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If your child is a PB&J kiddo, you know how hard it is to follow the ‘no peanut’ rule most schools have in place. Of course children with peanut allergies must be considered, but packing a lunch without peanut butter is not easy. Sure, there are many soy substitutes, but I have found most of them to be downright gross.

Who wants drippy, clumpy, chunky, murky peanut butter? Not to mention it makes for a wet sandwich by lunch time.  Here is a GREAT solution for moms singing the lunch blues – SoyNut Butter from I.M. Healthy. The Original is such a treat.

It tastes great, has a smooth texture, it requires no stirring and it’s not clumpy. I couldn’t find it in stores, so I ordered it online. My son loves it and eats it at school daily. If you send it, you should send a note so teachers don’t think it’s real peanut butter. LOVE IT!!!!

I like to keep mommies in the loop about cool baby stuff, so I have to blog about a great giveaway happening over at Droolicious on Babble.com.

An online gallery featuring customizable fine art, Gallery Direct, is giving away two contemporary pieces that would look great in a nursery or child’s room. Both paintings will be a Canvas Gallery Wrap, which means the image wraps all the way around the edges of the mounted canvas, so you can hang them with or without a frame. Each piece measures 30 x 30 and will be shipped to you free of charge. Retail value for the pair is $400!

Click here to go to Droolicious and find out how to register. Good luck! Again, here is the pair but they won’t be framed.

In my opinion, you’re either a fan of LC (Lauren Conrad) or you’re not. When I first started watching The Hills, I thought she became more likable as the show progressed, but I was never overly impressed with her sense of style. Maybe it’s because my attention was always being diverted to Kristen and her catty ways. I love watching spoiled, rich, divas be bitchy to each other. And the fact that they were graduating high school – so amusing.

LC emerged from The Hills as a budding fashion designer. She “designed” her first collection that was supposed to be rather pricey, but I don’t think it really took off. Now she is unveiling a ready-to-wear line at Kohl’s department stores. Speaking of Kohl’s, did you know Vera Wang has a line there called ‘Simply Vera’…

You can see LC’s collection at Kohl’s online by clicking here. I’m not being mean because I don’t have a line of clothes for sale, but I’d say this stuff is rather ho-hum. Where are the cool hobo bags and the chunky belts and the rompers and the bright colors? What about mini dress? I get that it’s supposed to wearable, but a cami and two cardigan sweaters? How hard is that to design? Again, not being mean…just wondering.

Tulle skirts may seem like old news, but they are still hot for little girls. Just take a look at some of the A-list babies bopping around town in their tulle outfits. Nahla Aubrey, Suri Cruise and Violet Affleck are just a few of the princesses who really love twirling in tulle.

Gymboree is making tulle cool for Fall by offering this chocolate-colored skirt in sizes 3-6 mos up to 5T! Perfect for parties or a trip to the playground. On sale for $20 at Gymboree.

As I sit here at my computer, enjoying the end of a much-needed rainy day, my thoughts turn to the picture perfect day that turned out to be one of the most tragic days in our lives, 9/11.

It seems almost inconsiderate to mention how beautifully 9/11/2001 began. I was living in a duplex at that time and my bedroom window was positioned in such a way that it gave me a wonderful view of the sunrise. I only had to open one eye to see the bright orange ball slowly lift up beyond the daybreak. That September morning featured a bright, clear, blue day and a glorious sunrise.

I remember every aspect of that morning perfectly, as most people do. Instead of waking up and tuning into Matt and Katie playfully banter about current issues, I focused my energy on sending out resumes. I was unemployed at the time. I was frustrated at my slow computer and almost ignored the telephone because I was in no mood to be chatty. I picked up the phone on the final ring. It was my mother and she was frantic. She said something about terrorists, a bomb, a plane and attacks. I dropped the phone and ran to turn on the television. I don’t think I turned off the television for about two weeks.

I started watching the TODAY Show right before the second plane crashed into the tower. It was unbelievable. Watching the events unfold and getting snippets of information here and there was surreal. What was happening? None of it made sense. When the first building unexpectedly collapsed, I felt as if I were watching a special effect in a movie. It wasn’t real. It couldn’t be. Were there people in that building? No…I’m sure they all escaped. It’s funny how your mind works when something like that happens. Denial seems to be the first emotion. No, this can’t be…

As the reality set in and I began to realize what was happening, it was like all of the air was suddenly sucked out of the room. I sat in front of the television for hours, glued to every shred of every detail. I called relatives and friends along the way for comfort. And then the tears began to fall.

I will never forget the stories. The firemen who rushed up the stairs bravely as people ran down them to safety. The helpless people in wheelchairs who were stranded in the stairwells, waiting for a stranger to help. The people who had to jump or be engulfed by flames. The people who could not escape. I cried and cried for them and their families. Each story was more heartbreaking than the next. Mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children, friends and co-workers. Nobody was safe and everyone was affected.

We lost more than loved ones that fateful day. We lost our security and the peace of mind we felt in our day-to-day lives. City skylines we once marveled at became terrifying, airports became targets and we were all scared to live our lives. We were all thrust, unwillingly, into a harsh new reality and it was shocking and scary. Yet, a funny thing happened for days, weeks and even months after 9/11. We found comfort in each other and a nation united.

We rallied to find strength, hope and fight for our freedom. Maybe it was getting a red, white and blue bumper sticker or being nice to our neighbors, but we all tried a little harder to be better people. We were sad, hurt, horrified and broken, but we persevered. I’d like to think that is the silver lining in all of this. Those events, no matter how unnecessary and cruel, united a divided nation. Even if it was fleeting, that’s no small feat.

I hope everyone tries to revisit those feelings of unity tomorrow as we mourn. My thoughts and prayers are with every family, friend and colleague who lost someone special that day. It is a day I will always remember and hope none of us ever forget.

I hate laundry. I hate every aspect of doing laundry. Why does the act of cleaning clothes have to be so complicated?

1. – Never enough detergent – No matter how many huge bottles of detergent I buy, it seems the bottle is always empty. I even resort to pouring water into the partially empty bottle and using that part water-part detergent mixture for at least one or two loads of laundry.  Also, who wants to buy those huge bottles and lug them around the grocery store??? I hate that.

2. – Sneaky stains – I always miss that one terribly stained shirt. It manages to avoid the Shout spray and makes its way into the dryer where the stain is there forever. I’ve tried every type of stain remover and nothing really impresses me.  BTW, have you noticed the weird settings on the Shout bottle? I get the ’spray’ concept, but who needs a ’stream’? Come on, really? A stream? Please. I hate that.

3. – Jeans – Oh, the horror of washing and drying jeans. I have a few dark ones that continually bleed in the washer. I have no idea how they aren’t totally absent of color now, but they turn light-colored clothes an odd shade of blueish. I never remember until I’ve accidentally tossed them into the wash. Then they get dried to a crisp in the dryer and it takes me two days to stretch them out enough so they’re comfortable. And then they are dirty and the whole vicious cycle starts again. I hate that.

4. – Socks – Nothing bugs me more than matching up clean socks. That chore has become exponentially worse since having children. Should they be rolled together into some type of ’sock onion’ or does that ruin the elastic? Should they be folded or just thrown together in a drawer?I won’t even explain the obvious missing sock scenario. I hate that too.

5. – Special orders – We have way too many ’special order’ laundry items that require too much personal attention. This shirt must be washed and immediately placed on a hanger. That shirt can only be dried for 10 minutes on low. That skirt is too small, so it can never even touch the air surrounding the dryer. That golf shirt has a fragile collar, so please fold it a certain way and then dry it. Those jeans can only be washed for 5 minutes on the third Tuesday of any month ending in an “r” – and the insanity continues. I hate that.

What ticks you off about laundry???

Want to get together with all of the fabulous mommies on Facebook? Join The Hip Mommies group and chime in with your parenting advice. Exchange ideas, get tips about cool baby gear and bask in the momminess. Look for The Hip Mommies on Facebook. This group is open to everyone!

I’m a sucker for picking out the most expensive items in the market today. I was browsing baby cribs when I came across this simple beauty. It’s the Bebe 2 Crib from Offi, a well-known eco-friendly brand in the chic world of baby items. It’s birch and non-toxic, but it will put you back about $1,500. Is it worth the price tag? I’ll let you decide…

Here are some of the hip features that make parents swoon:

• Natural Baltic Birch Ply and White Non-Toxic Painted MDF and Solid Birch
• Wood finishes may vary slightly from color and grain shown in image sample
• Meets or exceeds US Consumer Product Safety Commission requirements for full size cribs (ASTM F1169-03)
• Works with Bebe 2 Rolling Cart for Crib (sold separately)

You can find the Bebe Crib and other amazing Offi items at BabyEarth!