Finding ways to get out of the house with a toddler can be challenging, especially in the wintertime, and trust me when I say that cabin fever can make everyone cranky. We are constantly trying to come up with fun things to do with Sebastian, and one of our favorite places to hang out is our favorite sushi belt restaurant across town. I ate there approximately once a week while pregnant, priming my little fetus for the taste of unagi (eel) and raw fish. We started going out to sushi again as soon as Bas started on solids, but it wasn’t until recently that he developed the attention span to make the outing more fun than stressful. Lately our family sushi dates have been 100% positive.

Along with affordability and freshness, I recommend finding a sushi restaurant that offers a lot of variety. I strongly prefer sushi bars with a conveyor belt, especially when eating out with kids. Plates are priced by color and you snatch your own as they pass by on the belt. (Our favorite place offers booths along the belt as well, which is really nice.) Toddlers can point out or carefully grab their own food choices as they go by, and most options are cheap enough that it’s no big deal if a new food isn’t a hit. Along with various pieces of fish (cooked and raw) and sushi rolls, there are often plates of fruits and vegetables, chicken skewers and pot stickers.

There are not enough crayons in the world to keep my kid calm in his high chair while waiting for food. One of the biggest perks to a sushi belt is that you can start eating immediately. So long as we sit down to eat at a time when we know he’s really hungry, placing a couple of plates in front of Sebastian will buy Donny and I enough time to grab our own plates and enjoy ourselves. Along with eating, Sebastian also enjoys the experience of watching the plates go around the belt, waving hello to the staff, and working to master his chopsticks.

Bas is really focused on using chopsticks, even for foods that aren’t typically eaten with utensils (like orange slices) – I love the concentration on his face in the first photo above. His ‘just stab it’ approach is surprisingly effective at getting pieces into his mouth.

Sebastian’s ‘usual’ includes plates of fruit and non-spicy crab rolls. He is finally coming around to raw salmon, which makes me so happy. He has enjoyed other assorted dishes, including fried calamari (squid), and he likes to share my miso soup.

That’s a shoe thrown onto the table above.

Eating out with a baby/toddler is always a plus because you don’t have to do the cleanup! Sebastian doesn’t make much a of a mess now, but a few months ago was another story. I feel like it’s important to tip a little extra for a mess, and we also do our own quick sweep to minimize the staff’s work a bit. — I find that some fresh fish and hot soup coupled with *just getting out of the house* can do wonders for your mood, and a sushi date is a great way to introduce your toddler to new food and culture.

Glamournet: How I Stay in Shape by Marilyn Monroe I am not a big Marilyn fan at all but she was a smart, smart girl when it came to taking care of her body!

Made by Girl: Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (1) & Renting: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly (2)

Small Notebook: Create a Good First Impression: Organize Your Front Entry

Bella Sugar: Re-Create Emma Stone’s Sultry Eye Makeup Look I tried this with a gold shadow and I think it even works for spring/summer. I love her tip to powder only your t-zone!

Kelly Wels: 25 “Other” Uses for Cloth Diapers

Organic Marketplace: Kid Food is Ruining Our Children

Blacktating: Blacktating mentioned on TMZ! This clip made me squee as I love her blog. Did y’all know that Michael Jordan was breastfed until he was three? As if you needed more proof of breastfeeding’s amazing benefits.

I am really into Native American motifs lately, including dreamcatchers. I am constantly drawing inspiration from The Desert Fox blog and I’m loving dreamcatchers as well as highly-saturated desert tones. I totally have an inkling to escape to Southern Oregon and stomp around in boots. My dream color palette for spring consists of deep primary colors like Solar Power and Sodalite Blue, dark reds and greens, and a pop of fuchsia.

I am having a hard time finding a great dreamcatcher on Etsy but I do love this dreamcatcher necklace.

Mini-backpacks

I am also super taken with mini backpacks right now. I can’t help it – I love everything 90′s! This one from Urban Outfitters is totally on point.

Lillian’s Natural Marketplace

Lillian’s Natural Marketplace is a locally owned health food shop in Gresham. They just had to downsize their deli to stay afloat so if you live near here, take your money over to Lillian’s and help keep them open! The customer service is great and they offer an array of healthy items including local organic meat (Best pork chops of our lives!) as well as veggie and vegan fare. They also offer a juice and coffee bar. Yesterday was especially nice weather and I walked a few blocks for a latte and a fresh Crimson (beet-carrot-apple-ginger juice).

Winning a $250 Visa Card giveaway!

I have won upwards of 20 giveaways since I started entering them about three years ago, but this is the most valuable prize I’ve received! I’m still waiting for the card and we’re planning how to spend it. It may not be a ton of money, but we’ve agreed to spend it on wants instead of needs, making it the biggest chunk of change we’ve dedicated to ourselves in awhile.

As of today ecoSTORE USA has permanently reduced all of their pricing by upwards of 50%. This includes products in all categories, including the Baby and Pet Care products that I reviewed items from as well as their Household and Personal Care lines. ecoSTORE USA’s products were already competitively priced against other eco-friendly brands and this really pushes them to the top in my opinion. I love that they are working to make truly safe family products available to everyone, regardless of income.

I was not in any way compensated for this post – The news was just too great not to share. If you haven’t made the switch to natural, toxin-free personal care products, this is a great time to start!

We added more and more signs, many of which evolve over time. Sebastian’s sign for “food” used to be bringing fingers to his mouth. It kind of looked like he was smoking a joint, which made me laugh. Now he brings a closed fist up to his chin instead. Probably the most useful sign he does is “potty,” which is just patting his diaper (the ASL sign for toilet is harder) but gets the idea across. (Too often “potty” now translates to “I want to go play with stuff in the bathroom,” but that’s beside the point.)

Above, signing for “bird”

More ‘fun’ signs include those for animals, which are mostly big arm motions, some with sound effects added. He also signs for “piano”, “drums”, “flag”, “phone”, “hat”, and many more that are slipping my mind right now. It is great when he can express exactly what he is excited about seeing. Most of his signs go with pictures from various books, and he quickly makes the connection to the real life items.

I highly recommend introducing signing to your baby or toddler. It doesn’t have to be intimidating and you definitely don’t have to do American Sign Language. I have picked up some Baby Sign Language here but most of our signs are made up spur of the moment. Signing can definitely cut down on your baby’s frustration and studies show that it actually encourages verbal speech to happen faster, not the other way around.

Swap your mismatched glasses for mason jars. Surely I am not the only adult who could never keep a set of matching glassware. We started using only mason jars (before Pinterest BTW!) and I love that certain something that they add to our cupboards. We also use mason jars to store things like straws and colored pencils. Our collection is made up of jars in different sizes and designs. They are fun for entertaining too – Tie or hot glue a ribbon or other decoration to mason jars for parties and holidays.

Hang mirrors and tapestries. This tip comes from one of my best friends who makes any living situation look amazing. She had a place in low-income housing for awhile that was more stylish and inviting than anyone else’s home I’ve been to. We were actually bummed when she upgraded to a better place! (I did end up with a lot of her hand-me-down furniture though.) One of her tips for adding warmth and interest, especially to bedrooms, is lots of fabric. Hung straight vertically on the walls and pinned to the ceiling in gathers, lots of fabric can turn any space into a romantic haven. It is also a great way to bring color to an apartment where you aren’t allowed to paint the walls.

Most people know that mirrors make a space look bigger and brighter by reflecting light. Mirrors can be expensive, but you are likely to find a deal at yard sales and some thrift shops. Cheaper small mirrors can be tiled for a fun effect. Door mirrors from Target look more style, less dorm when arranged horizontally on the wall instead.

Create focal points with candles, flowers and figurines. Showcasing small collections is a great way to add personality to your space and flowers are an instant mood-booster. And well, I just like candles. Keep shiny objects polished and it will create the illusion that your entire home is cleaner.

Protip: If you have kids, consider keeping an arrangement of candles and knick knacks on a pretty serving tray. You can keep the tray up and out of reach while the kids are around and bring it down before guests come over, or just as something nice to look at after the children have gone to bed.

Just add curtains. Every apartment I have ever lived in has had the same sterile-looking white blinds. Installing your own curtains is fairly easy (just pin them up if you have to) and makes a big impact. You can sew your own or keep an eye out at outlet stores like Ross or TJ Maxx. Nothing has to match perfectly – In fact, sometimes it’s better if they don’t.

Choose everyday items with care. Our plaid dog bed was the perfect complement to our holiday decor this year, and I still love the warmth it brings to our living room. Toothbrush holders, coffee makers, that hook that you hang your keys on everyday… Those are your life, and choosing ones that you LOVE will make your life better. If you touch something every day, you shouldn’t feel bad splurging on it. Of course, you don’t necessarily have to splurge. My favorite places to shop for cheap housewares are Ross and IKEA, and I always take a stroll through the housewares aisles at thrift stores. It really is the little things.

Got your own thrifty apartment-decorating tips? Please share in the comments!

1. Keep an eye out for coupons

I don’t extreme coupon because the majority of items you can buy for pennies are crap. Yes, I do sometimes buy $3 shampoo or $1 dog food between paychecks, but I would never stockpile low-quality items. Safe & healthy food & beauty products are worth paying full price for, even if you have to cut money from your budget in other places. My husband Donny does the majority of our household shopping and he does clip things like Walgreens and Sears coupons. Clipping coupons is an obvious way to cut costs, but our biggest savings come from in-store coupons. Sebastian loves to help us grab the ones you find in the grocery aisles, many of which are good for healthy, organic items. Having a rewards or club card where you shop can also result in dramatic savings over time, and many of those programs will give you cents off the gallon on gas as well.

2. Try New Brands

It’s great to have brand loyalty when you find a company whose products and values you really love, but branching out can save you major cash. We usually buy Yes to Carrots baby wash but last month we took a gamble on Babyganics because it was the same price and buy one get one free. BOGO! You save money and have an excuse to try something new.

3. Shop secondhand first

Posts that talk about thrifting make up about 50% of my blog for good reason. Most of Sebastian’s most favorite toys? Secondhand. And the toys aren’t junk. I really do prefer wooden toys and blah blah blah but we have a name brand play ‘house’ (one wall with a swinging door, window, working radio and light switch) that cost a grand total of $4. We found his beloved Jumperoo (in perfect condition) secondhand, and his cutest outfits always include unique secondhand pieces (so do mine). I have a rockin new pair of Michael Kors studded pumps, bought last month, that ran me less than $15. Need more proof? Just check out all of my previous thrift shopping blog posts.

4. Swap & share with friends and family

Before my mom, sister or I donate anything, we offer it to each other first. I do the same with some of my friends. One of my besties and I did a mostly-swap Christmas last year. We often trade work and blog perks, and even services. She cuts my hair, I maintain her Facebook page. Sharing clothing isn’t uncommon when you’re a teenager, but a lot of us stop swapping as we get older. Bring back the sisterhood and ask around before you buy something new – You never know who has one that they are trying to unload. Of course, you can also try websites that offer swaps, and even the free section on Craigslist, but for some items (like makeup, or a used nursing bra) it is nice to know exactly where it came from.

5. Downsize your entertainment

Entertainment can be a real money suck, and oftentimes you end up paying money for services you aren’t even crazy about. If you don’t watch much TV, consider canceling cable and signing up for Netflix instead – You’ll see a savings of at least $200/year depending on your provider. If you love the movie theater but don’t care if you’re watching the latest blockbuster, find a venue near you that plays older films (usually ones that are out of the big theaters but not yet released to DVD) for a fraction of the cost per ticket. Our favorite theater shows slightly older movies for just $4 per person for a double feature. Smaller theaters often have cheaper concessions as well, or grab your biggest handbag and smuggle in your own snacks. For entertainment like museums and zoos, check for special days with discount prices. Our local zoo has cheaper admission in the colder months and on Tuesdays, for example. If you really look at your ‘fun’ budget, there are probably a lot of ways you can shave down your expenses.

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Whatever tips and tricks you use to save money for your family, the biggest piece of advice I can offer is to really know your priorities. If it makes you happy to splurge in one area, do it – Then make a specific, concrete plan to cut down spending in other areas. Online tools like Mint.com and Credit Sesame can help you manage your spending, debt and credit. I especially love that Mint allows you to sort every payment transaction by category, helping you set concrete goals for saving money in specific areas.

I find that cutting back on spending is a lot harder now than it was when I was young and single — It’s not like I can just feed the toddler ramen every day. What are your biggest tips for saving money as a family?

Chic Steals: Closet Makeovers and 7 Ways to Create a Curated Closet

Huffington Post (article by Sayward of Bonzai!): Green Decorating Tips For Your Home

The New Yorker: Stumptown Girl An indie-rock star satirizes hipster culture, on “Portlandia.”

Sugar & Cloth: 5-Minute DIY Reed Diffuser via last week’s SLL on Logical Harmony

Natural Parents Network: Toddler and Preschooler Activity Bag Fun!

The Leaky Boob: If These Boobs Could Talk

Baby Rabies: My Top 10 Breastfeeding Tips

Babble: 10 Celebs Who Breastfeed in Public (Photos) Don’t like the tone of the article at all but love the list

I am so glad that many bloggers apparently made it a resolution to post more. Also be sure to check out the updated links section in my sidebar – It’s a short list because I’m really choosey!
Know of a great blog I should be following/linking? Leave it in the comments!

I am currently looking for site sponsors so if you are a business/blog with values that you feel are in line with Alternative Housewife, please click over to my contact page and get in touch.

Happy 2012, everyone!

With ingredient selection, we take a precautionary approach. This means if there is any doubt about the safety of an ingredient, we find a safer alternative. That is why ecoSTORE USA remains completely transparent to its customers … and competitors … by listing each and every ingredient contained in the products we manufacture.

ecoSTORE USA’s Baby Body Wash smells and works great. We used ours for shampoo as well as body wash and Sebastian’s curls always came out lovely.

The Herbal Fresh Shampoo for dogs is fabulous as well. Dogs spend a lot of time licking themselves so it really is important to skip the chemicals! Like their baby items, ecoSTORE USA’s dog products are affordably priced, maybe even cheaper than the more mainstream options. I really love how budget-friendly everything on their site is. I am a firm believer that no one should have to pay extra just to keep their families safe.