This is totally embarrassing but I'm a sucker for infomercials. I've been known to watch Ron Popeil roast a chicken at 3 a.m. or to stare at that annoying lady who dehydrates food during sleepless nights. I'm the one who stops at the street fairs to find out how I can slice, dice, chop, and perform brain surgery with one cordless appliance. I'll spare you the details on my less-successful purchases (suffice it to say that you CANNOT turn your vacuum cleaner into a health spa) but here are a few I can recommend.

Stainarator is the most versatile cleaning product in my household. I've used it to remove stains from clothing, children, and countertops. I've even poured it into the carpet cleaning machine that I rented last year (please don't tell Desco). I've shouted things out, sprayed and washed, and oxy-cleaned till the cows come home but nothing works like Stainarator.

Rainbow Art has given my kids hours of pleasure. Oooh, that doesn't sound very wholesome but it's a ridiculously simple kit of watercolor paints. And sponges. My daughter first begged for this some time around her fourth birthday (she's now ten) and we're now onto our third kit. I just noticed that the new kits come with six color-changing markers for added fun.

Betty Crocker Bake 'n Fill (or as we call it, the "bacon fill"). My kids pleaded for this and since there's a sucker born every minute, it arrived at our home not long ago. Everyone needs a pan that allows you to make a dome-shaped cake that you can fill with ice cream or fashion into a "watermelon cake" (you have to see it to believe it). It's a bit of a science experiment but my kids have decided that anything prepared in the "bacon fill" tastes better.

Whether it's macaroni and cheese, spaghetti and meatballs, or noodles and butter, it seems like there's always some type of pasta boiling on my stove. And since I'm generally rushing to feed hungry children, I love my Pasta Pro, a pot and colander combination. Once the pasta is ready, you pop on and lock the perforated lid, turn it upside down, and drain. One less thing to clean, one less thing to store. And while the instructions say not to put it in the dishwasher, I have yet to wash the dern thing by hand and it's no worse for the wear.

Since my entire sewing kit existed of random needles and thread that I've collected from hotel rooms, I hit the wall when it came time to sew name tapes for summer camp. One caffeinated evening this sewing kit came to me in a vision of late night TV. It has every last bit and bob you need for repairs, whether you're sewing a button, ripping a seam, or even searching for thread to match a torn American Girl doll dress. Mind you, I'm not doing any major alterations at home, but it's nice to have this kit in place so I'm not searching last year's travel bags each time I need a needle. --Best, AS