Surviving Motherhood

Books for the Season!

2010-10-05T08:00:00.002-04:00

It is the time for apples...and pumpkins and hay rides! My favorite season is usually summer but for some bizarre reason I am really getting into and enjoying the new arrival of fall this year! I have put a small pumpkin display outside our house at the end of the driveway and have been itching to go to the local farms to see the pumpkins and enjoy a hay ride with Luke!

One of the boy's favorite pastimes is reading - they both can't get enough of it! Cody wants to go sit on his potty chair just so he can read and Luke will sit for ages in his room reading which helps when I'm trying to get ready in the morning! We're always looking for ways to connect books with recent happenings (i.e. potty training, traveling, holidays, etc.) and as some of you may or may not know - my mom is a wonderful 1st grade teacher and is always giving me great ideas from her numerous years of experience, including her favorite books! With our recent trip last week to Iron's Fruit Farm we came home with apples for apple pie, fresh home made apple cider and pumpkins! If you ever go, be sure to get one of their fresh doughnuts they make themselves - YUM! They are currently doing orchard tours during the week with groups of 12 or more. Attendees are guided through the process of how apples are picked, washed, sorted by size and placed into our large cold storage room. You are then walked through the apple bagging room where apples are hand sorted and selected for quality control to be sold in their store. After the tour concludes, there is apple cider and an apple cider donut for all! Also worth noting about Iron's Fruit Farm is that unlike some farms, if you decide you want to take a hay ride to get a pumpkin they won't charge you for the hay ride, only for your pumpkin which I believe is $.49/per pound. It's a great place to take the kids and definitely one of our favorites! Plan a trip to get some apples with your kids and then check out one of these great teacher recommended books about the story of Johnny Appleseed!

Johnny Appleseed

The Story of Johnny Appleseed

Money Saving Monday: Recycle & Save Your Money

2010-10-04T08:01:00.001-04:00

You know we are all about recycling and we love finding cute crafty things to make, so when mama Jenny sent us this email of something she came up with we HAD to SHARE! Not only is it super cute and good for the environment, but it saves on your pocketbook!

Here is what she wrote:
"Have any containers from baby snacks? Chips? Any container really..... Instead of throwing away, recycle them into office organizers. You can take different sized ones and glue them together to make neat arrangements of them. I have the Gerber veggie crunch containers and decided to make pen/pencil holders. Or maybe I'll use one in the bathroom to hold cotton balls, brushes, whatever!!! I have lots of stamps and scrapbooking stuff, so I stamped mine, but you can do anything, just use your imagination! You could get contact paper to have it match a room."

Here is her finished project. Way to go Jenny!!!

I LOVE this idea! The possibilities are truly endless. I can't wait to try this! You could even let your kids decorate some of them to store their crayons, stickers etc. Don't forget to talk about why it is so important to recycle :)

** Don't forget to check out our Coupon Queen for other money saving ideas!**

We Have A Winner!!!

2010-10-03T16:05:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to (post name) Whosspecial for winning a FREE class series to the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center. Please contact us at jennieandkim@gmail.com to claim your gift certificate! You will have until Oct. 10th to claim your gift!

Thanks to random.org for helping us choose our winner and thanks to all who entered! We will be doing more CFEC class giveaways in the future so stay tuned!

Gorman Heritage Farm

2010-10-01T08:01:00.005-04:00

I have talked a few times about Gorman Heritage Farm (in Cincy). They are having their annual Sunflower Festival this weekend and if you are a local, I highly recommend you take a family trip and visit!! Steve, myself and Cody went last weekend for their Great Outdoor Weekend. We had an absolute blast!

They have so many educational programs for the kiddos, teaching them where their food comes from, composting, recycling, and so much more! They have walking trails and a place where you can hike to the top of the farm which has been voted 100 best things to do in Cincinnati. They have a slew of animals for the kids to see including horses, donkeys, turkeys, goats, roosters, and chickens (there were probably more but you get the idea!). They have a BEAUTIFUL sunflower garden and an adorable kids garden area. This was my favorite! They had different theme gardens, a sand play area, a dirt digging area and a cute little wishing well. Almost all the different things used within the kids area is made of other recycled pieces. You will not be disappointed!

Here is one of the theme gardens. How cute is this?!
They were growing tomatoes and other goodies you can put on a pizza!

This is the wishing well that they made out of old tires and bottles!

These were the buckets with the sand.
Steve thought these were recycled old wash tubs.

I was so excited to see this!
I have been wanting to purchase a rain barrel and this inspired me to
make my own (or should I stay Steve lol)! It really didn't seem too hard :)

This is the very beginning of the sunflower patch.
It does not do it justice! You really have to go and see it for yourself!

What I appreciated so much about this farm is that they use everything as a teachable moment and they are really teaching kids and adults about getting back to the basics and they make it FUN! I was really inspired to see how they did everything and made it a place to have fun but also a place to learn and explore. It was truly an amazing experience! I cannot wait for Cody to get a little older to attend one of their classes!

So, have I convinced you to go this weekend?! If you can't make it, take some time and make plans to visit another time. We would love to see your pics! If you are not local to Cincy, I would love to hear about your favorite farm in your area that you feel is a must visit!!

Family Fun: Art Exploration

2010-09-30T08:01:00.017-04:00

How many times have we talked about the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center?! This is another praise I am sending their way!! Currently, Cody and I are taking an art class there called Imagination Station. Here is the description of the class:

"Encourage your child to release their inner creativity during our weekly story-themed art classes. We’ll explore with a wide variety of mediums, such as paint, clay, sand, products from nature, and everyday recyclable items. Giving your child the freedom to express themselves artistically enhances their cognitive skills, problem-solving abilities, manual dexterity, and sensory awareness. Watch their self-esteem blossom as your child is encouraged to let their imagination run wild! (and no clean-up time for you)!"

I was worried that Cody would be too young for the class but I was wrong! He has absolutely loved the class. Each class is a theme and his teacher starts with reading a book, we sing a song, then she has three different projects for them to complete. Having several little projects keeps the kids attention span and Cody is engaged the entire time! We use all different mediums and the teacher uses items that relate to different shapes and colors. I have really enjoyed seeing him blossom in his class and he LOVES seeing his artwork displayed on the fridge! Every morning we have to look at his artwork and talk about how much fun we had in class that day! I really look forward to our class to see what Cody will do next. It has also given me ideas of different things I can do with him at home. I highly recommend this class and if you can't work it into your schedule, regardless of your child's age, schedule some time at home for an art project. They really do get a kick out of it! See a little clip from our class below!

I have loved all the classes we have taken at the CFEC. It really is a wonderful family center! We are giving away a free child series of your choice this week so don't forget to sign up!!! Give it as a gift or use it for yourself.

What types of art projects have you done with your kids? Which one has been your favorite?

Wednesday Weekly Check In: Take Care of You

2010-09-29T08:01:00.000-04:00

This is our time to remind ourselves and YOU that we must take time for ourselves this week! I talked last week about my "rough patch" and I am starting to feel a little better, but I am still working on my whole cholesterol debacle....

I have been doing some research on a low glycemic diet (which is suppose to help my PCOS and maybe my cholesterol issue) and I had referenced a wonderful book Women's Bodies, Women's Wisdom (Revised Edition): Creating Physical and Emotional Health and Healing. It is literally a "bible" for the woman's body. She talks about PCOS and also a low glycemic diet and recommended doing a cleanse to reset your body. I have always wanted to do a cleanse but there are so many I had no idea which ones were good and then some that were recommended were crazy expensive. So I went out on a limb, looked this cleanse up and was pleasantly surprised at the price. It is specific to a low glycemic diet and it is suppose to help your body reset and help with carbohydrate cravings (which can increase insulin levels). So I am taking care of myself this week by taking a risk, splurging a little (you know how cheap I usually am) and ordering the cleanse. It consists of powdered protein shakes and bars, in addition to supplements. You can also eat a serving of fruit and a serving of vegetable within the day. It is 5 days which means I am not suppose to eat anything else for 5 days (deep breath, sigh). I am NOT doing this to drop a bunch of pounds. I don't believe in crash diets or weight loss pills because I think you just end up putting the weight back on and then some. I want to do this to become aware of what and how much I am eating. I am hoping it will help with my pcos (I will be sharing more of my story about this in the near future). I am super nervous but I have support and hopefully I won't be too crazy to the ones I love (I am apologizing in advance!) :) I really just want to try and jump in feet first and complete the program.

They claim this resets your body and I am hoping this will help me on my path to lower my cholesterol!!! Keep your fingers crossed for me!

So... now that I have put all my stuff out there- what will you do for yourself this week? Even better, wanna do it with me?!

Healthy Living: Garden Update!

2010-09-28T10:00:00.005-04:00

Hi everyone! Being that the growing season is coming to a close I wanted to do a roundup on what I learned from my very first veggie garden. I recently harvested my carrots which turned out pretty good, on the smallish side however for a first attempt I was pretty happy with them and with so many there's more than enough to cook with and save!

I'm still getting quite a few tomatoes, they're not as big but with the season winding down that's to be expected. Here's a list of all the seeds/starter plants I started with at the beginning of the season:

Bountiful Stringless Bush Bean - I had so many great looking green beans and then went away on vacation expecting to pick them when I got back and I suspect they didn't get enough water on what turned out to be two of the hottest days of the year and they got FRIED! :( So sad....better luck next year!)
Kuroda Ps Carrot - The carrots turned out OK, I planted them according to the directions in June and I think next year I want to plant them a little earlier to give them longer to grow. Also, it's good to note with carrots NOT to crowd the seeds when planting! Be sure to give them plenty of space and only put 1-2 seeds at most together, otherwise they won't have enough room to grow and they all crowd eachother. Very easy to grow! Will definately do these again next year!
Homemade Pickling Cucumbers - I'm really bummed about my pickles, there were SO many growing but I let them get yellow and didn't know to pick them right away once you see them get yellow and it was too late to save the crop. If you don't pick them regularly, the plant doesn't know to keep growing more. I may try a different type next year but would like to have another go next year!
Buttercrunch Lettuce/Paris White Cos Lettuce - Because lettuce is a cool weather plant, I waited too long to plant and they bolted and I knew they weren't going to taste right, if it gets bitter this is why. Next year I want to plant my lettuce when the soil is soft enough to work and get a cover for them at night if it drops below freezing.
Hollow Crown Parsnip - I had no luck with my parsnips at all, they never even sprouted in the ground. The company I got the seeds from does have a guarantee on their seeds so I will call them and get a refund.
Dark Green Zucchini Squash - I started these from seed inside before taking them outside and had great luck with them! They are pretty hardy and got quite a few great size zucchinis! yum!
Spaghetti Squash - These were just starting to look great over the last couple weeks and I had the dreaded yellow looking beetle bug that got them overnight (literally) and lost the crop! There is an organic spray that you can get for your veggies that should help with this problem...note to self - get it next year and be consistent with spraying!!
Yukon Gold Potato Sets - Potatoes are SUPER easy to grow and I got loads of great potatoes! When the stalks from the eyes start dying off wait about a week or two but don't wait too much longer because they WILL get infected with worms and start to rot!
Better Boy Tomato Plants - I loved the tomato plants I got and will definitely get the same ones next year! I did get these already as starter plants as was recommended to me as a novice gardener! I'm glad I did and have enjoyed lots of great tomatoes all summer and still have more coming now. Jennie and I had a pretty good amount to can to use as sauces, etc. through the winter!
Tristar Strawberry - Very easy to grow, but do be careful what you plant near your strawberry plants because they will take over! Next year I plan to have an entire garden bed devoted to my strawberry plants.
Red and White Raspberries - My red raspberries are doing pretty good, I got these as plants already started. You basically get the root system with a long stem and when you plant the roots a new stem starts from the roots. Obviously, there are no raspberries this year but perhaps next year or the year after! The white raspberries didn't take so we'll see if it comes back at all next spring!

Both Jennie and I have learned so much from our first year of growing veggies! It's been a lot of fun and we're already thinking about what we want to do next year! What did you enjoy most growing in your garden this past year and are you planning to do anything different next year? Anything new you learned this year? Please share any tips and/or suggestions with us! We'd love to hear from you!

Money Saving Monday: Swag Bucks

2010-09-27T08:01:00.001-04:00

Just started learning about this online thing called Swag Bucks. It is an "online portal dedicated to helping you earn digital dollars called "Swag Bucks", which can be redeemed for exclusive Swagbucks.com merchandise". You can earn the swag bucks doing many different things.

You search the web by using their browser. You can even add it as your home page so you always remember to use it
They have "special offers" you can sign up for and you get swag bucks in return
You take surveys in exchange for swag bucks
You can trade in your phone for swag bucks! Save the planet and get rewarded! Don't throw those phones in a landfill :)
You can shop products through them
Take a poll and receive swag bucks

It really is pretty easy and just for signing up at Swag Bucks you will start out with 30 points! You can also get points for referrals so tell all your friends! What can you redeem with your bucks? It seems like it is just about anything. My fav- giftcards... amazon, target etc. You do need a lot of points for these, but I figure why not use their search bar to earn some free stuff, even if it takes me awhile?! I am just starting this so we will see how it works. Let me know if you are already a believer and ways you earn your bucks. If not, sign up now and keep me posted!
Happy Savings :)

CFEC Giveaway

2010-09-26T08:43:00.001-04:00

It is that time again!!!! The Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center will be starting their next class series very soon for the little ones and we are delighted to announce another giveaway from them! We both are always referring to The CFEC because it has made such a huge difference in both ours and our boys lives. They have amazing classes with unbelievable teachers, a free moms meet up every thursday for support, free story times every tues/ thurs/ & sat and SO much more! You can take you child there just to play or feed them lunch, let them play outside on the front and back porch (which is completely baby proofed) or visit the boutique to find the coolest baby/ child items! You can even host your child's birthday party there for a home-like feel without having to clean your own house!

You really have to check it out... you will NOT be sorry! What better way to start then with a FREE child series!!! Sign up for you, a friend, a family member or as a gift! It is easy to enter:

Become a follower
Already a follower? Give a shout out about this giveaway on your favorite social network (twitter, fb, email, blog, website etc.)

To Gain Extra Entries:

Like our Facebook Page
Go onto the cfec site and tell us which class sounds like your fav
Get a friend who is new to Surviving Motherhood to sign up for the giveaway

Comment close Sunday, Oct 3rd at Noon and we will draw the winner from Random.org

We have been going to the center for SO long (Cody was three weeks old) and I was looking for a pic to post of the boys from the center. Talk about memories! This was them over a year ago playing on their tummies on the CFEC!!!

This is Cody (present) enjoying a snack and posing for the camera. How fast they change!!!

Why Can't We Do It All???!!!!

2010-09-24T08:01:00.014-04:00

I am having one of those weeks where all I feel like I am doing is "chasing my tail". To be quite honest, I am just feeling a little defeated. Most of the time, I try looking at the positive side of life and although I am super anal (I know, I know), I do feel like I try and go with the flow (friends, don't laugh!). I know I can't do it all and I feel like I am very good about reminding myself to take baby steps and someday I will get there, maybe.....This week, however, has been a little different for me. Everyday I am trying to be the best mom I can be and I really do just want to do it all! I am super organized and very passionate about things that are important to me so I feel like when I put my mind to something I can accomplish it. There are so many things that I want to do that I could go on forever, but I feel like I am falling short this week. Normal every day things that wouldn't really be bothering me are weighing on my shoulders.

We have our house on the market and I feel like I am trying to live in a museum in case we have a showing. With that being said, half my stuff is in bins and for the first time I don't know where things are! I am losing everything, my closets and cabinets are cluttered and it's driving me nuts!

Something else I have been wanting to do is start a "grown up" skin care regimen. That's right ladies, this mama is pushing 30 and those wrinkles aren't going away after a good nights sleep. Problem is, how do I know what to get (there are sooooo many lines out there) and then I start thinking of all the chemicals in everything which weirds me out (come on, you know by now I am try to be a tree hugger) and to top it off, I had a consultation today with a girl about an organic skin care line and she basically told me it was "fru fru" and didn't work! UGH! I mean, I am trying here.....

Adding to all of this, you all know my goal for cutting out processed foods, certain ingredients, canning and just all around trying to be as healthy as I can. Well, I was hit with a bombshell. My cholesterol is sky high and my doc wants to put me on meds!!!! WHAT?!!!! I know, I am really feeling it. Long story short, we think it is because of one of two things- I have PCOS (I will talk more about this another time) which is a risk factor for high cholesterol or it is hereditary. To be honest, I think this is what started my whirlwind. I feel like everything I am doing with food is to prevent these health problems and here I am having to face one. I am 29 and am not ready to have to go on meds for the rest of my life. So basically I have three months to try and get things under control. Due to my PCOS my body reacts to sugars and carbs similar to a diabetic so I have start eating "low glycemic foods". I haven't quite figured it all out yet, but I will keep you posted. Also, my OBGYN started me on Metformin which is suppose to help PCOS and get it under control in your body which in turn will hopefully help my cholesterol. If after all of this my numbers come back high then we know it is hereditary... you know what that means... meds. If I have to I will, but I am not giving up yet! If you have any info or good recipes please pass them along! I would greatly appreciate it!

Although I know that I am doing the best I can, the cholesterol thing was a hit in the gut. Am I doing all of this for nothing? It's funny, some days I lay my head on my pillow and say "I am exactly where I am suppose to be and am doing everything to the best of my ability and what is most important to me". Then other days I literally say to myself "what did I do today... what have I gotten accomplished"? I guess that is the battle we all face as moms... we have to juggle many things and some days are just better then others!

So, I am sorry to be a downer today, but I needed to vent to my other mamas because I know you can understand. I know we can't do it all but I really WISH we could :)

This is what makes it all worth it!!!!

Down on the Farm

2010-09-23T08:01:00.016-04:00

I really want Cody to know where his food comes from which is why I love taking trips to local farms. We have visited many farms to get meat, produce etc., however, we have never really toured any of them. If you are interested in supporting your local farmers, teaching your kids where their food comes from and having fun then this post is for you!

There are two FREE events this weekend (thanks to mama Jeanne for sharing):

• Gorman Heritage Farm is celebrating their Great Outdoor Weekend!

"Join us for Cincinnati's Great Outdoor Weekend, where many of the outdoor education facilities are open FREE to the public! Gorman Farm offers Farm Discovery Days - learn details about the farm with our farm scavenger hunts, hike our trails, buy a pumpkin or sunflower, or take a trip through the corn maze. On Saturday, join us in welcoming WGRR for Chris & Janeen's Big Yard Sale! (9-1) Stroll through 50 tables of merchandise to find that certain treasure. And you'll be recycling items to keep them out of the landfill! Shop for a great cause - all of the table rental fees will be donated to Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. After you finish shopping, take a few minutes to sweeten your day with a visit to our bee hives and honey production, as members of the Southwest Ohio Beekeepers' Association give hive demonstrations from 1:30-3."

To read more about the farm click here. You really should check them out! You can even order your thanksgiving turkey from them!

• Turner Farm is also celebrating their Great Outdoor Weekend! You can enjoy a farm tour in a horse pulled wagon for free! Sept 25 10am and 1pm. They also offer a ton of activities and events throughout the month.

We will be heading to Gorman's on saturday so hopefully we will see you there! With all this being said, tis the season for the pumpkin patches! What farms have you visited in the past that are your favorites for the fall season???

Don't forget to check out our family fun page for other goodies!

Wednesday Weekly Check-In!

2010-09-22T08:00:00.003-04:00

Ok ladies - this is your reminder to make sure you're taking a time out for yourself this week! Don't get so busy that you don't take time to work on YOU! For those of you local to Cincy check out this great FREE Spa evening hosted by CincyChic!

Make Your Own Soft Scrub

2010-09-21T08:01:00.003-04:00

I talked about in a recent post that as my cleaners run out I am going to start making my own. I have been buying "natural" cleaners for years now. I have tried shaklee, method, seventh generation and melaleuca products. All of them work wonderfully and I have been worried that what I make myself just won't do the job that the store bought products do. However, the more I read, the more I am realizing that the DIY recipes are working for people. Not only are they really cleaning, but they are MUCH cheaper than store bought alternatives and not bad on the environment.

You can google DIY cleaning products and get a slew of recipes. I was unsure of which ones worked the best so I started with one of my fav sites Healthy Child Healthy World. I was running out of "soft scrub" and found a recipe on their fb page (check out their video link -how to make your own eco friendly soft scrub).

Here is the recipe:

1/2 cup baking soda
1/8 cup liquid castile soap (if you want a thicker consistency, add less or vice versa)
1 tsp vegetable glycerin
10 drops of essential oil (this is not necessary but if you want it to smell good then choose your scent!)

She recommends Dr. Bronners liquid castile soap which I found at Whole Foods. They have many scents or plain so you can choose what you like. I already had lavender essential oil so I mixed it in and it smells so yummy! You can use a repurposed squeeze bottle or buy one. Mix all together (I used the handle of my mixer) and clean away!

This took me all of about 5 minutes to make. Super easy, and best of all it WORKS! I would love to hear your fav DIY cleaning recipes so I can try them out as well!

Why worry about what cleaning products you are using? Most of the every day cleaning products people use around their home are releasing fumes into the air that can exacerbate allergies, sinuses and asthma. Some families have found that when they have switched to all natural cleaners, their child's asthma has completely ceased! Crazy right?! Not only do they help with clean air in your home, but allows for a lower risk of your kids getting into deadly products. Most of the items used in DIY are not products that are particularly harmful. Even if you keep them locked away, your little ones are touching, crawling etc. everything in your house which has ultimately been cleaned with a not-so-good-for-you cleaning product. Lastly, (here is my tree hugger coming out!) people forget that what products they are using to clean with end up down the drain and into our water system! Yuck!

I totally get that not everyone has the desire to change over cleaning products. You have used your pledge for years now and why switch now? I believe you should do what works best for you and your family. However, I didn't even think about how my use of chemicals effected myself (at the time I learned of all of this I didn't have Cody) or the earth. My house would smell like a chemical factory when I finished cleaning. It wasn't until I started reading and seeing what my footprint was leaving behind did I want to change it. Hopefully after reading this post you can see how easy it really is to DIY and remember that if you want to change your products over take your time! It is too overwhelming to try and do it all so as you run out of something, try to DIY and see what happens! You might be pleasantly surprised :)

Free Arts & Crafts!

2010-09-20T08:01:00.002-04:00

Regardless of where you are from or what your family budget is, there is probably a Michaels near you. Before I had Cody, I thought Michaels was just arts and crafts for adults, but it is so much more than that! Not only do they have AWESOME dollar bins, but they also have a ton of craft projects for the kiddos. I recently signed up for emails with them called The Knack. They email you great free and/or inexpensive projects they have in store for the kids. Want to get into the fall season?? Check out some of the suggestions they have:

You all know how ~~cheap~~ money conscious I am, so when I found out Michaels does this, I was pumped! Not only is most of it free, but it saves me from having to come up with my own craft projects for Cody bear! I thought Cody was too young for art projects, but long story short, we ended up taking an art class and he LOVES it. I was actually in tears when I was hanging up his art on the fridge :)

So start your kids early and instill the love of art in your household!

Don't forget to check out our family fun page for other activities.

Bluegrass for Babies

2010-09-18T08:01:00.011-04:00

If you are looking for something fun to do this weekend you should check out Bluegrass for Babies! We heard it is a ton of fun and it celebrates a great cause!

"Please join us Saturday, September 18^th from 4-9pm for the 2nd annual Bluegrass for Babies at Seasongood Pavilion in Eden Park.

Bluegrass for Babies is a unique family event celebrating Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and how it has positively touched so many lives.

Music will be by The Turkeys from 4-5:00pm, The Comet Bluegrass All-Stars from 5:30-7:00pm and Relic from 7:30-9:00pm.

Children's entertainment includes music activities with Kindermusik by Cathy Siebert, tumbling activities with Miss Rebecca from Go2Grow Gymnastics, soccer with Coach Sam and Coach Mike from the Charlie Cooke Soccer School and craft activities from 5-7:30 pm.

Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Farm Fresh Delivery Cincinnati will be providing info on childhood obesity and practical steps that you and your children can take to prevent it.

Food, beer and other refreshments will be available.

Suggested donation for adults is $10 per person and kids are free. Proceeds benefit Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

Make sure to check out www.bluegrassforbabies.com for all of the details and to acknowledge our generous sponsors! We have many important new additions to the site including ways to donate and parking instructions."

Product Spotlight: Save Those Sippy Cups!

2010-09-17T08:01:00.011-04:00

I have been wanting to write about this product for a while now because it has made my life easier since Cody was..... hmmmm, how soon we forget! Either way, it has totally saved me so I really wanted to share! When Cody started learning to drink from a sippy cup, he was a little too young to understand to keep things on his high chair tray, in his stroller, or on the table at the restaurant. What would he do? I will give you one guess?! That's right! He would throw it on the floor! If you know me, or have been reading my posts, you know what a germaphobe I am! I would throw up in my mouth (sorry for the visual!) every time his cup would hit the nasty floor of a restaurant, or the floor at the mall or some other public place. At home, he would drop it on the floor, I pick it up and that game would go on forever!

So... one day I was at babies-r-us and found the most wonderful thing!!! Booginhead SippiGrip Cup, Bottle and Toy Tether, Orange Grey Stripe! The first thing I thought of was "why didn't I think of that?!" and then "2 please"! One side straps to your child's stroller or high chair and the other to their bottle, sippy cup, and I even used it on his snack cups! You do not know how awesome it was to know that I could attach it to pretty much anything and it would stay put! No hitting of the floor, no germs on the cup spout, no chasing after his snack cup!

Now that he is older, he knows not to throw is cup and (most of the time) does a good job keeping it at the table. I don't use it now like I did before (I didn't leave the house without one in my diaper bag!) but I do keep one strapped to his cup when we are in the car so he doesn't lose it and I don't wreck my car trying to find a missing cup!

This is what Amazon has to say: "SippiGrip is an award winning, parent invented product that prevents cups, bottles and toys from falling to the floor and becoming lost or dirty. Its unique grip material creates a strong hold on any cup or bottle and it is adjustable in length when attached to high chairs, strollers, car seats and more. SippiGrip is a great on the go and germ protection product and a lifesaver for any parent tired of playing the cup throwing game.

SippiGrip is durable, washable and has a unique grip material for a strong hold. SippiGrip grips your child's cup, bottle or toy for a secure and safe fit!"

Washable, durable and non-toxic
Adjusts in length up to 12" to fit high chairs, strollers, car seats and more
Unique grip material for a strong hold
Available in a variety of patterns and colors
Winner of the iParenting Media Award and Creative Child's Seal of Excellence Award

If this sounds like something that could save you a little headache, I recommend spending the money and getting one. It is soooo worth it!

Toddler & Baby Food Workshop Series!

2010-09-16T10:11:00.002-04:00

Because of the overwheming demand for more toddler and baby food classes after Jennie's first class last month we are excited to announce our next class in the series! We will be at the Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center next month inviting parents to take part in getting some new ideas on feeding healthy meals and snacks to their toddler!

Weelicious!

Toddler Food Workshop

The Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

11:15am

Fun Ways to Feed Even the Pickiest Toddler!

Toddlerhood is a great time to teach your child to try new things, before he begins to reject new foods as a way of asserting his independence. It’s also an important time for him to learn how to feed himself, and experiment with a wide variety of textures, colors, and tastes. Jennie and I will share our personal experiences, helpful suggestions (such as how to hide the veggies!), irresistibly fun meal presentations, and tried-and-eaten recipes that you can prepare and package with love for your toddler in your own kitchen at a a fraction of the cost of store-bought alternatives.

**All attendees will receive a FREE grab bag from Whole Foods!

Please let us know if you are interested in attending and we will let you know how to RSVP!

Surviving the First Year!

2010-09-15T08:01:00.007-04:00

Today's post is for all those Mommies-to-be out there who are busy collecting all that baby gear, waiting for the arrival of your little one! We want to try and help by by sharing with you a list of our favorite MUST NEED baby items that we couldn't live without!

The boys - this time last year enjoying their very first trip to the pumpkin farm!

This list is different for everyone but hopefully this can serve as a starting point for you! We hope everyone who already has kids will also join in by sharing their favorite baby survival items!

Before we begin, we want to recommend the Baby Bargains book which is a fantastic way to compare various baby products!

Baby Bargains: Secrets to Saving 20% to 50% on Baby Furniture, Equipment, Clothes, Toys, Maternity Wear and Much, Much More!

Kim's Survival List

Talk about EASY crib sheets! (Thanks Tricia!) - Clouds and Stars

Wubanub pacifiers - These were great for the first 6 weeks for Luke. He always wanted to suckle in between feedings and these have adorable little stuffed animals on them to stay in place while they sleep, etc.

Play Mat - We loved this play mat and so did Luke! He used this every day and will lay under this and play for ages! He usually played under this every morning while I had my breakfast, coffee, etc.

My favorite swaddling blanket: The Miracle Blanket

Baby carrier: Ergo Baby Carrier I liked this one because it can also be used as a backpack and side carrier AND it can hold up to 45lbs. Luke's almost 2 years olf and we still use this all the time while traveling and it has the great reviews for back support too. It has an infant insert for newborns, I didn't get this and start using it until Luke was about 4 months.

Books that got me through the first 6 months:

The Happiest Baby on the Block
The Secrets of The Baby Whisperer
The Nursing Mother's Companion by Kathleen Huggins
The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding by Le Leche League
Your Baby and Child: From Birth to Age Five by Penelope Leach

Jennie's Survival List

Happiest Baby on the Block: SWADDLE! (can use the kind that is Velcro which makes it easier on you)

White Noise (you can put it on an ipod [or phone] and use a speaker so they can listen to it while out, in their car seat, or stroller. Drowns out outside noises etc.

Must Have Soothers!

Paci, Swing (the kind that plugs in saves batteries!! Cody lived in his the first few weeks!), bouncy seat with vibration, pack n play for portable place to sleep and I would get one with a changing table to save your back!

Tummy Time, Baby Massage class with Michelle Emmanuel at the CFEC!!!! AWESOME! You will learn SO much!
If Nursing You Can Find Private Places in Public: Babies r us has a room, Kenwood Mall by bathrooms has rooms with glider/ changing table/ sink, Sams has a family bathroom too.
Baby Wearing (a must... allows your hand to be free and still keep your baby close when they're newborn): Maya, Moby, Ergo

Other Must Have Baby Items:

Paci Clip
Sippy Cup Tether (I used this for toys, cups, snack cups etc.)
Dr Browns Bottles wide mouth if nursing
If nursing a good double pump. Freeze your milk so you can get a break!
Sleep Sacks
Terry towels for spit up, meal times and really everything!
Clouds and stars zipper sheets
Portable seat to keep in the car (I am such a germy freak that I used this instead of high chairs.. and it helps because it has its own tray where you can put their food)
Cart/ High Chair cover (told you I was a germ freak!). You can attach toys to it to keep them busy at the store
Video Monitor (this is soooo awesome! gives such piece of mind. the one I bought allows you to have up to 4 cameras attached to the one monitor!)

Diaper Bag:

Keep stocked with diapers, wipes, antibacterial soap and wipes, change of clothes, paci, bib, burp cloth, snacks, a few toys, a little ER pack you can keep Tylenol, thermometer, nose sucker, diaper cream etc. Come Prepared!

Sleep:

Babywise (great book if you want to get your baby in a routine- does talk about CIO but you don’t have to do this part! We did not do CIO with Cody but this book allowed me to feel like I had a little control of my rather chaotic day with a newborn.).
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child
Dana Obelman (a gentle approach for setting up a plan to get your child to sleep and gives lots of practical advice!)

Nutrition:

Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron
The Healthiest Kid in the Neighborhood by Dr Sears

Please join in by sharing with us YOUR favorite baby products when your kids were little!

What's Really In Our Plastics?

2010-09-14T08:01:00.009-04:00

For all of you who really know me, know how anal I can be about things. One of those things has included what is really in our plastics. Years ago I remember reading an article about BPA and how bad it was for you. Then I read how reusing your plastic water bottles could leach the BPA into your system! Here I thought I was doing mama earth a favor by using less plastic bottles, but never thought I could be harming myself in the meantime! For many years now I have been using reusable bottles for water, cutting out plastic bottles all together. My fav are Sigg Reusable Bottles! They are super cute, and even carry little Siggs for the little ones!

Since then, I have also cut out any plastic in the microwave and putting my hot food into plastic containers (I use my glass pyrex for food storage now). I had always felt like it was so confusing to figure out which plastics are bad and what I should and shouldn't do but another mama emailed this to me and I thought it was a perfect, easy to understand article about what's really in our plastics and how you can avoid the nasties if you choose to do so! Enjoy!

[Our homes are full of plastic, and the kitchen is no exception. The problem: Chemicals in plastic containers and other kitchenware may leach into the foods or drinks that they're holding. Scientific evidence suggests that some of these chemicals may be harmful to people, especially infants and children.

The two best-studied offenders are bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates. BPA mimics estrogen and has been shown to disrupt hormone and reproductive system function in animals. Research by the National Toxicology Program found a moderate level of concern about its "effects on the brain, behavior and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and children." Phthalates have been shown to disrupt the endocrine system and have led to malformations in the male reproductive system in animals. Studies in humans have found associations between high phthalate exposure and a variety of health concerns including low sperm quality, high waist circumference and insulin resistance.

Researchers are still debating whether phthalates and BPA actually cause these health problems and, if so, how much exposure is necessary to trigger them. While these issues are being figured out, some experts recommend taking a preventive approach: "Minimize contact of food with problematic plastics as a precautionary measure to protect your health," suggests Rolf Halden, PhD, adjunct associate professor of environmental health sciences at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Here are six simple tips for reducing your exposure to the potentially harmful chemicals in plastics

1. Know the code. Look on the bottom of your plastic to find the recycling symbol (a number between 1 and 7 enclosed in a triangle of arrows). The code indicates the type of plastic you are using and can give you important clues about safety. "We generally say 1, 2, 4 and 5 are considered to be the safest," says Sonya Lunder, senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group. Try to avoid using plastics with 3 or 6, as these leach chemicals that may be harmful. Number 7 is an "other" category that includes BPA-containing plastics called polycarbonates. These plastics, which you should avoid, will have the letters PC printed underneath the 7.

2. Reconsider the microwave. Heat can increase the rate at which chemicals like BPA leach from plastic. Containers labeled "microwave safe" have been tested by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found to leach extremely small amounts, which the FDA has determined to be safe. However, some experts advise people to keep plastic out of the microwave altogether. "I don't microwave anything in plastic," says Lunder. "It's really easy and fast to put my food into a ceramic or glass container and heat it that way." And never put plastic wrap on top of your food in the microwave, since it can melt. Use wax paper or a paper towel instead.

3. Use it for its intended purpose. Plastics that are designed for single use should only be used once. "Plastic breaks down over time," Lunder explains. "Some aren't designed to withstand heating and cooling." Most plastics with recycling code number 1 are intended for single use, such as disposable water bottles. And that takeout container from six months ago? Toss it. In general they're fine for refrigerating leftovers, but aren't designed for heat exposure or long-term use.

4. Wash by hand. Only put plastics into the dishwasher if they have a dishwasher safe label. If you want to be extra-cautious, wash all plastics by hand or use only glass and ceramic plates and dishes. In the dishwasher, plastics are exposed to detergents and heat, which may accelerate the leaching of BPA from food containers.

5. Do not freeze. Only put plastics in the freezer if they have a freezer-safe label. Freezer temperatures can cause plastics to deteriorate, which increases the leaching of chemicals into the food when you take containers out of the freezer to thaw or reheat. (I use the OXO good grips, which are freezer safe and BPA free, for my berries and they work great!)

6. Don't panic. Cutting down on exposure to potentially harmful chemicals in plastics can benefit your health. But as Dr. Halden reminds us, "Many things in your life pose a much higher risk than exposure to plastics, such as smoking, poor diet and even driving a car." ]

Organize Those Chores

2010-09-13T08:01:00.007-04:00

We have our boys doing little things around the house because they love copying what we do.... but they aren't ready to to start doing major chores around the house- not yet at least :)

Although mom and dad are the only ones doing the major cleaning in our household, we have found an easy way for us or anyone(!) to organize those chores, regardless of who or how many people you have on your chores list! (thanks to mommy snacks for sharing this site with us!)

DLTK Custom Chore Chart is a website where you can customize your own chore chart based on what your needs are. It is super easy to use and FREE! You create your own template and theme (ie. blues clues) which can make it a little more exciting for the kids. Follow it step by step and you will have an easy way to organize your life a little and your chores :)

Since we are not yet at this stage for the boys, we would love to hear your tips and suggestions for getting the kids involved with helping around the house. Do you like charts? Rewards? Share your secrets!!!

Cody LOVES his broom!

Cleaning up after play time!

Cody went a little crazy with his snacks on the boat!

All I can think of is to start them YOUNG!!! :)

Corn!

2010-09-10T09:04:00.001-04:00

As part of our Canning series we recently took some time to freeze corn! I froze whole kernel corn and also made creamed corn to freeze. It's pretty simple, although it is a little time consuming depending on how much corn you get. We got 4 dozen ears of corn and used this great kernel cutter from Pampered Chef to take the corn off the cob!

We used one of our favorite sites with detailed directions Pick Your Own including pictures with every step! We blanched the corn for 6 minutes (on the cob), cut the whole kernel corn off the cob, put it in ziplock bags and put it in the freezer! One thing worth noting: it was recommended ot us that you freeze the corn within 48 hours of the corn being picked for the best taste and freshness. Here's what we ended up with:

In total, we ended up with 4 bags each of whole kernel corn and 2 bags each of creamed corn!

For the creamed corn recipe we used click here.

The Magic of Music!

2010-09-09T08:01:00.030-04:00

Both our boys LOVE music right now and Kim and I had to opportunity to sample some classes at the West Chester Academy of Music. Let me just start by saying... phenomenal!

Our teacher, Miss Jenna, was so happy and energetic that it was contagious! The 45 minute class we took consists of a ton of fun songs (which change from class to class) and she used the songs to teach the kids colors, animals and much more! Part of the class is spent as "free" time for the kids to explore instruments. Miss Jenna turns on some music and dumps the instruments out in the middle of the circle and the kids just go to town! It's adorable! Another part of the class includes playing with the parachute (my personal fav)! The kids get to have a dance party on top of which Miss Jenna blows bubble for them, they also get to play under while learning their colors, and they all get to sit in the middle while the parents take them for a ride!

Overall, the class was an absolute blast and the boys loved every minute of it! If this sounds like fun to you, give it a try! The West Chester Academy of Music allows you to sample one class so you can see for yourself! They have many different classes for you to choose from depending on your child's desires! They have also recently added two new dance studios! They also have several events to get the kids involved even further! To top it off.... they offer birthday bashes! You can bring your food and drinks and they will take care of the rest! Sounds like fun to me!

If you are looking for a fun, educational and exciting way to celebrate music with your kids and live close to the West Chester area, you MUST check out the West Chester Academy of Music! We loved it and know you will too!

The Happiest Toddler On The Block!

2010-09-08T08:51:00.003-04:00

If there's one thing ALL parents know it's the dreaded toddler tantrums. I, on the other hand, have a darling 21 month old little guy who will hold his breath until he almost passes out. (I've been told it could be worse...yikes!) Anyone else have one of these? All kids are different and they ALL have their specific challenges that we may struggle with as parents. Both Jennie and myself work really hard with the boys to "communicate" with them in a way that will head off a tantrum before it begins but, as you know this doesn't always work.
I have noticed a pattern with Luke that if he is tired his breath holding spells are particularly bad. Yes, people may think I'm a little crazy making sure Luke is in bed every night between 6:30-7:00pm and nap time promptly after lunch, but trust me when I say I know the difference in Luke when he's had enough rest (which will eliminate most tantrums in itself!). It's tricky business, because while I can see one of his tantrums unfolding before my eyes I have to make sure I don't "pander" to him and change my expectations because I'm afraid that he's going to pass out. I hate it. It scares me to death seeing his little face turn blue, his eyes roll back and nearly pass out on the floor. I always end up holding my breath too until he takes a breath and we can start over. I've done lots of research on the matter, talked to the doctor, etc. The end result is the same as any tantrum: "ignore" and "redirect". Apparently, it doesn't hurt them and it peaks going into their second year. (I have plenty more info on breath holding spells, if anyone is interested email me!)

Given the situation with Luke, it definitely forces me to be a more proactive parent and focus on what's best for him. Besides, nothing gets your attention more than seeing your child pass out! Jennie and I both feel strongly that when our boys get enough rest and we're able to set good boundaries and communicate our expectations in a way they can understand we have happy toddlers most of the time! Yes, it takes a lot more time and effort on our part but trust me when I say we can see the difference in our boys and it makes everyone happy! One of our favorite books when the boys were younger was The Happiest Baby On The Block, so much great info for new parents. (If you're expecting or know someone who is check it out!) Now that our boys are heading into what they call "terrible two's" we constantly refer to The Happiest TODDLER On The Block book.What we didn't know is they have a DVD that explains more about the book in great detail! We were lucky enough to have one of the DVDs sent to us to review and we loved seeing the techniques in the book explained in more detail! It really helped put the book into perspective and see how other parents are using Dr. Karp's techniques for taming those toddler tantrums!

Moving Through Toddler Tantrums
The Happiest Toddler On The Block works by encouraging parents to think of their toddlers as little cavemen. Do you find yourself constantly saying "No!", "How many times do I have to tell you?", "Why aren't you listening to me"?! Dr. Karp explains a new way of thinking about how your little caveman understands communication that will make it easy to avoid tantrums and frustrations for both you and your child! When you have realistic expectations about your child's ability to control their emotions and communications, the easier it will be to get along and lessen daily tantrums.

The Fast Food Rule
On the DVD Dr. Karp will explain how the Fast Food Rule works, by allowing who ever is hungriest for attention to go first when communicating. Much like a drive thru employee, a parent must repeat the child's message back to them before moving on with their own agenda. This does NOT mean the child gets whatever they want, it simply allows you to acknowledge their needs before redirecting them to your agenda.

Speaking Your Child's Language
Another great tool Dr. Karp provides parents is something called, Toddler-ese. Simply put, it's the ability to talk to your child in short, empathetic sentences matching their body language. It's a technique I've used frequently with Luke and it's pretty amazing to see Luke stop his tantrum and look at me like "yeah, she gets what I'm trying to say!" Again, just because he may be throwing a tantrum because he can't go outside doesn't mean I'm going to fold and let him go outside. It means that I can repeat back to him what he wants and then when it's clear that I understand what he wants I can put forth my agenda by saying "Luke, I understand you want to go outside...how about we go play with your cars until it's time for us to go outside." It works wonders with him and it has tremendously helped head off tantrums along with his breath holding spells!

The techniques in the book and DVD are great for kids aged 1-5 years old and the I have learned so much about what works to prevent tantrums with Luke and we've found so many great ideas to help keep the boys happy! Think of it as working WITH your child, rather than forcing your agenda and expectations on them! You can learn more about it here or click below to get a DVD delivered to your home.

The Happiest Toddler on the Block DVD with Bonus Spanish Track

Disinfectants: Is There An Alternative?

2010-09-07T08:01:00.002-04:00

We have been trying to buy cleaning products that aren't harsh for us or the environment. As I run out of my cleaning products I am going to try and make my own! I have been wanting to do this for a while, but I was always worried about them not really cleaning. I am finding more and more people make their own and they seem to be pretty happy with the outcome!

My first venture has been finding an all natural disinfectant. Don't you always feel better if you are cleaning with something that has a disinfectant in it?? Have you ever stopped to think what is really in it? So... I found some great alternatives:

I have been using essential oils for a while now. You can sub out things in your medicine cabinet, clean your house, etc. There are two oils that are specifically used for disinfecting: lemon and thieves.

With both oils, you can place 10-15 drops in a bottle, add water and spray! Spray on counter tops, toys etc. and you have an all natural disinfectant!
Place a few drops of lemon oil in your water and it will pull all the contaminants to the top and purify your water. Don't forget to use a straw to bypass the top!
Place a few drops of thieves in your palm and rub over skin and clothes. This will create a natural disinfectant protective barrier against outside germs!!

Don't have essential oils on hand?! No worries!

Quarter a lemon and place it in a bowl of water. Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Then take a rag, dip it in the steamy lemon water, and wipe down counters

Take quartered lemon and put each part into your sinks garbage disposal while it's on with the water running. This will serve double duty as it will freshen the air while cleansing the disposal line

I would love to hear your DIY cleaning recipes so I can try them for myself! Leave it as a comment on this post, on our face book page or email us!

Labor Day Fun!

2010-09-06T19:35:00.000-04:00

Luke, enjoying Der Dutchman in Waynesville!

We hope you've had a great Labor Day weekend! The weather has been beautiful and we've taken advantage of the long weekend to spend it with our families. Jennie has been down at their house in Lake Cumberland and I have enjoyed some quality family time with my boys! Luke has had a little cold so we haven't done too much but I did manage to make it to a great local farmer's market (Landen Farmer's Market) on Saturday and get the last of the corn that's in season to put in the freezer to last us through the winter. I'll be making a post this week about how I made creamed corn and made batches of whole kernel corn that's super easy to freeze!
Sunday we ended up running a few errands and getting Luke some much needed new shoes, with the weather getting a little cooler I figured Luke really couldn't wear his sandals all through the winter too. We found the most adorable pair of sandals that lasted us ALL summer long from Clarks. Such great shoes (super affordable during sales!) and the size was a little big at the beginning of the summer but he lived in them until now and I could throw them straight in the washing machine when they were dirty...err...smelly! So we went to Stride Rite and found these on sale for $29.99! Unfortunately, we did not get the $55 Star Wars shoes with flashing lights that Daddy was hoping for.

Luke was feeling a little better today so we headed up for the afternoon to Waynesville to check out one of the Amish kitchens, Der Dutchman.They have all kinds of home made goodies, including this giant pecan roll I splurged on to share with the family! (Also one of Jennie's favs!)

All in all it was a great weekend, we're looking forward to AppleFest coming up at the end of September in Historic downtown Lebanon, OH. For those of you who have kids that like trains (who doesn't?!) they will have 1 hr train rides in and around AppleFest! Click here for more information!

With Halloween right around the corner, we want to know which farms are YOUR favorite for pumpkin picking around the Greater Cincinnati Area and why! Email us or leave a comment!

Our Sleep Specialist Has Weighed In: The Importance of Naps!

2010-09-03T08:01:00.005-04:00

Thanks to Kathy C. of Dreamy Babies for our next sleep series article! The Importance of Naps!!

Cody (1 month old)

Naps are extremely important for overall sleep. Short, disrupted or lack of day sleep will affect night sleep because your child will be overtired, making it extremely difficult for him to fall and stay asleep. When children are kept up beyond their wake time capacity, their bodies produce a hormone called cortisol that helps fight fatigue. Cortisol naturally helps keep us awake during the day and while adults are able to tolerate long wake periods, children younger than 3 years old often have difficulty therefore, a nap (or several naps depending on baby's age) is required. When children sleep for a duration of one or more hours, it reduces the cortisol levels in the bloodstream therefore promoting alertness and relaxation
during the day, making it easier for your child to fall and stay asleep all night.

The thing with naps is that it takes a fair bit longer than night sleep to develop and organize in the brain.
Day/night confusion due to an immature brain attributes to this normal development phase. It’s also
important to note that day and night sleep is organized differently in the brain so you may notice that your baby is sleeping better at night yet catnapping during the day. You may even find that your baby will not need any assistance to go to sleep at night, yet fight sleep during the day. Yet, it’s important to ensure your child is getting enough rest during the day in order for him to get good overall sleep in a 24hr period. Changes in nap patterns, duration and nap challenges will present itself throughout your child’s growth. Developmental milestones, illness, teething, vacations and life events will all cause temporary sleep disruptions; it’s a part of life and our job as parents is to adapt, adjust and ensure that our children are well-rested.

To know if your child is getting enough rest, here is a general guideline for reference purposes:

Wake time for babies between naps (this is approximately how long they should be awake before laying them down for a nap)

Newborn: 50-60 mins
1 month: 60 mins-hour and 15
2 months: 1 hour and 15 - 20 mins
3 months: 1 hour and 20 - 30 mins
4 months: 1 hour and 45 - 2 hours
5 months: 2 hours - 2.25 hours
Late 5 months/early 6 months: 2.25-2.5 hours
6.5 - 7 months: 2.75-3 hours. Some are getting more.
8 - 10 months: 3 - 4 hours. Some are getting more.
11 - 12 months: 3.5 -4.5 hours. Some are getting more if moved early to 1 nap

***Remember these are guidelines, NOT rules, so if you feel that your baby is not yet ready for these
times, please do not force them, as this will cause further problems***

Many babies fall somewhere within the range above and it’s important to watch your baby and gauge if
he’s getting enough rest through his behaviour and overall sleeping patterns. Remember that as your child grows and develops, his sleep will also change and just when you thought that you finally have
‘discovered’ his sleep patterns, things will change so it’s important to be flexible and adjust accordingly.

From 0-3 months, newborns have extremely erratic sleeping patterns because of an immature brain,
circadian rhythm (aka internal clock) as well as day/night confusion so it’s important to watch your baby
closely for sleep signals. On average, newborns sleep up to 16-18 hours a day at random times which is
why parents often suffer from sleep deprivation. At 0-3 months, your baby will likely be taking 4-5 naps
per day at random times but the key is to watch her for sleepy signs and immediately start soothing her
for a nap. Newborns usually can’t take much more than 1 hour of wake time between naps so be sure to
let her sleep when she needs to. Nap duration is highly variable at this age but on average, many babies
will sleep anywhere from 30mins - 2 hours. Remember: when your baby wants to sleep, let him – he
needs it. It may be frustrating to deal with an erratic sleeper who will sleep for 1-2 hours each nap one
day and then catnap the next. This is normal and as your child grows, his day sleep will slowly organize
itself.

From 4 months to 9 months, your baby will be taking 3 naps. The 4 nap usually phases out on its own
and most of the time, parents find themselves unable to squeeze that 4 nap in before bedtime. Between
4-6 months, many babies are still catnapping for about 30-45 minutes which is about one sleep cycle.
This is frustrating to many parents because they hear about other babies who are sleeping through the
night and also taking naps of 1 hour or more. While some babies’ naps become organized at around 5-6
months, many babies are not and this is very common.

So what can you do? For children who are younger than 6 months, watch your child for sleep signs and
put her down for a nap as soon as possible. A good rule of thumb at this age is to avoid the overtired
state - do not keep your baby up longer than 2 hours between naps otherwise she will get overtired and
take another short nap. Young babies get overtired very quickly so if you miss that window between tired and overtired, your child will take a short nap.

For children older than 6 months, I recommend putting them on an age-appropriate sleep schedule.
Sometimes, a more structured approach to sleep can help stabilize their sleep patterns and set their
internal clock to expect sleep at your designated times. While it is not a guarantee that it will change your
catnapper to a great napper, most of the families I’ve worked with have noticed a significant difference
after they’ve put their child on an age-appropriate sleep schedule.

At around 9 months, many babies begin to transition to 2 naps per day. The average age to move to 2
naps is 9 months but I know many babies who transition at 7-8 months. At 9 months, your child should
be getting 11-12 hours of uninterrupted night sleep and about 2-3 hours of day sleep made up in 2 naps.
This totals to about 13-15 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period. Some children need more, some need less
but most fall somewhere within this range. Your child will continue to take 2 naps until the age of 16-18
months when most begin to transition to 1 nap.

But what if your child still isn’t sleeping well at 9 months (or older)? If you notice that your child is
consistently grumpy and fussy because he’s not sleeping well, then it’s time to take a close look at why
he’s not sleeping well. All children want to sleep and while some fall into their own pattern, many need
some help and encouragement. Does he have any sleep associations he needs to fall asleep? Is his
room not conducive to sleep? Is co-sleeping no longer working? Is he a night nosher and continues to
wake for the breast/bottle but isn’t hungry? These are all factors that contribute to disrupted sleep and
ultimately, an overtired child. Once you take a look and identify why your child isn’t sleeping well, take
measures to correct the issue(s). It may be fixing his room so that it is dark, quiet and conducive to sleep;
it may be introducing a white noise machine or soft music to drown out external noises, it may be
adjusting his schedule so that he is not awake too long during the day or it may be helping him to learn to
fall asleep on his own. Whatever the change you decide to implement, remember that consistency is key
to success.

When your child approaches 18 months, he will begin to show signs of moving to 1 nap. Fighting
bedtime, taking long to fall asleep for bedtime, one or both naps or skipping naps are all signs of moving
to 1 nap. The key is to follow her lead. Pushing her to 1 nap before she’s ready will only create sleep
disturbances because she will be overtired. Once your baby is consistently exhibiting the above signs for
about 2 weeks, you can begin to transition her to 1 nap. The range at which children begin this transition
typically begins at 16 months and most are fully transitioned at 18 months.

From 18-24 months, 1 nap per day will be sufficient for your child to remain happy and alert until
bedtime. Most children on 1 nap will sleep from about 12:30pm/1pm for about 1.5-2.5 hours but the
average duration is about 2 hours. Of course, some children need more sleep and some less but always
gauge your child through her behavior to see if she is getting enough rest. My daughter is on the lower
end of sleep needs (always has been) and she usually sleeps for about 1.25-1.5 hours for her nap.

It’s important to watch your child for signs that she is well-rested and you do this by gauging her behavior during the day. Is she happy and alert during the day or does she wake up grumpy or crying after nap? Is the quality of her naps deteriorating? Is she sleeping through the night or waking up early for the day? Knowing and understanding your child’s sleep pattern will help you determine the issue(s) quite quickly and take the appropriate actions to correct the problem so that your child is well-rested and happy.

Please visit Kathy at Dreamy Babies for more information or for help to get that baby to sleep!!!

Cincinnati Museum Center FREE Friday

2010-09-02T08:01:00.001-04:00

If you are local to cincy, the Cincinnati Museum Center is one of the those places that is a must see! There are three museums: Cincinnati History Museum, Duke Energy Children's Museum, & the Museum of Natural History and Science. They also have the Omnimax Theater which is awesome! With all of these to choose from there is something for everyone!

They offer something very cool for the summer which we mention on our family fun page, but wanted to send out a reminder since the summer is coming to a close. The Cincinnati Museum Center offers Free Fridays where you can get into all museums FREE! That is right... FREE! All you do is pay for parking! You can get tickets starting at 4 pm (we got there a few minutes before and were first in line) and you can visit any or all of the museums for free until 8pm! Parking is $6 a car or $4 after 4:30. If you check out the cost of tickets you can see what a tremendous savings this is!

I took Cody, my brother Ryan and sister Olivia. We had soooo much fun exploring! They are all totally different ages but there was something for each of them. The last Free Friday is coming up Sept. 17th so don't miss out!

The Great American Salad Bar Project!

2010-08-31T09:05:00.000-04:00

If the highly processed foods that are being served to our children in schools aren't your idea of a healthy lunch it's time for YOU to get involved! Lets work together and give our kids a healthy start and a healthier lunch! With at least 30% of our children being overweight, childhood obesity has more than doubled and it's a scary result with the prediction of one in three kids that will develop diabetes. Our kids deserve better and it is up to parents to help drive these changes in our schools!

We're excited to share with you that Whole Foods Market is participating with Chef Ann Cooper to provide healthy salad bars to schools across the country. They are jumpstarting the movement by raising money for a salad bar in at least one school in the communities surrounding each of our stores in the U.S. That's almost 300 schools! You can help reach this goal by donating to your local store and also by helping a school of your choice to apply for a grant.

Do you have a school who needs a salad bar? You can apply for a grant here starting September 1st, 2010. Spread the word (Facebook, MySpace, Email, etc.) and lets work together to give our kids healthier school lunches!

If you have any ideas or would like to work with us to fundraise for a school in our area please let us know!

Money Saving Monday: Kids Clothes on the Cheap!

2010-08-30T11:38:00.000-04:00

Now that our boys are nearing two, we have come to realize how expensive it is to buy their clothes that a month later they have grown out of! We are always trying to find ways to help our family budget and getting clothes for the boys is no exception! We thought we would share what we have found so far and would LOVE for you to share your tips with us as well!

Consignment Shops: These are places you can get gently used clothing & shoes for reasonable prices. Average cost of shirts may be around $4. You can also take your clothes in to sell! Some stores we have visited include: Once Upon A Child, Snooty Fox, Reruns for Wee Ones (local to cincy).
Swap Sites: These are online sites that allow you to swap clothes with other families. Most are free but require a nominal fee for shipping the items. One we just recently found but haven't tried yet is Thred Up. You can also check out our Coupon Queen for a list of several other swap sites!
Garage Sales: This can be a hit or miss... but that can be part of the fun! You can normally find clothes for $1 or less and there is always room for bartering the price! Craigslist has links to sales in your area.
Online: Parents will sell gently used clothing at a fraction of the cost! Check out Craigslist and Ebay!
Local Parent Sales: We have Mothers of Twins Sales etc. that go on local to cincy. They sell kids clothes on the cheap... normally $1 a piece! Check out your area for local parent group sales or start your own! We will be posting upcoming sale dates as we find them on our facebook page (and feel free to post anything you find on there too)!
Don't forget to ask your friends and family to borrow their used kids clothes... Then it is free :)

Please add anything you know of to our list!!! We are always looking for a great deal!

10 Ways To Soften Hard Brown Sugar

2010-08-27T08:01:00.004-04:00

I know this is a little off the cuff, but I decided to dedicate todays post on how to soften brown sugar! I know, I know.... there are so many other things to write about! However, I needed my brown sugar the other day for one of my recipes and when I got it out of the cabinet it was hard as a rock! I was in the middle of making my dish and was stuck! Cody was napping so I couldn't run to the store. I was stabbing that sucker with a fork and nothing! So.... for those of you who were never told how to soften your HARD brown sugar, this one is for you! Happy cooking :)

It happens to the best of us: rock hard brown sugar. How to soften it? Ten easy tips below:

Place the brown sugar in an airtight container with a slice of fresh bread placed on top. Seal and leave overnight. It should be soft and fresh again in the morning, if not just let it sit another day or two.
Sprinkle a few drops of water over the chunk of hardened sugar, place in a plastic bag, seal, and let sit for a couple days.
Place brown sugar in an open container, then top with a moistened cloth (paper towel works too). Let sit overnight.
Place the hardened sugar in an airtight container with a few apple slices. This should soften the sugar within the next day or two. Remove apple slices once sugar is soft again.
Use foil or plastic wrap to cover the top of the sugar. Then set a dampened sheet of paper towel (not dripping wet) on top of the foil. Place in an airtight container and seal. Let sit overnight or a few days as needed. Remove foil and paper towel once the towel is dry and sugar is fresh again.
Buy a clay disc or if you have a pottery piece on hand (from a broken clay pot, etc.), set it in water for about 30 minutes. Dry the piece so it isn’t dripping wet. Put the clay piece in a container with the sugar and seal. Check after a few days. Keep the piece in with your sugar for months if you’d like–will keep it soft.
Quick Tip #1: Need the sugar soft now? Put the brown sugar in a container and place in the microwave with a small bowl full of water beside it. Microwave for about 1 minute–check. If it’s still hard, try for another 30 seconds. You can keep doing this until the sugar is soft, but watch that you don’t melt the sugar.
Quick Tip #2: Place the hardened sugar in a baking pan and set in oven (temperature at about 250° F). Check after 5 minutes. If still not soft, continue checking every few minutes until it’s soft and ready to use.
Quick Tip #3: Place the brown sugar chunk in a microwave safe plastic bag. Take a square of paper towel and moisten with water (not dripping wet–wring out excess). Place the wet paper towel in the bag with the sugar and seal. Place in the microwave for approximately 20 seconds. If still not soft, microwave for a few seconds more, repeating until the sugar is ready to use. Be careful not to melt the sugar.
Quick Tip #4: Stick chunks of the brown sugar in a food processor or blender and chop/pulse until useable.

For best results, make sure to store brown sugar in a sealed, airtight container. A clay disc kept in the container can keep it soft for months (see tip above for clay disc).

Brown sugar can also be stored in the freezer and thawed a few hours before using.

**Don't forget to check out our recipes page for family friendly meal we love! **

Make Your Own Blocks!

2010-08-26T08:01:00.001-04:00

Every time Cody and I go to the CFEC he plays with the cardboard blocks that look like bricks... he LOVES them! I found this site that tells you how to make your own!

Blocks spark imagination and creativity, and can keep kids busy for hours. Jumbo-sized building blocks are always a hit with young kids--remember forts? Here are some simple directions for how to make your own jumbo building blocks from empty cardboard milk cartons.
Materials

Various sizes of clean, dry cardboard milk or juice cartons. You'll need two of the same size for each block.
Self-stick contact paper, for covering the blocks.

Directions

After washing and thoroughly drying the cartons, use a scissors to remove the triangular tops of the cartons, so there is a square opening at the top of each carton.
Set one carton in front of you, open side up, and slide the other carton into it, open side first.
Cover the block with contact paper.

I have been collecting our milk cartons for some time now. I just recently went to Michaels (check out their free family event for this sat) and bought some contact paper (I couldn't find the brick paper so I got the wood grain paper). I am going to try and start cleaning all of them and see if I can make my own! So.... I will be doing a follow up post in a few weeks with pics etc. I would love for you to make your own too and send your pics in so I can post some of yours as well (or leave your pics as comments the day of the post)!

If you don't get a lot of milk cartons, ask your friends and family to save theirs! This would be a fun craft project to involve the kids in and teach them about reusing items vs. tossing in the garbage!

**Don't forget to check out our Family Fun page for other great ideas!** Don't hesitate to email us any suggestions so we can add them to our list!

Moms Night Out

2010-08-25T08:01:00.012-04:00

I had one of those days yesterday where everything felt like it was going wrong!!! I woke up on the wrong side of the bed, everything seemed to be getting on my nerves. I had been looking forward to going to the park for this stroller walk thing for like three weeks. I ended up getting lost, was late and then couldn't find anyone. We stayed at the park and went for a walk and a bird pooped on my shirt (that's right.... on my shirt)! Then when I was getting everything loaded in the car, I stepped in dog poo.... yeah, I know! At this point, it was only noon so you get my drift! On days like that my fuse is short and rather than take it out on my family, I need to find another outlet. What things do you do to unwind? I try and take time for myself by going to the gym, cooking, hanging out with friends or scheduling a date night. I found this Mom's Night Out and thought you would enjoy it! It is FREE and best of all Jo Wehage of Healthy Alter Ego will be there! Check it out!!

Mom's Night Out is an opportunity for local mothers to get together without the kids to socialize, relax, and be pampered. We know it’s hard being a mom - you deserve a break! Great food, goodies, giveaways & drinks – what could be better! This month we welcome Jo Wehage of Healthy Alter Ego as she discusses “3 Super Foods You Should Add to Your Plate & 3 Things You Should Spit Out”. Visit Healthy Alter Ego for more info!

Thursday, August 26th

6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Cost: FREE

To sign up for a class, contact Paula Mangold at 513-459-6131

Whole Foods Market Mason

Healthy Living: Eggs Have Been Recalled!!!!

2010-08-24T08:01:00.004-04:00

"A series of salmonella outbreaks across the country have prompted Iowa egg producer, Wright County Egg, to recall 380 million products. Eggs under the brands Lucerne, Albertson, Mountain Dairy, Ralph’s, Boomsma’s, Sunshine, Hillandale, Trafficanda, Farm Fresh, Shoreland, Lund, Dutch Farm, and Kemps should be returned to the store in which they were purchased for a refund. The recall is for shelf-eggs only, meaning that products containing eggs are not affected."

"FDA is collaborating with Federal and state partners to investigate a nationwide increase of Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) infections. Partners include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and state public health and agriculture officials. Joint FDA/CDC field investigation teams are working to identify potential sources of SE infection in shell eggs". Click here for the full article.

Click here to find out how to tell if your eggs have been recalled.

How can you be safe as a consumer while handling eggs?

Don’t eat recalled eggs or products containing recalled eggs. Recalled eggs might still be in grocery stores, restaurants, and consumers' homes. Consumers who have recalled eggs should discard them or return them to their retailer for a refund. Individuals who think they might have become ill from eating recalled eggs should consult their health care providers.
Keep shell eggs refrigerated at ≤45˚ F (≤7˚ C) at all times.
Discard cracked or dirty eggs.
Wash hands, cooking utensils, and food preparation surfaces with soap and water after contact with raw eggs.
Eggs should be cooked until both the white and the yolk are firm and eaten promptly after cooking.
Do not keep eggs warm or at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Refrigerate unused or leftover egg- containing foods promptly.
Avoid eating raw eggs.
Avoid restaurant dishes made with raw or undercooked, unpasteurized eggs. Restaurants should use pasteurized eggs in any recipe (such as Hollandaise sauce or Caesar salad dressing) that calls for raw eggs.
Consumption of raw or undercooked eggs should be avoided, especially by young children, elderly persons, and person with weakened immune systems or debilitating illness.

Kim and I have been talking a lot about how we have been on a quest to eat a more natural, whole foods diet. In the process of doing this, we have been buying more locally grown foods. Not only to know how they are growing the food, but also to support our local farmers and in turn, limiting our support for "big business" food manufacturing companies. I am sickened to see that 380 million products have been recalled and these are products that I may be feeding to my family. This reinforces to me why I don't want to support "big food" in this country and why supporting and purchasing from your local farmers is soooo important (or you can grow your own)! If this is something you feel passionately about, or just something you want more info on, I highly recommend watching Food Inc. This film is eye opening and will change your life... truly! If you are interested in finding places close to you where you can purchase local produce, meat and dairy please visit this link!

If you are local to Cincinnati, here a few places we love where you can purchase food locally:

All in all, buying food locally is good for many reasons:

You are supporting your local farmers and small businesses which helps the economy in your area
You are helping the planet by saving the gas that it would normally take for items to be shipped to your local grocery store from other parts of the country
Naturally, you end up buying less processed and packaged food. This is good for your body because you know what ingredients is in your food and it is good for the environment because you are putting less waste into a landfill. If you have your own compost, you can even throw your leftover scraps into that instead of the garbage!

Are you convinced??!!! I know that we can't do it all, but this is one thing I am passionate about and although I am not the healthiest person 24-7 and I still purchase products from the grocery store, I am trying my hardest to make changes!!! One of my favorite sayings, "Small things done with great love will change the world"! I am trying to make changes in my life for the love I have for my family. Even if they are small changes I make each and every day (and Lord knows I am not perfect!), I hope that it will have a lasting effect on my family and ultimately the world! It may seem crazy, but I really do believe it! Everything we do individually adds up to a whole!!!

I am going to get off my soap box now... thanks for listening! I would love to hear your favorite local places you visit and what changes you are making to change the world :)

**Don't forget to check out our Recipes page for healthy foods we love! We would love for you to share you recipes with us! Please email us at jennieandkim.recipes@blogger.com!

Money Saving Monday: My Coffee Filter Can Do What?!

2010-08-23T08:01:00.000-04:00

I am not a coffee drinker but the hubs is and it was nice to see that I can use the filters for other things and save a little money in the meantime (thanks to Jen for sharing)!!

Clean windows and mirrors. Coffee filters are lint-free so they don't leave behind any residue.

Save a bottle of wine. Broke the cork? No problem. Just place a filter over a pitcher and carefully pour the wine into it.

Line flower pots. Place a filter at the bottom of the pot to prevent soil from leaking out of the drainage hole.

Protect china and non-stick cookware. Place a coffee filter between dishes or pans when storing or packing.

Wipe off smudges. In a pinch, you can use to clean eyeglasses, camera lenses, televisions, and computer monitors.

Keep your microwave clean. Prevent splatters by covering dishes or bowls in the microwave with coffee filters. Using another plate is your best bet, but filters are a good alternative to plastic wrap. And you can easily reuse them a few times.

Make a bouquet garni. Tie up bay leaves, parsley, or other herbs in a coffee filter. Drop it in your stew or soup pot, and easily remove it when you're done cooking. Recipes often suggest cheesecloth for this process, but a coffee filter is an easy-to-find alternative.

Diffuse the flash on your camera. Place a coffee filter over your flash to soften the brightness. You can also try putting coffee filters over lights or lamps to lessen the harshness of direct light when taking indoor photos.

Make sachets. Tie lavender or other dried flowers and herbs in a coffee filter to make great-smelling bundles you can store in drawers and closets.

Use for sewing projects. Coffee filters make a great backing for embroidering or appliqueing soft fabrics.

Make tea bags. Wrap loose tea in a filter and tie with a string.

Use for storage. Wrap Christmas ornaments and other rarely used fragile items before packing away.

We would love for you to share with us ways you save money! Find a deal that you just have to share NOW??? Leave a comment on our facebook page for all of us to see!!! Check out our Coupon Queen page for tons of links that will help you SAVE YOUR MONEY :)

We Have A Winner!!!

2010-08-22T18:20:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Holly for winning the My Little Pumpkins Giveaway! Please email us at jennieandkim@gmail.com to claim your gift! Thanks to Random for helping us draw our names for our giveaways!

Please check out My Little Pumpkin to purchase an embroidered/ personalized item of your own! They also make great gifts!!! Have a wonderful week!

Family Fun: Who Doesn't Love the Park?!

2010-08-19T08:01:00.000-04:00

Regardless of where you live, we can all share fun stories of the kids playing at the local park! We love to try out new parks around cincy so we and the boys can explore the city! This week we went to Woodland Mound in Anderson. It was beautiful! They have a dry and wet playground, walking trails and much more!

Their wet playground is HUGE and has lots of fun water play for kids of all ages! They also have a snack bar with cool drinks and hot sandwiches! Admission is $2.00 per child ages 2 to 12. The wet playground is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., May 29 through September 6, weather permitting! They have awesome trails that would be perfect for bike riding, running or sharing a walk with a friend! The boys had fun playing on the playground and then we finished up the with a packed lunch! We would love to hear what parks are your favorite!

**Don't forget to check out our Family Fun page for other great ideas!!**

Give Yourself A Break: Local Day Care/ Babysitting Options

2010-08-18T08:01:00.004-04:00

Being a mom is hard work! We give ourselves to everyone and everything and we tend to forget about taking care of ourselves. Well, we found a few places that may allow you to take a little time out! We all need a break right?!

Kidzwatch: 513-793-KIDZ
**The facility offers extended hours, drop-in babysitting with no reservations, programming and no long-term packages. It is open Mon-Thurs 7:30am-10pm, Fri 7:30am-12am, and Sat 9am-12am.
Located at 9727 Montgomery Rd

Give Moms a Break: United Methodist Church, 8005 Pfeiffer Rd
** Children ages 6 months- kindergarten can have fun while moms get a little me-time. Need to run some errands, go to they gym, or just need a little break? They take kids every tues/wed/thurs from 9am-12pm. Best of all.... IT'S FREE!!!!

We haven't had a chance to trial either of these locations, but we would love to hear your experience if you have used either of them before! Also, please add any other places you know of to the list! For those of you who are not local to Cincinnati, we would love to hear if you have any places similar to this that allow you to give yourself a break!!!

**Don't forget to check out our Inspire Me page for uplifting and empowering stories from other women! Please share your story with us so we can add it to our blog!

Make Your Own Baby Food!

2010-08-17T08:01:00.002-04:00

The Cincinnati Family Enrichment Center had asked me to do a workshop on how to make your own baby food. I am certainly not a chef, but Sharon just wanted a mom point of view! She wanted me to share my own experience and tips and tricks I picked up along the way. Since I am so passionate about child nutrition, I was excited to be able to volunteer my time and hopefully help some other mamas!

I decided to attach my "cliff notes" below so I could share them with you (and have something to reference for when I have the next one!). Let me know if you have any questions!

· ALWAYS consult with your Pediatrician before you start a DIY baby food program.

o The 4 day wait rule: once you introduce a new food you should wait 4 days before introducing a new food

· Resources:

o Super Baby Food by Ruth Yaron

o Deceptively Delicious by Jessica Seinfeld

o Wholesome Baby Food

o Annabel Karmel

· Equipment:

o Steamer, microwave, oven or a boiling pot of water depending on the food

o Ice Cube Trays (you can save on foil if you buy the trays with lids)

o Food Containers

o Blender/ Food Processor/ Magic Bullet

o Ziploc bags

· Baby Food Hygiene

o Always wash your hands, your utensils, & your produce before doing any cooking!!!

o Click here for tips on how to wash your produce

DIY Baby Food (steps based off of Super Baby Food)

1. Pick foods based off of your babies age (pgs. 86 & 87, see handout)

2. Prepare (wash & then steam/ boil/ microwave) produce appropriate for you baby (pgs. 424-463)

3. Puree produce

a. The food consistency you are trying to achieve will be dependent upon you child and their age

b. The more water you add, the thinner the consistency. You will add less water if you want the puree to be thicker

c. You can create a smooth puree consistency the longer you blend the food. Once your child gets a little older, you can blend a little less to create a more chunky consistency.

d. Pour your puree into your ice cube trays, freeze overnight, & then put your cubes into freezer safe Ziploc bags! Label your bags with the name of the fruit or veggie and the expiration date.

e. Each cube is considered one serving

DIY Baby Cereal (p 207)

(I have found that the magic bullet is AWESOME for grinding grains!!)

1. Brown Rice:

a. Measure a cup of water on the stove to boil

b. While the water is heating up, grind ¼ cup of brown rice until it is a powder

c. Once your pot is boiling, turn the heat down to the lowest setting

d. Sprinkle the powder into the pot while stirring briskly with your whisk

e. Cover the pot and cook on low for 10 minutes

f. This will make a little more than 1 cup. This will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days

2. You can also do this with millet (3tbs), barley (1/4 cup), oatmeal (1/4 cup). Cook as directed above!

DIY Yogurt : click the link for step by step instructions

Tips & Tricks

1. Take the food cubes you will need for the next day out the night before and they will be thawed by the time you are ready to use them!

2. Need food now? Take your fresh fruit, peel, core and mash!

3. Add tofu to anything to add some protein to the meal! You can freeze tofu in ice cube trays. Once you puree it, you pour it into the trays filling them half way, cover with water and freeze!

4. Depending on age, see handout for Super Snacks.

5. You can mix ANYTHING into yogurt:

a. Veggie or fruit cubes

b. Tofu cubes or fresh tofu

c. Healthy Extras- use dependent on age appropriateness (see below)

d. Hummus… you get the picture! ANYTHING!!!

6. Healthy Extras: (these can be mixed into anything! For a complete list see p. 288)

a. Brewer’s Yeast

b. Wheat Germ

c. Tofu

d. Ground Nuts

e. Nut Butters

f. Ground Seeds

g. Tahini & other Seed Butters

h. Instant Non Fat Dry Milk

i. Blackstrap Molasses

Toddler Ideas

· Although your child is on solids now, you can keep pureeing your fruits and veggies (now you have something to do with the produce that is about to go bad… puree and freeze). Mix them into yogurt, cottage cheese, or use as a spread on bread or crackers.

· Continue mixing in your Healthy Extras!

· If you have a picky toddler, try putting cheese, their favorite nut butter, or healthy salad dressing onto their vegetables.

· Batch and Freeze: Pick out a few meals every month, make a large batch & freeze using the phantom freezer method (see batch and freeze for more info). You have healthy meals for the month!

Why Make Your Own?? (natural mother website)

1. It's less expensive. A pound of fresh organic carrots will run you about $1. A four-ounce jar of organic baby food carrots cost about $.75--or $3 a pound!

2. It tastes better. Homemade baby food actually tastes like food, and your baby will grow accustomed to the flavor of fresh fruits and vegetables, possibly making her more likely to accept those foods later.

3. You know what's in it. You know for sure that it's free of additives and preservatives.

4. You can tailor the texture to your baby's preference and developmental stage.

**You can also check out our Recipes Blog for easy baby food purees and other nutritious meals for the little ones!**

Money Saving Monday: Giveaways Galore!

2010-08-16T08:01:00.001-04:00

I have been talking a lot about how I am bound and determined to SAVE &/or MAKE money in recent posts. Well another way you can try product for FREE is through giveaways. We have a special place on our Coupon Queen page where we list blogs that do giveaways. This way you can click on the links and see what they are giving away that week! If you sign up for enough of them you are bound to win something right?!

Interested??? Well, we found something for you that will be even EASIER! There is a website called Giveaway Scout which brings you the latest giveaway promotions with products ranging from coupons and samples to high value jewelry and electronics. Giveaway Scout scans a large number of blogs and updates every hour with the latest offers. Since giveaway contests usually expire quite quickly, they offer an automated update service that informs you by email when a new giveaway in your chosen category is discovered! It couldn't get any easier than that! We will also be adding their link to Coupon Queen!

We are always trying to find cool things to offer to you as a giveaway on our blog. We would love to hear from you about products you would like to see featured on our site so you can have the opportunity to try it for free!! If you are a business or individual interested in doing a giveaway on our blog contact us at jennieandkim@gmail.com.

Happy Shopping! Good Luck!!!

My Little Pumpkins Giveaway

2010-08-15T08:01:00.005-04:00

We are very excited to announce our next giveaway!!! Donna Jo, from My Little Pumpkins, is giving away one of her personalized hooded towels to one of our readers! As an additional bonus, she is offering 10% off to anyone who wants to place an order this week (sunday to sunday) if they mention "Surviving Motherhood" when checking out!

Monogrammed Hooded Towel

Donna Jo, owner of My Little Pumpkins, is a stay-at-home mom with a 2 year old daughter. She has been sewing since high school, making or altering her own clothes, sewing costumes etc. She has a BS in Interior Design and did that full-time professionally until she had her daughter. When her daughter turned one she had a desire to work but not full time so she started selling embroidered items. Her business has exploded and she is able to fulfill her desire to work and be a full time mom at the same time! She has two websites you can view: Her Etsy Store and Her Blog. Her business includes embroidered monogrammed: hooded towels, onesies, shirts, blankets, bloomers, bibs, burp cloths and more! She pretty much can do it all! This is a great gift for your little ones or as a gift for a friend!

To be entered into the drawing for a personalized hooded towel from My Little Pumpkins, BECOME A FOLLOWER :) Pretty Simple right?!

If you are already a follower or want to gain extra entries:

Become a follower on our facebook page!
Give a shout out about this giveaway on your facebook, twitter, blog, website or email!
Go to My Little Pumpkins and tell us which product is your favorite!

We will be drawing through Random.org. Comments close Sunday, August 22nd at Noon.

Sleep Regressions - what they are and how to deal

2010-08-13T08:01:00.003-04:00

We all know that baby sleep can be a "hot button issue" for moms. We all have our own opinions on what the best method or way to get your child to sleep. Kim and I both know the importance of baby sleep (we see the difference in our boys when they have had a good sleep!), but we certainly are no experts! We found someone who is an expert on baby sleep and we could not wait to share her with you! We are so excited to announce today's guest post! We have a sleep specialist who will be doing a monthly post on Baby Sleep!!! Let's face it...this is one thing we all need.... SLEEP! The reason we wanted to partner with Kathy is because she feels that getting your baby to sleep is not a one size fits all method! She feels that there are different ways to help your child sleep based on your child! You can find out more on her website, Dreamy Babies! If you are a new mom and aren't sure where to start, I would recommend reading her tips for encouraging healthy sleep habits article first! I feel like this article is a good starting point for anyone!

Today Kathy, from Dreamy Babies, will be talking about sleep regression which is something every child goes through. She knows the ins and outs to baby sleep so please send us your questions and we will have her base her posts off what YOU want to hear! Happy Sleep!!!

"Before I became a parent, I had never heard of a "sleep regression". Actually, I didn't hear about a lot of things before I became a parent and didn't know much about (baby) sleep. To me it was simple: if you were tired, you slept. Makes sense, right? We all know that once you have children, things that usually makes sense in the adult world doesn't quite apply to children. Your could be one of the lucky ones and have a baby who loves to sleep but dreamy baby or not, at some point, your child will fight sleep; it's just what they do and really, can you blame them? There's a world waiting to be explored and sleep just gets in the way. When your child doesn't sleep, neither do you. You are tired, your child is tired and you've tried everything you could do to get him to sleep. Tweaking his schedule. Putting him down later. Putting him down earlier. Rocking. Patting. Shushing. Lying down beside her. Nothing seems to be working and your baby is not sleeping, crying, wakeful and taking forever to go to sleep. Fighting sleep. Does any of this sound familiar?

Parents are often at a loss when their baby - perfect sleeper or not - suddenly doesn't.want.to.sleep. At all. And like I said, when your child isn't sleeping, no one is. I will let you in on a little secret: it's normal and it's called Sleep Regression. My daughter, Kayla, is 2 years old and we've been through almost all of the typical sleep regressions but have come out victorious at the other end. As horrible as it feels when you're in the trenches of a sleep regression, the good news is that it's normal, it's temporary and indicates that your child is growing well.

Sleep regressions are phases that many children go through due to physical and/or cognitive developmental milestones; sometimes these milestones occur simultaneously which really does a number on their sleep. These milestones whether that be crawling, standing, walking, cruising or even talking causes sleep disruptions because when a new skill is learned, that's all their little brains can think about. What we need to remember is that children learn everything; things that we often take for granted such as tying our shoe laces, stacking blocks, walking, running - these are things that children find fascinating once they learn how to do it which means they have to do them over and over and over again. It preoccupies every waking second and unfortunately, every second that they should be sleeping. Sleep regressions seem long and painful because your child turns into a shell of her former self - she will become clingy, whiny, fussy and cry a whole lot. Sleep a lot less. Your weapon against sleep regressions other than this article? Information and preparation for the likelihood that at some point, your child will encounter a sleep regression. Here's the low-down of what you can expect.

The 9 month sleep regression
This one is a doozy because I was completely unprepared for what was to follow. Actually, this takes a lot of parents by surprise because for a lot of parents, their child's sleep usually stabilizes around 5-6 months. But 9 months is a very tough age for sleep; your child is likely learning to crawl, sitting well, perhaps even starting to pull himself up and cruise. He is probably teething like crazy as well so combine all of this together and you have one sleepless child.

This sleep regression usually starts around 8.5 months and lasts for about 4-6 weeks. Yes, you read right - FOUR WEEKS TO SIX WEEKS. Signs of the regression are characterized by sudden wakefulness, major sleep resistance for naps, bedtime or both. Early morning wakings and night wakings. Fits of crying and extra fussiness. Separation anxiety will peak and your child will cling to you; wailing if you step away from him for a second. Bedtime will become a battle and your child will most likely fight sleep and cry when being place in his crib or in my case, cry during the entire night routine. If you're one of the unlucky parents, your child will exhibit all of these signs for the entire 4 weeks.

So how do you deal? After researching and educating myself on the different ages (and signs) of sleep regressions, I discovered that sleep disturbances are only temporary so I just followed our daily schedule/ routine and put Kayla down for naps and bedtime at her regular times.
What I recommend is to follow your schedule and daily routine. Keep in mind that your child is going through a lot both mentally and physically so she may be experiencing some feelings of anxiety and insecurity. The predictability of your daily routine and schedule will bring your child a sense of security so stick to your schedule. If she is especially clingy, fussy or whiny, give her some extra cuddles and kisses. It is also likely that she's teething so the fussiness may be attributed to that; if this is the case, you can administer some homeopathic remedies for mild discomfort or some acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain.

Dealing with sleep resistance can be tough; especially if your child cries before going into his crib. Calm him down, pat his back and when he's calm, put him back down. Your child is tired from all the activity so he needs sleep more than ever. You may have to sit with your child for a little while until he falls asleep or you can leave him for a few minutes on his own to see if he settles and goes to sleep. You know your child best so do what you're comfortable with to calm him down. With Kayla, I spent lots of time with her; played peek-a-boo games to reinforce object permanence, gave her extra cuddles and if she needed to be held or stuck to me, then I carried her around as much as she liked. We followed our normal sleep routines and she went into her crib at her regular nap and bedtimes. She didn't go down without a fight though; that was the hardest part for me. As soon as I turned off the light, she would start crying - something she hadn't done since she was about 3.5 months old - so it was almost like she was a newborn all over again! I soothed her as much as I could and when she was calm, I would put her back in the crib. What I didn't want to do was keep her awake any longer than I had to because although she was fighting sleep, I could tell that she was tired. She would cry on and off for a few minutes and then thankfully, she would go to sleep.

Nights were pretty much the same and after a few minutes of calming and shushing, she would go to sleep. We were lucky in that she didn't have any night wakings or wake up early for the day. If your child wakes up at night, go to her, make sure that she's ok and calm her down. If her teeth are bothering her, give her some homeopathic remedies to ease the discomfort or medication if she's in pain. Hold her for a few minutes and then let her go back to sleep. Whether you wish to bring her back to your bed so that everyone can get some sleep is up to you; however I have found that most kids will fuss for a little while in their crib and then go back to sleep.

Just remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel! Your child WILL return to normal as will her sleep patterns. After 4 weeks, Kayla's sleep regression mysteriously disappeared and she was back to her normal self.

The 12/13 month sleep regression
While this regression doesn't usually involve a lot of crying, it does involve a lot of sleep resistance, especially for naps. Every parent who has contacted me when their child turns one always asks: “what is going on with my baby's sleep? She is not napping anymore!”. I have found that naps are most affected when your child turns 1 year old. You will find that she is just not that tired before first or second nap (or both!) and she will take a very long time to fall asleep. Some children skip naps altogether or take short naps. This regression lasts anywhere from 4-6 weeks and your frustration will be at an all-time high as your child - while obviously tired - will suddenly perk up during nap routine and rather than fall asleep within his normal 3-5 minutes, it will take him around 20-30 minutes, sometimes longer. Because of this nap resistance, many parents are led to believe that their child is moving to one nap but do not fall for it! At 1 year old, your child is not ready for 1 nap and in doing so, he will become severely overtired which will only lead to a whole new set of sleep issues aside from the regression.

What you can do is tweak your child's sleep schedule to allow for more wake time between naps. If you find that your child is resisting his afternoon nap; delay that nap by 15-30 minutes but continue to put your child down for both naps as he will be tired. If he is not crying but just playing around in his crib, leave him; remember that while he may not be sleeping, crib time is still considered “rest”. Since your child will likely be up longer during the day, stick to his regular bedtime. I found that although Kayla fought sleep tooth and nail during the day, she was pretty good with bedtime and went to sleep rather quickly; no doubt because she was up for longer stretches between naps.
Just like the 9 month regression, the 12/13month regression will disappear and your child will return to normal sleeping patterns.

The 18 month sleep regression
After everything that you go through during the first 14 months, the sleep Gods will grant you mercy and you little one will likely fall into a great, predictable sleep pattern that works for everyone from 14 months onwards.... that is until your child reaches 18 months.

I was fully prepared for this regression, having been through and survived all of our other sleep challenges and regressions so when the day came that Kayla suddenly started crying going down for sleep, it didn't really phase me. I was prepared for the crying, fussiness, sleep resistance and tantrums; what I wasn't prepared for was the extremely short naps and when I say short naps, I mean she would fall asleep after some crying and then wake up crying 15 or 20 minutes later! I tried without success to get her to go back to sleep but she was all wound up and ready to go, so for the next month and a half, she was going to bed about 1 hour earlier because she was taking such terrible naps.

I found the 18 month regression to be the toughest, mainly because she was only sleeping once per day. By the time children turn 18 months, many are already on one nap and parents are often fretful when their child refuses to sleep, skips their nap or sleeps for such short a time to even be considered a nap. Your child will exhibit the same signs as the 9 month regression except there will be major nap resistance to a point where your child won't even sleep and night wakings will occur because your child will likely be overtired.

Usually bedtime battles aren't frequent as they are so tired from being up so long during the day however, just be sure to put your child down to bed at least 45 minutes to 1 hour earlier for the night if naps have been short or non-existent. Stick to your regular schedule. Reduce stimulation if your child has not napped or had a short nap so that he doesn't over-exert himself. The most important thing is to try and avoid the overtired state by putting your child down early for the night. At the time of her 18 month regression, Kayla was going to bed promptly at 615pm instead of her regular 715pm bedtime and she would literally take 2-5 minutes to fall asleep because she was so tired. We had some night wakings which I tended to her to make sure everything was ok but these wakings didn't happen too often.

As with all other sleep regressions, you just have to wait this one out. I was at a point where I considered myself a 'veteran' since Kayla has always thrown me in for a loop when it came to her sleep. I simply followed the schedule, kept in mind that it was just a phase and will pass and after 4 weeks, she stopped all the bedtime drama and went back to her normal sleeping patterns. Actually, right after her regression ended, we had about 3 months of beautiful sleep - 11-11.5 hours of night sleep and wonderful 1-75.2 hours of day sleep.

The 24 month sleep regression
So you would think that after 18 months of unpredictable sleep, I wouldn't be phased by the next big regression that I was preparing for: the 24 month regression. I had heard many stories about this regression - that baby learns to climb out of his crib which introduces a whole new set of problems: transitioning to the toddler bed for safety reasons on top of dealing with this regression. Fortunately for us, we never encountered that problem however, Kayla did go through this regression and while I was fully prepared to deal with another round of sleep resistance and drama, what I wasn't prepared for was the length at which Kayla was resisting to go to sleep; as in taking up to 2 hours of fussing and whining in the middle of the night before going back to sleep. I was also taken aback by the fact that instead of just crying before sleep, she would cry for me, as in “MOMMY!! MOMMEEEE!!! DON'T LEAVE!!”. Oh, that was so heart-breaking.

At 24 months, this regression is very similar to previous ones however at this age, children will go to great lengths to resist sleep. Stall tactics begin (more water, need to go to potty etc) so be prepared to adjust your sleep routines to incorporate these stall tactics so that your child can't ask for one more drink of water or trip to the potty before she goes into her bed. Some forewarning also helps; I have found that telling Kayla we only have a few pages left of our book before it's time to go to sleep helps to avoid or at least reduce resistance.

So what did I do? While I followed the schedule and daily routine as I always did during these phases, the only thing I did different was that at night, I resorted to lying down beside Kayla's crib until she fell asleep. While I knew that the regression was temporary, the way she cried was so different from the other times - other than crying for me - but it was as if she didn't like being alone in her room. My gut was also telling me that something was different this time around and I couldn't put my finger on it but I couldn't just leave her crying in her crib; that just didn't sit right with me. So lying down with eliminated the tears but it also seemed to bring her comfort. She would fall asleep faster with me in the room after which I would leave so in the grand scheme of things, it didn't seem so bad and it worked for us. I also extended our sleep routine and included more reading this helped her relax and unwind before bed so our night routine changed from about 15 minutes of reading in her room to about 30 minutes. When Kayla is about 2.5 years old, I plan to use a reward system/positive reinforcement to begin removing myself from her room (not lying down beside her crib) but for now, she's getting the rest she needs and everyone is happy.

But what do YOU do? For one, always follow your schedule. At 24 months, children are extremely active and while they will do whatever they can to resist sleep, keep in mind that they need to sleep otherwise you'll end up with an overtired child and in toddlers, overtiredness manifests in frequent tantrums and meltdowns. You should also think about your comfort level and your tolerance for tears (and words) during sleep resistance. Some parents will complete the routine and put their child to bed; crying or not. Some parents would rather find another solution to reduce the tears. For me, I was ok with some crying but I was powerless when Kayla was crying for me. My lying down was our solution to eliminate tears and she was getting the rest she needed however, this may not work with other families who have multiple children to tend to. Your best bet at this age is to figure out what works for you whether that be co-sleeping for a while or implementing some creative solutions.
Just remember that all sleep disturbances are temporary and can be changed with some good planning, consistency and patience. It's also good to keep in mind that while your child may not be sleeping now or may need you to sleep beside her it's not forever - it's not like she'll be 14 and needing you to help her fall asleep or lie down beside her as she drifts off. Savour these moments because we all know that our children grow up so fast!"

For more information about sleep or sleep solutions, please visit me at www.dreamybabies.ca or contact me via email kathy@dreamybabies.ca

Family Fun: Recreation Outlet

2010-08-12T07:00:00.011-04:00

I have been trying to find new and fun things to do with Cody. We had been going to Sawyer Point a lot (which I LOVE), but it has be sooo hot out that both him and I have been miserable playing outside! So my friend Tiff recommended Recreations Outlet. It sounded great to me considering it was FREE (and by now you can see what a cheap skate I am)!

Recreations Outlet is a company that sells playhouses, trampolines, and residential and commercial play systems. They have locations in Cincinnati, Milford, & Columbus. So what is so cool about it?? Well, each location have FREE play times throughout the week. You children get to play on all the play systems they offer which is indoors in the AC! We went to the Milford location and it was AMAZING! This place was HUGE and there was plenty to do! They had so many systems that the kids could play and climb on, swings, a little mini roller coaster, play houses, rock climbing walls, little cars and shopping carts for the kids to push around. They have an area where you can put your purse or diaper bag, the kids shoes etc. They also have a separate place with picnic benches where you can sit with the kids so they can eat! It doesn't get much better than that!!! Oh and did I mention, you can have birthday parties there too!

If you are interested in purchasing one of the play systems for your house, the Milford location has so many models out that your kids can play on, you will surely find which one is right for you! Personally, I thought they were a little pricey, but they were pretty sweet! I found one that I wanted for the low, low price of $32,000!!!! I know, crazy right?!

It's just sooo cool!!!! Maybe if I win the lottery?!

So, even I could never afford one of these, it is an awesome place that I can take Cody to let him run his energy off, for FREE, and in the AC!! At the end of the day, both mama and baby is happy :)

Tiff's son Cole

O.k. so I REALLY had fun!!!

Let us know if you have any great places you take your kids that are free or inexpensive! We would love to add it to our Family Fun list! If you aren't local to cincy, do you have a place like this in your area that you can take your kids too? Please share!!!

A little Stress Relief: Get Organized!!

2010-08-11T07:00:00.003-04:00

Are you stressed? Of course you're stressed - you're a parent... It's part of the job description! The first thing Jennie and I ask ourselves when we get a little too stressed is, "what activities can we cut back and how can we be more organized?!" It's easy to over commit to activities and it's even easier to get so caught up in the day to day stresses that once you feel unwound it can feel like a slippery slope to get your sanity back!

Studies have shown that the more organized you are, the less stressed you'll feel. One way we try to be more organized is to pack things for the next day's activities the night before. We can put everything we'll need by the door, ready to go (or, in my case, I have to put it IN the car so I don't forget it)!
Mornings are usually a little frazzled for us (mostly because I'm NOT a morning person)! Having everything packed and ready to go helps keep us organized. Then I don't feel as stressed running around in the morning trying to pack everything and get us ready.

Another big project of mine lately has been cleaning the car out. Jennie found some cute fabric bins at the dollar store and she had the great idea of putting them on the floor of the car! One with diapers, wipes, change of clothes for the kids, etc. The other is used for toys, books, games for the boys. Having "back ups" makes your life easier in then end because there is always something you forget to pack right?!

For those of you getting ready for back to school, here are 11 ways to get out the door faster in the mornings thanks to Oprah! (Thanks Amanda!)

Prepack your kids lunches
Quicker coffee breaks (prepare your coffee the night before so all you have to do in the morning is press "on" or get a coffee machine with a timer so the coffee is ready by the time you get up!)
Prearrange your family's clothes the night before
Taking turns - coordinate bathroom schedules of people you live with (if needed)
Speedy breakfast solutions - have a lineup of fast, easy breakfast solutions ready to go!
Prevent backpack panic by creating inboxes for each family member (have kids unload their backpacks after school, putting important papers in their inbox so they never get lost!)
Time yourself - if you or the kids tend to linger and take too long in the shower or eating breakfast, set the timer!
Call ahead for carpool - make any travel arrangements at least the day before
Think ahead and prepake your purse or briefcase (or diaper bag!) the night before to shave off valuable minutes getting out the door! Also have the kids prepack their backpacks!
Keep the peace - tempers can flare between children are still half asleep. Prevent sibling spats by making sure your house rules cover things like sharing clothes, bathroom etiquette and sharing front-seat privileges on the way to school.
Ignore chores - when you're trying to get out the door resist the urge to do morning chores that will set you behind schedule!

We hope these tips help you feel a little less stressed out and a little more organized! For more info on ways to make your life a little easier by staying organized, check out Flylady! The site seems a little strange, but she has great ways for you to get organized and really walks you through the process! Please pass along any other helpful ways that keep your family organized!

Don't forget to take a little time out to yourself this week! Need some words of encouragement? Go to our Inspire Me page for uplifting quotes and stories! If you have any personal uplifting stories you would like to share, please send us an email at jennieandkim@gmail.com! We would love to post your story!!!

Healthy Living: Healthy Rice Krispy Treats!

2010-08-10T07:00:00.001-04:00

I was reading some of the latest info over at Healthy Alter Ego and came across this great healthy recipe for Rice Krispy Treats! If you haven't had a chance to check out their website - you are missing out! They have so much great information for health and wellness for the entire family!

Not all healthier versions of food taste great but we can't wait to try this one out on the boys because it looks delicious!

Healthy Rice Krispy Treats
6 cups brown rice crisps (or if you have the rice krispies, go ahead and use it)
2/3 cup almond butter (if you don’t have it, try peanut butter)
2/3 cup raw honey (again, you can use brown rice syrup or agave but you might not use as much)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Melt the almond butter and raw honey in a sauce pan
Add vanilla and cinnamon
Combine with crispy rice

Press into 11 X 7 pan or dish lined with parchment paper (or lightly sprayed with oil)
They are that easy and delicious!

**Feel free to add chocolate chips, nuts, seeds or dried fruit to customize your bars. Of course the better quality your ingredients, the better they are for you. Just by making them yourself, you are aware of what’s in them.

For inspiration to make your treats healthier and to consider the trade offs, here are some of the facts around the nutrition:

Using brown rice crisps over the traditional white ones up the fiber, potassium and magnesium. This of course will vary depending on the brand you choose, so read your labels.
Almond butter adds quite a bit of protein (yeah) along with fiber, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and iron.
Raw honey is loaded with antioxidants and is a powerful boost to the immune system.

Thanks goes to Phyllis McCarthy over at Healthy Alter Ego for this great recipe!!

What other healthy treats have you tried that your kids love? We would love for you to share them with us so we can add them to our recipe database! Don't forget to check out our recipe blog for more great family friendly recipes!

Money Saving Monday: Back to School Deals!

2010-08-09T07:00:00.012-04:00

No, our boys aren't anywhere near school age but we'd like to pass on some useful info for all you Mamas out there who do have kids getting ready to go back to school (can you believe it is that time already?!)! Here are some great deals we've found that we'd like to pass along and we hope if you come across any other good deals you'll share them with us too!

Here is some additional info from WCPO.com:

First stop: Office Depot: I found a big selection, and big deals like 150 sheets of filler paper for just $1.
I then hit Target, where I found convenient layout and nice prices. Among them: 24 Crayola crayons for $.25, Mead one subject notebooks for $.50, and 1.5 inch binders for $2.50.
Next stop , Meijer, which is featuring 34 different items for just $.99 each, from glue to pencils, scissors to folders.
Then it was on to Walmart, which had some super lower prices. Among them: Mead 5 star notebooks -- the Cadillac of notebooks -- for $2, Elmers glue for $.25, and Very binders for $1.87. All, good brand name.
My final stop was Staples, a school teacher's dream, with every supply you could think of. They featured some big markdowns on their in-house brands, like spiral notebooks for $.15. Name brand prices were somewhat higher that Walmart, Target, and Meijer.

So where to shop depends on what you are looking for...
Staples wins for biggest selection.
Office Depot was next best.
Walmart wins for lowest prices, though selections were a bit more limited.
Meijer was our best overall value, though like Walmart, not the biggest selection.
Target wins for the most pleasingly laid out back-to-school section, with some great deals.

If you are more of an online shopper, you should check out Ebates for your back to school shopping. They are offering double cash back on purchases right now!

Where have you found the best deals for Back to School?!!

Congratulations Mia!!

2010-08-08T12:00:00.000-04:00

You are the winner of the travel high chair! We are so excited for you to try out this great product and hope you will love it as much we do! Please email us to claim your prize by Friday, August 13th!

Freebie Update

2010-08-07T09:21:00.000-04:00

I had talked about how I was going to start signing up for freebies in a recent post and I am here to send an update! It hasn't been too hard or time consuming. I thought I would check things daily, but I haven't had time for that so I have been checking my "freebie" sites weekly and it has been working well for me.

Things I have liked so far:

It was wise to start a separate email account because you do get some junk mail from the things you fill out.
You get to try &/or donate products you wouldn't normally buy.
There are a ton of freebies for food where you sign up for restaurants and they give you a free meal! This has been great for the hubs because he eats out every day for lunch (trust me... I have TRIED too many times to get him to pack a lunch...it isn't gonna happen)!
It saves money!! I have gotten so many "feminine hygiene" products that I may not ever have to buy my own again!

Things I haven't liked so far:

The only thing I can say is that from a green standpoint, there is some waste doing this. All the samples are sent in packaging, most of which can be recycled, but I have felt a little guilty throwing away the outside plastic that the sample comes in for some of them. Other than that, it has been all good!

If you want to try this for yourself I would recommend going to our Coupon Queen page and scroll down to "FREE STUFF". Then just follow the links to the sites listed to get your freebies! You will find that many of the sites list the same things so even if you are checking weekly, it should 't be too overwhelming! And don't forget.... sign up for a separate email account to bypass junk mail being sent to your everyday email!

Check out some of my freebies below:

Some of the freebies include: feminine hygiene products, diapers, coupons, makeup vouchers, toiletry sample packs, water testing kit, free circus tickets, & free meals at local restaurants! This has only been a fraction of what I have been sent! Pretty cool right!?

We would love to hear how you get freebies and what your favorite sites are to get them! We would love to add them to our Coupon Queen page!!!!

Family Fun: Make Your Own Jam!

2010-08-05T08:01:00.000-04:00

Our latest adventure this past week has been making jam, syrup and blackberry cobbler! Last Saturday we took a trip to Rouster's Apple House in Milford. They have pick your own blueberries and blackberries as well as peaches and apples! (They don't have this every day, so be sure to check out their website for their opening hours.) It was so much fun picking berries at the farm, and it's a great way to get the kids involved and use up some of their energy out in the great outdoors!

We wanted to get the berries so we could try making our own jam. We ended up with 10 jars of blueberry jam and 10 jars of blackberry jam. Since we are trying to be sugar conscience with our food for the boys, we used Sure Jell in the pink box that uses 25% less sugar. With a regular box of Sure Jell you would normally have to use about 7 cups of sugar but we were able to cut back the sugar to only 4 cups. We hope by this time next year we will be able to use our stevia plant for an all natural sweetener, which is much healthier for you than the white refined sugar! We used a great website called Pick Your Own where you can find great information about canning ANYTHING! It gives you tips and tricks on the best ways to pick your own fruit, the easiest ways to can, and everything has step-by-step instructions with pictures! We have used this website for everything we've canned so far.

Since we had SO much fruit, we were also able to make blueberry & blackberry syrup which is made similar to jam except you don't use the pectin (Sure Jell). Please see here for more details.

We also froze half of what we picked so we could have fresh berries through the winter. You could use them plain, in pancakes, muffins, smoothies etc.! The easiest way to we found to freeze the berries was to layer them in casserole dishes with foil in between, freeze overnight and then transfer them to freezer safe containers.

We had a few extra blackberries left over so we decided to make blackberry cobbler! Paired it with some ice cream and it was AWESOME!

After we made the syrup, we had left over blueberry and blackberry "pulp" that we put in ice cube trays so we can use them later in yogurt, as a spread on toast, drink flavoring, etc. We try the no waste approach! We have come to realize you can freeze just about anything in ice cube trays!!!

If you like the idea of having fresh, healthy food on hand you might want to try canning for your family! We were pretty intimidated at first but the more we've been doing, the easier it gets! There are plenty of great resources out there to help you and we would love to share tips! Here's a few canning items that we use and love that could get you started!

Wednesday Weekly Check-In: Breastfeeding Awareness Week!

2010-08-04T08:01:00.004-04:00

Hey there all you lovely mamas out there! Happy Breastfeeding Awareness Week! This weekly check in is dedicated to those of you who are nursing, have nursed or know someone who is nursing right now! If you yourself have breastfed your child(ren), you know how difficult it can be. Our society doesn't exactly embrace the idea of nursing your child. We have all heard the stories of women being kicked out of places for nursing or maybe even you yourself have felt those awful stares from the surrounding crowd while you feed your baby public. Maybe you have had problems with the baby latching on, your milk production, or just plain sore boobs!!! Regardless of what the hurtle was or is, we want to give you props just for trying!

We both nursed our boys and each had different experiences. We talk a lot about how we feel women don't talk enough about the trials and tribulations you meet while breastfeeding. Our suggestion??? Research and prepare as much as you can on the topic BEFORE the baby is here! Reach out for support from friends, family, and community groups! Follow the links below for additional resources:

Breastfeeding is a wonderful, amazing experience. However, don't feel guilty if there are some days you feel like giving up. It doesn't make you a bad mom, it makes you human. Don't feel ashamed to ask for help, advice, or support from those around you. Also, we understand that breastfeeding is not something that all moms are interested in. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for any choices you choose to make as a parent (we have an easy enough time making ourselves feel guilty for things we do and don't do as parents)!

This week is Breastfeeding Awareness Week!!! Be a support to anyone you know who is nursing and send words of encouragement their way!! You never know, they may really need it!

Healthy Living: SUGAR Shocker!!!!

2010-08-03T08:01:00.003-04:00

We recently wrote about how we have been researching juice for the boys and came across a graph that absolutely floored us!!! We know that sugar is in a lot of things we eat, but how much is really bad for you?? Are we overdosing on sugar without even knowing it???! Check out this graph with results from Harvard University. You will be amazed!!

If you want even more info, check out Jamie Oliver's video about how much sugar is really in the juice we drink. We have always been fans of his and he has inspired us to get involved in his food revolution, since child nutrition is a passion of ours!

If you are looking for a way to cut your sugar consumption, try these easy flavored water alternatives:

• Add a few slices of fresh lemon or lime.
• Quarter an orange, squeeze in all of the juice, then toss in the squeezed quarters for color and extra flavor.
• Mash up a handful of strawberries or raspberries with a fork then add to the jug and stir through.
• Scrunch a handful of fresh mint in your hands to get the flavor going then add that to the jug with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. If you’re feeling a bit adventurous, add a few slices of cucumber too. It might sound strange, but it is seriously refreshing.

What are your favorite ways to cut sugar from your diet??

Money Saving Monday: Travel Highchair GIVEAWAY!

2010-08-02T07:53:00.000-04:00

I recently came across this travel high chair while looking for something to take with us on vacation, not knowing if the house we were staying in had a high chair. Luke is old enough to want to sit at the table in the big chairs with us, climbing on the chair BUT as you know - it's not easy to feed a wiggling child who's trying to get up and down from the chair because you're without your regular high chair! We do have a smaller traveling high chair that clips to a chair but as we're flying, there's no way we're taking any thing more than the bare essentials!

Jody has been clever enough to come up with a super easy way to fix this problem! This is a compact fabric travel baby high chair that folds down to fit easily in a diaper bag or purse. It can be easily attached to a chair and the velcro strips allow for it to be tightened for a custom fit. This is intended for babies that can sit unassisted and for older toddlers that need a bit more security when sitting in a chair. This is perfect for situations when you don't have a high chair. It makes a great gift for that mom who has everything! I purchased one for Luke and LOVE it! There are so many cute patterns you can even get one custom made! For more information you can go to her etsy page. Jody has been kind enough to give us one of these Wrap N' Go high chairs to one lucky reader on our blog! A winner will be chosen using random.org on Sunday, August 8th. Here is a picture of Luke showing you what the pattern is that we'll be giving away!

TO ENTER:

*Become a follower on our Blog or Facebook page OR
*Post/Email about this giveaway to friends and family on your Blog/Facebook page OR
*Leave us a comment telling us which of the WrapNGo patterns is your favorite!

COMMENTS CLOSE SUNDAY, AUGUST 8th AT NOON

Winner of Sprout Baby Food Giveaway!

2010-08-01T19:33:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to JMWood for winning the Sprout Baby Food Giveaway! We hope you will enjoy the new Sprout line as much as we do!

You have until Friday, August 6th to email us to claim your gift!

Product Review: Kiddopotamus Placemat

2010-07-30T08:01:00.002-04:00

Everyone always asks me about the Kiddopotamus Tinydiner Placemat, Green when they see me using it with Cody. I thought it would be a great post to let all of you know how much I love this product!!! If you know me, it comes as no surprise when I say that I am a germaphobe (is that a word??)!!! What I love most about this mat is that you can suction it to most surfaces and put your little ones food right on it!! No more remembering to bring your sanitizing wipes to clean off the table! This mat is reusable, it folds up super easy so you can fit it in your diaper bag or purse, it has a nice scoop chamber that the food falls in instead of your kids lap! It doesn't get much better than that!

Kiddopotamus Tinydiner Placemat, Green

For other great products that we love, check out our Product Spotlight Page! What are your favorite products you can't live without??