Way back when Moses was parting the Red Sea I was potty training my oldest child.  After using M&M candies to bribe her and washing out I-don’t-know- how-many pairs of poopy panties I had a lightbulb moment.   I figured out how to potty train my daughter with an alarm clock.  It worked like a charm and it became the tried and true method of potty training with my other children.  Here’s how it works.

This method starts the moment you wake up.  Set an alarm clock for the normal time you get up and get up when it goes off.  No hitting the snooze button for a few days.  Set up another alarm clock in your child’s room if they don’t sleep with you.  After you’ve gotten out of bed go immediately to your child’s room and wake them up.  If you’re lucky the alarm clock will have already done that.

Point out the ringing alarm clock to your child.  Make a big deal about how exciting it is.  Make it a GOOD thing.  Then take your child to the potty right away.  Chances are you’ll get the first morning pee sucessfully in the toilet.  If it doesn’t happen don’t linger around the bathroom.

As soon as the first morning potty session is done go get your alarm clock and put it in the living room or somewhere nearby where both you and your child can hear it.  Set it to go off in one hour.

When the alarm goes off in one hour, get excited about it once again and get your toddler to the potty.

Repeat this throughout the day.  Yes you’ll run back and forth to the bathroom but there’s very little chance you’ll miss a potty opportunity.

For day 2 and 3  repeat the steps but this time extend the time between alarms to 2 hours.

On day 4 set the alarm clock for 4 hour intervals.  This may seem like it takes a long time but I promise you it is easier than it seems.  With this method there are very few times you’ll have to wash out training pants and in 5 days your child will be almost completely potty trained.

If you are super busy, having company coming, going to a barbecue, attending a party etc, get yourself  a watch with an alarm or set an alarm on your cell phone to keep the consistency going.  In no time flat your child will recognize the sound of the alarm clock as time to go potty and it’s all uphill from there!

Popularity: 7% [?]

Coupon scams that involve cramming are huge! Be very careful which websites you use to get coupons from.  Recently I visited a site while looking for fast food coupons.  I found a good and went to print it out.  It wouldn’t print.  The page acted like it was loading. Then suddenly a pop up appeared telling me that if I entered my cell phone number they would send me a text to verify I was human and then the coupon would become printable.

So I put in my cell phone number.  Indeed the coupon became printable andI went on my way.

A couple of weeks later I noticed a strange charge for $69 on my phone bill. Upon calling AT&T I discovered that they hadn’t put the charge on the bill but the other company did.  By replying to the text message they sent me, to supposedly verify my species status, I was granting them permission to put charges on my bill.

AT&T gave me the company’s information, including phone number and told me to call them.  When I called that company they told me they were a third party billing company for this voicemail service that I supposedly signed up for.    I would need to call the company itself.

I did.  And I did again the next month when it showed up on my bill again.  And I called a third time and threw a fit.  It was then and only then that the charges were taken off my bill and I was credited for the previous 2 charges.

This kind of tactic is more common than you might realize.  The AT&T representative told me that these companies are somehow managing to reroute through telephones in public places.  Don’t ask me how but she said they were.

Watch your phone bill and only download coupons from reputable sources.

Popularity: 5% [?]

3 of these babies. That’s how many Pledge Pet Hair removers I’m giving away. Here’s the catch. Write a post about getting rid of pet hair, or post a link to something you’ve already written about pet hair. Leave a link in the comments section. I will plug in all the URLs to an excel spreadsheet and randomly draw 3 people’s URL. Those 3 people win the prize.

Deadline of this contest is Sept. 1, 2009

Popularity: 9% [?]

Apple dip is yummy!  It’s good refridgerated or served as soon as its made.  I’ve been making this simple apple dip recipe for years and everyone loves it.  It doesn’t take much to make and is versatile enough to dip other foods in.

Popularity: 96% [?]

I’m hosting a carnival.  Gracious me!  Anywhoodie-doodie, I screwed up the form over at the blog carnival website so I have to restart it.  I’m doing a round up of articles about parenting.   Deadline date is tonight at August 31, 2009.  So check it out and submit an article.  Submitted articles will be posted tomorrow.

go here to submit an article to the carnival.

Popularity: 1% [?]

As a part of today’s special launch day I’m giving away a 8.45 oz jar of Yes to Carrots Hair and Scalp Mud Mask.  This is a $12 value and it could be yours for free.   The first person to answer all 5 of the following questions correctly gets the mud mask.  The answers to all of the questions can be found on the Suburban Wife Life blog.  Simply post your answers in the comment section.

Question #1; How many children do I have?

Question #2: How much bacon do I put in my fried rice?

Question #3: What should you mark your car’s engine parts with?

Question #4: What did my daughter’s husband eat?

Question #5: What did my mother call a spanking?

Popularity: 1% [?]

Grab a button if you like.

Popularity: 1% [?]

It’s official.  Today is the launch of Suburban Wife Life.  To celebrate I’m going to do a few special one time only things.

Included in today’s launch is a free Yes To Carrots Hair Mask give away.  3 Pledge Pet Hair remover give aways.  Party recipes, hot coupons, a laucnh day meme and blog carnival.

For today only, anyone that comments will get their site linked to in my blog roll.  There’s only one exception; your comment must be something intelligent.  Comments like, good site, great work etc won’t be acceptable.

So without further adieu let’s get this party rolling!

Popularity: 1% [?]

The key to a great kid sandwich recipe is to think like a kid and try to remember what kind of sandwich you would’ve wanted for lunch as a kid. Here are a few sandwich recipe ideas to help accommodate your kid while still providing proper nutrition.

Sandwich Alternatives Kids Love
Instead of reaching for the Wonder Bread, appeal to the fun side of childhood. Opt for multi-grained bagels, pita breads, crackers, tortillas or buns. As a fun twist to the old peanut butter and jelly sandwich try using toaster waffles, banana breads or cinnamon raisin bread.

Finger Sandwiches for Little Fingers
Children are notorious for eating part of a sandwich and throwing the rest away. Instead of making a sandwich big enough to feed a man, try making finger sandwiches. Make sandwiches with once piece of bread cut into two halves. Then cut those into two squares. You can also make a whole sandwich; cut it into 4 equal pieces, pack two squares and store the rest for the next day’s school lunch. For variety make two half-sandwiches that are different, for example make one ham and cheese and the other chicken salad.

When it comes to a PB&J sandwich the sky is the limit. Use different jellies, jams, fruits or marshmallow cream to add variety. Rather than jelly, try using real fruit such as apples or bananas for a healthy alternative.

To save time on cutting bread, try using cocktail breads such as rye or sourdough. You’ll know which sandwich they like best by which ones don’t get eaten.

Try Spreads or Dips
Some people have no taste for Miracle Whip, Mayonnaise or French’s Mustard but that should not keep you from coming up with delicious sandwich recipes. Spreads and dips can be a healthy alternative. Give an old sandwich new zing by using French Onion Dip with sliced chicken, Jalapeño Artichoke Dip with roast beef or Kraft’s Philadelphia Garden Vegetable Cream Cheese with turkey and smoked cheddar on pita bread.

Build Your Own Sandwich
There are unknown amounts of sandwich ideas for kids and while these are fantastic, one thing kids love is building their own sandwich. Give your kids a variety of crackers, cheeses, meats and vegetables. Cut the ingredients the same size as the crackers so that your kid can mix and match and layer as they please. Provide them with a few different dipping sauces and spreads. Forget buying Lunchables because you are limited to their selection. By using your own ingredients there is no limit to the sandwich building.

Baked Sandwich Recipes
One of the problems with lunchbox sandwiches is that bread tends to get soggy. To avoid soggy bread try baking your sandwich Quizno style. Opt for hoagie rolls, spread a little olive oil or butter on it and bake it. When wrapped in tin foil the bread stays warm, slightly moist but doesn’t get soggy.

Go Breadless
Instead of slapping meat and cheese between 2 slices of bread try Romaine Lettuce leaves, kale or cabbage and wrap around the filling. Use the meat itself to wrap around cheese and toppings and secure with a toothpick. Better yet, cut up all the meats, cheese and vegetables into cubes, push onto small skewers and give them a shish kabob.

A sandwich is just a sandwich until you add some creativity. Think like a kid, eat like a kid and your kid will enjoy eating what you put in their lunchbox.

Popularity: 24% [?]

Popularity: 100% [?]

As someone who was formerly married to a mechanic that had no qualms about ripping off unsuspecting women, I learned there are some easy ways to spot a rip off. You may not be able to stop a mechanic from trying to scam you because you are a woman but you can catch him in the act and save yourself some money. So ladies, check out the tips below and become a wiser consumer.

Read your car’s manual. I can’t stress this enough. For most people the manual is a dirty little book meant to be kept prisoner in the glove box. Not so. Your manual will explain when routine maintenance should be done such as when the oil should be changed or the tires rotated. It will also tell you the codes for computer messages and lights that go off on your dash as well as a few troubleshooting tips. You should read and know your manual front to back. This book has the potential to save you hundreds of dollars.

An example of how the manual can save you money is when your engine light comes on. This message tends to cause panic and mayhem but there are some simple reasons that can cause it like not clicking your gas cap around enough times. If you don’t know that this can cause the engine light to come on and you take your car to a mechanic he may tell you that you need new oxygen sensors or head gaskets when in fact you just need to turn your gas cap another turn.

Inspection Tips. When the time comes to take your car to the shop have a game plan. Make appointments with more than one shop so that you can compare the differences in diagnosis and price. Don’t believe the first mechanic you deal with because he looks cute and wholesome. At the time of the inspection make it a point to stick around and watch the inspection. Ask questions, stick your head under the hood along side the mechanic and squat to see what he’s doing underneath. Many mechanics will loosen cables and wires and tell you that you need expensive repairs. They don’t have the chance to do this if you are right there in the nitty gritty with them.

Never sign consent to have your car worked on at the time of the inspection unless you know without a doubt that only the original problem will be fixed correctly. Make it known upfront that you are not authorizing any repairs until a final decision is made and that this is an inspection only. Failing to do say may result in the mechanic taking liberties to replace parts, work on other areas of the car and then charge you a large sum you didn’t know about afterward.

Take a man with you. It sounds condescending I know, but taking a man along with you has the potential to make the mechanic a little more honest when they know another man is paying attention. It boils down to the brotherhood of men and how men believe other men know more about cars than women. When a mechanic sees a woman they see dollar signs because most automatically believe women are clueless about auto repairs.

Mark your engine parts. This might sound intimidating but it really isn’t. Most part stores carry books on cars and if not search for an engine diagram online. Mark your carburetor, oil filter, belts, plug, cap and rotor, fuel lines and air filter etc with a dot of bright nail polish. The reason for marking your parts is so that after a repair has been done you can be sure that your original part was replaced. If a mechanic tells you he changed your spark plugs and you see the dot of nail polish still on them then you know they are lying to you.

Request to keep your old parts. Sometimes mechanics will tell you they have changed a part when they really haven’t. One way to determine whether or not your part has been changed is to be handed the old defunct part. You should be able to spot the mark you made on the part. If not then the mechanic is handing you someone else’s old parts. As a side note you need to understand that some parts require a core. This means that the old rebuildable part is handed over to the vendor of the new part. If you fail to provide the core you may or may not be charged a core fee. Be sure to check with the shop so that you know what the core charge will be and let them know you are willing to pay that fee. One other tip, when you ask for your old parts back also ask for the boxes of the new parts as these will provide you the part number and sometimes the name of the store they came from.

Buy your own parts. Once you have an inspection done on your car and you believe it to be accurate check into buying your own parts. Sometimes the shop can get you a better price and sometimes not. It all depends on where they get it from. A lot of times a mechanic will purchase parts from an auto dealership rather than an independent parts store. Independent parts stores almost always offer better prices. If you go this route make sure you let your mechanic know that you will be/have purchased the parts and will bring them in with the car. Even if you do buy your own parts still ask to have your old parts returned to you so that you know you didn’t just supply the mechanic with extra free parts.

Keep all your paperwork. Stash them in a file folder, cram them in your glove box or where ever just don’t throw them away. Not ever, unless you sell the car and then it’s best to provide these records to the buyer. The paperwork you get from your mechanic will let you know whether or not you received any warranties or life time guarantees. This will also help you keep track of how often maintenance has been done on your car.

Consult with your local college or high school auto shop. You won’t find a better resource. Take your inspection paperwork and visit the instructor of the shop class. Ask questions, take notes and get their opinion on the diagnosis of your car. This provides an opportunity for the students as well as gives you reassurance of your mechanic. College and high school auto shop instructors also typically have the inside scoop on local mechanic shops and can tell you who is reputable and who is a rip off.

Finding a good mechanic that won’t rip you off can be a challenge, especially if you are a woman. If you let them know right off the bat that you are educated and have resources behind you, you will be less likely to be taken for a fool. Don’t be afraid to assert yourself and let them know you don’t consider them to be the only mechanics alive. After all it will be you lining their pockets.

Popularity: 2% [?]