Why do we still act like Jesus was white and the search for diverse toys

Last week there was heavy media coverage of two more Black men shot by police  and an attack at a Washington mall.  Last night, the first presidential debate.

There are some big issues and hot topics in our country.  They are often painful issues.

A friend once told me that people care about the things they consider "life and death."  For me, right now, there are very few political, global, or national issues that are "life and death." My life consists mostly of caring for our 10 month old son.  So while I absolutely CARE about so many things that are going on in the country and the world and they are definitely weighing on my heart, there is very little that falls into that "life or death" category for me.

So, what do I care about as a mom?  Do I throw my passions behind baby wearing, cloth diapering, or breastfeeding?  Nope.  I really don't care about those things*.  You do you, mama.  Rock on.

While motherhood has definitely shifted my focus, it is difficult for me to jump on most of the "mommy wars" topics when my heart isn't in it.  Instead, what I really care about (right now) is providing my son with toys and books that expose him to diversity and multiculturalism.  Seems kinda like a weird thing to care about.  But I think that the best way for me to make even the smallest difference in the world (with what my life is right now), is to actively pursue non-white toys and books for our son.  I promise, it doesn't happen on its own.

Whiteness is often the default.  Yes, being white still puts me in the majority in America** but far from the majority in the world.  It is challenging to find books that adequately represent many ethnicities and cultures, especially ones that don't also feel antiquated and stereotypical.  It is also challenging to find toys with people that are not overwhelmingly white.

Thankfully, the books do exist.  I have found quite a few which I'll be posting later, thanks to some awesome blogging children's librarians.  (I'm just talking about picture books with white and/or non-white characters/illustrations.  If every book I check out is a mirror to my child as opposed to a window, I feel like I am doing him a disservice.   

Diverse toys are harder to find.  I was looking at adding Duplo Legos and Fisher Price Little People on my son's Christmas list.  Duplos are overwhelmingly white.  He already has many of my old Duplo sets, so I was simply looking for a people add-on set with other-colored people.  The 21 piece DIVERSE (about half the people are still white) community people set... $59.95 and only available through educational supply companies or Amazon.  This should be sold everywhere that Duplos are sold!

Source

Little People were a little better in that I can buy specific non-white people individually (but then I feel like I'm adding in the token minority and that's not my goal either).  However, I was looking at the Christmas set- seems cute.  But WHY is Jesus white?  Y'all.  Jesus wasn't white.  The shepherd and wise men do add in a little color, but the issue is still the same.  Jesus was not a little blonde-headed white baby.  He just wasn't.

Source

I put out a question on the Facebook parenting group I am in, asking for multicultural toy suggestions, explaining the dilemma I had encountered.  Hape dolls and the Lakeshore people sets were the only two suggestions I got.

Source

This. Is. A. Problem. Multi-ethnic toys should be the norm.  Available at Target, Toys R Us, and Walmart.  Why can they only be found online and in "educational" toy stores?

We have got to stop whitewashing in America.  It does a disservice to non-white children, but it does a disservice to white children too.  Toys and books have to be mirrors AND windows.  We have to quit sending the message that white is the norm, the default, the best.  We can't hope to improve race relations or eliminate systemic racism when we aren't teaching our toddlers that people come in all colors... and they are all PEOPLE.  

We have to start having difficult conversations about race and bias and representation.

And we have to start changing the messages we send our children through their toys.




In my searching I did find this great post with five awesome toy ideas if you are looking for other ways to incorporate diverse toys.  I also found "My Family Builders" which was started by a KickStarter campaign and definitely a product I hope to get when Little Man is older.

*Anti-vaccine people though are dumb.  And I cannot be neutral on that topic.
**About 62% of Americans identify as white, non-Hispanic as of 2014.

Baby Gear Suggestions 6-9 months

Baby Gear Suggestions 6-9 months by rachelblackmon featuring umbrellas

Wow!  Another three months done!  It is hard to believe that in just three more months we will be celebrating Little Man's first birthday.  I can officially say that these three months have been my favorite (and I'm sure it will continue to get even better).  The first three months are hard, the next three were manageable, and the next three were fun.  I know that we have an "easy baby" so I am certainly not suggesting that our "hard" is equal to anyone else's but those first 6 months it is hard to adjust into new roles and to adapt to a new member of the family.  (Plus, Little man has been sleeping all night for the last three months which obviously helps a ton!)

Make sure you check out the 3 previous posts in this series:
Baby Gear 0-3 Months
Baby Gear 3-6 Months
Baby Toys 0-6 Months

1. Convertible Car Seat: Now that Little Man can sit up and is packing on the pounds, using the infant carrier as more than a car seat is a challenge.  We figured that now would be a good time to go ahead and make the switch to the next car seat.  The one we got can stay rear-facing forever until 50 pounds.

2. Bath Book: This is easily his favorite part of bath time.  He can stare at those pages seemingly forever.

3. Wipeable Changing Pad Cover: Once Little Man mastered rolling and reaching, diaper changes got a little more complicated.  We have relocated upstairs to the changing table since it is much harder for him to get away.  This cover is a wipeable material in the middle so it is easy to keep clean- and it is washable too!

4. Baby Pool: When we went to the beach last month we discovered that Little Man is a sand eater!  This made for a difficult beach adventure.  However, using the baby pool made it much easier.  We have since used it several times at home as well.  It is lots of fun and an easy afternoon activity.

5. Umbrella Stroller: Now that we aren't using the infant carrier anymore, it makes sense not to lug the giant stroller around all the time.  This umbrella stroller makes for quick and easy trips to the library, our recent family reunion, and other smaller places.

6. Tuckaroo Bibs: I thought I had hit the jackpot with the socks find, but these are definitely a close second.  Partly because Little Man is tiny and partly because of the nature of bibs, when we started solids I decided that bibs weren't doing a whole lot to cover the first 2 inches or so of his collar.  These bibs have an extra flap that tuck in, guaranteeing his entire top stays clean.

7. Baby Utensils: We have started solids (mostly a BLW approach).  If I put food on this fork, he can take it and put it in his mouth.  Pretty cool to see!  We also do spoon feed some and these Munchkin spoons are easy to clean and use.

8. Diaper Bag: By 6 months it was time to upgrade to a real diaper bag.  This one has all the pockets I need and is actually big enough to hold everything without being completely hideous.

9. Mesh Feeder: Some of the first fruits we gave Little Man were difficult to chew.  This mesh feeder allowed him to eat without the fear he would choke.  It was a little messy sometimes, but he loves using it.

10. Shape Sorter: The only toy we have really added to his collection since 6 months.  Right now he just chews on the blocks/lid or knocks down stacks of them, but it is still a hit.


What other baby items were must haves for you at this stage?

“Until the very end.”

July 31st is a big date in any millennial reader's literary calendar.  Especially this year.

(Wait. You don't know? Oh, sorry... it is J.K. Rowling's birthday and thus Harry Potter's birthday and thus the release date for the new book)

This new "8th Harry Potter book" is really hard NOT to get excited about.  I mean for those of us who grew up on Harry Potter this is it- the next chapter, the story continuing, all the excitement, all the feels.  But I'm scared of getting my hopes up too high and being SOOOOO disappointed.  I mean it's the script to a play... different format, different characters, different time.


I have such vivid memories of the world basically stopping when the next Harry Potter book came out.  Kids sitting at the pool, completely engrossed.  I remember a summer at camp when the book came out and parents were driving out to camp to drop off a copy for their daughter.  Social media wasn't really much a thing so there weren't concerns about #spoilers.  It was just fun to see so many people caught up in one thing (kinda like how Pokemon is this summer).

When I was a freshman in high school I had to read a book "for fun" as part of an assignment for my English class.  I chose the first Harry Potter book, hated it, and never finished.  My brother and mom had both read it (and I'm pretty sure all of books 1-4, which were out at that point) and were fans.  When the first movie came out that following November we all went to see it.  Annnnd I was officially hooked.  I quickly caught up on my reading (starting with book 2 of course) and stayed a loyal fan since.  I have vivid memories of the summer of 2007 when the final book and the 5th movie both were released.  I waited until my work as a camp counselor ended and read the book on our beach vacation.  Mom even let me keep reading during dinner because of the part I was at.  We went as a family to go see that movie at the beach* (and we never go to the movies at the beach).  Harry Potter is part of our family culture.

When Husband and I started dating, he had not bought in to the HP phenomenon yet.  (#dealbreaker) He told me that he wouldn't start them until he finished reading Narnia.  Needless to say, we kept dating, he finished HP in record time (a self-proclaimed slow reader) and Narnia didn't get finished until after we were married.

As a teacher, I clearly remember a girl my second year who always had a HP book with her (and was ALWAYS reading it).  I also met a parent who was extremely opposed to HP (a type of person I had heard about but never really met until then) and wanted their son to have no part these books. By the time I finally starting allowing kids choice and really pushing independent reading, it was several years later and HP was often one of my first suggestions (except for one kid- the younger brother of the boy from my second year... his parents never got on board).  

I made teacher friends who had a shared love of HP.  For months I got together with several of them (+ spouses) every week for dinner and we would watch something together- often the HP movies.  I went with 5 of them to HP World in Orlando for a bachelorette party.  (And yes, it was epic)

My 6th year of teaching I finally got a whole group of students who were already big fans.  I was working hard at that point to read lots of new (to me) YA fiction in an effort to help guide and encourage my independent readers.  But by December, I gave up and joined this group in re-reading HP together.  We listened to the HP soundtrack Pandora station frequently in my second block class that year**.  They used to guess which movie particular songs were from (and were usually right). 

The Harry Potter Book Club started that year.  Six boys- 2 of whom were already fans and four reluctant converts, read through the books together, "met" with me during our library time to discuss them, and stayed after school to watch the movies together.  Oh the power of peer pressure. 

A few of the girls from that group, who were not already fans, also became converts, under the pressure of their soccer coach.  One girl went home that summer with the first few books (as a total HP hater) and showed up at Open House a few months later ransacking our classrooms looking for the next book.  

One of the last things we did as a grade level before I left teaching was have a HP day (as a way to assess their knowledge of reading signposts, obviously).  The kids got sorted into their houses (I'm a Ravenclaw), wore HP related clothes (which was a huge bummer for me as I didn't fit in to any of my HP shirts being so pregnant), and watched one of the movies.  Siblings of students from my 6th year were in my class by then and it felt like a full-circle thing.


Little Man is obviously too young (at only 8 months) to care anything about this new book (or the movie that comes out near his birthday).  But I hope (and fully expect) that one day we will be able to share it as well.  It will become part of our own family culture.  After all, the only thing I bought for my future child (before I even conceived) was a complete set of HP books. 
They are already in his room. 
Waiting. 
Until Hogwarts can welcome him home. 

And let the magic live on.



*that was the worst movie theater experience I can remember. Half of the screen/film was shaking for the first half of the movie.  Then the other half of the screen/film was shaking for the rest of the movie.  People were furious, demanding refunds... it was crazy.
**not HP related, but I have a great picture of them doing the Hunger Games salute during class when a HG song came on one day

Toys for Newborns

Toy Suggestions Newborn to 6 months by rachelblackmon on Polyvore

So far, we have not bought Little Man a single toy!  The toys/playthings above were all gifts and hand-me-downs from fabulous family and friends.  I was going to just do the 10 things he plays with most until I realized he only actually has 11 things.  Some of these little man has been using since the beginning and some only got pulled out once he could sit up.  Now at 6 months old, all of these get pretty equal play throughout the day, although tags often grab his interest the most.

1. Teether: Little Man has 2 teeth and chews on everything.  This one has fun textures for some variety.

2. Rattle: We have a rattle like this that was actually Husband's.  It was one of the first toys that Little Man could hold on to and it jingles nice and loud.

3. Doorway Jumper: I have this in the kitchen and Little Man often hangs out in it while I cook dinner.  He bounces and squeals and just generally loves it.

4. Peek-a-boo Sock Monkey: When you press the monkey's foot he says "Peek-a-boo" and moves his hands away from his face.  Then some children laugh (which kinda sound creepy if I think about it too much).  Sometimes it is just enough to distract a fussy baby!

5. Squeeze and Stack Blocks: We actually have a really nice set of wooden blocks, however when Little Man was learning to sit (and falling over still) I didn't want him face planting onto a wooden block.  These work perfectly for now.  He picks them up and examines them or chews on them and knocks over towers of them.

6. Sophie the Giraffe: I already posted about Sophie but since it is the toy that most often goes in the diaper bag I figured it better be included here too!

7. Links: We have these hanging from his infant car seat right now.  We got these out about the time he could start grasping things.

8. Stacking Cups: Another early toy that continues to be great as he grows.

9. Activity Gym: While I get ready in the morning Little Man happily plays with this in our room.  I love that the music doesn't have words so it doesn't irritate me or get stuck in my head.  The mirror I almost included separately but babies love to look at themselves and mirrors can be used pretty early on so having a baby safe one is key.

10. Activity Jumper: Husband calls this the Baby Command Center.  It is a little much and I probably never would have bought it, but Little Man has gotten quite a bit of use out of it already.  Plus it will come apart and store flat under the bed when the time comes.  

11. Oball: Another toy we used early on.  Now it hangs from the links on his car seat.  It does have a "rattle" to it, but I can't really hear it unless I really, really try.

I never feel like Little Man is in need of other toys.  While I don't really have any true "recommendations" I do think it is helpful to see what other people use.  I try to avoid toys that require batteries, but I feel like sooooo many toys do.  Thankfully only a few toys on this list (4, 9, 10) have batteries.  We also read a lot of books (new children's book What We Read posts coming soon) and go outside when possible.  Don't forget that boxes make great toys too (Little Man loves to sit in an empty diaper box or even an empty laundry basket while I fold clothes).

What toys did your little one play with the most as a baby?  Suggestions as we enter the next stage?

Baby Gear Suggestions 3-6 months

Baby Gear Suggestions 3-6 months by rachelblackmon on Polyvore

Trying to decide what stuff to get for a newborn?  Check out the first installment in this series here.  

Well, we made it!  Half a year!  These are the baby things we have been using the most recently...

1. Graco Pack N Play:  In the past few months we have done some traveling and the Pack N Play comes with us everywhere.  We did not get the style with the napper/changer and I'm so glad now that we didn't.  Frankly, it would just be one more thing to store and we probably wouldn't have used it that much anyway.  We did get the one with the bassinet and that was more than enough when he was super tiny.  Once he becomes a little more mobile I'm sure this piece will get even more use.

 

2. Stay With Me Socks:  You. Guys.  Let's talk about baby socks.  I hate the concept.  Babies typically don't keep their socks on.  Baby socks are super tiny and therefore easy to lose.  I wanted no part.  So (after much convincing that baby socks were a necessary evil) I googled "baby socks that don't come off" and found these magic socks.  They are seriously brilliant.  They aren't cheap, but I imagine how much I would spend replacing baby socks and I'm convinced that the overall cost would be about the same.  They have a velcro strap that keeps them from coming off while baby is wearing them and then velcro together to keep from getting lost in the washer.  Best. Purchase. Ever.

 

3. Fisher Price 4-in-1 Bathtub: Around 3 months we started Little Man's bedtime routine (the 4 Bs)- bath, bottle, book, bed.  This is the only tub we have used and so far we are pleased.  I like that it "grows" with him and that it can hang to dry.

 

4. MAM Pacifiers:  Last time I blogged about the Soothie pacifiers, so why the switch?  Well, Little Man likes to sleep with a paci and couldn't hold on to the Soothie ones.  So we switched (on several people's recommendations) to the MAM pacifiers.  It stays in his crib and since sleep training about a month ago, I haven't had to get up and replace it in the middle of the night even once.  

 

5. Baby Bjorn One Carrier: I could not for the life of me figure out any wrap carrier.  I love the idea of them but they just seemed so freakin' complicated.  I read the directions, I watched the YouTube videos, and I just couldn't get it.  The Baby Bjorn One carrier works just fine as far as I'm concerned.  I don't wear my baby all day or every day so I'm not worried about all the crazy things people cite as potential issues with these carriers.  I particularly like it when we are at a party.  I can strap him on and still have my hands free for food!

 

6. Boppy: As you may remember, breastfeeding didn't work out for me.  If I were to do it again I think I would get a My BreastFriend pillow for that and NOT a Boppy (but that's a story for another time).  However, when Little Man was first learning to sit up, the Boppy was particularly helpful in ensuring that he didn't crack his head open when he inveitably crashed back.  We have a hand-me-down Bumbo, but he wasn't a fan.  Now he is fascinated by the long tags on the Boppy and will play with them for 15 minutes at a time. 

 

7. Sophie the Giraffe:  There's a reason people love this thing.  It isn't cheap, but if you get it as a gift (as we did) it is totally worth it.  Little Man has 2 teeth now and this is the only toy I take with us in the diaper bag when we go out.

 

8. OXO Highchair:  I realize this is the mac-daddy of all high chairs.  However, I am hoping it will be something we use for several years and stages.  Little Man hasn't started solid food yet, but he enjoys sitting with us at the table during dinner.  I like that it is easy to clean, not covered in fabric (which I realize is usually washable, but I don't see myself washing it after every meal), and you can take the tray off with one hand AND set it down flat on the table (surprisingly this was not a common feature of high chairs).  If I was looking for one that didn't have the "grow" features, the Ikea one (which is super cheap) would have been my choice.

 

9. Bandana Bibs:  For a drool master like this baby, regular bibs were not cutting it.  These have fleece on the back so he stays dry and they are super absorbant so we only have to go through one an hour instead of 4 per hour.  We use regular bibs for bottles and then put one of these on him.  Otherwise, we would do multiple outfit changes a day.

 

10. Sleep Sacks:  At about 5 1/2 months, Little Man could roll both directions and was getting too big for his Swaddle Sleep Sacks.  Since the current recommendations are to not have loose blankets in the crib, this was the next best thing.  Peace of mind?  I'll take it.

Stayed tuned for a post on toys for this age! 

Baby Gear Suggestions 0-3 months

Baby Gear Suggestions 0-3 months by rachelblackmon on Polyvore

When I was pregnant and trying to create a registry, I was quickly overwhelmed by the immense amount of baby stuff available (Have you been in a Babies R Us recently?!).  I found it very helpful to talk to other new moms and read blog posts with what those people found useful so I could make up my mind.  I didn't want an overwhelming mountain of stuff (and I still don't) but obviously adding a tiny person into our lives was going to require some stuff.  Having now survived the first 3 months, these are the 10 things that we used the most:

1. Monitor (audio only): Most people we talked to suggested a video monitor, however I have also heard of (and seen) people obsessively watching the monitor.  Too much of a temptation for me.  Plus Husband was slightly wary from a safety/hacking perspective. So we got this monitor instead.  It works great and I like that I can have one in our bedroom upstairs and one in the kitchen downstairs.  Plus they have batteries too so I could easily take it with me in another room without having to unplug/replug it.

2. Portable Changing Pad: We actually have 2 of these- one stays in the diaper bag and the other stays downstairs in our house.  We have a changing table upstairs in his room, but every time he needs a diaper we aren't always in his room or upstairs.  This way we have a changing station on both floors.  Time (and mess) saver!

3. Rock N Play: When we brought Little Man home we struggled to get him to sleep in the crib or pack and play (which was our initial plan).  The Rock N Play became our answer.  He slept in there for the first two months before we finally transitioned him to the crib where he sleeps now.  We got the cheaper one that doesn't plug in to the wall and therefore has to be rocked manually.  My logic was I don't want to have to break any more sleep habits than necessary.  I know I probably just have a good sleeper but it did seem to make the transition easier.

4. Pacifier: We introduced a pacifier immediately after the tongue clipping at 5 weeks.  If you do choose to use a pacifier, I have found these are the ones recommended by hospitals, pediatricians, and lactation consultants.

5. Travel System: Pre-baby I had no idea what a "travel system" was, which probably isn't that shocking.  In case you too are unfamiliar, you have basically three pieces- the infant carrier, the car seat base, the stroller frame.  The infant carrier easily connects into the other two pieces.  We got the Graco Modes. I like that the stroller part grows  with the kid (and can be used with or without the carrier).  Also, the carrier can be inserted to face either direction in the stroller. 

6. Exercise Ball: This was a suggestion from our doula.  She said it would help with labor pains before we go to the hospital and it could just be more comfortable after a day of work.  Plus she said it was great for calming fussy babies.  It works wonders calming Little Man in the evenings and is much less exhausting than walking and bouncing him.

7. Medela Pump In Style Advanced Breast Pump: There are lots of good breast pumps out there but this one you can easily find accessories and replacement parts at places like Target and Babies R Us.

8. Cloth Diapers: For use as burp cloths and general spit up catchers.  We have them all over our house (or so it feels) because they are so handy.

9. Bouncy Seat: We went with a simple model and could have technically done without this but it is convenient to be able to strap him in to something and easily transport him around the house.  Also we can bounce him with a foot during dinner and he's quite happy.

10. Swaddle Sleep Sack: As I am not a maternity ward nurse, swaddling was not my forte.  These bad boys make it super easy though -hello velcro! 


What did I leave off the list that was a must for your baby?

Links I Like 2/11/16

Just some things I've found recently on the Internet that I wanted to share:


5 Big Takeaways From a New Study Linking Personality Type to Parenting Style

I love personality tests.  I also really like statistics (and pretty graphs!) so this article and the study report that it links to I found to be very interesting.  [For the record, I'm an ISTJ... the inspector/duty fulfiller... no surprise there, huh?]


Miniature Jigsaw Puzzles Made From Postage Stamps

The intricacy of these teeny tiny puzzles is mind blowing. 


Professional Books that Changed Me as a Teacher

I have a lot of respect for Pernill Ripp.  I love her take on reading and often send her blog posts to my colleagues.  I have read 4 of the books on this list.  If I was still in the classroom I would certainly be checking out the other ones. (Of course, I still might check them out...)


Wednesday: Ashes and Death

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday.  I like this blogger's take on the importance and significance of this day.


Bob Costas to Host Rio Olympic Primetime Coverage

As far as I'm concerned it wouldn't be the Olympics without Bob Costas!  He has been hosting literally as long as I can remember.  Also, few things are more exciting (as least as far as sports go) than the summer Olympics!


Beyonce is Not Here for Your White Sorority Culture, and Neither am I

I don't usually really have a lot of say on matters of race (after all, I'm white), but I also don't think it is something we should ignore.  I know it is controversial and uncomfortable.  I don't like that Beyonce used the Super Bowl as a platform for her message (Beyonce has lots of platforms and I think the video was a completely appropriate one).


Silence Broken: A Mother's Reckoning

I think I might have to watch this.  Although, I'll probably watch it later on Hulu... during the day... when I have more time to process it.  I can't imagine being this woman.  But I respect her for what she is doing.  Also, all of the book profits go to research and charities focused on mental health.


Target Takes New Approach to Kids' Bedrooms

I love the non-gender labels.  Plus this bedding is all super cute!


The weekend is almost here!  Happy early Valentine's Day!

Granola Bars Recipe

A few years ago, Husband and I made a trip to Philadelphia.  We stayed with our lovely friend from college, Lindsey, who made the most delicious granola bars for us to take with us on our adventures. Since then, I have shared this recipe numerous times and have yet to find someone who doesn't like it. I take one for a snack at work, Husband eats them for breakfast, and sometimes I'll even consider it a dessert.  Obviously, there are almonds in the recipe so they are not ok for those with nut allergens, but the best part of this recipe is that it can easily be adapted and ingredients swapped.

Ingredients:
3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2/3-1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 9x13" pan. Dump all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together well (it is recommended that you use your hands to really incorporate the ingredients). Press flat in the prepared pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes and cut into bars.  (We usually cut them into 15 squares) Finish cooling and enjoy!

Feel free to add other ingredients that you would like in your bars- like coconut, trail mix, raisins, Reese's, protein powder, etc. Experiment! The possibilities are endless!

Favorite Kitchen Tools

Favorite Kitchen Tools by rachelblackmon

Registering for baby was super hard!  I had have NO IDEA what I'm doing or if the products I chose are really the ones I want.  I did of course talk to lots of moms and read and research a lot, but it wasn't easy.

Registering for my wedding, though: super easy!  I knew exactly what I wanted, what I would use, and what brands I like.  Pictured above are 5 of the items in my kitchen that are my favorite.

1. Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer: accept no substitute.  I know it is expensive, but it lasts forever and there are so many attachments that it really is worth it.

2. Pie Plate: What I like about this one is the size and the handles.  It's 9.5 inches and plenty deep for a big apple pie or a quiche and the handles prevent you from smashing the crust when you are putting it in the oven.

3. Tomato Knife: I totally thought this would be a giant waste... does anyone really need a special knife to cut one type of food?  Turns out, yes.  If you love fresh, juicy tomatoes, this knife is kinda a game changer.  Seriously.

4. Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baking Dish: This thing is also known as the "magic pot" and for good reason.  You can cook chicken breasts in less than 15 minutes making so many recipes much faster.  One of my favorite soup recipes is made in this pot and the "lava" cake is so easy.

5. Grill Basket: I do the grilling in our house.  With all the vegetables we get from our garden, this basket makes it easy to pick, chop, and grill.  It is used all the time in the summer.  Bonus: Its dishwasher safe!