quick and easy.

So pasta.  the quick, easy, last minute meal that happens in this house at least once a week.  I know the adults will eat it, I KNOW the kids will eat it, and it doesn't take long to prepare.


Most of the time I use sauce out of a jar and add extra vegetables to it.  
Occasionally I offer pasta and forget that we don't have sauce!  That's where my wonderful sister-in-law's trick comes in.  I can't remember where she got this recipe, so I can't give it proper credit, sadly... but I've used it LOTS of times.  And it's REALLY GOOD.

quick 'n easy last-minute emergency pasta sauce


one can or jar stewed tomatoes
one can tomato paste
one can condensed tomato soup (yes, trust me)
any other chopped small pasta sauce vegetables or proteins you would like *optional*
(suggestions -mushrooms, onions, spinach is good, some people like carrots, ground meat or meat substitute, sausage, I've added broccoli on occasion cuz my kids love it)
basil to taste
oregano to taste
garlic to taste
bay leaves to taste
salt to taste


Mix it all up in a pot or deep pan and cook until hot and tomatoes are all mixed in well.  Simmer for a bit to let the spice flavours meld in.  If you're using ground meat, brown it first, pour out grease and add at the end.


That's it!  Really.   It takes almost the same amount of time as pasta sauce from a jar, and tastes awesome!
Sometimes its the little things in life.  

NEW STUFF!!

So I finally got time to really work, and had the focus to do it!  got through a whole lotta new stuff - finished stuff I started and made much more - here's a gallery of all the listings!!!!

As always, I appreciate any feedback, pats on the back, talk back, show back, or any other "back"....  and as always, you can find this stuff at BABAZOOBEE - the shop!  Or click on the handy shopping pane on your left.....

baby products I LOVE

okay.. so despite being all environmentally-conscious and shop local, and shop handmade-like, there are a few commercially manufactured products for my kiddos that I have LOVED and don't think I could manage without.  I think I'll take this blog post to share some of them.

**Please note - I worked for 4 years in a baby-stuff shop.  I know a thing or two about baby stuffs.

1) SEWFUNKY BABY SLING - yes, that's an image of me, with toddler D several years ago.   This is my #1 can NOT live without product. I am NEVER without this sling.  or a version of it.  I have many.  I won't tell how many.  Ring slings, pocket slings, mesh pocket sling, meitai - baby wrap - all from this lovely woman.  And to be fair, I am starting off with something that is both a retail store available product AND a home-hand-crafted product.  The woman behind these slings (and yes, it is still a 1 woman operation) is amazing - an inspiration.  And a good friend.

2)  THE SNACK TRAP.  I loved this thing for my FIRST kiddo.  She's 5 and I still give it to her on occasion.  It keeps the majority of the snacks IN, and she can easily get stuff OUT.  To be fair, my 1.5 year old prefers to pull stuff out by the handful and dump it on the floor....but she could do that with anything!

3) MOTHEREASE BAMBOO DIAPERS - I have tried pocket diapers, flat diapers (which are great for tiny infants), disposables of all types, and the motherease one size cottons.  THESE diapers hold a LOT, wash well, dry well, and are fairly leak resistant.  They are comfy to wear (for the baby -she clearly prefers them over the disposables we use on occasion -  and the 5 year old tried them on and said she loved them too - she's a goof.)  These also can be put on like underwear for impatient toddlers/training toddlers

4) MOTHEREASE AIRFLOW COVERS - the absolute BEST diaper cover I have used - fits well, adjusts at waist and thighs seperately, is breathable, and fits a lot of sizes - very rarely have I had a leak out of these -  and when I have, it's either because i've been neglectful and left kiddo in the diaper for like 6 or more house (don't tell anyone i've done that...)or have accidentally left some of the diaper exposed.

5)  SOPHIE THE GIRAFFE - I don't think I need to say more about this.  Everyone knows her.  She's great.  And the kiddo loves her.  Both of them.  Again, the 5 year old is a goof.

6) BRITAX CAR SEATS - I won't use another kind with my kids.  Check the website.  and the ratings.  and reviews.  You'll be converted.  Despite the price.

7) BABY BJORN POTTY -   best design ever.  Simple, Easy to use.  and the little potty lives in our car for road trip emergencies.  Even yes, for the 5 year old.

8)  KETTLER TRIKES - the best of ofthe best.  and man did we look around.  Ours is on kid 2 and still looks brand brand brand new.  and half of the neighbourhood (including 8 and 9 year olds) has ridden ours.

9)  THE TINY DINER - the best travel feeding tray EVER.   a little scoop off the table lets food drops land there - not on restaurant or friends' floors, not on laps!

10) THE TEETHING FEEDER - Actually works amazingly for both purposes!!!  When both my daughters were before food feeding age and were teething we'd freeze cubes of formula or breastmilk and put them in the mesh bag for the girls to chew/suck on.... As feeding age came apon us, solid foods that were soft (like pieces of mango, peach, cooked carrots, sweet potato, etc) placed in there gave baby something to chew on for teething, while feeding them at the same time!  Worked amazingly for both my picky eater (who hardly ate anything) AND my eats-anything baby (who STILL wants whatever we have whenever we have it and won't take no for an answer)



I do not take myself as an expert, nor is this advice for anyone else entering the world of parenting.  These are just things I loved/still love - and have had access to.  YES this is a biased account.  It is also only a partial list.  I did not list anything I can or have made myself.  That's a posting for another day.

the diaper bag!!!

I finally finished it!   The epic journey to create a diaper bag out of wool sweaters has come to a close.  Well, almost.  The grand finale will be someone buying it!  I won't tell you how many hours it took, but it did take 2 sweater bodies, cotton linen from some extra length of two IKEA curtains (how tall do they think a room IS, anyhow?!!) and some stretch cotton (3% lycra).   Oh, and some amazing vintage buttons, to boot!  Here're the results.  Not sure I'm Loving the Pics.. will see.....