Lots of family time this week - it’s spring break. Not much blogging time!

Over the river and through the woods to grandmother’s house we went. One of the kids favorite travel games is I Spy.

Today, my husband spied something black and white.

#3 - “is it your hair, daddy?”

Spring should be arriving any day now - (hopefully?). The fresh air, the warm breeze, the perfumed smells from beautiful gardens. My gardening always starts with good intentions but usually ends up a colorful mass of weeds.

One thing I don’t often consider is the toxicity of the plants in my yard. My kids are getting older but I still have a three year old. And the attractive flowers can be very tempting. Come to think of it - she did pick all the crocuses.

I recently read an article by Chris Musser at GNMParents about a child that was poisoned from eating the flowers from an andromeda plant in her garden. The poisoning was difficult for her parents to diagnose and also very scary. Thankfully she recovered quickly and is ok.

The University of Pennsylvania has a site with information to help identify plants that are poisonous.

If you have small children, think twice about what you will plant before you put that green thumb to work this spring.

I finally made the switch!

After months of talking and analyzing and agonizing - I just purchased my first Apple computer. I have only heard wonderful things but the transition is going to be difficult and time consuming.

I am sure that many of you are either squarely in the Windows camp or the Apple camp. I would love to hear your insights.

Yesterday, much of our area was hit hard by a Nor’easter. Five inches of rain fell in one day. Despite lots of local flooding we, thankfully, made it through relatively unscathed.

However, we did take a few precautions, before the storm hit, to prepare for the worst.

10 Things To Do To Prepare for a Storm

1. Have plenty of flashlights and new batteries. Battery operated camping lanterns work great.
2. Shop for a stash of nonperishable food and water.
3. Cash on hand. Visit the ATM before the storm hits.
4. Full tank of gas.
5. Charge your cell phones.
6. Have a battery operated radio on hand.
7. Buy or make extra ice for coolers to preserve perishables if power fails.
8. Bring in wood for fireplace in case of power failure.
9. Move stuff off the basement floor in case of flooding during a major rain event.
10. Pack an overnight bag with a few essential in case you need to make a quick exit.

Depending on the type or severity of the expected storm these steps may not be enough - but at least it’s a start.

Have you ever struggled with what type of calendar to use?

I have used every type known to man. Palm Pilots, Pocket PC’s and Outlook were my electronic versions. Monthly, weekly, and daily calenders in all different sizes were my paper versions. I think I have finally hit upon a system that is working for me but it is still in the testing phase.

Julie Bonner at Declutter It! offers some things to consider when purchasing a planner. Wondering if a paper or electronic version is right for you? Julie has some pertinent questions that you should ask yourself before you buy.