This cranberry-apple crisp has been a favorite with my family: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cranberry-Apple-Crisp-with-Maple-Syrup-5866

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Perhaps because DH and I are both musical and self-admitted (classical) music snobs, I think it's over-priced for mostly subpar music. Granted, a lot of children's music CDs grate on my nerves, and I would rather play "real" music from the start--so I am probably in the minority. I also have a couple Kindermusik CDs from library sales, and they're not really selling me on the program.

I have had good luck finding maternity clothes on the clearance racks at Target--sometimes up to 75% off.

Sloppy joes are quick. I use Rachael Ray's Super Sloppy Joes recipe ( http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/super-sloppy-joes-recipe/index.html ), but you could also resort to Manwich or the like if you're really short on time. Or you could make it earlier in the day and reheat.

I had a college roommate who liked to watch Blue's Clues, so maybe you're never too old for it. (I think that she found bouncing to the songs helped her unwind.)

A previous poster listed one of the Dorling Kindersley Peekaboo books (Baby Faces, I think), but I would recommend the whole series: Baby Loves Peekaboo, Bedtime Peekaboo, Rainbow Peekaboo, etc. My son loved them so much that I bought them all. He loves the pictures of the babies, opening the flaps, and feeling the different textures. In general, I have liked a lot of the Dorling Kindersley board books, and I pick them up at used book sales if I see them. Rachael Hale's Baby Giggles and Baby Colors are also favorites, and we enjoy many of the Dr. Seuss board books. Like previous posters have mentioned, he also loves Curious George and Sandra Boynton.

If there is someone kneeling directly behind you in the next pew, it's nice if you don't lean all the way back if you choose to sit.

For me, it would depend on the quality. I would opt for a very good upright over a so-so grand. I'm also not a fan of the smaller grands; if you have the space for at least a six-foot grand, I'd go for it, but otherwise I'd opt for a quality upright instead.

I bake it in a foil-lined pan and don't bother with the rack because I don't want to have another item to wash. I transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate when it's done, and it's great once the excess fat drains a bit. Best of all, there's nothing to clean up!

I use two kinds of racks. One is a three-level with mesh on each level, and I have two of these--they are (or were) sold at Target under the Michael Graves label. I dry things that can get misshapen flat on these racks--this avoids odd bulges from hangers or the weight of being hung by clothespins. I have a more conventional metal rack for things that can be draped without weird bulges. I mostly dry indoors because it's really cold in the winter and often humid in the summer. In the winter, I figure the laundry is adding much-needed humidity to the house, and heat coming from the vents helps things dry pretty quickly. In the summer, the AC keeps the humidity from being a problem, plus I figure that I'm not unnecessarily adding to the heat by running the dryer. On really nice days, I will sometimes take my racks outside and weigh them down with a few bricks, but it does take longer since everything must be clipped. When there's a nice breeze and it's warm but not hot, I love the smell of clothes dried outside. For larger things like sheets, I fold them in half or quarter and drape them over the shower rod overnight. Or they go over the tri-level racks, and they don't take terribly long to dry. They don't seems that stiff to me, either. Towels, on the other hand, are hard, though it doesn't really bother me; sometimes I will run towels for guests through the dryer briefly. I don't find it very time-consuming, and folding off the rack goes pretty quickly, too. (I should add that I don't use dryer sheets because DH has very sensitive skin, so maybe that's why I don't feel like the dryer scent is missing)

You might try to fit an etagere over the toilet, and that would add storage. They come in metal or wood, higher end or lower end (I know that Target carries them, for instance).

I read too fast the first time and missed the one day thing. I'd also stay put in Madison if that were the case. If you're really into mustard, the Mustard Museum is in downtown Middleton, which is basically a suburb of Madison. There are quite a few mustards to try. Also, if you like German food, Bavaria Sausage Kitchen (on the far west side, close to or in Fitchburg) makes a lot of great sausages and salamis, plus there are a lot of German grocery products.

Here are two recipes I use--one for pork and one for chicken. The pork needs to be marinated, but the chicken can go straight into the crockpot. Southern Barbecued Pork on a Bun (From Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook): 1 cup ketchup 1 cup prepared chili sauce 1/4 c. Dijon mustard 3 tbsp cider vinegar 3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce 2 tbsp honey 1 tbsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 3-lb boneless Boston pork butt (trim extra fat) 3/4 c. water Rolls Combine everything through the garlic and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Cool to room temp. Marinate with pork in a ziptop bag at least 8 hours or overnight (turn bag a few times, if possible). Put pork in slow cooker. Mix marinade with water, then pour over meat and cook on low until pork is fork-tender (8-10 hours). Let pork rest about ten minutes before slicing or shredding. Serve on buns with sauce. Slow-Cooked Pulled Barbecue Chicken (Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two--I usually multipy it for more people) 1 small white or yellow onion, chopped 1 small garlic clove, minced 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs 1/2 c. ketchup 2 tbsp cider vinegar 2 tbsp light brown sugar 1 tbsp olive oil 1/2 tsp chili powder 1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder (adds a nice smokiness but can be left out. sometimes it can be hard to find) 1/4 tsp salt Scatter onion and garlic over the bottom of the crockpot. Arrange chicken thighs on top. Stir remaining ingredients together and pour over chicken. Cook on low 7-8 hrs until chicken is fork-tender. Remove chicken, shred, and stir back into sauce.

I use a recipe from Cook's Illustrated (from The New Best Recipe): 1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed (I grate it with a microplane) 3/4 tsp salt pinch of cayenne 3 tbsp lemon juice (make sure to use the real stuff) 1/4 cup tahini* 1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil 1/4 c. water Process everything in a food processor until smooth. Chill at least 30 minutes to let flavors meld. If you're less lazy than me, you can also soak dried chickpeas, and the end result is even creamier. *The brand of tahini can really make a difference. I've been using Eastwind tahini, and I've been happy with it. Once I made the mistake of buying a brand that came in a can, and the hummus was decidedly inferior. Sorry, I haven't experimented with many brands but just wanted to give everyone a head's up about that.

Sentences can be longer while still being concise. You just want to make sure that the sentences aren't long due to unnecessary words. Here are two links that I've given to students: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/635/01/ (Paramedic Method: A Lesson in Writing Concisely) http://uwp.duke.edu/uploads/assets/clarity%20and%20conciseness.pdf (Clarity and Conciseness) If her writing is persuasive and can be easily followed by the reader, I wouldn't consider longer sentences a problem. If there's too much filler, that's a problem.

I agree with a previous poster to remember to budget for tips if you upgrade. You can get a good idea by perusing menus here: allears.net/menu/menus.htm I also find looking at menus in advance helpful if you have a picky eater.

Pulled pork (I serve it with a vinegary coleslaw)

New Glarus and Cave of the Mounds are about half an hour apart. New Glarus is southwest, and Cave of the Mounds is west of Madison (so I'd say that you could do both, but they're not that close to each other). I live near New Glarus, and it has a cute downtown (a great little local meat market that sells delicious sausages and landjaegers) and some nice Swiss restaurants; there is also a historical Swiss village. Very close to downtown is the New Glarus Brewery, and I enjoy going going on the self-guided tour, even though I don't drink beer. In Madison, I like to visit the botanical gardens, and I think that there should be some things in bloom in mid-May. It's free, but it costs $1 to tour the tropical conservatory. If you'll have time on Saturday morning, the Dane County Farmer's Market is excellent. It's the biggest producer-only farmers market in the country.

I use a lot of clear over-the-door shoe organizers, and they are great for storing smaller things that would otherwise get jumbled together in a drawer or box. In the bathroom, I have pockets for razor cartridges, sunscreen, varoius toiletries, etc. For very small items, like, nail clippers, I sometimes put a few items in one pocket. Definitely go with the clear pockets so that you can see everything. Over a bedroom door, you can sort hair accessories, small toys, etc. Of course, you can also use them for shoes. I mainly put them inside closet and linen closet doors, but if storage were that tight for me, I'd probably put one over every available door!

Dr. Seuss's The Butter Battle Book references the Berlin Wall, the Cold War arms race, etc. You might also look at old episodes of McGuyver.

Cellulose (wood pulp) is being added more and more, too. Apparently, it gives the ice cream a creamy mouthfeel but is cheaper than cream. Most prevalent in low-fat ice creams, I think.

I am much happier spending more money on super-premium ice cream. I find that a small amount of really good ice cream satisfies me a lot more than a larger quantity of mediocre ice cream.

T: tulip (as mentioned earlier) P: peony, pansy, petunia, poppy

:iagree: I don't bother reading anything inserted into things I buy, and I'd be annoyed.