If you're planning a trip to Southern California, here's a list of really fun stuff to do with the kids:

Visiting Southern California


And if you're going to Disneyland or Disney's California Adventure, be sure to look for Hidden Mickeys

Today's Tip:

Where are all the shoes?

Now that my kids are getting older, the "missing shoe" phenomenon isn't as much of a problem as it used to be. But when they were a little younger, it was a continual problem -- shoes all over the place -- until we created the Shoe Crate

We got a nice, sturdy crate and placed it right next to the front door. The kids come into the house, the shoes go right into the crate. It was perfect! No more missing shoes under the bed, no more shoes left in the laundry hamper.

More on handling confusion:

Scientology Handbook How to Handle Confusion

Since this blog was originally intended to be about my family, and thoughts on raising lots of kids, I thought I'd share some tips on raising a large family.

There are some things that families with lots of kids have in common... like losing spoons. (Yes, we lose spoons...)

So, here's a suggestion for others with lots of kids and not enough spoons - we pick up extra silverware at thrift stores. It doesn't matter if they don't match. I actually think it's kinda fun to have lots of mismatched silverware. My kids will inevitably find a piece they really love and thereafter it's their special spoon.

We generally go to the thrift store once a year or so and buy them out of all their silverware. At a nickel a piece, it's a total deal!

And it sure beats getting all bent out of shape when all the spoons go missing...

(It also beats digging in the backyard looking for the missing items, which, no doubt, were used as digging utensils.)

Here are some links to some cool blogs:

Homeschoolmum
Homeschoolmum Reviews

Mom Kat Dianetics Free Being Equivoque Garters General Semantics Helping Kids

Live and Grow Mortadella Eclectic Stuff Kids Off Drugs Homeschoolmum Cat Servant My Scientology

Poems for Guys Rookie Decorator Fit as a Fiddle Surprise Luau Swirl The Lab JBassoon