Classic Cherry 5 Shelf Bookcase for $86.96

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Sauder Heritage Hill Open Bookcase, Classic Cherry

• Three adjustable shelves and enclosed back with cord access.
• Classic Cherry finish.
• Classic Cherry

$86.96

Traveling with Kids: My Packing List

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For many years I have numerous Google Docs that I have put together for keeping an idea of what we need to pack. I haven't included quantities as those always change depending on where we are going and how many days, but this is a starting point. I am sure there are things that I have left off the list.

No matter how many times I look at the weather, I am always off on what I pack. I think it's because 50 degrees in Cleveland feels much warmer than 50 degrees in Los Angeles or New Jersey. Perhaps because it gets so cold outside. Or I always forget to pack an appropriate jacket for the weather and we need to end up borrowing.

Traveling with three kids on a plane can be overwhelming with luggage and since I don't rent car seats and bring my own it just adds a layer of complexity while traveling through the airport. But we have been pretty efficient on our last three trips with the kids and have minimized to 2 Large Suitcases, 2 Bags for (Three Car Seats), 1 Stroller, 3 Carry On Bags, 1 Diaper Bag, 1 Purse.

Another thing we have done the last couple trips is flying out of a smaller airport, we always use the sky cap. My husband parks the car and the sky cap helps me check all the luggage in. By the time my husband gets back from dropping off the car we are all checked in. When we flew to LA, we used the Curbside Checkin and they were even able to deal with the infant boarding pass and saved us tons of time in the check-in process.

Here are a few things that I have found useful when traveling:

Mighty Clean Baby Disposable Placemats
They are great for helping contain the mess of a baby who loves eating, but gets food all over the place. They easily stick to the table and I can peel up the mess.

Master Electrician CT-023 2-Outlet Surge Tap With 2 USB Ports White
I find that often when we are staying in a hotel, the outlets are often hard to get to and there aren't enough places to charge all the electronics. The mini shelf for the phone has been great when we couldn't get to any of the outlets next to nightstand in the hotel room.

Number Beads, 6mm White Cube with Black Numbers, 80/pkg (Pack of 1)

White Elastic Cord 100yd - Medium

Travel ID Bands

I saw on Pinterest a couple months ago to make bracelets with your phone number on it and have the kids where them in case they get loss. The only problem is when I went to Michael's or any of our general arts and crafts stores the number beads were no where to be found. So my older two and I made bracelets before we went away last summer for them to keep on them at all times. I keep the Tavel ID Bands on me, just in case we are somewhere and I didn't think about the bracelets so I can quickly put them on.

Menu Planning for January

Starting for December, we started planning our menus a little bit more regularly and consistently. The idea builds upon Kosher on a Budget's November Meal Plan. But instead of doing the exact same thing every week, we settled on the same type of thing for each night. Read more here.

Our kids were actually dealt better with the meals when they knew what was coming up and could make a decision based upon the theme of the night. There is a lot of evening meetings in January, so I think we'll need to figure out a lot easier meals.

For January, we are going to try to stick to this routine, but add one night besides Friday Night that will be of Variety.

Sunday Lunches- 
Grilled Cheese

Sunday Dinners-
Leftovers from Shabbat or Pizza

Monday-
Mexican (Quesadillas, Burritos, Enchiladas)

Tuesday (Dance Class)- 
Sandwhiches for the kids & Fish for the Adults

Wednesday (Prep for Shabbat Evening)-
Fleish (Hamburgers, Sloppy Joes)

Thursday
Pasta

Shabbat Lunches
We usually do Sandwiches for the kids as they are exhausted from the walk back and forth, especially when it's cold and just need time to vedge.
For the adults, we have been doing deli and soup.

Soup Ideas:
Mushroom Barley (Jan 3)
Lentil Soup (Jan 10)
Tomato Basil
Split Pea Soup
Mediterranean Tomato Soup

Beautiful Kiddush Fountains

One of our most favorite gifts that we got for our wedding was the Yair Emanuel Kiddush Fountain in wood. It's so beautiful. Sometime this year we are going to add a second one that is not of wood. The wood just hasn't held up for drinking purposes and we want to keep it as a display item.

Amazing Wine Fountain Shabbat Judaica 6 Cup & 1 Kiddush Cup .Karshi D Crystal From Israel  $118.99

• Amazing Wine Fountain Shabbat Judaica 6 cup & 1 Kiddush cup .Karshi D crystal
• crystal
• Size: h- 21cm / 8.4" 6 goblets 4.5 cm / 1.7" cup- 7.5 cm / 3"
• holyland souvenir
• ship from israel to USA & Canada---------- 14-22 working days.

 

Yair Emanuel Anodized Aluminum Kiddush Fountain with Shades of Blue $148

• Made in Israel
• Aluminium
• 9.5" x 8"
• This Yair Emanuel Anodized Aluminum Kiddush Fountain with Shades of Blue features nine cups that have a dark blue top and silver bottom and a tray and fountain that are navy blue.

Flower Quilted Design Pewter 8 Cup Kiddush Wine Fountain $77

• Beautifully crafted out of pewter Material
• Pretty flowers and quilting design Make this an elegant piece
• Wine fountain measures 14.5" in height; Big cup measures 3.25" in height; small cups Measure 3.5" in height
• imported from Israel

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Car Seat Deals

There are some great drops in prices on Car Seats this week at Amazon. We have had at least one car seat from each of these brands. I love the Diono's because they take up the least amount of space and have a long life span.

Britax Pavilion G4 Convertible Car Seat, Gridline $206.42 (Best Price)

• Base with safecell technology features safecells designed to compress in a crash, significantly lowering the center of gravity and counteracting the forward rotation of the child seat which normally propels the child toward the front seat
• Hugs with safecell technology manages crash energy and forward head movement while keeping the chest clip properly positioned.
• True side impact protection offers a head restraint creating an extra layer of energy absorbing EPP foam, keeping the head, neck and spine in true or aligned, and deep side walls lined with EPP foam to distribute crash forces
• Tangle free, five point harness distributes crash forces across the strongest parts of the body and provides a secure fit
• Click and safe snug harness indicator is an audible aid that provides extra assurance when the harness is within range of appropriate snugness

Graco Nautilus 3-in-1 Car Seat, Matrix $119 (Good Price)

• 3 in 1 multi-mode Car Seat for longer use 20 pounds to 100 pounds
• Extended 5-point harness for children 20 to 65 pounds
• Converts to High back belt positioning booster for child 30 pounds to 100 pounds
• Converts to backless booster for child 40 pounds to 100 pounds
• Steel reinforced frame for durability
• 3-in-1 multi-mode Car Seat for longer use 20 pounds to 100 pounds
• Extended 5-point harness for children 20-65 pounds
• Converts to High-back belt positioning booster for child 30 pounds to 100 pounds

Diono Rainier Convertible Plus Booster with Adjustable Head Support, Graphite $251.99 (best Price)

• 100% Polyester
• Imported
• Steel frame gives unmatched protection and durability for a 12-year product life
• 12-position adjustable head support and reinforced deep side walls with energy-absorbing foam for maximum head and body side impact protection
• Accommodates children rear facing 5-50 pounds and forward facing 20-90 pounds and in booster mode 50-120 pounds and up to 57" tall
• Luxurious two-piece infant body pillow provides extra support and comfort along with memory foam in the seating area
• Space saving design allows extra room for passengers while providing spacious interior for child

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Disney Frozen Enchanting Dress - Anna $9.84

Disney Frozen Enchanting Dress - Anna

• Anna costume has a satiny skirt with glittery flowers
• The dress's bodice is decorated with a beautiful glitter design
• Cameo of Anna
• For ages 3 plus, size 4-6X

It ships internationally

Great price for an Anna Costume for a child who fits 4 - 6x.

Tips & Tricks for Planning Your Disney World Family Vacation (Part 1)

We decided last minute (1 month before) to take our kids to Disney World for a week during the month of July. Yes it's the hottest month of the year and it does rain every day. Even though we were sort of a last minute plan, we did a great job with planning the trip and making it a great experience for everyone.

Hotel
I used points to pay for our hotel. We stayed at the Hilton that gets the Magic Hours and it was nice and free so I have no complaints. Great room and it was across the street from Downtown Disney. If you are not using points for hotel, I would suggest you look into a Disney Travel Guide to help out. I would highly recommend Simply Magic Travel as she has a lot of insight and can give you a good idea of what works.

Meals
We are Hilton Diamond members so we also got free breakfast with the hotel and I was able to pack bagels and cream cheese and fruit for lunch every day which helped minimize the amount that we needed to eat at the park. I brought cooler bags and ice to bring in with me ahead of time. I didn't feel so bad paying too much for ice cream at the park because we weren't buying too many meals there.

We eat vegetarian out so we opted in for a Character Meals at Hollywood Studios and because I put in a list of allergies (meat, shell fish, etc) the chef came out and he explained exactly how they cooked everything so I was confident in what we could and could not eat.

We also ate almost all of our dinners outside of Disney, so this was a big cost savings.

Hopper/Magic Hours
Because we were staying at the Hilton in Downtown, we were able to get the Magic Hours. I opted for the Hopper Tickets, but we really didn't take full advantage of them. We tried using the bus from Downtown to the Parks, but the wait is rather long and tedious with a stroller and all the stuff. Since we had a car, we found even with paying for parking it was much easier to travel with the car. The only day we used the hopper was we had a short day at one of the other parks and went back to the hotel to change, eat dinner, and some naps. We went to Magic Kingdom and the kids saw the Main Street Electric Parade. We stayed close to the front of the park and I brought glow in the dark necklaces with me to give to them. They loved it and the break in between made it easier. If we had been at Disney longer, we probably would have gone back to Epcot. We all really loved it and didn't get to even explore half of what is there.

Deals on Tickets & Car Rental
Because we weren't doing the meal plan or staying at one of the resorts, we ended up buying our tickets through Undercover Tourist. I also added a Car Rental because renting a mini-van was pretty reasonable and gave us the ability to do a bunch of traveling around. I would definitely have looked at Simply Magic Travel had I decided to stay at one of the Disney Properties. I also signed up for Mousesavers that helped give me tips on deals.

Cheap Movies

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader (Single-Disc Edition)

$1.99







The Three Stooges: The Movie

$1.99





Forrest Gump [Blu-ray]

$5.99





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HIC 12-ounce Porcelain Creamer $4.85 Rock Bottom Price

HIC 12-ounce Porcelain Creamer

• 12-Ounce creamer; perfect for everyday use or special occation and holiday entertaining
• Made of high quality Brazilian porcelain
• Whiteware; will match any décor
• Durable; oven, broiler, microwave, freezer and dishwasher safe

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Twin Size SafeRest Premium Hypoallergenic Waterproof Mattress Protector - Vinyl Free - $24.95

Twin Size SafeRest Premium Hypoallergenic Waterproof Mattress Protector - Vinyl Free

• Protects Against Dust Mites, Fluids, Urine, Perspiration, Allergens And Bacteria (10-Year Warranty)
• Hypoallergenic Cotton Terry Surface With Membrane Back Coating (Waterproof, Noiseless and Breathable)
• Great For Those With Kids, Pets, Allergies, Asthma, Eczema Or Incontinence
• Will Not Change The Feel of Your Mattress (Registered With The FDA As A Class 1 Medical Device)
• Fitted Sheet Style Design (Twin and Full Size Fit up To 14") (Queen, King and Cal King Size Fit Up To 18")

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The Shrunks Indoor Toddler Travel Bed, Blue - $58.99

The Shrunks Indoor Toddler Travel Bed, Blue

• Signature sheet-tuck feature - fits all standard crib-sized sheets
• Our trademarked security rails helps prevent your child from falling off
• Inflates quickly in 30 seconds
• Includes a convenient carrying bag, repair kit and the compact yet powerful Jetaire Electric Pump
• Phthalate-Safe, BpA-Safe and Lead-Safe
• Signature sheet tuck feature fits all standard crib-sized sheets
• Phthalate Safe, BpA Safe and Lead Safe

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Skip Hop Pronto Changer Diaper Bag, Red $25.24

Skip Hop Pronto Changer Diaper Bag, Red

• Polyester
• Imported
• Drop it in any bag, strap it to your wrist or clip it to your stroller
• Extra wide changing pad for wiggly babies
• Front zipper pocket for personal items
• Mesh pocket holds up to four large diapers, creams and other essentials
• Translucent wipes case and Pronto pillow keeps baby's head comfy

This is wonderful when all you want to carry in is a your changing stuff and don't want to manage a large diaper bag. I also keep this as a spare "changer" in each of the cars and our Shabbat Stroller. At the very least we are covered for a diaper change if we forgot the diaper bag. 

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Zo-li Bot Straw Sippy Cup 6oz - $12.99

Zo-li Bot Straw Sippy Cup 6oz

• Unique design that both you and your child are sure to love
• Designed to allow drinking even if upside down
• Allows for every last drop to be drank
• Easy open/close lid
• BPA and Phthalate Free Plastic

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Butterfly Craze Girls Snow Queen Costume Snow Princess Dress $13.99

Butterfly Craze Girls Snow Queen Costume Snow Princess Dress - 7-8 Years

• 95 % polyester 5 % Spandex
• The dress is made of super comfy silky and no scratchy material. No concerns for itchness;
• Floor length dress and long sequined train
• Care instruction: Handwash and Line Dry
• Available in Children Size 2-10 yrs and Women Size 00-10;

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Boudreaux's Butt Paste Diaper Cream, All Natural, 2 Ounce $2.48

Boudreaux's Butt Paste Diaper Cream, All Natural, 2 Ounce

• Quick treatment for painful diaper rash
• Pleasant scent
• Goes on and cleans off easily
• Pediatrician recommended
• Maximum strength zinc oxide treats and protects

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