Back to Blogging - 10 Things to Know About A Ph.D.

I haven't blogged in two years. I've been finishing my dissertation in communication, and am now officially Dr. Wollslager. So what are the top ten things I've learned in the process of becoming a Ph.D.?

1. It is really hard to get a Ph.D. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either a complete genius or a liar.

2. You cannot complete a doctorate without lots of help and support. If my family, friends and colleagues had not stood by me the entire way, I would have given up long ago.

3. Ph.D.'s are not that much smarter than anyone else; they are just the ones who were persistent.

4. You are never too old to go back to school.

5. They make the application process complicated to weed out those people who aren't serious, and about 50 percent who start a doctorate never finish it.

6. Get a buddy or two to help you study. Dividing readings, preparing for qualifying exams and doing research are all collegial activities. Working with others really makes the journey easier. Too often the Ph.D. process is competitive, but it really works better if you put competition aside and cooperate.

7. The coursework is 10 times harder than it was for your master's degree. Learn how to speed read before you start.

8. Don't be afraid to ask for help. We all think we should be smart enough to figure it all out on our own. I struggled needlessly because I was too prideful to ask for assistance.

9. It is easier to go straight through and get your Ph.D. right after your master's. Being a non-traditional student makes the experience richer, but it takes a toll on your family life. (This is not a contradiction to #4, it is just a reality.)

10. The best dissertation is a done dissertation. It will never be perfect. You will never have every source. You could have always done something better or different. You just have to finish it. I had to lock myself up in a friend's RV for about 5 days to get over my inertia and get the thing completed. You just have to do whatever it takes for your work style to get it finished.

Oh... and did I mention, getting a doctorate is really hard?

Monkey Bread

I had a request for a good monkey bread recipe. This is the one that I like the best. It is easy to make and has a great taste (not low calorie, however!)

Monkey Bread

Ingredients:3 packages refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup half & half or whipping

Directions:Cut each biscuit in four pieces. Mix 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon together. Dip each piece in sugar-cinnamon mixture and arrange in bundt pan.Combine butter, brown sugar, 1/4 cup sugar and half & half or whipping cream. Bring to boil and pour over biscuits while mixture is hot.

Bake at 325° for 30 to 35 minutes.

Serves/Makes: 16

Floral Arranging Yankee Candle Style

I got this idea from a floral shop in Lawrence, KS. I decided to give it a try and you can see the results. This makes a great, economical gift that doesn't take long to make.

Supplies:

Yankee Candle (or similar brand) jar candle with lid
Clear Packaging Tape
Flower Foam (Oasis)
Flowers (I get these from Sam's Club)
Wire Ribbon

Directions:

Using the lid as a pattern cut a piece of flower foam to fit the inside of the lid. Place the foam in the lid and soak with water.

Dry the lid completely and tape it upside down, with the foam facing up, to the top of the jar with the packaging tape. This can be a little tricky to get the lid on straight, a second set of hands is helpful.

Arrange flowers in foam. I get my flowers in bulk from Sam's Club. A package each of carnations, alstroemeria, baby's breath or German statice, and leather leaf fern will make 3 arrangements.

Start with one carnation in the center and two on each side. Add two more to make a cross. The center carnation should be slightly taller than the other carnations. Add alstroemeria to fill in between the carnations. Add a second row of small carnations around the bottom and fill in with alstroemeria as needed. Use the baby's breath to fill in any gaps in the arrangement. Place the leather leaf fern leaves around the base of the arrangement to hide the foam and the top of the jar. You will need to pluck off small pieces of the fern as the entire leaf is too big.

Once you're satisfied with your arrangement, cut a piece of wired ribbon about 18 inches and tie a bow to finish it off.

The flowers from Sam's Club (at least from my club) are very fresh and I've had friends say the arrangement lasted 3 weeks! Buying them in bulk saves cost. Also, if you can hit a Yankee Candle sale or use an off brand (be sure the lid will work) you can make this gift for about $15.

Happy Arranging!

Online Services Worth Checking

It's a great big Web, so you may have missed some of these sites that I've found useful. Since I spend way to much time on the computer, I might as well admit it and post some of my favs. I am not receiving any endorsement money for these , so they are true third party recommendations.

Grocery Game

This Website maximizes your coupon savings and tells you when to stock up on certain items. For example, let's say a grocer is offering a BOGO (Buy One Get One free). You're already saving half price, then you tack on a coupon and now you having savings of 60-70%.

Each week you print out a list of what you plan to buy from the site. It tells you what coupon insert to use from the Sunday paper (you do need to get a weekly paper and save the coupons) and when they were published. It tells you how many to stock up on. It also lets you know about unadvertised savings (for example Walgreen's doesn't always advertise their Register Rewards).

You pay a subscription fee of $10 a month for the first store and $5 for each subsequent store. It is easy to make this back on your first shopping trip.


Shipping Made Easy

I ship a lot of packages from my eBay business. My favorite shipper is the good old U.S. Postal service. If you haven't discovered the Postal Service's Website, you need to visit it. From it you can do almost everything you can do in the Post Office. Plus they will give you free boxes and labels to help you mail your packages.

Printing your labels online is a huge time saver. While the rest of you were waiting in long Post Office lines, I had the carrier pick up my packages that were already pre-posted from my house. When I did have to drop off a package at the Post Office, I just put it on the counter -- no waiting in line. You get evil stares from those in line, but who cares you're out the door in just a few seconds.!

Another mailing service that I use is Stamps.com. For $16 a month I can buy any postage that I want and print it on my home computer. You have to buy their labels, but it works very well and you can mail postal rates not available on USPS.com. For example, you can't send media mail from the USPS site, but you can at Stamps.com. Both provide excellent service. I rarely go to the Post Office, which as far as I'm concerned is a blessing!

My Simon Shopping Bot

If you've never used a shopping bot, they can be very handy. I use My Simon, but there are others. What a shopping bot does is it crawls the Web and finds the cheapest price for you. When I'm hunting for a particular new item, I always to there first. They will list a variety of retailers, rate their service and provide the price with shipping. It is a lot better than spending extended time clicking through Google searches.

Skype

If you have long-distance friends or relatives and haven't found Skype yet, you really need to download this service. It provides free phone and video conferencing via your computer. It is great to see and hear your friends. All you need is a Webcam and a microphone. It is fast, simple, easy and cheap. You'll need to set up a time or make a paid call to connect because your friend or loved one has to be online at the same time.

These are just a few favorites. If you have a favorite, please share it with the rest of us and attache it to this post.

Cleaning Votives/Candle Tarts

I love candles, but when the votive candles are spent, how do you get them out of the glass holders? The scented candle tarts are no better. They are permanently melted into their holders.

On a recent visit to Yankee Candle's flagship store in Williamsburg, VA, I learned the secret of cleaning these out--it's the freezer. One of the sales associates told me that if you put the spent tarts in the freezer they would fall right out of the holder. Sure enough, after just about 5 minutes in the freezer, they popped right out.

I tried the same with a spent votive, and had similar results. I compared the time it took me using hot water and the freezer method, and the freezer was much faster.

Once the glass votives are empty, I pop them in the dishwasher to get the last residue off and to shine them up.

Now you can enjoy the candles and have a hassle free way to clean them up.

Let your light shine!

Gift Bag Tissue Recycling

I've always recycled my gift bags. I have some that have outlived the presents that were placed in them. You can always tie on a new tag and it's good as new. But the tissue paper is another thing--that always gets trashed... that is until now.

I saw a tip (sorry can't remember the publication) that advised using your paper shredder to shred the used tissue into shredded paper for your next gift bag. I tried it and it is great.

There are a few tips you need to know to do this:

1. Clean out your shredder before doing tissue paper. Otherwise you'll have office paper in your tissue. This includes the bin and blades.

2. Fold the tissue paper in eighths or sixteenths so that it is thick enough for your shredder to operate. My couldn't sense the tissue unless I had it folded.

3. Store shredded paper in a Ziploc until needed. Combine colors for a festive look.

Happy Shredding!

Reblogging - Lessons since last time

It's been 5 long months since I've last blogged. But the past 5 months have taught me one thing.

Get regular mammograms

OK, so I put it off for a few years. Being in my mid-40's is a little late to start, but I'm glad I finally made time for the test. I had a very scary month, but after 5 additional diagnostic tests, I came back with a clean bill of health.

But the truth is, had I had regular screenings, I might not have needed all the procedures I endured. I didn't have a baseline for the doctors to compare my current scan to.

Granted, they did find a lump that needed investigation. Had it not been benign, I would have been in some trouble as it wasn't a tiny lump.

After the two needle biopsies (the needles keep getting bigger by the way with each test), a compression mammogram (which makes the regular one look like a massage) and ultrasound (the only way to test), the annual mammogram now seems like no big deal.

Sure a mammogram isn't the most comfortable few minutes you'll spend each year, but it isn't that bad when you compare it to the alternative. Personally, I like being healthy and cancer-free.

New Year, New Resolutions

Like most of you, I start the year out with a New Year's resolution to lose weight. Technically I was a little successful ending the year 10 pounds lighter than I had started.

How do you keep your resolutions alive? I believe the key is realistic goal setting.

In our hurry up, microwave society we assume that all goals should be accomplished in a year or less. But realistically, do you have to lose all the weight this year? What would happen if you finished this year 10 pounds lighter and next year 10 pounds lighter, and so on. Wouldn't you achieve your goal?

I think long-term goals are the first step. Take some time to think about where you want to be in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. I have a laminated business card that I carry with me which contains my personal mission statement and long-term goals. These are things that I really want to do, not some passing fancy. I categorize one goal in the following areas: mind (educational), body (fitness), career, and soul (spiritual). I keep the card until all goals are achieved. I am only on my second card, but already I have a couple of my goals checked off, but realize it may take another 3 or 4 years to realize all of them. The key is to be working on them as I go. Eventually, because I am committed to these goals, they will all be completed.

You can set short-term goals based on the long-term ones--just make them realistic. We often give up because we either set goals we really don't want to achieve or set too short a time frame for completion.

Take a moment and think about your purpose in life and where you want to be. Ask God for spiritual guidance. Discuss your goals and purpose with others to get insights from those who know you best.

While plans can change, if you have an overarching goal and directive, you are much more likely to arrive at your destination. And remember, if you don't have a road map, you'll probably get lost along the way.

Girls and Guys Night Outs

We tend to think of girl's and guy's nights as something we do with our friends, but why not plan a night with your kids. We have both boys and girls in our family, so my husband and son pair up while I take our two daughters. It provides a great opportunity for bonding.

Our latest outing took me with our two daughter to the "So You Think You Can Dance" concert. It was a very special treat for us. We grabbed dinner at a local mall and went to the concert. It was a great show and the dancers were so nice, signing autographs and posing for photos after the show.

On the way home we had a flat tire (time for more bonding) which we were able to air up and ride home on. We will always remember the concert, pics and flat tire!

I also highly recommend "dates" with your children. They need some one-on-one time, especially when there are multiple children. I find that I have less problems/squabbles with the children following a special outing. It helps your reconnect and find out what is going on in their lives in a way the day-to-day routine can't provide.

Make it a date!

Fast and Fabulous

This is one of my favorite, fast fix sweet desserts. You can make it generally with whatever you have on hand at the last minute.

Fast and Fabulous Fruit
1 pkg. (4-serving) Jello instant pudding (any flavor – Vanilla is my preference)
1 can crushed pineapple in juice (or 1 can sliced peaches, fruit cocktail or pitted dark sweet cherries 16-17 oz. size)
1 cup Cool Whip (thawed) or sour cream or whipped cream cheese or plain yogurt

Combine pudding mix with fruit and juice. Blend in cream or whipped topping. Spoon into dessert dishes. Garnish with fresh mint or maraschino cherry.

Makes 6 servings

Travel Tips

I recently made a horrifying trip through the Atlanta airport. My flight (to Chicago) was on time and I had an hour layover to make my connection. Unfortunately, the flight was delayed as another plane was in our gate when we arrived in Atlanta. One hour turned into a 25 layover as we sat on the tarmac.

When I finally arrived at my flight, the plane was in the gate but they wouldn't let me board. I wound up getting the last room in the last hotel that Delta had prearranged room reservations with. I got the little emergency kit from the airline and went to bed.

My alarm failed and I woke up 9 min. before the 6 a.m. shuttle was supposed to leave the next morning. I got to the shuttle on time, but the shuttle was 25 min. late. I arrived 30 min. before my departure time. The checkin personnel said that I could still make the flight as they hadn't begun boarding. This time I arrived 10 min. before departure, the plane was still at the gate, but they wouldn't let me board. I spent two more hours in Atlanta before catching the next (delayed) flight to Chicago. All told, had I driven to Chicago I would have arrived earlier than if I had flown from Virginia.

Lessons learned

1. Plan a minimum 2 hour layover if you're flying through Atlanta.

2. Be nice--I only got a room because I was really nice to the Delta attendants. It's not their fault your flight was messed up.

3. Hotel shuttles don't run on schedule. Plan to catch an earlier rather than later shuttle.

4. Flights can always be rescheduled by the airline, even if they initially say they can't do it. I was slated to return on a very early flight Sunday, but I was able to talk the airline into giving me a later return flight since I was delayed on the way there.

5. Carry the necessities (change of underwear, socks, toiletries, medicines) in carry on luggage. I used to do this but got lazy. I won't make that mistake again. Carry on sizes are very small in today's small commuter planes. You will likely have to check your carry on at the plane. Only a small backpack or thin briefcase will stow in the microscopic overhead bins.

6. Don't trust hotel alarm clocks. Get a wakeup call, take your own travel alarm or use the alarm clock on your cell phone or other electronic device.

7. Don't fly through Atlanta or O'Hare if you can help it. These two airports are really nightmarish.

8. If you have two or more people and are traveling under 800-1000 miles, it is cheaper and probably faster to drive. The time it takes to get through security and to check baggages makes flight time several hours longer. Flying just isn't as fast or fun as it used to be.

Valentine Treat

Here's a very quick, inexpensive Valentine gift that's sure to please. In about 10 min. you can have a one-of-a-kind gift that doesn't look homemade. Here's what you need.


1 small plush/stuffed toy, preferably one that sits up
1 plastic message heart candy favor
1/4-1/3 cup of your choice of Valentine Candy
Glue gun and glue sticks

Plush toys are available inexpensively at the Dollar Tree. The plastic message hearts can be purchased at Walgreen's, Michaels, and Wal-Mart. Sometimes Dollar Tree carries them.

Preheat glue gun to high setting. Glue paws, and belly of bear to plastic message heart. Allow to dry. Fill a small bag (lollipop bags work well and are available at Wal-Mart and Michaels) with your candy or simply put pre-wrapped candy in favor cup. Add a gift card if you like and you're finished.

OK--maybe you could do it in less than 10 minutes. Of course, I have to add time for bandaging my fingers that always get burned on the hot glue!

Happy Valentine's Day!

No Stick Solution

I hate to admit the source of this tip, but it really works so I'm sharing it with the source. Have you ever used a napkin for a coaster? If you have then you know what comes next. When you pick up your glass, the condensation causes the napkin to stick to the bottom of your glass. For the rest of your beverage, you have the constant sticking napkin issue.

Here's the easy solution. Sprinkle a little salt on the napkin before putting the drink on it. The salt keeps the napkin from sticking. It works like a charm.

Oh, and the source for this information -- Hooters. (I had a free meal, the wings are great and my husband has supervised oogling).

Home run with Yule Log

After trying to find a Christmas dessert my family likes, I finally hit the mark this year. Fruitcake is, well fruitcake. It's a family tradition that will die with my generation. Strike One.

I've tried a trifle. My background is English, and since we hate fruitcake, an old-fashioned trifle seemed to be true to our heritage and better tasting than fruitcake. I'm the only one who likes it, Strike Two.

This year it was either Strike Three or a Home run. I think I hit a homer with a traditional Yule Log. It was attractive, traditional and chocolate. Who could go wrong? It takes a little while to prepare, but the end result is worth it.

Here's the recipe:

5 eggs, separated
1 c. Confectioners sugar, divided
1/3 c. Nestle cocoa
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

FILLING:
1 tbsp. water
1 c. heavy or whipping cream
1/3 c. confectioners' sugar
3 tbsp. Nestle cocoa

FROSTING:
1/2 foil-wrapped bar (1 oz.) Nestle unsweetened chocolate baking bar
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Dash of salt
1-1/2 c. confectioners' sugar
3 to 4 tbsp. milk

Cake: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch baking pan; line with wax paper. Grease and flour paper. In small mixer bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until stiff peaks form; set aside.

In large mixer bowl, beat egg yolks and remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until thick and pale yellow. Blend in 1/3 cup cocoa and flour. Fold in egg white mixture; spread in prepared pan. Bake 13 to 15 minutes until top springs back when lightly pressed.

Sprinkle cloth towel with additional confectioners' sugar. Immediately invert cake onto towel. Gently peel off wax paper. Starting at short end, roll cake jelly-roll style with towel inside. Place seam-side down on wire rack; cool.

Filling: In small mixer bowl, dissolved instant coffee in water. Add heavy cream, 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar and 3 tablespoons cocoa. Beat until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate.

Frosting: In small saucepan over low heat, melt unsweetened chocolate baking bar and butter, stirring until smooth. Transfer to small mixer bowl; cool to room temperature. Add vanilla extract and salt. Gradually beat in 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar alternately with 3 tablespoons milk until light and fluffy. (Add additional 1 tablespoon milk if necessary for desired consistency.)

Place filled cake on a festive tray or platter. Frost lengthwise using spatula to make the "grain" of the log's bark. Use a dollop of frosting to form a knot on the log. Garnish with silk or plastic flowers. Serve chilled.

Fast Holiday Treats

No one has spare time at the holidays. Why not put your microwave to work? Here are two tasty, time-saving candies that can be prepared in minutes in your microwave. Merry Christmas!

Microwave Peanut Brittle

If your looking for a fast treat this holiday season, then this peanut brittle is perfect.

1 cup raw peanuts
1 cup white sugar
½ cup white Karo Syrup
dash of salt
1 Tbs. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
Peppermint Crunch is festive and fast

Combine first four ingredients in a 1-1/2 quart dish, covered. Microwave 8 minutes on high setting. Uncover and stir halfway through the cooking. Stir in butter and vanilla and cook 2 and a half more minutes.

Stir in baking soda. Pour onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and cool. Break apart.

Eat carefully (peanut brittle is notorious for chipping teeth!)

Peppermint Crunch

This holiday treat is super fast and easy. It also looks beautiful on a cookie tray.

1 lb. white chocolate melts (Wilton's work well)
1 cup red and green peppermint chunks (available at most candy supply stores)

Melt chocolate for 3 min. at 50 percent power in the microwave. Stir until melted.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Spread the melted chocolate evenly to cover cookie sheet. Sprinkle with peppermint pieces and allow to cool. Break into serving size pieces.

Fresh Pumpkin Rocks

CAUTION: If you've never had fresh pumpkin pie and you've been eating that canned junk, then do not attempt this method. You can happily pop open that can, add ingredients, slap it in a pie shell and be none the wiser. If you proceed, your tastebuds will be forever ruined and you will no longer be able to enjoy anything but the fresh pumpkin. Proceed at your own risk.

Use 1 pie pumpkin or small standard pumpkin (pie pumpkin has a thinner rind). Cut pumpkin in half and remove seeds. Place pumpkin halves open side down in a baking pan. Fill pan with enough water to reach a half-inch up the pumpkin. Bake 350 degrees for 1-2 hours depending on the size of the pumpkin. Add water if needed. Bake until the pumpkin is fork tender.

Remove pumpkin from oven and cool. The rind will peel off easily. Place pulp in a food process and puree until smooth. Use 1-1/2 cups of pumpkin per pie. Pumpkin can be measured and placed in freezer bags and frozen for up to a year.

We always save back one Halloween pumpkin for pies. We just paint on a face or use transfers on it so that it can become Thanksgiving pie. Once you've tasted the fresh pumpkin, you'll never return to the "Canned Side."

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween

Halloween is just around the corner. This will be my 14th Halloween with children. Along the way I've learned a few tips to make the evening more enjoyable for everyone:

1. If you live in the north, plan a warm costume.
Face it, it's always cold on Halloween. You spend a fortune on a costume and then no one sees it because your child has a jacket covering it up.

Also line up the costume a day or two before so it's not a hassle to get everyone out the door on Halloween.

2. Enjoy a good, warm dinner before the kids go out trick-or-treating.
Have a healthy, warm meal (chili or hot soup is our frequent choice) before going out for the treats. If the kids have a full stomach of healthy food, they'll eat less candy later in the evening.

3. Lighten up with glow sticks or flashlights.
Tie a glowstick on your kids or buy a Halloween flashlight from the local dollar store. This way you can spot your kids from everyone else's and drivers can see them too.

4. Go early.
Start as soon as your local neighborhood allows trick-or-treating to begin. You can catch a little daylight and you'll be finished before it's too late. It is always hard to get sugar-high kids to bed on Halloween, and it can be a problem if there's school the next day.

5. Let the kids pass out treats at your house.
My children enjoy this almost as much as getting treats themselves. Keep a tally of how many treats you give out--it's fun to keep track of the number of trick-or-treaters.

6. Take advantage of Harvest Festivals or mall trick-or-treating.
If the weather is inclement, indoor Harvest Festivals at church's and schools or local mall trick-or-treating is a fun option (even if the weather is good). These offer more than just candy. There are usually games and non-candy prizes. Some even serve dinners. We sometimes do both--trick-or-treat with good friends and neighbors and then take in special event.

7. Get in the spirit.
I sometimes dress up with the kids. You're never too old to have fun and your kids will always remember the time you dressed up as Mickey Mouse or a mummy.

Happy Halloween!

Products We Love -October

Stop the Stink

This month's favorite products are all types of air fresheners that we like:

Odor-Cide
My favorite odor neutralized is one that I discovered while working in a hospital. One day the hospital morgue ventilation system failed. My office sat directly above the morgue, so you can imagine the stench. The housekeeper started spraying something, and immediately the odor vanished. I asked her what she'd used, and she showed me the bottle. The product was Odor-Cide and I've been a believer every since. You can purchase the product at Wal-Mart, or if your store is out or doesn't carry it, you can order it direct from the manufacturer, Winston Company. I use it on pet stains, litter boxes, gym bags and as a general air freshener.

FreshMatic

A new product that I like for air freshening is from Air Wick. It is their new FreshMatic air cleaner. The unit is similar to ones used commercially in public restrooms. It comes with batteries and can be wall mounted or sit on a shelf. It releases air freshener in pre-selected intervals (from twice to about 4 times per hour). It is much better than the electric wall units for continous air freshening.

Glade Scented Oil Candles

Another new home fragrance product we like are the new Glade scented oil candles. They come in a beautiful bowl that can be used as a centerpiece. The oil candles burn completely away and will fill an average sized room completely with scent. If you're disappointed with how candles don't "scent" the room, you'll be very happy with these scented oil candles. Another plus is that there's no cleanup. The candle oil burns completely away. Also, the holder has a magnet in it to hold the candle firmly in place.

Have a "scent-sational" time enjoying this month's products!

Online Grocery Shopping

I've discovered the next best thing to picking
out sliced bread in person. Online grocery shopping.

I've been waiting for a local grocery to come up with an affordable and decent system, and one of our groceries, Farm Fresh, has done it. I've been shopping online for the past month, and it is a wonderful time and money saver. I just click, tell them what time I want to pick them up, go into the customer service counter and they have my order waiting for me (the cold stuff is in the back and they bring it out). They generally pick better produce than I select and will substitute items if I want that option.

Total time for a big weekend grocery shop is about 25 min. compared to about 1.5 hours in the store. If I spend over $150 the service is free. Under $150 and there's a $4.50 service charge (a small price for the convenience).

There are a few tips I've discovered about online grocery shopping that may help you venture into the virtual grocery aisle:

1. Make certain you recheck your list before clicking "complete order." Last time I ordered bananas, I accidentally clicked bananas, plantain. These are definitely NOT the same thing.
2. Know the weights of the products you want to buy. I ordered canned green beans. The 8 oz. size seemed right, but when I got them home they were the tiny cans (the regular size I found out is 14 oz.)
3. Don't be afraid to make notes about the products you want to help store personnel make selections for you. It helps you get what you really wanted.
4. If the store doesn't have what you want online, ask for it anyway. They are happy to sell extra products even if it isn't online.

Look to see if any of your local groceries offer this service. Most will also deliver to your house for an additional fee. I don't mind driving to the grocery when the entire roundtrip is only 15 min., but if I were sick I would certainly have the groceries delivered.
Happy shopping!

Have Your Way Day

Helping Children Learn Decision Making Skills

Today is my daughter's "Have Your Way Day." We celebrate this day on the Saturday closest to the individual's half-birthday (six months after the real birthday). The day chosen is negotiable as it needs to be one in which parents are free to enjoy it with the child. I wish I could take credit for this idea, but it was the brainchild of my oldest daughter. Waiting a year for a Special Day is a long time, especially for children. The Have Your Way Day gives them another special day to anticipate in addition to their birthday.

How it Works
On your Have Your Way Day, you get to decide the day's activities and meals. You decide what we do, where we go and what we eat. It is a day when you get to plan a day that is completely yours.

There are a few groundrules. There are no presents or party like on a regular birthday. Also, you cannot exclude other family members from activities, force them to do something or break any normal family rules.

Benefits of the Have Your Way Day
We never considered the benefits of this day when we first started the tradition about seven years ago. However, we've discovered some wonderful benefits. The first benefit is a day where parents are "forced" to understand the child's interests and focus completely on the child.

Secondly, children are told day in and day out what to do. It is a pleasant change for them to have the opportunity to direct a special day.

Another benefit is that children learn important planning skills. They soon realize that you can only cram so much into a typical day. They have to set priorities and plan how long various activities will take. There are very few opportunities like this in an average child's day, so this experience provides a great learning opportunity. For the non-celebrants, it is a lesson in putting others before yourself.

Adults Need a Special Day Too
My husband and I also take a Have Your Way Day. Initially, we didn't celebrate one because after all we are adults and usually get our way. But even as adults we sacrifice our own needs and wants for those of our children. So it's nice to have your way even if you're all grown up!