3-Day Potty Training

Well, we're finally really potty training.  I thought I would write about it since I have not found too many personal stories about how people have potty trained their kids.  Just how to do it, not how it went.  So here it is.  I will give another update later on.

About 3 months ago, Blue Rock was very close to being potty trained.  Then we went to the States.  After we found out why he was throwing-up, along with having to be on iron supplements, we decided to wait until we were back home, he was almost off iron (which causes black sticky poo), and we were not traveling anywhere before we got serious.  He used to wear cloth diapers until he got sick last year and was throwing up almost daily.  It got to be too much laundry so we went back to disposables.  Cloth is great if you have the time and a good washing machine.

We started the 3-day potty training method on Thanksgiving (6 days ago).  We had to make a few errands so we put him in a pull-up on Thursday and Friday.  Friday was the last day he wore a pull-up during the day.  Blue Rock used the potty out in public both days but had one accident in the pull-up.  At home, he has been bare-bottomed and is doing great!  When he's bare-bottomed he has had no accidents and makes it to the potty every time, even poop, which I was surprised and very happy about.  Yesterday we went to the grocery store and I put underwear and pants on him - I was so tempted to put a pull-up on him, but resisted.  He went potty before we left and had no accidents and I took him twice to the toilet at the store but he didn't need to go and told me he didn't need to go but I wanted him to try.  After we loaded the groceries in the car I asked him again if he needed to go.  He said, "no."  So we drove home and when we got home I took him to the bathroom and he went.  Yeah!  A little while later we went to the park.  He played for about 20 minutes and we came home, again no accidents.  I left his pants and underwear on and he didn't make it to the potty in time.  I read that they should be diaper free at home for 3 months.  That seems like a LONG time!  

Today I started the morning with just his pajama pants on, wanting him to get used to pants since he's doing so well at going to the potty.  He went to the potty twice but then didn't make it in time.  I tried putting underwear on him and he said, "no underwear.  No, no, no!"  So I decided to let him be bare-bottomed again.  Later this afternoon I put just underwear on him even though he didn't want to wear it.  While he was playing he peed in them.  The rest of the day he was bare-bottom and went every time in the potty.  The only time pee got on the floor was when I tripped over the potty trying to get a Kleenex to catch a drip of pee on his leg as he got off the potty.  I made a huge mess!  Pee went everywhere, including the couch which is such a shame since he's been doing so good, no accidents on the furniture, just from me.  I think we're going to rent a carpet/upholstery cleaner.  Thankfully I have some cleaner that I used and our microfiber couch doesn't seem to smell like pee.  I'm just a germophobe and the thought of pee left somewhere grosses me out. 

I am very proud of Blue Rock. He has done much better than I thought.  Everyday he has only had 1-2 accidents since we started.  My plan is to everyday let him try pants and/or underwear. I'd like him to always wear something on his bottom but he has an embarrassed look on his face when he doesn't make it to the potty wearing undies.  So, for the most part, we'll probably stick to bare-bottoms while home, at least for a little while longer.  He does very well with that has had 100% success rate when being bare-bottomed.  I think he's officially potty training and definitely knows how to use the potty.  We are no longer using day-time diapers, not even when we run errands.  However, we are going to keep using them at night, at least for a while.  For one, he's still in a crib, yes, we have a toddler car bed, very cool, that he slept in for a while, but after a while, he wanted to sleep back in his crib.  He's happy, we're happy, and he sleeps 11.5-13 hours per night.  When we travel he sleeps in a regular bed.  Every morning I ask him where we go poo and pee.  He says, "poopoo and peepee go in the potty."  Then if I have to run downstairs to do laundry or something I ask him again and usually while I'm gone he uses his potty.

Here's our potty training set-up.  We have a tall house, 3 stories (4 if you include the basement) and only 2 bathrooms.  So we have a few portable potties.  I keep one in the living room, which we'll probably move to the bathroom.  And one upstairs on our top floor that has no bathroom.  We also have a little potty in the bathroom on our middle floor and a step-up potty to the toilet.  Blue Rock usually sits to pee but in public he likes to stand.  Sometimes he wants to stand at home but I usually ask him to sit.  I'm no longer asking him if he needs to go unless it's been a while or we're out in public or about to leave the house.  He has gotten very good at just going when he needs to go.  I hope this helps if you're about to start potty training your child.

Grocery Shopping in Germany

Photo by Peace Correspondent

Shopping for groceries in Germany is a little different than shopping for groceries in the States.  For one, most towns have a weekly or bi-weekly farmers market that sets up downtown. This makes getting fresh produce and meats easy.  There are also produce shops, meat markets, and bakeries in most towns.

As far as doing more serious shopping, there are several stores I shop at regularly.  My favorites are Rewe (seems to have the best produce and tends to have more Bio (organic) produce), Lidl (cheapest store I shop at), and Kaufland (best store to go to in bad weather).  Targets and Wal-Marts do not exist in Germany.  Wal-Mart came to Germany in the mid-90s and sold their 85 stores in 2006.  If you miss going to Wal-Mart visit a Real or Kaufland.  The Real stores in our area used to be where the Wal-Marts were.  They are smaller than a Wal-Mart Super Center but sell everything from groceries, to cleaners, to clothing.  Real is a little far for me to drive so I prefer going to Kaufland which also sells a variety of things besides food and has reasonable prices.  Other popular grocery stores are Aldi and Plus.

Kaufland and the Familia Centers - which often have a Kaufland store, typically have parking garages.  Covered parking is really nice when it's raining, snowing, or really hot outside.  They also have a few other stores inside the building such as a bakery, flower shops, clothing stores, etc.

Here are a few tips when grocery shopping in Germany:

1. Always carry a little change.  You have to put a Euro in your grocery cart.  The carts are connected by chains and when your return your cart, you get your money back.

2. Bring bags or a basket to put your groceries in because there are no free bags at the stores.  You can buy them starting at around 10 Euro cent (about $0.145) per bag and up, depending on the size and type of bag. 

3. Be prepared to bag your groceries and try and do it quickly.  There is only a cash register and he/she does not bag your groceries.  The first time I went shopping I looked like a fool waiting there, with no bags, as I got starred at by the people behind me.  I ended up having to buy bags while holding up the line as I tried to quickly bag my items.

4. Bring cash if you don't have a EC card (European debit card).  Grocery stores do not accept credit cards or American debit cards.

5. If there is a machine to weigh your produce to get a price tag, use it.  Thankfully most machines have pictures of the items and are pretty easy to use.  If you neglect to do this, the cashier will get mad and so will the people behind you in line.  Yes, this has also happened to me.

Other than that, shopping for groceries in Germany is not that different than buying them in the States.

How to make laundry detergent

I am always looking for ways to save money without sacrificing quality.  I got this laundry detergent recipe from the book Be CentsAble: How to Cut Your Household Budget in Half by Chrissy Pate and Kristin McKee - which by the way, is a great book.  Here is how to make homemade laundry detergent using just three main ingredients plus lots of water.

Laundry Detergent 

Ingredients:

About 3 oz of bar soap, grated. Any bar of soap will do, even all-natural bar soaps.

1/2 cup borax

1/2 cup washing soda

Directions:

On the stove, in a large pot, combine 6 cups of water with grated soap and heat on medium until the soap is melted. Stir in borax and washing soda until everything is dissolved. 

In a large bucket, place 4 cups of hot water and then add your soap mix.  Stir well and then add 1 gallon plus 6 cups of water.  Stir again and then let sit overnight.  The detergent will be a watery gel that might look cloudy. Use one-half cup per load.

That's it!  Pretty easy, right?  They say this laundry detergent is better than many store bought brands.  Also it ends up costing around 1 cent per load.  Once I find all the ingredients in Germany, or decide to buy them online, I plan on making some and trying it.

Quick Authentic Italian Pizza Crust

Homemade Mushroom Pizza

I love homemade pizza and am always looking for tasty, quick, and easy recipes.  I got this yummy pizza crust from a cookbook I bought while on vacation in Italy. It is called 30-Minute Italian by Fran Warde.  I usually make a whole wheat pizza crust. However, I had to try this one when I realized it only uses three ingredients and the pizza crust does not use yeast. It is called Quick Pizza Base. My family loved it and my husband said it was so good he would have been happy about his purchase if we bought it at a restaurant. I have to say, I would agree. It was one of the best pizzas I have made.

preparation time 10 minutes
cooking time about 10 minutes
makes 4 small pizzas or 1 large pizza

Ingredients:

250 g/8 oz (1 cup) self-rising flour
1 teaspoon salt
150 ml/1/4 pint (1/3 cup) warm water

Directions: 

1. Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and mix well.  Slowly add the water and mix to form a soft dough. When it has bound together, mix the dough with your hands into a ball. Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead until it is smooth and soft.

2. Divide the dough into 4 and, with your hands (flour your hands well) and a rolling pin (I did not use a rolling pin), flatten it as thinly as possible - or make one large square or circle (this is what I did). The pizza rounds do not have to be exact circles as that is one of the charms of making your own pizzas! Make the pizzas just a bit smaller than your serving plates and as thin as you can.

That is it!  Then add your toppings and bake in a preheated oven, 230⁰C (450⁰F) for approximately 10 minutes or until golden and sizzling.

I made mine simple and put tomato sauce, mushrooms, sprinkled some Italian herb seasoning, a little garlic salt, and topped with shredded mozzarella cheese.  If you want to make it more Italian-like, put sliced mozzarella cheese rather than shredded. On a hot day, serve with Italian Ice Tea. Guten Appetit!

How do you get your kid to eat more vegetables? 10 tips and tricks to eating more vegetables!

Getting your child to eat more vegetables seems to be a common problem among many parents.  That is why Social Moms is teaming up with Sarah Matheny, author of “Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love,” to find out what are some mom's best tips and tricks to getting their kids to eating more vegetables!

My son eats a variety of fruits and vegetables. Here are my top 10 tips and tricks to getting your child to eat more vegetables.

1. Offer a variety of vegetables.  Just because you don't like something doesn't mean your child won't like it.  Don't limit the vegetables to just peas and carrots.  Offer broccoli, peppers, spinach, sweet potatoes, etc.

2. Continue to offer a vegetable even if it's been rejected.  Just because your child rejected a certain vegetable one night doesn't mean they'll reject it another night.  Some books suggest that a child has to try something up to 10 times before they acquire a taste for it.

3. Encourage your child to try at least one bite of everything on their plate.  My mom used this trick on me and my siblings growing up.  After having to eat asparagus a number of times growing up, I now like it.

4. Add sauces and dressings.  I used to not like lettuce until I found a dressing I liked.  At first I would put a lot of dressing on it, now I use very little salad dressing.  Also cheese sauce on vegetables such as broccoli and asparagus can make them more appealing to children and grown-ups.

5. Try everything you put in front of your child.  If you expect your child to eat tomatoes then you should try them too. 

6. Serve small courses.  Bring out small courses of food starting with the food your child is least likely going to like - even if it's just one or two bites.  When they are hungry they are more likely to eat foods they normally would refuse.  End with the foods you know they like.

7. Add vegetables to their favorite foods.  Add pureed pumpkin to the pancake mix.  Saute broccoli and put it in the macaroni and cheese.Add shredded zucchini and carrots to muffins.  There are many ways to add extra vegetables to foods they already like.

8. Give nicknames to their food.  Calling broccoli baby trees and cauliflower baby white trees can make the food seem more enticing.  

9. Puree soups.  If your child refuses certain vegetables, add it to a soup and blend it smooth.  Most kids like pureed soups.

10. Change up the way you prepare the vegetables.  Don't always prepare the vegetables the same way. Some kids like certain vegetables raw, while others like them cooked.  For example, my son doesn't like cooked carrots but he loves them raw.  Your child may prefer tomato sauce over raw tomatoes.  

The most important thing when trying to get your child to eat more vegetables is to not give up.  Take it one day and one meal at a time.  Continue to offer healthy choices and over time your child will eat more vegetables.  I would love to hear from you.  How do you get your child to eat more vegetables?

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Peas and Thank You blogging program for a gift card worth $30. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

How to Create a Sensory Box

Green / Letter Gg Sensory Box

I have been wanting to create a sensory box for a while and finally did. A sensory box is a box or container filled with different objects, colors, scents, and textures. We have been having some crazy weather in Germany these past few weeks and have gotten more rain this summer than the past two. The parks near our house turn into mud pits because of all the sand. It can get easy to run out of things to do with a 2 year old so I decided to make a sensory box. Here is how to create a sensory box using dyed rice.

You can put anything you want as the base of a sensory box. I bought 10 lbs of rice and dyed 9 cups green - so between 4-5 lbs. You can also use pasta and dye it, water, or anything else that would be fun to play with. A few weeks ago we started doing the Hooked on Phonics for Preschoolers, which gives a good review of the alphabet and the phonic sounds.  My son has been obsessed with letters since around 17 or 18 months when he started noticing letters on signs when we went out. He still loves our letter games but I wanted to do something more with him. I did some research and decided to buy the Hooked on Phonics for Preschoolers. Although it's pretty basic, at least it has him attempting to write the letters (fine motor skills) and reinforces of the phonic sounds (which will help him learn to read). Since we were on the letter "G," I decided to dye the rice green the day before.  I filled the box with objects that started with "g" or were green.  My son had a blast digging through the rice and looking at all the objects.  One of his favorite books lately has been Goodnight Gorilla so I brought that out as well. 

The only downside of this activity is that rice will get everywhere, unless your child is older and/or understands better than mine.  I had to remind him several times to keep the rice in the container and on the blanket.  He wanted to put it rice everywhere!  Thankfully he did pretty well except when I left to get my camera upstairs, he put a few handfuls on our couch.  Besides having to stay near him while he played, this was a great activity for him. 

How To dye rice: Put dry rice in a large bowl, add about a teaspoon at a time of rubbing alcohol, and a few drops of food coloring, mix and adjust coloring as needed. Dry on wax paper for at least an hour before storing. I got this idea from Totally Tots. 

I had to make two batches for 9 cups

Opening a German Bank Account

One of the first things we did after moving into our house in Germany was look into opening a German bank account.  I am amazed at how many of my American friends don't have a German bank account.  If you work for an American company and get paid in USD then you don't necessarily need a German bank.  Although some reoccurring bills require payment through a bank with a German account number such as some cell phone contracts.  If you decide you don't need a German bank, you can just pay your landlord directly in cash at his bank or a local bank, same with doctor bills and utilities.  However, I find that having a German bank saves me time and money.  Not only that but in Germany most places we shop only take cash or the EC card (which is a European debit card). The EC card is different than US debit cards, your American debit card will only work if the business accepts credit cards.

When you're comparing different banks ask to see a copy of their fees in writing.  Sadly, I did not find any "free" banking in my town.  I was not used to this because in the States I will only bank with a bank if there are no fees associated with it.  Fees vary from bank to bank.  I pay 2 Euros per month and can make unlimited deposits, pay my bills online for very cheap, and get an EC card.  Most banks offer services such as online only options, or limit the deposits you can make into your account (except for direct pay), some include an EC card, others have a monthly or quarterly fee for an EC card.  Not to mention some banks charge a small fee to use their EC card.  My bank allows me to make 5 purchases a month without charging me.  Since we also do business in USD it is important that I can get Euros out of the ATM and deposit it into my bank account without any additional fees. 

So why would one want to open a German bank account?  One of the biggest reasons we decided to open a German bank account was to make our German transactions easier.  All of our medical bills, rent, utilities, etc. are paid online. Also we wanted an EC card. It also helps to know some German because many banks offer their services and websites only in German - only German online banking seems more secure than US online banking.  However, once you learn how to bank in German it is not much different than banking in English.   After making the large 1200 Euro purchase for our dining room table and having to get cash out because the department store did not take credit cards, we decided we needed an EC card.  We are Americans after all.  Most Americans don't really like carrying around a lot of cash.  Not using a credit card is easy for us because we rarely use a credit card anyway.  But not having a debit card was difficult. Also, having an EC card makes things easier when we travel within the European Union, as we can book our flight and hotels with it.

I encourage you to consider opening a German bank account if you live in Germany.  It is really simple and and makes life a little easier.  My son loves our bank, just about every time we go he gets a toy.  Lately he's been getting toy cars. The sweet people who work at our bank love children and are always so kind to us. 

Related Article: Kid Friendly Bank

10 Money-Saving Travel Tips

Pisa, Italy - April 2011

My family loves to travel.  We take a vacation almost every month.  My son just turned 2 and has already been to 17 countries.  Obviously in order to travel as much as we do we have to be wise in how we spend our travel budget.  Here are ways we save money while traveling so we can take more vacations.
 

1. Look for free things to do.  Websites such as Free-Attractions.com make finding free things to do in every state easy.  You can easily find free museums, zoos, parks, concerts, and more.  If you live in Europe or are planning a trip here, check out http://www.freetodo-europe.net/.

2. Take a cruise.  Believe it or not cruising is one of the more economical ways to travel.  If your plans are flexible, book a last minute cruise to save even more.  My travel cruise agent has always helped me save money on cruises.

3. Go camping.  Camping is a cheap way to travel.  Most campsites cost less than $20 a night.  See my camping article for lots of tips.

4. Share a hotel room.  If you have two or three kids you can generally share a hotel room.  Get one room with double beds and add a roll-away bed if you need to.  Or if you are really adventurous you could try something like CouchSurfing, where you stay on someones couch for free.  Couch surfing probably works out better if you are not traveling with children.

5. Consider flying.  If you have to spend more than one night in a hotel to reach your destination it may be worth it to fly, especially if you only have one kid.  Remember, if you spend two nights in a hotel on the way there, you’ll have to spend two nights in a hotel on the way home.

6. Join Priority Hotel Clubs.  Most hotel chains have a hotel priority club.  Members get points for every night they stay that go toward free nights and upgrades.  Also don’t be afraid to call a hotel directly and ask if you can get a discount if you stay more than one or two nights.  A cheaper hotel chain in the Europe is Ibis.  We have stayed at Ibis Hotels in Germany, London, and France.

7. Look for a package deal.  Package deals can save you money, especially if you are traveling last minute.  Book a hotel, flight, and rental car together and save.

8. Travel during the off-season.  Spring, fall, and winter are generally cheaper times of year to travel than summer.  Traveling during the off-season can save you a lot of money.

9. Stay at a bed and breakfast.  Many bed and breakfasts are cheaper than hotels.  Plus they usually include a nice breakfast.  We spent a week in Ireland and only booked our first and last night.  You can read about our Ireland vacation here.  You can find many bed and breakfasts here.

10. Rent an apartment or condo.  If you are going to stay somewhere for a week or longer sometimes it’s less expensive to rent an apartment or condo.  Not only will you save money sleeping but you can cook some of your own meals and save money by not eating out every meal.  Homeaway.com has a great list of apartments and condos for rent.  We rented an apartment in Cinque Terre, Italy, and in Florence, Italy.

How does your family save money when traveling?

Cinque Terre with a Toddler

My husband and I have wanted to visit Cinque Terre for several years.  It is a beautiful rugged portion of coast along the Italian Riviera.  There are "Five Lands" which make up five villages: Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore.  We stayed in an apartment in Riomaggiore, which ended up being my favorite village.

Traveling with a toddler, too much luggage, and a stroller is tiring, especially when arriving and departing.  We took the train from Pisa, which was super easy.  After making several trips up and down the stairs to get to our apartment we were set to enjoy the beauty.  Most of the towns were stroller friendly after you walk up and down the steps to get to them.  We took our full size German stroller rather than our travel umbrella stroller.  One day we did not use it, we just let our son walk and we carried him.  The next day it was worth bringing it.

Our favorite villages were Riomaggiore, Vernazza, and Manarola.  Although visiting all five is worth doing if you ever go.  There are a few parks in various villages.  We saw one in Vernazza and one in Monterosso.  Needless to say, that was our son's favorite part of Cinque Terre besides hanging out with us.

Hiking is popular in Cinque Terre as is relaxing.  There are few things to see besides the beautiful coast and villages such as a black and white church in Monterosso and a church in Vernazza.  Other than that, enjoy the food, rest, and bring a book.

Here are a few pictures from our time in Cinque Terre.  We walked from Riomaggiore to Vernazza along the "Via dell'Amore" - or Lover's Lane, a track winding along the cliff-tops, high above the sea.  Our apartment overlooked the coast and was in a great location.  We found an apartment recommended by Rick Steve's through a company called Edi.  The location was great.  We had a nice sea view and it was close to everything.  The only downside was all the stairs.

Flexitarian....a what?

My quest for eating less meat continues.  I have actually done a pretty good job this past week.  We finished what little meat we did have and are not buying anymore.  While I would love to be a vegetarian, I find that personally a vegetarian lifestyle might be too challenging for me right now.  So I have decided to be a flexitarian, also known as a semi-vegetarian.

Basically a flexitarian is someone who mostly eats a vegetarian diet but occasionally will eat some meat.  Flexitarians eat less meat than most people.  For me personally this is a great diet plan.  As I can continue to strive to eat mostly vegetarian at home, on occasion if I'm eating out or at someones house, eat meat. if I want.  Also if I want more than a salad at a restaurant and they don't have a very good selection of vegetarian meals, it would be okay for me to order something with meat.

What is the point of having a name for this kind of diet and lifestyle?  Well, I think there are lots of reasons for becoming a flexitarian.  One, you are consuming less meat.  If most people truly knew what chemicals our livestock were eating and what went on on the "farms" that raise the animals we eat I think you'd consider eating less meat too.  I don't think there is anything wrong with eating meat.  However, I personally think eating less meat is healthier.  And if I am going to buy meat to cook I only want to buy organic which is more expensive and also more difficult to find where I live in Germany.  Since most of the produce I buy are organic, my grocery bill is already higher than most.  By eliminiating meat from the list, especially since finding organic meat is difficult, I save money.

How does a vegetarian or flexitarian get enough protein?  There are so many foods with protein, dairy (which vegetarians can eat), yogurt, nuts, seeds, meat substitutes and more.  Also I don't think we need as much protein as some people believe.  

I am also reading several books about Raw Food Diets.  A raw food diet is eating food raw, not cooked.  While it sounds interesting and healthy, I know I would not stick to that.  However, I have been encouraged to include more raw foods into my everyday meals.  For instance, I cooked my first vegetarian stir-fry today and included tofu.  It was delicious.  As an appetizer I cut up some peppers and tomatoes and ate it with humus.  Many people on the raw food diet suggest eating a salad before their meal.  Yet there are so many more food combinations than salads that you can eat raw, such as humus. 

Do you have any vegetarian meals you like to cook?  Are you a vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian, or eating a raw food diet?  If so, how has your health changed since changing your lifestyle?

Paris with a Toddler

We spent this past Thanksgiving in Paris.  Thanksgiving morning we woke up to a nice snow fall.  Thankfully our neighbor offered to drive us to the train station in what he called a "Blizzard."  We took the ICE (high speed) train from Germany and it took around 3.5 hours to get to Paris.  The last time I went to Paris was when I was pregnant with one of my friends who came to visit.  It was a girls getaway and a lot different than traveling with a toddler in tow.

 Train

Snow covered ground on Thanksgiving.  Taken from the train.

I am so blessed to have such a great husband.  Collin mapped out our destinations and lead the way.  We spent 4 nights in a 3 star hotel.  We had a suite on the top floor (6th floor) with two balconies.  We had three beds and a crib.  They gave us that room because they didn't know how old our son was when we booked our room.  It was a nice hotel except we didn't have a shower but a bathtub.  That was interesting!  Worked out nice for our boy but was not so nice for us.

During our four nights, five days we went to Museum d'Orsay, the Louvre, Montparnasse Tower, Arc de Triomphe, walk along the Champs Elysees, night walk along the Seine River, sunset cruise along the Seine River, toured the Eiffel Tower, ate at Restaurant Tour Eiffel 58, located on the first floor of the Eiffel, did some shopping, and had a wonderful time with my husband and son.

Travel Tips for Visiting Paris with a Baby or Toddler:

The Metro: The Metro is great for getting around but is NOT stroller friendly.  Make sure at least two people traveling are able to carry the stroller up and down many flights of stairs.  We never saw elevators and the few escalators were either not working or going the opposite direction we were.  At night, many of the stroller entrances are closed which makes getting into the Metro very challenging.

Eiffel Tower: You can take your stroller up the Eiffel Tower.  However, to get to the top level you have to carry it up stairs.  The top level is very small and crowded.  Since I had already been to the top I stayed with my son on the second level (which has better views).  I do, however, recommend going to the top at least once.  Once at the top you are able to buy champagne and toast your time in Paris.  Expect to spend at least an hour going to the top level and coming back down to the second level.  There are several fast food options, sandwiches, pizza, etc. on the 1st and 2nd floor.  There are also two nice but expensive restaurants in the Eiffel.  We ate at the Restaurant Tour Eiffel 58 for lunch and spent 50 Euros for two meals.  It is much cheaper to eat during lunch than dinner and the food was very good.

 Restaurant Tour Eiffel 58

The Louvre: There are elevators in the Louvre but expect to spend more time trying to find them than enjoying the museum.  It is quite a maze when you are unable to use the many stairs.  It is worth it and if you have a young child that naps and can nap in the stroller this would be a good place for them to do so.  The best way to enter the Louvre is downstairs through the mall under the pyramid. The mall under the Louvre is also very nice, there is a food court with a good selection of food and a few stores that sell toys if you want to buy your child a gift.

 Above the Louvre

Inside the Louvre in the mall

Museum de Orsay: This museum is smaller than the Louvre and easier to see everything with a stroller.  There's a side entrance for handicap and families with strollers. Our son was asleep and they did not make us take him out of the stroller to go through the medal detector.  It was a great way to avoid the long line to get into the museum.

Seine River Cruise: We took a one hour sunset cruise along the Seine for 11 Euros a person.  Children under 3 are free.  Dinner was available.  There are several boats and tour companies located along the Seine near the Eiffel Tower.  You can take your stroller on the boats.

 On the Seine River Cruise

 Notre Dome

 Eiffel Tower glowing at night

Montparnasse Tower: The best views of Paris are found from this tower.  This was super easy to get to with a stroller.  The elevator was fast and stops in a climate controlled room that gives you 360 degree view of Paris.  Here you can see the Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triumphe, and many other wonderful views of Paris.  There is a small restaurant that sells sandwiches, coffee, and desserts.  There is also a mall nearby that has a few restaurants as well.  If you want to go to the top, you can leave your stroller by the entrance upstairs and walk the two flights of stairs to the roof.  The views are nice from the top but are better a few floors below inside.

Picture at the top of the Montparnasse Tower

Arc de Triomphe:  There is an elevator that is stroller friendly to get to the top.  However, it takes you to the inside part of the museum and you have to walk the stairs to get to the roof.  There are nice views from the top of Arc de Triomphe as well but the views from Montparnasse Tower are better.

Highchairs: Very few restaurants have highchairs.  We have a Jeep Travel Anywhere 2-in-1 Sport Booster Seat and Everyday Bag that is great.  We used the bag part to carry diapers and food and it fit nicely under the stroller. 

Language: When traveling to another country it is always helpful to know a few key words and phrases.  However, most people we encountered in Paris spoke some English. 

Disneyland Paris: We decided not to go this time because of the rain and snow.  However, we did find out that there is a train from Paris that goes to Disneyland Paris for 8 Euros each way.  You can purchase cheaper tickets from many Parisian hotels or visitor locations for less than you would pay at Disneyland.  Children 3 and under are free and many hotels offer tickets where children 3-12 are free with the purchase of an adult ticket. 

How to get rid of the ammonia smell in cloth diapers

If you use or have used cloth diapers then you are familiar with the awful ammonia smell.  Sometimes a simple cold rinse before a regular wash does not completely remove the odor and you end up needing to strip your cloth diapers more or lay them in the sun to dry.  One thing I discovered that really helps get rid of the smell is to add about a cup of vinegar to the cold rinse before you wash your diapers.  If your diapers are really stinky then let them soak for 30-60 minutes in the water and vinegar.  Then wash with cloth diaper friendly detergent and finish with a double rinse.

Germany Travel Tips

Germany is a beautiful country full of culture and history and I have enjoyed living here. If you are planning a vacation or planning to move to Germany, here are a few things you should know. 

Language:

While many younger people in Germany speak some English, don't expect people to go out of their way to help you. Many Germans appreciate your attempt to speak German.  Once they realize you're not very good, 9 out of 10 times they will speak English to you if they know any. 

Restaurants: Water is not free in restaurants.  You pay for bottled water. Ask for water without gas (ohne gas) if you don't want carbonated water, which is the standard drinking water in Germany. There are also no free drink refills at restaurants.  If you buy a soft drink you get one glass, most of the time without ice or one or two ice cubes.  Except at most American fast food restaurants there are free refills such as McDonald's, KFC, and Burger King.  The tip is typically included in the price for food but it is customary to round up to the next Euro when you pay.  If you feel like your server did an outstanding job you can tip them more, though most food servers don't expect it. 

Grocery Stores: If you shop for groceries while in Germany you will notice that the cashier does not bag your groceries.  Grocery bags also are not free, they usually cost around .09-.19 Euro cent each.  Most people bring reusable grocery bags to the store with them when they shop.  You will also notice that the grocery carts are locked together either right inside the store or in the parking lot.  In order to use one you have to insert 1 Euro to unlock the chain.  When you're done shopping simply return the cart, reattach the grocery cart and you'll get your Euro back. 

Hotels:  There is no top sheet on the hotel beds, just a comforter.  Depending on the season you will either get a light comforter or a heavy comforter.  Also air conditioning is not standard in many traditional German hotels.  

Store Hours: Stores typically close earlier in Germany than in the States.  Also many stores are closed on Sundays including grocery stores. 

Bring extra cash: If you are traveling to smaller cities and towns in Germany make sure you have enough cash with you.  Many stores and restaurants only take cash or an EC Card (European debit card).  In fact, many gas stations also only accept cash.  It's really a good policy, that if you don't have the cash, maybe you don't need to buy it.

Tax is included in the price:  Germany has a 19% sales tax on most of their products.  One thing I really like is the tax is already included in the price you see.  So if the t-shirt you like is priced at 9,95 Euros you are only going to pay 9.95 Euros.  Germans also use a comma instead of a period when they price things. 

You pay to use the toilet: Always carry extra change with you in Germany.  Most department stores and gas stations require you to pay to use the toilet.  There is usually someone sitting outside the restroom with a plate to put change on.  Some larger gas stations along the autobahn give you a ticket to get .50 Euro cent off at their store, so use the restroom before you purchase gas or food.  On the positive side, in general, Germany has some of the cleanest restrooms I have ever seen.  Some even have cool self-cleaning toilet seats.

Packing Made Easy

I don't normally share the articles I write for The Imperfect Parent here.  However, I wrote an article yesterday that I thought would be of interest to some of you.  It features a few tips my family uses to make packing for vacations easier.  

Packing Made Easy - click on the link to visit the site

Packing for a vacation can sometimes be overwhelming.  Here are some tips to help make packing easier for your next family vacation.

Make a list.  Then only pack what’s on it.  Include how many shirts, pants, shorts, etc. each person needs for the trip.  If your child is old enough to pack for themselves, hand them the list and let them lay out the clothes they want to bring. 

Have a color scheme.  Try and pick clothes within the same color family.  For example, pack only khakis or only jeans, then pick shirts that can be interchangeable.  Also, dark colors tend to not show marks and wrinkles as bad as light colors. 

Plan to Layer.  Pack multiple thinner items rather than several larger bulkier items if you’re vacationing somewhere cold.  Thermal underwear for instance, takes up less space than two bulky jackets. 

Limit your shoes.  Shoes are often heavy and take up a lot of space.  Another reason to color coordinate is so you can wear your shoes with more than one outfit.  Try and limit your shoes to three pairs, one walking, one dressier pair, and one pair of sandals or flip flops.  Then wear your heaviest pair on the plane.

Invest in Packing Cubes and Pack-It Folders.  Everyone in my family has different color packing cubes and pack-it folders.  Using packing cubes and pack-it folders keeps your clothes from getting too wrinkled and keeps your clothes organized.  Also by having different color packing cubes everyone in your family can find their clothes more easily. 

I love these!  I will write a blog post in the future about them I like them so much.

Don’t over pack.  If you are packing an item “just in case” you need it, leave it at home.  If you end up really needing that extra dress, consider buying a new one at your destination. 

Put your toiletries in a waterproof bag.  There is nothing worse than arriving somewhere and all your clothes are wet or sticky from soap or shampoo.

Do you have any packing tips?