc (www.getbuttonedup.com), an accordion folder or laptop computer that has your most important information in it, so it’s with you wherever you end up. The most critical sections include: basic medical information, insurance information (what policies you have and who to contact), and financial information (what accounts you have and who to contact).

Why is that that the only time we think to get prepared is when disaster is breathing down our necks?

So often we hear about hurricanes, fires or other disasters and think, ‘I should really put a few things together in case of an emergency,’ but never actually get around to doing anything about it. It’s a universal problem driven by two things. First, for many of us, it’s difficult to be sure of what is needed or how to put it together in an organized fashion. And second, the thought of something bad happening to our loved ones is often too difficult to consider. These are fears worth overcoming.

Alicia on the importance of getting informed

The most important step in getting prepared is to read up on the topic. There are many websites out there that can help you wrap your head around what exactly you need to get ready for anything. One of the best sites for this is the Department of Homeland Security. We recommend that you spend enough time on the site to gain the confidence you need to get started.

Pay particular attention to the following areas:

• Assembling a kit of emergency supplies — what’s necessary and what’s not?
• Making an emergency plan — what are the important components of a plan?
• Preparing for communication gaps — where should you look for important directives and how to you stay in touch if phones aren’t working?

Sarah on getting it done

One way to make the entire task seem less daunting is to keep in mind that it will take you less than 3 hours to get prepared for the unexpected. That’s right, isn’t your family’s safety worth one night of prime time TV? And if that still seems overwhelming, break it up into smaller bite-sized pieces. Assign one week as ‘emergency preparedness week’ and have your family spend 30 minutes a night (ideally right before or after dinner) going through the steps together. Once everyone agrees on what to do, write it down and post it in the house. Think of how much worry this will save you all down the line.

These three organizational tips are designed to help you get the basics in order.

#1: Remember the ‘Big 4′
Water, food, cash and a first aid kit are the foundation of any emergency kit. Make sure you have enough of each of these things to last each person in the house at least 5 days. Imagine how much suffering could have been avoided in the recent hurricanes if people had prepared a family emergency kit stocked with these amenities.

#2: Engage the Entire Family
Getting prepared should be a family event, not a burden for one person to carry. It’s in everybody’s best interest to know what’s been done and to be invested in the process. Make sure each family member has a job to do and encourage them to get it done within a week. One person can buy flashlights, a whistle and lots of batteries, another can find a radio (battery operated) in the house and make sure it still works, and someone else can clear out space in the pantry, garage or basement to store all of the emergency supplies.

#3: Get ‘Extras’
Think about any items that are critical to you and that may not be easy to get for a few days in an emergency and have extras on hand. Some important things to consider are prescription medicines taken regularly, glasses and contact lenses including saline solution and contact case, and baby items such as formula and diapers.

Now that you finally get to enjoy a day off from work without having to spend it at the beck and call of the holiday season — kick back and have some fun!

And even though we’re in the midst of the bleakest days of winter, there are still tons of bright ways you and your loved ones can enjoy your time together. So, to help you make the most of your time off, here are ten fun-filled suggestions on how to spend President’s Day:

#1: Be a Home Town Tourist
Ever pass a gaggle of tourists only to realize you’ve never checked out your city’s own claims to fame? Use your day off to be a home town tourist and hit up all the local places of interest you’ve been meaning to check out yourself. And yes, it’s okay to bring a camera — although you might want to skip on the fanny pack!

#2: Use Up Those Gift Certificates
If you’re like the rest of us, you’ve been meaning to cash in those holiday gift certificates but just haven’t had the time. Now’s your chance! And if you would rather avoid the mall, most companies now let you redeem your dollars online as well.

#3: Reconnect With Friends
Once you get caught up in a busy routine, it’s often extremely easy to fall out of touch with your best pals. So why not use President’s Day to reconnect with a few friends? After all, the day off gives you the perfect opportunity to hit that hot lunch spot without having to worry about being back in the office.

#4: An In House Production
If you’re stuck inside, spend the day gearing up for a family production. Whether it’s a classic story or something you concoct the day of, spend the day setting up your family production by creating make-shift costumes, setting the stage, and learning lines. Once you’re rehearsed, it’s lights, camera, action!

#5: The Great Outdoors
Use your day off to hit the slopes, the rink, or even a snow filled park. Whatever your cup of tea, grab your outdoor gear and enjoy the winter wonderland while you still can.

#6: Start A Garden
Although May flowers may be the last thing on your mind during this grey week in February, now is a great time to get the heads up on spring. Purchase a few packets of seeds and start your own indoor garden in your kitchen or living room. By the time those April showers roll around, your seedlings will be ready to plant.

#7: Fit For A Princess
Despite your efforts with top of the lines moisturizers and conditioners, the winter always manages to reek havoc on our hair and skin. President’s Day provides us the perfect opportunity to fight back, so hit the salon! While you’re at it, bring your little princesses along for the pampering —they’re sure to appreciate the royal treatment!

#8: Indoor Picnic
If the weather is particularly frightful in your neck of the woods, why not bring the outdoor activities in? Clear away the living room floor and give your little ones an indoor picnic — sans the sunscreen of course!

#9: Brush Up On Your Hobbies
We all have hobbies that we would love to devote more attention to. So whether you can paint, write, or jam up a storm, spend your day off brushing up on those talents you never seem to get enough of.

#10: Do Nothing!
Sometimes, nothing beats a day of pure relaxation, so why not use President’s Day to do just that? Stay in your PJs, have pancakes for lunch, and catch up on all those DVDs you never seem to have time to enjoy. After all, don’t you deserve it?

I am very excited to say that the Buttoned Up team is going to be working with White Cloud over the next six months trying out many of their products and learning a lot about how we can all save time and money – and who doesn’t want to do that?

We are also going to be working with some great fellow bloggers that we will introduce you to as well.

They are an amazing group of women that you will probably enjoy hearing from too. Each of us has our unique point of view but all of us are committed to giving our fellow readers great information, tips and ideas that we all use ourselves.

So now on to our first challenge.

We were sent a very pretty box of paper towels this weekend. Inside the box are two rolls of paper towels: (1) Roll A; and (2) Roll B. Our challenge is to try them both and see which if any we prefer. Later on, we will learn (as will all of you) if we chose White Cloud or something else. Now I must say this is a bold move and an impressive one from White Cloud because they are setting us loose to see what we prefer and while of course, they hope, we choose their product, they have no control over if that is the one we like best. What that says to me already is that they have a great product and are very confident we will think so too.

How should we go about ‘testing’ the paper towels?

I clean but would not consider myself a cleaning expert. Should I put the towels through some sort of torture test? What criteria am I going to use to see which one I prefer? After much thought, I decided to go for a 3 prong test:
(1) Visual Inspection
(2) Feel and Texture Test
(3) The Lincoln Test (more on that later)

Visual Inspection.

This is an easy one. Roll A is bigger and has more sheets. Roll A’s sheets are also perforated at half sheets so I don’t have to use an entire sheet if I don’t need one. Roll B’s are not.
Winner: Roll A

Feel & Texture Test.

Both feel like typical paper towels. They are not too soft but also not too rough. They both seem to have the right texture to absorb water and spills. Winner: Tie

The Lincoln Test.

This is the real torture test of use. I let my 21 month old nephew, Lincoln, come over and spill a few things around our kitchen. It didn’t take long. He managed to spill things like orange juice (sticky and needs some scrubbing), water (how much will the towels absorb) and even some crumbs that needed to get picked up. I then went to work cleaning up. Some of the time I wet down the towels, sometimes I used them dry. It was a very close call. Both worked well and I would buy either one for picking up stuff BUT I must say that because Roll A is a bigger roll (means I run out of them less often) and I could use ½ sheets if I needed to, they were my favorite. Winner: Roll A

Of course the one piece of information missing here is the cost.

If Roll B were significantly less expensive than Roll A, then they might be the one I prefer. But for now, if I assume that Roll A and Roll B cost about the same then Roll A is my winner! It has more sheets, works well and lets you have more flexibility in how big of a sheet you use.
(Cant wait to see what brand I chose!).

Give White Cloud a try. They are sold at Walmart and are a great value. If you go to their site they also offer some great coupons as well. Let us know what you think.

1/21/10 UPDATE: Roll A (MY PICK) is the new White Cloud Green Earth 100% recycled paper towel roll. WOW! Great Value and help out the earth! I am soooo happy I like it that much!

Disclosure: This is sponsored content and we have been paid to do this post. That being said, we do not blog about anything we do not believe in and White Cloud did not edit our post or direct our content in any way.

Thought this great article by Maggie Lamond Simone would brighten up your Monday Madness. Let us know what you think.

Do you know what you’re having?” the salesman asked helpfully.

“Sometimes that’ll make your decision for you.” I was looking somewhat doubtfully at a pink snowsuit, wondering how we reached the millennium without having addressed this color issue.

“It doesn’t matter,” I replied. “I don’t like pink.

I don’t like it on girls, I don’t like it on boys, I don’t even like it on flamingos, where it actually belongs. Nor am I particularly fond of blue, come to think of it. And I may as well confess that yellow and mint green don’t really do it for me either. I just want a teeny white snowsuit. “Until this child can provide thoughtful feedback (with supporting arguments in a double-spaced brief) on the merits of pastels, then I believe the choice is mine, and I choose white. I don’t understand why I can’t find it. Are the color people afraid I’m going to drop the poor thing in the snow and lose it until spring?”

He skulked off, apparently deciding that he could not, in fact, help me.

Well, that was certainly smooth, I thought. I’m completely lost in this unknown territory, and I just dissed the first person to offer guidance and support. Weeeeee! Good for me! On to the next department! “Do you know what you’re having?” chirped the irritatingly perky woman in bedding. “That will help you pick a theme for the nursery! We have Winnie the Pooh, Barbie, and of course all of the Disney characters!” There were about a zillion to choose from. This-is-the-fun-part, this-is-the-fun-part, I silently chanted.

“Do you have any plain animals?” I asked, “I like animals. I watch the Discovery Channel.

I’d like a blanket with animals on it. An elephant, a lion, maybe a bear. Normal animals, such as you’d find in the woods. Can we do that?”

“Well, of course,” she stammered, “but, er, what if it’s a girl?”

I was reminded of the Little League World Series announcer who said, “And next up is little Johnny Doe, whose mother is a dentist!”

The emphasis was a dead giveaway that the guy was over ninety, and so I let it pass with merely a chuckle. This woman, however, was younger than me. A chuckle was not going to make me feel better. “Oh my God,” I cried. “You’re right! What was I thinking? Imagine – a girl surrounded by such masculine images! What a moron I am! We certainly wouldn’t want her to grow up to be a – gasp – vet!”

And off she went.

I was beginning to notice a distinct scarcity of fresh salespeople. Jeez, I thought – talk about no sense of humor! This is how I handle stress! Come back! There was, thankfully, a nice young man who told me about breast pumps and the advantages of nursing and the paraphernalia involved. I admit I was somewhat uncomfortable discussing such an intimate part of my anatomy with him, until his complete disinterest in me as a woman convinced me that it stopped being an intimate part the day I got pregnant. But then, total strangers rub my stomach. I should realize that intimacy isn’t what it used to be.

I am realizing, finally, that nothing will be again.

This really is just the beginning – the car seat, stroller, crib, bassinet, diapers, little tiny bathtubs and washcloths and booties and those one-piece things with the snaps. . . but what a blast it’s been so far. It’s a whole new world, one that I am, at last, unbelievably thrilled to be invited into. And every time I get frustrated or scared, I just stop for a few minutes and feel this little thing squirming and dancing and playing with its feet and kicking me for leaning too close to the sink. And I laughingly remember what everyone asks – “Do you know what you’re having?”

Of course I do. I’m having a baby.

If there is one thing I know about childbirth, it’s this: It will happen.

Somehow. If you’re pregnant and due, the baby will come out. It’s a physical impossibility to be pregnant with the same child for the rest of your life. Of course, if you’re having a normal pregnancy, you don’t know when it will come. That’s not up to you. You can’t will it out. You can’t bargain with it. You can’t reason with it. You can’t bribe it. It will come out eventually, when it’s ready. This is what I know.

Unfortunately I tend to forget it when faced with the inevitable inquiry, “Haven’t you had that baby yet?”

It’s a harmless enough question to the average Joe, but to the nine-months-pregnant woman it comes out as, “What the heck’s the matter with you? What are you doing wrong? Have that baby, for Pete’s sake!”It’s almost as painful as hearing, “Did you have your baby yet?” a month after giving birth. Almost. Not quite. Anyhoo, if I were to do this again, I’d probably ask the doctor to lie about my due date, even to me. I would ask her to say that it’s actually past when it really is, and then even if I went late, everyone – including me – would still believe I was early. End of dilemma.

Why does the last month seem so long? It’s as if time. . . simply. . . stops.

By this point I’ve almost completely lost sight of the miracle at the end of the tunnel. My last appointment went something like this: “I don’t care if I’m only 37 weeks. I’m 170 lbs. Induce me.” Ah, well. It’s pregnant women like me who give pregnant women everywhere a bad rep, I know. And I know that people ask us The Question out of concern, and of course we’re grateful. I also know, however, that I’m very hormonal with way too much time on my hands this week, and have therefore taken the liberty of providing some possible responses to the inevitable inquiry for future generations of pregnant women everywhere. The question, of course, is “Are you still here?”

- “Yes, and apparently so are you. Now what can we do about that?”

- “Well, there’s a funny story there. Turns out I’m not really pregnant after all. I just wanted to see what it was like to weigh more than my husband.”

- “You know how it is. The baby and I are still bonding. . . apparently with some sort of permanent adhesive.”

- “No, I’m a figment of your imagination. Weeeeee! Look at me! I’m a pink elephant!”

- “Yes. And you’re still irritating. The difference is, someday I’m going to give birth.”

- “No, actually you’ve reached my answering machine. Please leave a message after I – er, the – beep.”

- “Rumor has it the baby’s heard about my culinary prowess. It’s hiding.”

It’s ironic, really, because I have such mixed emotions about the whole thing.

Sometimes I lie in bed thinking, Please let me go into labor. Please let me go into labor. Please let me go into labor. I want to see the baby, and to get on with life. There was a moment a couple weeks ago when I thought I was in labor and all I could think was, no. No. No. No. No. Not today. No. No. Please. No.
So I guess I know two things about childbirth. First, I know it’ll happen. And second, whenever it does. . . I know I won’t be ready.

I think it’s time to introduce you to my son. And from all of his squirming and chatting and fussing, I get the distinct impression he’s ready to meet you.

Or he has gas. Sometimes I can’t tell. Regardless, before we make these elaborate introductions, I’d like to make a few simple observations about the whole “baby” experience, now that I’ve actually had it. So pull up a bouncy seat and gather ‘round, kids. Mommy Maggie has the floor. I will begin by confessing that he is so absolutely beautiful, I spend most waking moments just trying to memorize his face. He has this clear-eyed, innocent look which leads me to suspect that I will deny him nothing. It leads me, as well, to the inescapable conclusion that he was worth it. Worth what, you ask? Well, that is certainly an interesting and worthwhile question; moms, maybe you can help me out here. How’s this: He was worth nine months of body-damaging pregnancy, constant worry about his health, and the mental trauma associated with a complete lifestyle change – oh, and THE MOST EXCRUCIATING PAIN I HAVE EVER ENDURED.

That about sum it up, d’ya think?

Yep, suffice it to say that calling it “labor” is like saying the Sistine Chapel has “pretty pictures.” I still can’t believe people experience that kind of pain and live. Either my threshold is somewhat lower than I had anticipated, or women who know are afraid the truth would result in the end of the world – which, incidentally, it would. Must be that post-natal amnesia syndrome, which I personally don’t envision happening absent a blow to the head. Besides, I don’t want to forget, not any of it. Not the nurse who attached my hospital bracelet, to whom I offered my home to plunge her scissors into my chest, or the one who actually recorded the profanities I invented during contractions, or the first words I heard after the birth of my child, the doctor’s consolation to my husband – “Don’t worry; it’ll go down,” talking about his head. I’m assuming. That said, how can I now explain the miracle of him? How can I describe his little button face, or how he purses his lips into a tiny Cheerio when he’s thinking really hard? I simply can’t, any more than I can convey the look on his face when we met for the first time. It either said, “Hey! Nice to meet you!” or “Egad! What’s up with the hair?!” My response, I fear, lacked a similar passion. “Hi. OK, can I sleep now?”

But I’ve gotten better, I think. I mean, look what I’ve learned already!

For instance, spit-up, sans obstacles, can actually travel several feet. “Leak-proof” diapers aren’t. Poop, of the proper color and consistency, can actually be a source of joy and celebration. And sleep, contrary to popular belief, does not come naturally to all infants. But then comes the magical day when you start to differentiate his “Hey, I’m starving here!” cry from his “Could you put a more stupid outfit on me?” cry. And he smiles his first real smile (read: “unaccompanied by gas”). And one day he’s looking up at you and his head doesn’t flop against your chest, and you realize your little man is growing up. Way too fast.

I don’t know where this journey will take us from here, but I do know that I never again want to face life without this little person by my side.

I’ll always try to do the right things, but even when I make mistakes, he’ll forgive me because he knows, somehow, that I love him more than life itself. And I know, somehow, that he loves me back.

So here he is. World, I give to you my son. And my son, I give to you . . . the world.

Maggie Lamond Simone, author of From Beer to Maternity, is a national award-winning columnist and author.

Her humor and observational essays have appeared for seven years in Family Times, an award-winning monthly parenting magazine and for nine years in The Advertiser, a weekly newspaper. Her columns also appeared in the Sunday edition of the Syracuse Herald American (cir. 250,000) from 1995 through 2001. Her essays are included in Chicken Soup for the Soul: My Resolution (2008), Chicken Soup for the New Mom’s Soul (2007), and Chicken Soup for the Soul in Menopause (2007). Website: www.MaggieLamondSimone.com

A pet may seem like a wonderful holiday gift. But if may mean you’ll be the one buying the pet food, paying the veterinary bills, and taking it for walk at 6 am on dark rainy mornings for years to come.

Depending on whether you’re in the right stage in your life, and have a big enough heart (not to mention a big enough home!), buying a pet for a holiday gift can be a great addition to your family, whether you have kids in your home or not. If you’re thinking about giving a pet to your family for the Holidays, read on.

Sarah on “Dog, Cat, or Maybe Just a Fish”

“Every home isn’t ready for a puppy, which needs a fair amount of attention, involving walks, potty training, walks, obedience training, and more walks. Cats are a much less demanding, and, after being properly taught how to use a litter box, are happy to laze around while you’re not at home (and maybe even ignore you when you actually are home.) But even cats need a certain amount of attention and care. One way to break your children in to the responsibility of having a pet is to start small, in my case it was a fish tank, so they learn what it is to care for something, feeding it regularly, and checking on the cleanliness of its tank. Only after graduating from the fish, was I declared ready for something fuzzier, a cat named “George,” who I ended up caring for and loving for years and years.”

Alicia on “Where to Get Your Pet: Shelter vs. Breeder”

“Once you’ve decided you are going to give a pet as a gift, the next step is where you’re going to get it. Your two main choices, specifically if you’re looking for a dog, are from a shelter or from a breeder. They are two very different options, with two very different price ranges. Nowadays, shelters are the preferred adoption center of choice. They always have a wide variety of pets to choose from, and you’re doing a great thing by rescuing a pet that doesn’t have a home. It’s usually inexpensive as well, with a “donation” to the shelter the only fee you need to pay. Breeders, on the other hand, charge a fair amount, for a dog, sometimes upwards of $1000. Unfortunately, there are fair number of bad breeders out there, so be sure to do your homework and ask breeders for past references.”

A few quick thoughts before putting a ribbon on that holiday pet.

#1: Pick an Appropriately Aged Pet

While kids are clamoring for puppies and kittens, for some families getting an older, pre-trained dog or cat is a better choice. If you’re adopting from a shelter, just make sure that you find out the history and behavior of whatever animal you’re interested in. While many pets are left at shelters in great shape, many others are either too hyper, need too much space, or other bad habits.

#2: Pick the Appropriate Breed

Before buying a pet, talk to other pet owners about the breeds they have and read up on the breeds you’re interested in. Each breed of dog and cat is different, having been developed for specific functions and, thus, their personality and traits may not match your lifestyle. And always remember, puppies aren’t always puppies. Sometimes, they grow up to be 200 lb. Bull Mastiffs.

#3: Assigning Responsibility

The rush of getting a pet as a present is one that children never forget. Unfortunately, the actual pet, and the responsibility of caring for it, is something that can quickly fade into the background. It’s important for kids to understand everything that comes with having a pet, so sometime soon after giving your furry gift, set up a list of duties, from feeding, to walks, to baths, that everyone needs to pitch in doing to keep the pet, and the family, happy.

Happy Cyber Monday!

Judging by my email in box it seems it has become a real holiday. If you didn’t get everything you needed with the door-buster specials on Black Friday (and Saturday), now is the time to finish off your shopping list. I wanted to start with a few tips today to help you navigate your holiday gift list and then I am going to give you my personal top fave items this year.

Cyber Monday:

Don’t shop online today without first spending a few minutes to see if you can save on what you want to buy.

The first place I will check (and you should too) is CyberMonday.com. This is the day this site waits for all year long and they do not disappoint. Deals, deals and more deals on everything you can imagine. Other favorite sites of mine to look for deals are RetailMeNot.com and FreeShipping.org. Believe me, it is worth it to spend five minutes to browse these sites and see if there are savings to be found. Also, we have a great deal and contest going on where you can get 3 of our Buttoned Up Stocking Stuffer Coupon Books for only $10 and enter to win a gift basket of our products just for passing on the offer. Make sure to visit www.ShopGetButtonedUp.com and see our offer at http://bit.ly/85HMTS.

My Favorite Organizer Gifts for $25 and Under

So here are my top 5 organizing gifts (in no particular order) under $25.

I love these and am giving them out this year. Please also comment and let me know your favorites as well.
1. Magnetic Measuring Spoons – Everyone hates having to look for a missing ½ tsp. when you need it for the recipe you are right in the middle of and those spoon sets on a ring are difficult to maneuver. These stay together magnetically and stack great for your drawer. Love these and bought a set for me too!
2. 2 Pod Charging Station – This is another favorite of mine and with 2 stations you can charge your phone and ipod both in the same place. It also makes sure you do not have to hunt your gadgets down each morning. They will be right in the charging station ready to go and fully charged.
3. Catch Up, Would You and Not To Do Pads – These are my favorite notepads and I use them all of the time. They are great ways to stay sanely organized and have fun while doing it. Spend $20 and get 25% off. Use Code: 25OFF.
4. Upgrade Flight Kit – Give your friends all of the amenities of First Class next time they travel. The neck pillow is my favorite.
5. Travel Space Bags – We all try to do everything we can to avoid checking luggage when we fly. Well now with Travel Space Bags you can take so much more in just a small carry on. Love these and taking them with us on our holiday trip this year.

My Favorite Kids Gifts for $25 and Under

So here are my top 5 kid gifts (in no particular order) under $25.

Please let me know your favorites as well.
1 Family Table Topics – Never have to think of things to start family conversation ever again. These table topic cards are fun for families with kids of all ages. Great way to also learn about your kids.
2. A gift card at their favorite store – Kids as young as 5 love to be able to pick out what they want at the store all on their own. Get the kids on your list a gift card so they can do just that. Be it Justice, iTunes or Target, let them get what they want all from you.
3. Temporary Hand Tattoos – These are hand tattoos that turn your hands into instant puppets. They are so much fun for everyone.
4. Connect 4×4 – This game is taken to the next level and is fun for almost any age.
5. Holiday Favorite DVDs- Give a DVD that will be used for many years to come. It has on it all of the favorites like Rudolph, Santa is Coming to Town, and Frosty. Who doesn’t want to have this?

So there you have the Monday double shot and while it might not wake you up as much as your Macchiato at The Coffee Bean, it might just give you some ideas for easy ways to get organized this week.

Let us know what other ideas you want to hear from us about.

A few dates to remember for the week:

Monday – Cyber Monday
December 1-7 – Cookie Cutter Week