Some Inspiration and a question...

This is probably my most expensive post ever. I'm sitting in Barnes and Noble (where i had to PAY to connect),and my kids are exploring while I type.  Emma is pulling every 'strictly forbidden' book off the shelf--Dora, Barbie, Barney--knowing this is her one chance to peruse them. I've been teaching her a new rule which is working quite well--"no characters. No characters on our clothes, shoes, bedding, books. Characters stay inside the TV." She actually, finally understands this. I hate how mainstream clothing is covered in barbie and disney and dora. I just want a pair of shoes or a nice cotton nightgown for my children. No advertising, no gimmicky character necessary.
But I digress...
I'm sitting in BN posting because--have I told you?--our new place does not have high speed internet, so I'm back to the old days of dial-up and those wonderful screeching, screaming, dinging noises as I sit and wait for my connection. So, it has caused me to get quite creative in my blogging and blog-reading...I've been to BN, a local coffeeshop, the parking lot of our local community college(my most desperate yet) and surfed from my father's office. The cable company tells me my woes will be no more at the end of the summer. So if I seem a little slow with reading or posting for the summer, now you know why....

When I was walking through my grandmother's house the other day, I found this book. I think many of us have similar versions of "the quiet book"--which I love, but this one had a few different pages that I really liked. It got me a little inspired to try to make my own. My pictures are pretty pathetic because I was rushing, but here they are:

I love the ideas in this book--the teddy bear puzzle, the matching shapes and the sliding beads. Gives me something to think about....

And lastly, I told you I had a question. Oftentimes, when I'm doing something around the house I wonder what other people use or like to get the job done, so for today I have my first of what may be more questions to come--what tool do you use to wash dishes? Our new place has no dishwasher and I often wonder what other people find best for washing their dishes. I'm a big fan of the o-cello sponges with the one side that scours--but is there a better way? I'm anxious to hear what you all prefer for your dishwashing needs....