A Mother's Earth

Bringing Back The Blog

2011-06-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

Well, well, well. A year has passed and I am getting the itch to start blogging again. Actually, I never really stopped, I just did mini blog posts as Facebook postings. My name is Tracey and I'm a Facebook addict. :) So... in the year since I have last blogged- the kiddos are older and bigger (of course and no more diapers!!!), I am still a stay at home mom, the hubby is starting a new (and scary) job. Really, nothing much has changed, yet so much has!!!

Healing Myself

2010-07-30T22:35:00.000-04:00

This post was originally posted on 7/21/09 as my second ever blog post. Over a year later, being a mindful parent/wife is something I still work hard on practicing every day. I just thought I would re-share :)

"Stopping, calming, and resting are preconditions for healing. If we cannot stop, the course of our destruction will just continue. The world needs healing. Individuals, communities, and nations need healing"
- Thich Nhat Hanh, "The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching"

When my husband and I decided that we could make it work financially if I didn't go back to work after the birth of our second child, I was ecstatic. I had enough with retail management and the hours and customers that came along with it. I would now be spending my days blissfully with the kiddos and getting all the stuff done around the house that I had wanted to do for years. After managing up to 10 employees, how hard could a 2 year old and a baby be? Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking. I learned pretty quickly that I might have a day of bliss (if the kiddos are in the mood), the house projects will not get touched (unless the kiddos decide to nap at the same time, or fall asleep before 10pm) and managing 10 employees is WAY easier then managing a 2 year old and a baby.

I also learned a lot about myself.

After 2 months of being a stay at home mom I hit a rut. I was feeling disconnected. My son, who had just turned 2, was bringing out feelings of frustration and helplessness in me with his tantrums. These feelings were so strong they physically drained me. Things between my husband and I were not good either. We couldn't even have a conversation with out arguing. This was also affecting our 2 year old, and looking back now, probably where his tantrums were coming from. I was at my wits end with everything and everyone.

Then one evening I attended a meditation group introduced to me by a friend. This meeting consisted of Qi Gong, sitting meditation, walking meditation, sitting meditation and a discussion of a chapter of the book "The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching" by Thich Nhat Hanh, which the group was reading. Suddenly everything clicked. To be the mom and wife that I need to be, I first need to heal myself. I need to recognize within myself when these feelings of frustration, helplessness, and defensiveness arise and be mindful how I handle them. My reaction affects everyone else. How can I teach my children how to be patient and how to calm themselves if I can't do it myself?

Stopping, Calming, Resting, Healing have become my words to live by. It didn't take long for me to realize that 99% of the time the arguments with my hubby were started by me as a result of my frustrations. It didn't take long for me to see that by stopping and being mindful in how to react to my son's tantrums, I could help him better manage his feelings, instead of causing him to react to mine. Everyday is a learning experience.

"Mindfulness is the energy that allows us to recognize out habit energy and prevent it from dominating us." - Thich Nhat Hanh

Visit Plum Village for more information on Thich Nhat Hanh, Buddhism and Meditation.
The link is under "Favorite Links" on the right.

Wordless Wednesday- Gotcha!!

2010-07-27T22:38:00.000-04:00

Dueling Gardens Part 1

2010-07-26T11:21:00.000-04:00

The veggies from our gardens are making their appearances slowly, but surely. Yes, I said gardenS. We have more than one, not because of our large plot of land (I wish), but because the hubby and I could not agree on a garden location. He wanted the left side of the yard, where we had it (unsuccessfully) last year because...I don't really remember why. Bad, I know. I swear I was listening to his argument points. I wanted the right side of the yard because it gets more sun, and I wanted to cover an overgrown flower garden . Two stubborn wanna be gardeners = two dueling gardens.
WARNING: If you are an avid weeder, these pictures might be disturbing.

On one side of the yard is...

THE HUBBY'S GARDEN

The crops he has harvested so far have been green beans (which we have enjoyed for several meals), peas (which the kids have been snacking on, as only about 7 pods total have made their appearance), lettuce (enough for several salads and still going strong), and his pride and joy so far- his potatoes.

Today he dug up about 20 pounds!!!

Here is Sophie who I found on the table throwing the potatoes.

There are many crops he is anxiously awaiting.

Like the Jerusalem Artichokes.
We are going to have tons. The Jerusalem Artichoke is not an artichoke at all, but a potato like tuber. I have never tried it (or even seen it before) and from what I have researched (the video on this link makes them look so appetizing), it's are an acquired taste. Since these are harvested in the fall I will have plenty of time to look for tasty recipes (if such exist).

And there's his corn.

He came home from work almost a month ago all excited because someone told him if his corn was doing well, it would be a foot tall and his was!!!! And still is!!! The corn growing on the farms down the road is at least 8 feet tall right now (and probably loaded with GMOs and pesticides). Maybe his will have a growth spurt. Or maybe this is just a short variety. Or maybe this what a corn plant looks like with no added chemicals.

On the other end of his garden, I don't really know what's going on.

He is a firm believer that as long as the plants are watered, they will grow. He is NOT a weeder. What has been weeded, I have done. I didn't touch this area because I couldn't tell the difference between plants and weeds! In there somewhere is cabbage, cauliflower. broccoli, more potatoes, and pumpkins or gourds. All of these plants are still working on producing their bounty, if there will be any at all. To be fair, we did plant both gardens late in the season, as there was still a lot of frosty nights.

He wants me to point out his awesome composting container.

He found it on ebay for $75 delivered. It works for us. Keeps the animals out and the smells in. :)

And that is the hubby's garden. Stay tuned to be introduced to mine. :)

Fluff Talk Thursday- Cloth Diapering on a TIGHT Budget

2010-07-22T12:49:00.001-04:00

Today I am participating in Happily Domestic's Fluff Talk Thursdays. The topic today is "Cloth Diapering on a TIGHT Budget", something I am getting to be very good at. I am on my 2nd kiddo in cloth, and started almost 4 years ago. I have not bought a single new diaper for Sophie, since she was born and we are going on 2 years CDing with her. This is how I do it.

I knew I wanted to cloth diaper when I was preggers with Logan, my first. I chose to cloth diaper because I new that after Logan was born I would be switching from my well paying full time job, to a lower (umm..extremely lower) paying part time job, and then with the birth of Sophie- no job at all. Money was going to be tight with just the hubby's income. I didn't want to have to worry about the weekly expense. I stocked up on cloth diapers while I still had the money. The investment is well worth it in the long run!!!

Here are some tips on building your stash the ~~cheap~~ frugal way:

*If you know you want to CD when you are pregnant, and you are going to be having a baby shower thrown for you, find cloth diaper gift regestries. These can be found on most websites and some stores (I had gotten some from Walmart's online store). Many of these stores even have new baby "starter" package deals. My mom and my sister got me my first set as a shower gift. The package came with diapers, a couple of covers, and inserts.

*Look for gently used diapers. At the time, they were sold on ebay. Today you can look on Craigslist or even put a request up on Freecycle. There are also several networking sites you can join that have cloth diapering communities where mommas are selling or trading pre-loved diapers. Check out Cafemom , DiaperSwappers, and the Mothering.com community forums. Some online diaper shops even sell them. You can also check your local natural mom's maternity/baby store, as there are some that sell pre-loved, or hold Diaper Swaps.

* Which brings me to Diaper Swaps. These are great! At a Diaper Swap a bunch of mom's get together to sell or trade diapers that their kiddos have out grown. This is also a great way to check out new diaper styles. And as a plus you get to meet some really cool moms.

*Shop Around. When I started CDing 4 years ago, there were not that many cloth diapering brands out there. I could count on one hand how many brands there were to choose from. Today, there are so many options. There are inexpensive brands out there that work just as well, if not better than the popular ones. Actually, my favorite and best working diaper covers are the old school "rubber pants". These contain night time leakage the best for us. The elastic around the legs and waist work well on the kiddos that moves around a lot in their sleep. You can find them in multipacks for less than $10.

*Enter blog giveaways. I have added some great diapers to my stash this way! Check out the blogs on my sidebar. Most of them hold cloth diaper giveaways.

*Make your own diapers, or search on Etsy for someone who does. I started making my own and never had to buy a new diaper! I have used old t-shirts, sweat shirts and pants, flannel nightgowns and old recieving blankest. Flannel material goes on sale at Joanne's all the time and I even found a store near me where all their material is $1.99 a yard! I have bought elastic and velcro in bulk off of ebay. Here are some diapers and inserts I have made :)

OK, now that you have a supply of clothdiapers, here is how to keep on budget:

* Most importantly- CONTROL YOUR IMPULSES!! Those expensive, extremely cute, very soft looking diapers are JUST GOING TO GET POOPED IN!! And unless you live somewhere warm, they will get covered up 99.9% of the time! When ever I feel myself getting the urge to splurge, I chant my mantra- "They're just going to get pooped in, no ones going to see them but me, my kiddo doesn't care" :)

*Repair worn out diapers and covers. Yes, I am that ~~cheap~~ frugal. I have replaced worn velcro on covers. I have even added new elastic to my stretched out Kissaluvs that are almost 4 years old and going strong!!

So that's how I cloth diaper on a TIGHT budget. Make sure to stop by Happily Domestic to check the linky for more of Fluff Talk Thusday!

Wordless Wednesday- Through the eyes of a 3 year old

2010-07-21T07:00:00.001-04:00

All pictures were taken by Logan, my future photographer :)

THE GIRL WHO SILENCED THE WORLD AT THE UNITED NATION FOR 5 M

2010-07-20T12:56:00.000-04:00

A friend shared this on Facebook, and I just have to share it here. This is a very powerful speech by Severn Suzuki at a UN Earth Summit in 1992. An important reminder to all parents that we are only borrowing this earth from our children. It brought tears to my eyes.

My First Award!!!!!

2010-07-15T12:15:00.000-04:00

I have been awarded!!! A BIG THANK YOU to Sarah at Fanged. Faerie. Princess for giving me my first ever blog award!!! Woop, Woop!!! :) I accept!!! And now I will spread the love by passing on this "Blog with Substance" award to 10 great blogs I ~~stalk~~ read regularly. Check them out!! :)

*swen studio's blogosophy*Mommy and Sweet Pea Make a Blog*The Inquisitive Mom*

*Skemommle n Skedaddle*Paisley and Pretties*Green Mama on a Budget*Katie Talks About....*

*The Hippie Mom With Kaleidoscope Eyes* Everything Your Mama Made and More*

*FULLNEST*

Congrats Ladies!!! Remember when accepting this award to pass it on to 10 blogs you know have substance!!

A New Twist on an Old Breakfast Favorite

2010-07-15T10:24:00.000-04:00

It seems like we are always having the same things for breakfast over here. French Toast is one of my kiddo's favorites that we have at least once a week. This morning I switched things up a bit. I mashed a very ripe banana into the dish first before I added the rest of the "dip" ingredients. YUMMY! I also added a bit of crunch by dipping the moist bread into a crushed cornflake and wheat germ blend before throwing on the griddle.

Banana French Toast
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 egg, beaten
11/2 cups milk (might have to add more or less, depending on the thickness)
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Sliced bread
oil or butter for griddle
Mash banana in a bowl that is suitable for dipping the bread. Add egg and mix. Add milk and mix. Add more milk if too thick. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Dip sliced bread into mixture. Place moist bread on warm, oiled griddle. Cook until both sides are golden, and no liquid comes out when bread is pressed on with spatula.

To add some crunch-
1 cup of a cornflake, wheat flake type cereal, or a crisp rice type cereal. If using the flake type, crush with the bottom of a glass. Might have to crush the rice cereal just a tiny bit.
1/4 cup wheat germ
Mix crushed cereal and wheat germ together in a bowl suitable for dipping bread. After bread is dipped in wet mixture, dip in cereal mixture. Add to pre-warmed, oiled griddle. Remember to add more oil or butter to griddle before adding next batch or the topping will stick!

A Midsummer Night's Dream

2010-06-22T06:00:00.002-04:00

Five years ago today, on a Midsummer's Night, I married the man of my destiny.

And the day was like a dream.

With a horse drawn carriage.....

....and a fairy as a flower girl.

My father walked me through ribbon covered trees.

The ceremony was magical.
Among the guests were.......

fairies and monks.....

......Scotsmen.....

....and pirates.

My dress was handmade (not by me) and dyed with tea leaves. It cost less than $300. My mother made my bouquet with flowers from her garden, as was tradition in Renaissance time.

Our "cake" was also of the tradition of the Renaissance age. Guests were asked to bring a homemade dessert. This was seen as the melding of the families.

There was a feasting hall...

....and thrones at the head table.

Wordless Wednesday - Big girl bed conquered!

2010-06-02T08:00:00.001-04:00

Almost Daily Bread

2010-06-01T21:35:00.001-04:00

So I have finally gotten myself back in the habit of making my own bread!! It has been months since I last bought a loaf of bread or a bag of buns. Logan is now bringing a lunch to school, so I have been making a loaf about every other day. I use my bread machine on the "dough" setting and bake my breads in the oven. I try to switch up my recipes and will be sharing my family's favorites.

White Bread

3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 3/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup of wheat flour
2 teaspoons of yeast

Place ingredients in bread machine in order suggested by the manufacturer.
Select basic bread setting, normal crust if cooking in machine.
OR Select "dough" setting if oven baking. When "dough" cycle complete, punch down dough and form into loaf, place in greased bread pan. Let rise again for about an hour.
Pre-heat oven to 350 and bake for 25-30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Enjoy!

Herb Garden In Progress

2010-04-06T23:17:00.002-04:00

In my neck of the woods, March brought us record rainfall. It rained and it RAINED!! Now April has brought us record warm temperatures. Tomorrow it is supposed to be in the 80's! Craziness. I packed up the winter hats and snow pants today really hoping that we don't get hit once more with snow. This is New England, it is still April, and it really could still snow.

According to the Farmers Almanac, it is not safe to plant here until May 9th, the date that the Almanac estimates we will be free of the danger of frost. This date is over a month away and I am itching to start planting NOW!!!!! But, until then, the kiddos and I have been outside every day getting the gardens ready. The first one we tackled was the herb garden. I wish I had pictures of the before. It was in ROUGH shape.

Now, I have to say, this herb garden has been a long term project. When the hubby and I bought the house almost 5 years ago, the herb garden was a lovely fish pond. A pond that did not hold water and was the biggest pain in my neck. So the fish pond got filled in, and the herb garden was started. At this time I worked full time and gardening and my job in retail did not work well together. The next spring/summer I was preggers with Logan. I made a lot of progress at the beginning of the season, but once I couldn't bend over to weed, the garden went wild. Gardening and being huge with baby did not work well together either. And the spring/summer after that, Logan was a baby, which also did not mesh with the gardening. And the next 2 years, repeat with being preggers and again with having a baby to tend to.

Now, with no job, no pregnancy, and no baby, this is the year I plan on getting all the gardens in order- the herb garden, the veggie garden, and the various flower gardens. This might be wishfull thinking, but with Logan and Sophie (and the hubby who excels at heavy lifting and digging up monster Hostas) as my eager assistants, I am hoping that we can do it!

So, with out further ado, here is the herb garden, minus the plants.

I removed 9 monster Hostas from around the edge- remnants of the past life as a fish pond.

I made 4 "benches" out of rocks, one for each member of the family. I want to make plaster decorative stones to put in front of each bench. I want the kiddos to have their own spot to plant near their bench. I can't wait until May 9th!!!!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-03-31T21:20:00.000-04:00

I Am But A Child

2010-02-12T20:24:00.002-05:00

Logan came home from school today with this poem in the valentine from his teacher. It is so beautiful and true of every child at the age of 3!

I Am But a Child

Look at me, I am but a child.
I won't be grown up for awhile.
Let me enjoy my childhood days
Give me opportunities to run and play.

Let me make discoveries, give me space
That I might develop at a steady pace.
Let me be messy, let me explore
Then as I grow I will learn that much more.

I am very energetic though still quite small.
I run, climb, spill and that's not all.
I am but a child in my own little world.
Inside me there are struggles and twirls.

I have not learned to share or sit still,
When I am older perhaps I will.
I am full of life and curiosity
But that is how I learn, you see.

I need your help in all I do.
I need your love and approval too.
I need your patience day after day
So that I can grow in a positive way.

Play with me, smile at me, hug me too.
I need to know that I am accepted by you.
With your help and guidance, I'll grow to be
all that you expect from me.

by Lenora McWhorter

Valentine Crayons

2010-02-12T13:42:00.000-05:00

We are on a cleaning and de-cluttering spree over in this household. While going through our crafting supplies I noticed we had 2 containers full of broken, old crayons. By OLD, I mean some of these crayons are a good 20+ years old, and I'm not joking! They came from MY Nana's house. The crayons I colored with when I was little. Yeah, we don't throw anything away over here!

I have always wanted to melt down crayons to make big cool looking crayons, so I figured we would give it a try. I found a "recipe" here, and I actually went out and bought a Valentine themed cookie tin (mutli-functional, and used to make Valentine cookies too). I decided to use all the crayons on hand and buy him a new box of "big boy" crayons now that he has finally stopped breaking and eating them. Here are pictures of our project in action!

Ha, Ha, I just noticed Hubby sleeping on the couch in the last picture! Here are pictures of the finished product:

This is Logan's "Space Ship" color.

We had a lot of fun making these. And the house didn't smell like something burning, like the hubby kept saying it was going to. They look nice, but they don't really function that well. I was hoping that we would have created large enough crayons for Sophie to manuever with her little hands, which she can, but they only work when held at a certain angle. It seems that most of the wax floats to the top when melted. Maybe from using cheap crayons? The wax part doesn't make a mark. Oh well, they will be perfect for rubbing creations.

Homemade Graham Crackers

2010-01-29T14:50:00.003-05:00

The kiddos are huge graham cracker fans. We eat them like they are going out of style. Since I try to cut out on preservatives by making what I can at home, I thought I would give homemade graham crackers a try. Would they notice?

The first time I made them, Logan helped me. We used the same cookies cutters we used for our Christmas cookies. I think he was expecting the finished product to taste like the cookies, so he wouldn't eat them. The next time I made the graham crackers I cut the dough into rectangles so they looked more like the store bought ones, and he loved them. Kids are weird.

Graham Crackers

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup butter or shortening (I use butter)
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar (I use light brown sugar, because that's what I have, but dark brown sugar might make them darker)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (sometimes I use a little more)
* 2 cups whole wheat flour (I use graham flour)
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 tablespoon cinnamon (we like cinnamon, can use less or omit)
* 1/2 cup milk

* cinnamon sugar to sprinkle on top

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, cream together the butter (or shortening) and brown sugar. Stir in the vanilla. Combine the whole wheat flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk. Cover and chill dough until firm. It may seem really hard after chilled, but it softens when rolled.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into rectangles, or use a cookie cutter for fun shapes. Place 1/2 inch apart onto the greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
3. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until crisp. Edges will be golden brown. Remove from baking sheet to cool on wire racks.

Boob VS.... Bottle???

2010-01-24T21:15:00.000-05:00

OK, I'll admit it. I subscribe to Parenting magazine. My school age neighbor was selling magazine subscriptions as a Drama Club fundraiser, and I couldn't say no. It was the cheapest of all the "parenting" magazines, and at the time came with a free subscription to Sesame Street Magazine, which is pretty sweet. So, anyway, I am sitting at the bus stop waiting for Logan's bus, flipping through the latest edition of Parenting, and an article catches my eye. Well, not really an article, but one of those 1/2 page FYI type paragraph things, titled "Spotlight on Bottle-Feeding" by Patty Onderko. The first two sentences really got my blood boiling! Here they are:

"Breastfeeding has become so politically correct that moms who bottle-feed are reporting that they receive very little information on how to do it right, according to the latest review of studies. "Once a woman decides to bottle-feed, she should be supported," emphasizes British researcher Rajalakshmi Lakshman, M.D."

Where to start, where to start??!!! Well, I guess first off, I don't think the issue is BREASTFEEDING VS BOTTLE FEEDING, as the article sets the sides. I breastfeed. I use bottles, or I would if I worked or had a kid-not-included social life and actually needed to pump. Most women who breastfeed use a breast pump and store breast milk. How else is the child going to get this breast milk, but with a BOTTLE?! This statement gives a false impression to perspective breastfeeders that if you breastfeed, you can't touch a bottle and that a breastfeeding mom must always have her boob ready for feeding time. After all, the first point in this article is how to safely clean a bottle, something ALL moms should know. That's why I believe the issue is Breastfeeding vs FORMULA FEEDING, and it soooo drives me bonkers when formula feeding is called "bottle feeding"!

And as for calling breastfeeding "politically correct"???? UMMMM, how about calling it "what Pediatricians recommend"?? Calling breastfeeding "politically correct" makes it sound like a fad, and that women who breastfeed are doing it to make some sort of statement, not because it is best for them and their baby. GRRRR.

Now, I'm not all anti-formula over here. I only breastfed Logan up to 7 months, so he was formula fed for awhile. Did I once think I was doing it "wrong"? Uh, no. I read the container. Unlike boobs, formula containers come with DIRECTIONS!!!! Seriously, the only problem I had was not being able to find the little scoop! But maybe that's just me, because there must be some women out there having problems if there are actual "studies".

And as for being an "unsupported" bottle feeder?? Hello! Not once when I fed Logan a bottle in public did I get uncomfortable glances from passersby like I do when I breastfeed Sophie in public. Not once did people act surprised when Logan still had a bottle at 11 months, like they did when they heard Sophie was still being breastfed at that age. Women don't give up "bottle feeding" because they have no one to turn to for help. Now really, are we going to be seeing fliers around town for "bottle-feeding" support groups?!

In defense of Parenting magazine, they also had a blurp on the same page that states that women are breastfeeding longer. And there is also a full page add for a car battery which I thought was pretty impressive.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-20T17:47:00.000-05:00

Random Thoughts on the Household Sickies

2010-01-07T10:17:00.001-05:00

First post of the year! Happy New Year!!

The hubby and I have been fighting the cold that we got for Christmas (unfortunalely, no returns accepted on that gift). Logan has already missed a day of school do to a case of the vomits, and now Sophie has her first ever cold. Despite the sickies, we are all in good spirits!

Well, except for Sophie, she is a tad bit miserable. Being her first head cold, she does not know what to do about the stuffed nose. Since she is just over one, she has not yet grasped the concept to "blow", and when she sees me coming at her with the rubber snot sucker, she makes a run for it.

And a 3 year old with the pukes is a challenge too. Logan keeps getting the vomit bug, which (luckily) only lasts for one day. He missed his 2nd day back to school after vacation with his first case of the year. Now, a 3 year old with the pukes is very messy. He has yet to make it to the bathroom, or in this case- the bucket, in time. I am very thankful for my carpet cleaner since 99% of my house is carpet!! ANY ONE WITH KIDS AND CARPETS MUST INVEST IN A GOOD CARPET CLEANER!!!!

And the hubby and I have been fighting a lovely head cold since Christmas. It hasn't gotten better, and it hasn't gotten worse. We seem to be in cold limbo. I can deal with the stuffiness, as I have bad seasonal allergies and am ALWAYS stuffy, but the night cough can take a hike. A remedy that the hubby found online a couple of months ago has been working surprisingly well:

To stop night coughs: Rub Vicks vapor rub on the soles of the feet.
Cover with socks.

Sounds to good to be true, but it has been working for us. Last night I tried it on Sophie and it worked for her too. I had to make sure that she was in the jammies with feet, so she wouldn't have access to the Vicks and eat it. There is no scientific back up to this remedy, and here is a link for anyone who is interested.

So it could be worse. We don't have H1N1. Not that I know of any way. I am thinking that if we get all of the sickies now, maybe we will be in the clear for the rest of the year. Yup, wishful thinking, I know. But, I am getting practice with working on some of my many resolutions- having more patience, accepting things I can't control, and focusing more on my family.

Cloth Diaper Carnival V - The Hubby and Cloth

2009-12-28T23:07:00.002-05:00

Welcome to another installment of the Cloth Diaper Carnival brought to you by Cloth Diapering Bloggers and hosted by Kim at Dirty Diaper Laundry. This Months topic is "Hubbies/ SO and Cloth Diapers". Make sure to visit other blogs participating by following the Linky (if I can get it up) or by grabbing the link at Dirty Diaper Laundry :)

Since I decided to use cloth diapers when I was pregnant with my first, I never had to go through "the change" with the hubby. He was not used to disposables, just as much as he was not used to cloth diapers. Now, don't get me wrong, he had changed a couple of diapers in his day using disposables, so he wasn't totally a diaper newbie. Actually, when it came to cloth diapers, we were equals in the changing department- both of us having no experience. Anyway, it didn't phase him one bit when I told him cloth diapering was the way we where going. Until I told him how much money we where going to be saving. Then he bragged to everyone how smart he was to use cloth diapers. Ha Ha Ha.

It has been three years since we have started our cloth diapering journey, and the hubby has had his share of opinions and suggestions along the way. He doesn't like snaps. They are hard for his big fingers to maneuver, so he goes for the Velcro dipes in our stash. He doesn't like pockets, as he can't fit his hand in the pocket to stuff them. He likes the old school pull over covers better than the Velcro or snap wraps as he sucks at making sure the diaper is fully covered.

Overall, I just make sure our stash is diverse enough to accommodate him in the rare instances that he changes a diaper. OK, to give him credit, he changed his share of diapers with Logan, our first. However, with Sophie, he changes maybe 5 diapers a WEEK. And if he ever had to WASH them, I don't even want to think about what he would do, or what would happen to my poor diapers!

Make sure to visit all the blogs participating in this carnival!!!!

Wordless Wednesday- My Little Cowgirl

2009-12-09T09:15:00.000-05:00

A Rant On Toys

2009-12-07T22:05:00.003-05:00

My space has been taken over by toys. There are toys in every room of my house. There are toys in both cars. There are even toys still out in the yard. And really? Do the kiddos play with all these toys? Of course not!!.So I was thinking to myself, "Self, why are there so many freakn' toys in this space o' mine that NO ONE PLAYS WITH?"

And I suddenly knew it is because of me. I buy the toys- granted, most were sweet deals that I found at yard sales, flea markets, and consignment shops. I pick the can't-pass-by freebies up off the side of the road. I say "YES!" eagerly when people offer me their kiddos' cast offs. Geesh, why am I the toy horde???

My kiddos are 3 and 1. They don't watch TV with COMMERCIALS (thank you Nick Jr), so they have no clue what is out there. Wait, I take that back. Logan, at 3, is just starting to catch on to advertising. He has found mail order TOY catalogs and Black Friday fliers laying around and has gotten very excited about all the toys in them. But you know what? He seems perfectly happy just LOOKING AT THE PICTURES. I am the one getting all worked up about how many of those toys to get him for Christmas, and how much they are gonna cost. Seriously? He might have asked for one of the toys out of the tons of pictures he looked at. And for real? He could care less if he gets the $15 truck over the $150 dollar truck. Even if I can get that $150 one for $40....OK, OK, see, it's about me again.

What I have realized is that I need to change MY behavior in order to make sure that my still young kiddos are not going to think that the world revolves around toys. If I can reduce the quantity of useless toys they are surrounded with in their daily lives, than toys won't seem so important. And hopefully they will value the toys they do play with. Logan spent last weekend at his Granny's house and I cleaned out his room. I filled two trash bags with toys and stuffed animals to bring to the thrift store. He hasn't even noticed.

And another thing? Last week Logan was playing with an old fire truck baby toy that I had pulled out of the toy stash in the basement for Sophie. Of course, Logan recognized it as his old toy and immediately started playing with it. He was in meltdown mode after 5 minutes. Why? Because the batteries didn't work. With out the batteries, there is no siren. With out a siren, the toy is "broken". I told him he could make the "Woooo Wooooo"" siren noise himself. He stared at me blankly like I was talking crazy! With all these battery operated toys, am I raising kids who lack imagination???

This really scared me! It scared me enough to decide that this Christmas we are going battery free. And on top of that, the hubby and I also decided that this year we are only getting the kiddos gifts that promote imaginative play. So no Vtech and LeapFrog plastic battery operated learning toys for my kiddos this year. They will be learning with their new musical instruments and craft supplies. Logan will work on his imagination with his wooden parking garage and service station, and Sophie with her cloth tea set and wooden sound blocks. And the hubby won't be running to the Mobil station at midnight on Christmas eve to spend a small fortune on batteries...

Wordless Wednesday

2009-12-02T21:22:00.000-05:00

Couldn't resist taking a picture.......

The sound of the camera and the flash scared him a bit.....

But he fell right back asleep!

CRIB RECALLS*

2009-11-23T23:10:00.000-05:00

Stork Craft recalls more than 2.1 million drop side cribs due to baby entrapment. Please go to the Consumer Product Safety Commision's site here to learn more.

How to Tell When Your Toddler Watches Too Much TV

2009-11-23T22:04:00.002-05:00

Sadly, I fell into the "TV as a baby sitter" trap with Logan when Sophie was born. It was easy to turn on Noggin' to keep him occupied while I took care of the baby. Well, Sophie just turned one, and the TV watching has gotten bad. Here are some examples of how bad.

~First thing in the morning, he runs into the bedroom demanding that Noggin' (now Nick Jr.) be put on.
~When sitting on the toilet ready for his butt to be wiped he yells, "Ayuda me, Ayuda me, squak, squak!" (I apologize for the possible misspelling on the Spanish).
~He eats celery because the Wonder Pets do.
~He randomly says, "Mom, I think I'm falling for fall".
~He was traumatized when the Jump Arounds turned into the Freshbeat Band over night.
~He keeps saying he doesn't want to be on the Naughty List like Swiper.
~He tells people that Mommy turned Noggin into Nick Jr.
On the plus side, he is learning ;)
~Thanks to Dora and Deigo he knows various Spanish words
~Thanks to Kai Lan he know various Chinese words
~He tells any one that listens "A Cornucopia is a horn shaped basket. Cornucopia means horn of plenty"

Since he has been in school, over a month now, he watches 3 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the evening. I don't even want to acknowledge how much he watched before he was inrolled in school! Bad Mommy. And bad Daddy too, because the Hubby falls into the trap worse than I do!

Well, thanks to Santa, the TV watching is getting under control! A few days ago, Logan asked me, for the millionth time, if he could get a grill for Christmas. I said to him, "If all you want to do all day is watch Nick Jr, why should Santa bring you toys? You don't play with the toys you have, so why would Santa bring you new ones when all you want to do is watch TV?" He looked at me with his mouth open and said, "Turn Nick Jr off Mommy", and went in his room to play. He did not ask me for the rest of the day to watch it. Now, I have been trying to cut back on the Nick Jr. for a while, but have to hear him every 10 minutes beg and whine for it. I admit, I would give in just for quiet and to keep him out of my way while I got stuff done around the house. It's been 3 days now, and he has only asked once! I have let him watch for an hour or so while I get dinner ready. Thanks Santa :) Alas, Logan has no school all week, so it's gonna be a challenge for me not to count on the TV to keep him occupied (and to keep my sanity)!

Picture from bing.com

Stroller Recalls

2009-11-09T16:05:00.001-05:00

Meclaren USA recalls strollers following finger amputations. They are giving a repair kit to remedy the danger. Strollers where made 1999 and after. Here is a link to the page on the US Consumer Product Safety Commission website.

Wordless Wednesday- Halloween

2009-11-04T21:35:00.000-05:00

Finally got the Halloween pictures off the camera!

Kids Konserve Give Away Re-Draw WINNER!!!!!

2009-11-03T16:40:00.000-05:00

I never heard from Aymee, so the new winner of the Kids Konserve Stainless Steel Snack Containers is......

Comment #2- FOKXXY!!!!

Congrats!!! FOKXXY has been notified and has 24 hours to get in contact with me or we pick again :)

Get out and VOTE!!!!

2009-11-03T08:30:00.003-05:00

Time to get up on my soapbox!!! Today is voting day in many states. It is a voting day that many people don't pay attention to, or maybe don't even know about. It's not a Presidential election that's been advertised for months (ok, YEARS), and people are not running to the polls. It is a day to vote for local and state officials and referendums. Boring stuff. Stuff no one pays attention to unless it effects them AFTER the fact. If you are worried about the quality of your child's education, VOTE! Many towns are having elections for members of the Board of Education. There might be a referendum on your ballot that will affect your child's school system, VOTE! Think you are paying too much in taxes? Get out and VOTE for the person you think will lower them and stop complaining!

This is the first voting day that I have not worked in years. Why?? Because today I am on the ballot. I feel that the only way I can make a difference (besides by VOTING), is to get involved with my town government. I am on the ballot not only once, but twice. I am running to be a member of the Assessment Appeals Board, and to be an alternate to the Planning and Zoning Board. I am nervous, I am scared, and honestly, I have no clue what I have gotten myself into, but I do know that I have to start somewhere. What better way to start getting involved, than to jump right in!

You may know it's voting day in your neck of the woods if your roadsides has been taken over by lawn signs, but if you don't, you can check here . This link even brings you to your towns web page where you can get more information by calling your town clerks office. So go to the polls and vote today and keep those poll workers awake! They are going to have a long day today because, sadly, voter turn out during local elections is very low.

FYI- working the elections is a great way to make extra money! Contact the Registrar in you town hall for more information!!!

Kids Konserve Give Away Winner!!!!

2009-11-01T09:38:00.001-05:00

WE HAVE A WINNER!!!!
With the VALID entry total at 77, the winner of the Kids Konserve Stainless Steel Snack Containers is comment # 10 Aymee!!!! Aymee did not leave an email address so she has until midnight on Monday Nov 2 to contact me (jezie_bell8@yahoo.com) or I will pick a new winner :)

* Cloth Diaper Giveaways!!!!!****

2009-10-31T09:43:00.000-04:00

For all my cloth diapering friends out there- add to your cloth diaper stash and enter these giveaways!!!

Visit:

Audrey's Give Aways to win a snappy nappy from La Petite Knott Creations
(ends 11/6)

Canadian Natural Mama to win a Bummis cloth diapering package (ends 11/14)

Dirty Diaper Laundry to win a Baby Beehinds Minkee Magic cloth diaper (ends 11/9)

The Eco Friendly Family to win a FuzziBunz One Size diaper (ends 11/5)

The Eco Friendly Family to win a Thirsties Duo and Fab Fitted diaper ends (11/1)

The Cloth Diaper Report to win a Nifty Nappy cloth diaper (ends 11/3)

And check out the Bottom Up Baby Wipes Kit (cloth wipes) at Happy Green Babies
(ends 11/16)

You can't win if you don't enter!!!! Good luck :)

Wordless Wednesday- Birthday Girl

2009-10-28T09:41:00.001-04:00

Happy 1st Birthday Sophie!!!!!!

Cloth Diaper Carnival 4 - How it all started......

2009-10-27T07:45:00.012-04:00

Welcome to Cloth Diaper Carnival 4 organized by Kim over at Dirty Diaper Laundry, who also happens to also be our Cloth Diapering Bloggers' head honcho ;) .

This months topic is:
Where did you first see or hear about cloth diapers?

Honestly, the first time I ever heard of cloth diapers was from my mother. I remember her using old school pre-folds with safety pins and rubber pants on my little sister, and yes, this was in the late 70's. When I was preggers with my son over three years ago, I just knew I was going to use cloth diapers, and this is how I thought I was going to do it. Imagine my surprise when I got on the internet and saw how different cloth diapering is now!!! No longer is there the need to use pins, when Snappis can be used. I am an accident prone klutz, so not having to handle sharp pointy objects is a plus!! No longer is there the need to use pre-folds when fitted diapers with snaps and Velcro can be used. And rubber pants? What a surprise when I saw some diapers didn't even need a cover at all!!

Cloth diapering was a whole new world to me. I knew NO ONE who cloth diapered, besides my mom- over 30 years ago. And she used a diaper service, which are now non-existent in my area. Everything I learned about cloth diapers I learned from the internet, from sites like Diaper Pin, and Diaper Hyena. I did research, research, and more research. The more the research, the stronger the feeling that cloth diapering was for me.

Actually, now that I am thinking about it, it's amazing how much has changed in cloth diapering in just the 3 years since I have started! There are now even more styles and brands of diapers and covers, and a gazillion more sites to get information from! I can even go to a store and buy cloth diapers today, which I couldn't 3 years ago! The use of cloth diapers is spreading. Several mommas have caught the fever from me. Who knows, maybe 30 years from now my daughter will laugh with disbelief when I tell her that once something existed called a disposable diaper!

Until I get the Linky up, please visit Dirty Diaper Laundry to connect with other blogs participating in this carnival!!

Kids Konserve Coupon Code

2009-10-26T14:21:00.000-04:00

It was brought to my attention that the coupon code earth was not working at checkout to get 15% off orders over at Kids Konserve. Christy, from Kids Konserve has fixed this. If anyone ordered anything and did not get the 15% off, let me know and she can issue you a credit. Sorry for any inconvenience! The coupon is good until this Saturday, and don't forget to enter the Stainless Steel Snack Container giveaway!!

Wordless Wednesday- Family Picture

2009-10-21T08:24:00.001-04:00

Ok, almost Wordless Wednesday. Logan needed a family picture to bring with him on his first day of school (which was last Thursday, YAY!!!). Well, I remembered the night before, after the kiddos where already in their jammies. Oh, and did you notice the lovely cat butt shot?! Good thing there's photo crop!

Join the Million Baby Crawl

2009-10-19T16:51:00.000-04:00

Check it out!
Seventh Generation has launched the "Million Baby Crawl" campaign to get Washington to take notice and reform toxic chemical policies. Go to this site, and create your own crawler to say "no" to toxic chemicals in our homes. Also, support other crawlers by clicking on their baby and sending an encouraging message.

Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

2009-10-19T16:16:00.001-04:00

These HANDMADE costumes are absolutely beautiful!!!! I really wish the Queen costume was my size......

Queen of Hearts and Alice in Wonderland Costume Set GIVEAWAY!!!!

Bag Lady : Sewing a Trick-or-Treat Bag

2009-10-12T07:36:00.001-04:00

In my "spare time" (aka: late at night when the kiddos are sleeping), I am a wild and crazy crafter. I find an idea I like and I work with it 'til I'm sick of it. Right now, my obsession is bags. I have decided to start a series, titled "Bag Lady", to share my creations. Conveniently, this will also help in managing my time wisely (see post here), as I will be working on a blog post AND a project simultaneously!

So, with out further ado, here is Sewing a Trick-or-Treat Bag. These are the bags I have made so far, as modeled by my little guy. They turned out to be fairly large, but hey, he'll grow! If you are making it for a little one, and are worried about the safety factor, the pattern size can easily be adjusted, or the handles made shorter.

What you will need:
material for front and back
material for sides and bottom
sturdy ribbon or webbing for handles
thread, needles, scissors, sewing machine, iron
***idea- recycle old fabric by using old tablecloths, sheets (for the back and front panels) and jeans (for the side and bottom panels)

Step 1- Make the patterns.
Front and back panel- 20x16 inches
Side panels- 22x5 inches

Bottom- 16x5 inches

Step 2- Cut the material.

Step 3- Pin, with good sides together, a side panel to the right side of the front panel, and a side panel to the right side of the back panel, like this:

and sew.

Step 4- Pin good side of back panel to good side of the side panel that is attached to the front panel, then pin the good side of the front panel to the good side of the side panel that is attached to the back panel (this makes sense in my head, if it is confusing let me know)

(my assistant is pointing to pins) and sew.

Step 5- Pin the bottom fabric to, well, the bottom (in my experience I have found it almost impossible to line this up perfectly, but that's me...)

and sew (heads up on this- when running through sewing machine pay attention to what is getting sewn together).

Step 6: Pin down and iron top hem

and sew.

Step 7- Turn bag right side out. Should look something like this:

Step 8- Turn up, pin and iron ends of handles

and sew.

Step 9- Pin one handle to where you want it on the front of the bag, and pin the other handle to the matching spot on the back of the bag

and sew.

Step 10 (optional)- Tack all of the corners to make the bag more shapely. Sorry for hard to see pictures!
Bottomed pined to tack with about 1 centimeter stitch:

Top pined to tack with same size stitch:

And here again is the finished product:

And with my lovely model and assistant:

Ciambotta (Italian Vegetable Stew)

2009-10-09T16:53:00.001-04:00

Fall is perfect stew weather!! I made a great vegetable stew this week, and would like to share the recipe. I suggest making it the day before, as stew always taste better the second day, and the third day. This makes a HUGE batch!! It took me almost 2 hours to chop all the veggies. Hey, I was interrupted a lot by the kiddos ;) I also added some extra spices - basil, parsley, red pepper flakes, and more salt and pepper then it calls for. I think I will omit the red pepper next time, however, because it was a bit too spicy for the kiddos. Oh, and I also peeled the eggplant because I'm not a fan of eggplant skin. I found this recipe on Epicurious.com, which is my current favorite recipe site.

Ciambotta (Italian Vegetable Stew)
recipe by Gina Marie Miraglia Eriquez from Gourmet Today Cook book.

* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 medium onions, chopped
* 2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
* 3 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
* 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 1/4 pounds eggplant, cut into 1-inch pieces
* 1/2 cup water
* 1 (28-ounces) can whole tomatoes in juice, drained, juice reserved and tomatoes chopped, or 1 3/4 pounds fresh tomatoes, chopped
* 2 red bell peppers, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
* 3/4 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
* 1 1/4 pounds zucchini, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
* 3/4 pound boiling potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

Preparation

Heat oil in a 7-to 8-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add onions, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 10 minutes. Add eggplant and water and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until eggplant is slightly softened, about 10 minutes.

Stir in tomatoes with juice and bell peppers, then reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook green beans in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan of well-salted boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Add zucchini to boiling water and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer with slotted spoon to bowl with green beans. Add potatoes to boiling water and cook until just tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and add to beans and zucchini.

Add boiled vegetables to stew and simmer, stirring, until all vegetables are very soft, about 15 minutes. Season with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

I served the stew with a home made cheese bread. YUM! Enjoy!

A Loss of Innocence

2009-10-08T09:05:00.002-04:00

The kiddos and I were at a birthday party last weekend. Logan was having a blast playing with the other kids, mostly girls. I was in a bed room nursing Sophie. I heard the thunder of little feet on wood floors and the laughter as the kids came running down the hallway, past the room I was in. Suddenly, I heard the girls yell "NO BOYS ALLOWED!!", followed by a door slamming, followed by my little guy crying, "NO, let me IN". He was crying, really sobbing, and when he came into the room where I was, my heart broke. His tear streaked face showed the hurt and confusion he was feeling.

This reaction of his is new. He is used to being the only boy. He has older girl cousins that boss him around and exclude him all the time, as girls of their age do. He was always oblivious, innocent to their words and actions. Not anymore. He has become aware- aware of his feelings, and aware of the actions and words of others. He has lost a bit of innocence that is making him more of a boy, and less my baby.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-10-07T08:47:00.000-04:00

This is my living room when I spend too much time on the computer :)

Using Time Wisely

2009-10-05T11:31:00.003-04:00

I made it all the way to second grade before I received my first bad mark on a report card. I remember seeing the "U" for "Unsatisfactory" next to "Uses time wisely" (I have a freakishly weird long term memory, but can't remember anything from yesterday), and having no clue what it meant. I remember writing in my journal that I needed to improve in Using time wisely. I thought of it as a subject, like reading or math. Even when explained to me, it didn't click. Twenty plus years later, I still find my self struggling with this!

Since I discovered the Blogging world in July, I have become obsessed- reading and joining blogs, entering every contest, just to get free stuff (like I need more STUFF!). Meanwhile, the kiddos have caught up on all the shows on Nick Jr, the house has turned into clutter central (as the hubby has frequently commented on), leading to the hubby and I not jiving, leading to Logan misbehaving. Everything has been off balance. In all fairness, this can not be blamed JUST on blogging. The INTERNET is my time thief; Facebook, email, the blogging networks, Cafemom.

I have lost my way. I have not been living in the present moment with my family. I have not been spending my time as a stay at home mom playing with and teaching my children, like was our plan. I have neglected my sewing, reading, and all the projects I have started around the house. I am getting a "U" in "Uses time wisely".

I had to step away from the computer for a couple of days and get my priorities straight. Of course the kiddos and my family's (hehm, HUBBY's) happiness are numero uno. I still want to blog. I like connecting with long lost friends and family on Facebook. Heck, I talk to my mom more in Facebook chat than on the phone! So here it goes again, working on using time wisely.....

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-29T21:20:00.001-04:00

When teething, most children chew on toys. My baby girl chews on the stove.....

Kids Konserve coupon and GIVEAWAY!

2009-09-27T15:53:00.018-04:00

Kids Konserve; packing green lunches/snacks with style and eco-cool reusable products for a clean conscience.

Fact: Each Student creates 67 pounds of trash per year! That's 18,760 pounds of trash from one average sized elementary school!!

Kids Konserve was founded by two women, both moms, who wanted to send the right message to their children about helping the environment. Realizing the amount of waste that was produced in just the one hour of school lunch, they researched products and developed the Waste-Free Lunch Kit.

What better way to teach our children about lessening their carbon footprint, than with our actions! If we pack our child's lunch with no plastic bottles and bags, no paper napkins and bags,and no juice boxes, our kiddos will have nothing to add to this trash total. They will know that they are making a difference every day!

All of Kid Konserve's products are NON-TOXIC, non-leaching, BPA, PVC, Phthalate and lead-free.

Now what I just LOVE about this company, besides their safe eco-friendly products, is their focus on environmental education. They believe, as I do, that the knowledge we give our children now will enable them to change the future.

Kids sponsors a Waste-Free Lunch Challenge in schools. This challenge gives schools the opportunity to raise money and brings awareness through teaching on how not creating waste. Over 40 schools have participated and more are signing up!

Small voices add up to big things!!!

Right now, Kids Konserve is offering you, my reader, 15% off your total purchase until 10/31/09. Visit Kids Konserve store by clicking here and show your support for this mom run, eco-friendly company and use coupon code: earth at check out.

They are also offering up a set of Stainless Steel Containers for my very first giveaway!!!

***So to enter first you must visit Kids Konserve and leave me a comment about another one of their products that I have not mentioned here, or something else you have learned from their site that I did not mention. THIS IS MANDATORY.***

After you have done the MANDATORY entry, you can enter again by doing all or some of the following. Remember to leave a SEPARATE COMMENT FOR EACH ENTRY.
Please leave your email address so I can contact you if you win. Winners will be drawn with random.org. Giveaway ends 10/31.
*Follow my blog and leave me a comment that you do
*Follow me on Twitter, leave me a comment here
*Follow kidskonserve on Twitter, leave me a comment
*Tweet this giveaway, leave me a comment. Can copy and paste this:
RT KidsKonserve Stainless Steel Containers giveaway and coupon @aMothersEarth http://www.amothersearth.blogspot.com/
*Become a fan of Kids Konserve on Facebook, leave a comment here
*For 3 entries blog about this giveaway, leave 3 separate comments

Thanks, and Good Luck!!

(Comments in bold print are taken directly from the Kids Konserve website and/or press packet)

My Favorite Pancake Recipe

2009-09-26T16:35:00.003-04:00

We are HUGE breakfast eaters. Pancakes are our favorite! Tonight I am even making them for dinner. This is the best recipe I have found and I love it because you can actually make the mix ahead and store it in your fridge for up to 3 months. I think you can get 3 batches of pancakes out of one batch of mix. This recipe is from "Whole Grains For Busy People" by Lorna Sass, a cook book that I have mentioned before. Enjoy!

Pancake Mix

2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oatmeal
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt

Mix all ingredients. Store in refrigerator for up to 3 months in an air tight container.

Pancakes

1 large egg
1 cup of buttermilk (I never have buttermilk on hand, so I replace it with yogurt and milk to equal 1 cup. Enough milk added to the yogurt to make it not so thick. Or you can use a cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon added.)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cup pancake mix

Mix all ingredients. Drop about by about 1/3 to 1/4 cup scoops onto a buttered and heated pan/griddle. This batter is pretty thick, so you will have to flatten it a bit when cooking :) I usually get about 10 pancakes out of a batch.

I almost always add other things to my pancake batter. Fruit is good- apples, peaches or bananas. I will add spices too, depending on what fruit I use. 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and/or cardamon. I also use flavored yogurt if that's what I have in the fridge. Tonight I might add coconut and raisins (never tried this before, might be an update on the outcome!).

Today, My Toddler Taught ME

2009-09-24T23:25:00.001-04:00

"Mommy, Daddy, wake UP!", Logan yelled excitedly as he ran into our bedroom this morning. I felt a slight moment of panic. Thoughts ran through my head. Is there a fire? Where's Sophie? (as I am moving her foot from my face). Something must be wrong! This is not his usual method of waking us. He is a fan of the silent approach. He sneaks up to either mine or the hubby's side of the bed and does the "silent stare" until we are startled awake. The first words out of his mouth are almost always, "I wanna watch Noggin".

"Mommy, Daddy, GET UP!", he yells again. He is now jumping around the bed. "IT'S A BEAUTIFUL, SUNNY, SUNNY DAY!" That's it. There is no fire. There is nothing wrong. It is just a beautiful sunny, sunny day, and he is sooooo happy!

If only we could all wake up each and every day with such enthusiasm! Through out the day when I felt a case of the crankies coming on I would take a deep breath and think, "It's a beautiful sunny, sunny day!", and channel my little guys positive outlook!

Wordless Wedneday- Protect Health Insurance Companies PSA

2009-09-22T18:15:00.002-04:00

Protect Insurance Companies PSA from Will Ferrell

Wet Socks and Boobies

2009-09-20T12:21:00.001-04:00

I never get a fever *knocks on wood*. Or so I thought. Last Sunday night I felt like I got hit by a mac truck. I was freezing, my back and head were killing me. It took everything to get the kiddos to bed. When I finally got around to taking my temperature it was 101.5. Yikes. I popped some Ibuprofen and decided to put the Wet Sock Treatment to the test. Now, I have been recommending this treatment to EVERYBODY, since the kiddos Dr passed the info to us. The hubby has done it countless times and it has been successful every single one (he works at a Casino and is constantly catching something). I have never tried it myself. I don't get sick *knocks on wood, again*. So, with the thought of how I was possibly going to make it through the next day feeling as I did, AND keep 2 kiddos under 3 fed and safe, I decided it was time I followed my own advice.

Before I went to bed I wet 2 cotton white socks with cold water, rang them out and put them on my feet. Over them I put a pair of dry wool socks.

That's it. Now, I am a person who does not like to be wet. Wet hair, wet bathing suit, don't like em. And I'm a Pieces, figure that one out! But trust me, if you are feeling yucky, this is that last thing that's gonna bother you! The theory behind the Wet Sock Treatment is that while you are sleeping, the socks pull the toxins out of your body, or something like that. You will actually feel it happen over night with heavy sweating. I did.

When I woke up the next morning the fever was gone. I felt better, but not 100%. Maybe 80%. That evening when I went to breastfeed Sophie, I noticed that my right boobie was a bit painful. I realized that this boob had been a bit sore the day before, but I chalked it up as engorgement since we were at a tractor show and the excitement was too distracting for Sophie to breastfeed. Now it really hurt, and it was bright red, and when I touched it there was a noticeable lump. I have heard of Mastitis and clogged ducts, but have never experienced either myself. Through the pain, I tried to get Sophie to empty it. She, being almost one and on the road to weening herself, had other ideas.

After she went to bed, I dug through my breast feeding supplies and found Breast Therapy Warm or Cool Relief Packs.

I have no clue where I got these from, whether from the hospital, a shower, or just bought myself at some point. They were still in the box. After taking a hot shower (helped a little with the pain), I put one of the packs in the microwave to use the heat to help me pump and drain the boob. The other pack I put in the freezer to apply after the pumping.

After a painful sleep, I called my doctor in the morning to see if she could take me. She could, but by the time I got there most of the pain and redness where GONE! My doctor was a bit confused as the fever and body aches where a sign of Mastitis, an infection that needs antibiotics to get rid off. Since I did the Wet Sock Treatment there was NO FEVER (I had to explain this to her, and momentarily felt like a crazy lady). She prescribed me some Dicloxacillin to be "safe". Well, I am very hesitant to take antibiotics while breastfeeding. The hubby is allergic to all the "cillians". I had to stop breastfeeding the little guy at 7 months when I got Lyme's Disease, due to his projectile vomiting after feeding. Sophie, after 11 months of boobies, I did not see taking well to going cold turkey if she too showed signs of an allergy. Since I seemed to be getting better on my own, I decided to wait and see how I felt the next day before taking any antibiotics. If I was feeling pain again, or was even close to a fever, I would take them and pray that Sophie had no reaction. Lucky for me, and Sophie, the next day ALL pain and redness where gone, and still no fever. Yeah! Antibiotics avoided!

For more info on the Wet Sock Treatment visit here. It explains how it really works.

Take Action: Our Children's Education- from Preschool to College

2009-09-15T21:46:00.134-04:00

The town I live in is small. So small, that we don't even have a high school. We have one school that goes from 3 year old preschool to 8th grade. Yup, I said 3 year old preschool. It's FIVE days a week for 1/2 a day. The little kiddos can ride the SCHOOL BUS- in CAR SEATS provided by the bus company. Oh, and did I mention that this program is FREE. Yup, FREE, and grants make this possible. Grants that will be made more available with the passing of HR3221 when it goes before congress on Sept 17th.

HR3221, The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009, when passed, will improve the educational possibilities for our children from early childhood, all the way through to college.

Here's how:

The Early Learning Challenge Fund (Title IV), will increase grants to implement pre K programs for disadvantaged children. It also proposes more grants to aid states in developing early childhood programs.

Title III, offers grants to states for the modernization, renovation and repair of Public school facilities- Elementary, Secondary and Community Colleges. There will be extra grants available for the states that were hit hard by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Title I is called Increasing College Access and Completion and aims to do just that. There are proposals to increase the maximum Pell grant amount, and to simplify the Student Financial Aid form, among other things.

Title II covers student loan reform. Any one with student loans knows ANY reform will help there!! Especially with the increase in the fees of higher education.

To read HR3221 in full, visit GovTrack.us, where I got this info.

It is important for us to let our Legislators know RIGHT NOW that we want them to support HR3221. Visit MomsRising.org here, and send a letter to your Representative with just a click of the button! And join MomsRising while you're there, this organization ROCKS!

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-15T21:41:00.002-04:00

Dead dragon fly that I found Logan playing with.

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

2009-09-10T09:48:00.001-04:00

When I was at the flea market on Sunday I found a cook book called "Deceptively Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld (yup, Jerry's wife). The recipes all have a hidden ingredient of some kind of veggie puree. This one has carrot puree. Just steam some carrots and stick them in the food processor with some water until they are pureed. Since I do this for Sophie's food anyway, it's kinda convenient. I made these as a special breakfast treat. Enjoy!!

Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

non stick cooking spray
1/2 cup peanut butter (creamy)
1/2 cup carrot puree
1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons trans-fat free soft tub margarine spread (yeah, I don't buy this stuff. I used about a tablespoon of slightly melted butter and they were fine)
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt (I used a tad more to make up for the lack of margarine)
1 large egg white ( I accidentally dropped the yolk in there and it came out fine)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low sugar strawberry, blueberry, or grape preserves (I used raspberry. This is perfect for cleaning out the fridge and using those jellies that you have no clue how long they have been in there for. They are getting cooked, right, so that will kill anything>LOL)

Preheat oven to 350. Coat a 12 cup muffin tin with cooking spray or line with paper baking cups.

In a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, carrot puree, sugar and margarine with a wooden spoon until well combined. Stir in the yogurt and egg white.

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined, but do not over mix- there should be some lumps in the batter.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups and drop a spoonful of preserves on top of each.

Bake until the tops of the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the center, 20-25 min. Cool on wire rack.

Store in an air tight container for up to 2 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to a month.

Wordless Wednesday

2009-09-08T23:34:00.000-04:00

All summer I have been picking up random pieces of laundry off the ground under the clothes line. I was starting to think I needed to invest in new clothes pins. Well, the other day I looked out the window and saw this:

My cat Chloe attacking the laundry!

A Must Have For The Cook Book Shelf

2009-09-07T23:30:00.002-04:00

I am a cook book addict. I check out every new cook book that comes into my library. Usually, I will find one recipe I like and will take the time to copy it down. Maybe, I will even get around to trying it. Well, my library books are due tomorrow and this is one that I don't want to return. I have already renewed it, twice, so it's time to say good-bye. We will meet again.....when I get my own copy.

"Whole Grains For Busy People", by Lorna Sass, is a must for anyone interested in cooking with whole grains. And not just for the recipes. The first chapter is a guide to whole grains. LOVE it. This is one reason why I need my own copy. Too much information to write down. Too many pages for my lazy butt to photo copy. There are actually charts in this cook book that show "at a glance" the different types of whole grain pastas, breads and flours. For example, the whole grain flour chart, has headers like "Easy to Grind at Home?", "Taste", and "Texture in Baked Goods". Since I try to make most of my families food from scratch, this is awesome! Sass even shares her formula for substituting white flour with wheat flour in recipes. I haven't tried it yet, but will share if it works. Wait, can I do that or is that a copy-right thing?

The second reason why I need to get this book is because of the mix and quick bread recipes. There are 'make ahead and refrigerate mixes' recipes for pancakes, biscuits, and muffins, among other things. We are a big breakfast family so I LOVE this idea. I am also a recovering Bisquick addict and am going to try the biscuit mix as a substitute.

The other recipes aren't too shabby either, and they are all easy and quick. Most call for ingredients that are already in the house, or are easy to substitute with what you do have on hand. Since my little guy is on a pasta and rice kick, these recipes have come in handy.

Well, I think I'm going to have to start typing up a couple of recipes tonight to hold me over until I get my own copy. And I think it's gonna be cold enough in the morning to try one of the oatmeal recipes for breakfast. HMMMMM, maybe Chai-Spiced Oatmeal....

FYI, I am not getting anything for this "review" if you could call it that. Nor was I asked to do this. This is just me, sharing my new cook book discovery. When you find a book you like, don't you just want to tell everybody?!

Homemade Laundry Soap

2009-09-06T22:58:00.006-04:00

I started making my own laundry detergent a while ago. I found this recipe and it works great. I am saving money- costs less than $10 for the ingredients. The boxes of Borax and Washing Soda make at least 5 batches (I think I am under estimating here). Only one tablespoon of this soap is needed for a regular load, 2 tablespoons for a large or extra dirty load, so a batch lasts a while. I am also lessening my carbon footprint, as I am no longer buying a plastic bottle of detergent every other week. I use it in my He machine, but I do NOT use it on my cloth diapers. I am afraid that the soap might leave a build up on the diapers.

Ingredients:

1 Bar of Fels Naptha Soap (I have found this soap in the hand soap aisle and the laundry soap aisle of the grocery store)
1 Cup Borax
1 Cup Washing Soda (not the same as baking soda)
1/4 Cup Oxy Clean powder (optional, I don't use it)
Oil for scent (I use lavender oil, but I'm out right now)

Other:
Grater
Bowl
Large spoon
Something to store final product in

Grate the soap using the holes on the grater that are this size, or close:

After grating 1/2 the bar, I stop to check on Sophie.......

......and to switch grating arms.

When done grating, soap will look like this:

Add rest of ingredients. It will look like this when done:

Sophie will look like this when done:

I store my final product in this:

Enjoy!

Take Action : What's for Lunch?

2009-09-03T00:13:00.000-04:00

One of the goals of this blog is to inform. I hope that by bringing up and informing on issues that I feel passionate about, I can incite in my readers that same passion. If I can get just one person to act, I feel I have made a difference in the lives of future generations. So blah, blah, blah, here it goes....

Today, that issue is nutrition. More specifically, the nutrition of our children as provided and protected by the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 and the Richard B. Russel National School Lunch Act of 1946. Both of these Acts are now up for review, and both contain parts that will expire Sept 30th of THIS YEAR (that's just weeks away, people!) without Congressional action. It is important to know what is going on, especially when our children are at stake! Congress meets on Sept 8th to discuss this, just a few days away!!

The objective of the Child Nutrition Act, according to the Act itself, is "to safeguard the health and well-being of the Nation's children, and to encourage the domestic consumption of agriculture and other foods, by assisting States through grants-in-aid and other means, to meet more effectively the nutritional needs of our children". To read the Child Nutrition Act (CNA) in it's entirety click here. Yeah, it's long and technical, but in a nut shell, the CNA includes the implementation of:

The School Breakfast Program
The School Milk Program

The Special Nutrition Programs for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), including the WIC Farmers Market Program, School Wellness Programs, and the Program to Promote Breastfeeding.

Are you still with me? The Richard B. Russel National School Lunch Act of 1946 can be read in it's entirety here, but again, in a nut shell, it includes the implementation of:

The National School Lunch Program
Nutritional promotion and education
The Reduced/Free Lunch Program
The Summer Food Service Program
The Child and Adult Care Food Program
The After School Snack and Meal Programs

So what's the deal? All of these programs EXCEPT National School Lunch, The School Breakfast, and School Milk Programs are set to expire on Sept 30th, without Congressional action. Now I highly doubt that the other programs dissapear, but they are up for review and could be modified. There are several issues that are of focus, including:

The need for the implementation and enforcement of policies to guarantee that school meals are following recent updates to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

The need for an increase in the funding received by States to cover the increase in food costs, and to cover the higher price of healthier foods in school meals.

The proposed elimination of the "Reduced" lunch program. Groups such as the School Nutrition Association, are stating that even the "reduced lunch" price is too much, suggesting that there be only "free" and "paid" lunches. Read more on this here.

The need for the strengthening of the School Wellness Program and the support and strengthening of the WIC program with the assistance of Congress. For more details on this click here.

The need for the strengthening of policies to support farm to school initiatives. Farm to School is a program that forms a link between local farms and schools to provide healthier food for school menus, and to improve nutrition through education. For more info, click here.

Ok, now if you are still reading this, you probably want to know what YOU can do to see that these issues are considered on Sept 8th. Here are some ideas:

Take part in "A Time for Lunch" National Day of Action Eat-In on Labor Day, Sept 7th. An Eat-In can be as basic as a group of people having a picnic in a public place while having a "sit-in". The purpose of this Eat-In is to get REAL food into schools. You can find an Eat-In near you, or host your own by visiting Slowfood.org. There is also a petition here you can sign.

Visit HealthySchoolsCampaign.org to send a form email to your Legislators. This is as easy as typing your name and clicking to send!

Go to USA.gov to get your Legislators email address or phone number and give them a piece of you mind. They work for YOU!

Hope that wasn't too borring!!!!! Let me know what you think. I know there are more aspects to these Acts and proposed changes than I touched on. This was just the Cliff Notes.

Where I got my info, and where you can go if you want more:
The National Farm to School Program
National Alliance for Nutrition and Activity (NANA)
Child Nutrition Act of 1966
School Nutrition Association
Healthy Schools Campaign
Frame Works Institute
Frac101: Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act
United States Department of Agriculture

GovTrack.us

Wordless Wednesday- Cliff Walk, Newport RI

2009-09-01T21:50:00.001-04:00

The Cliff Walk is a 3.5 mile public access walkway that goes along the Newport, Rhode Island shoreline. You get a great view of the Atlantic Ocean, and a peak into the backyards of historical mansions. We only walked the part of the Walk that is stroller friendly.

The Breakers, also known as the Vanderbilt's summer "cottage".

Diaper Washer Back In Action!

2009-09-01T17:50:00.001-04:00

So the hubby finally made it to the basement today to see what's up with the washer. Apparently, the only thing I didn't check was the lever that turns the water flow on/off to the machine. YUP, that's all. He insists he did not turn it off. I didn't turn it off. I suggested maybe one of the cats hit it (because they are always climbing the walls in the basement?!), but it's hard to turn. That means we now have a ghost. Sweet.

RIP Top Loader Diaper Washing Machine

2009-08-29T17:35:00.001-04:00

Just like every other diaper washing night, I load the diapers into their own washing machine, add the Charlie's Soap, and turn the dial to Super to start the soak. I pull the knob out to start and....mmmmmmmmmmmmm...... WHAT??? No sound of water, just a quiet.... mmmmmmmmmmmmm..........Panic takes over. My hand is shaking. I turn the dial to Regular, convinced that it's just Super setting that isn't working...mmmmmmm..... Fingers fumbling, I turn the size load to Medium. Yeah, that will fix it......mmmmmmmmmmmmm......One more knob to turn. I know when I change the water temperature it WILL WORK...mmmmmmmmmmmmmm.... CRAP. CRAP. CRAP. Figuratively and literally, because now I have to stick my hand in the wash basin and take all the crappy diapers out and put them in the front loader. Time to review the blog posts from last weeks Cloth Diaper Carnival on how to wash diapers in a front loader. I am telling my self this is only temporary. I KNOW my parents have an extra top loader in their basement they aren't using (thanks to an uncle that drives a garbage truck in a rich town) and it has my name written all over it!!

Give Aways With Prizes for Grown Ups!!!

2009-08-28T22:08:00.001-04:00

For my friends out there with older kids, no kids, or who, like me, just want some stuff, check out these Blogs and enter to win!

Visit Sweeps4Bloggers to win a Two Leaves and a Bud Tea Sampler. Ends 9/5

Visit Sweeps4Bloggers to win a Zedena Designs Enamel Necklace. Ends 9/1

Visit Audrey's Give Away Blog to win reusable produce bags from Love for Earth. Ends 9/5 @6am

Visit A Giveaway Addicted Mommy to check out the great giveaway by CSN mattresses to win an organic mattress pad. Ends 9/1

Visit A Giveaway Addicted Mommy to win a pair of yoga pants from Hyde Yoga. Ends 9/2

Visit A Giveaway Addicted Mommy to win a New Wave Enviro prize pack. Ends 9/2

Visit A Giveaway Addicted Mommy to win a gift pack from Sun & Earth. Ends 9/5

Visit A Giveaway Addicted Mommy to win cleaning products from Ecover. Ends 9/3

Wordless Wednesday- Caught in the Act

2009-08-26T12:08:00.004-04:00

When Logan was a baby he shredded and ate newspapers and magazines. Sophie, she goes right for my cookbooks!

Let's Talk Dirty....

2009-08-21T14:37:00.024-04:00

....dirty diapers, that is!

This Blog is part of the Cloth Diaper Carnival hosted by Kim at Dirty Diaper Laundry. Topic- What is your wash routine?

"Eewwww, I could never cloth diaper! Poop is sooooo grosss!". Heard it a million times when people found out I cloth diapered. Obviously from people who never had kids. Or whose kids were old and they blocked out the memories of poop-plosions, and diaper changes so messy poop gets under the nails. Poop happens whether the baby is cloth diapered or wears dispsosies. With disposies, how ever, the poop is discarded with the diaper, never to be seen or smelt again. So not the case with cloth diapers. At least in my case.

I am on my second kiddo in cloth diapers. Sophie is flying solo with the diapers now that Logan has been using the potty for about 4 months (YEAH!!! Toddler poops are THE grossest!), so I feel I have FINALLY found my perfect routine.

When I first started cloth diapering (almost 3 years ago) I used the wet pail method. I found the perfect trash bucket with handles and a cover. I filled the pail about 1/2 way with water and added about 1/4 cup baking soda. The problem with this was after a day or so of diapers, the bucket became too heavy for me to carry down the stairs to the basement. I'm not a wimp, but after a C-section it wasn't working. So dry pail it is. Oh, and FYI, I actually had to write "Dirty Diapers" on the cover of the pail after a couple of house guests mistook it for the actual trash bucket- cause I'm the crazy lady with the 28 Qt trash bucket in the bathroom.

So, here is the journey of the dirty poopie (I admit I had to spell check this word, several times, and refuse to use poo- pie) diaper. First, soiled diaper is swooshed in the toilet bowl. When done while flushing, there is extra water power to get off the soil. On a side note, I have not yet admitted to the hubby that the accidental flushing of cloth liners is why the toilet now clogs, so hold on tight ladies! Wet diaper is then tossed into the properly labeled "Dirty Diaper" pail. When pail is fairly full, or when I run out of my favorite diapers, it is brought down stairs to the washer.

Now here ladies, is where I consider myself lucky. My house came with 2 washing machines!!! The previous owner did not want her husbands dirty work clothes washed with the rest of the laundry, so they had their own washing machine, which now belongs to the diapers. SWEET! I put the diapers in one by one to even out the weight in the machine (learned if I don't do this the machine falls off the plank it is on). I add Charlie's Soap, which is in fact, NOT soap. LOVE this stuff. First detergent I found that left kiddos rash free. Sometimes I add about 1/2 cup of Borax or Arm & Hammer Washing Soda. Both of these help with stain and smell. I put the dial on Super load and leave the hood up so they can soak for about 1/2 an hour before I close the lid and let the machine finish doing it's thing.

Now here is where I get a bit obsessive about the rinsing of the diapers. I then take them out of that machine, and put them in my new front loader where I rinse and spin them again. This actually helps lessen the drying time, as the front loader spins the heck out of them, leaving them less wet then the top loader. Then I toss them in the dryer. Yup, dryer. I am a germaphobe and no matter what people say, I don't see how the sun can kill all the yuckies on the INSIDE of the diaper. I am better convinced the dryer will cook them.

And that my friends, is the journey of the poopie diaper. In my house anyway. Now click on the blue "Click here" to get links to other Momma Blogs to see how they talk dirty. Ha, Ha, I'm cracking myself up....

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Taming the "Savage Beast*"

2009-08-21T14:35:00.036-04:00

*AKA my little guy in the middle of a temper tantrum*

"Temper tantrum", "meltdown", "uncontrollable showing of emotions", whatever you want to call it, we have all been there with our toddlers. It can be as "mild" as a crying fit, or as violent as toy throwing. Either way, it is unsettling, and in me invokes a strong feeling of helplessness. As I mentioned in a previous post "Healing Myself", once I realized that Logan was feeding off my reactions to his distress, I could aid in the shortening or lengthening of his outburts. If I react with anger, frustration, and helplessness, he feeds off this and his emotions intensify, thus lengthening his suffering. Now, in order to be able to help him grow as a person and learn how to deal with his feelings, I first calm myself.

Which is great, because now I don't make the situation WORSE, but that still doesn't result in it's conclusion! I was still at a loss as to how to calm HIM! I mentioned my frustration to my meditation leader after a practice one day. She suggested that I get a bell and practice the sound of the bell with my son to calm him, in the same way as it calms us in our practice.
She recommended checking out Mindful Kids for more information.

The next day I was on Ebay looking for a bell,also called a singing bowl. I would recommend buying one in person so you can pick out the sound you like, but living in the Boonies where I do, Ebay it was. I narrowed it down to a few in my price range and let Logan pick out the one he liked. I explained to him that it was a bell to send love to his heart to remind him to take deep breaths to calm him down when he is feeling yucky. Basic enough explanation for an almost 3 year old.

We checked the mail every day and made it a big deal when we opened the package. I rang the bell and let him ring it a few times and explained to him again how it worked. When he is feeling yucky, angry or frustrated, I will ring the bell to remind him that he is loved and to take deep breaths and calm down.

It didn't take long before we were able to use our new bell. And of course, when I rang it he immediately calmed down and the tantrum was done. YEAH, RIGHT. This is what I was hoping for, but alas, not what happened. In fact, it took several instances that required the ringing of the bell before there was a noticeable difference. One day he just stopped and breathed! On another day, he asked to hear the bell before the tantrum EVEN STARTED!!Now I haven't had to use the bell for tantrums in a while. Whether he has out grown this phase, or has learned to calm himself down (I prefer to think the later!), I don't know. The bell worked for us. I am not saying it will work for everyone. But, if you are feeling as I was, what do you have to loose?

Don't forget to check out the Mindful Kids page. There are great activities to do with your kids to help them become mindful of themselves and their environment. Most of the activities are for older children, but can easily be adjusted to suit little ones. Also, I have started using the bell to help Logan relax at bed time. Ah, Bed Time, almost as fun for mom and toddler as The Tantrum!

Give Away Addiction

2009-08-10T21:23:00.033-04:00

"Hi, my name is Tracey and I'm a Give Away Addict".

OK, I will readily admit that I am a Blogging Newbie, but how did I not know PEOPLE GAVE STUFF AWAY?!!! And GOOD stuff too. Stuff that I WANT. Stuff that I NEED! I spent most of my day today on the computer bouncing from Twitter to "Follow", Facebook to "Become a fan", and back to the Blog with the object of my desire to leave comment, after comment, after comment. The more comments, the more entries.... What else do I need to do to leave a comment? Sign up for email alerts from said Blog- done it. Now my in box is on fire, as I am alerted every time someone else is after the object, OK, OBJECTS, that I have my eyes on. What else? Back to the list of entry requirements. I have left so many comments today I am wondering if I would have improved my vocabulary by looking up the meaning of all those squiggly words I had to type to "verify" my comment. Are those real words anyway? Let me tell you, after the 50th time they were starting to look real! Hey, ya know what? If I post links to those giveaways in this post, I can enter again!! Some of the contests end tonight at midnight, or earlier, so there might be time for you to enter too..... ;)

Dirty Diaper Laundry- Booroi Diaper Cover, ends 8/24

My Four Monkeys- Hazelaid Giveaway, ends 8/17

Mission Mommy- See Kai Run Shoes, ends 8/17

Kiddies Corner Deals- sponsored by CSN Rugs $40 (or under) rug of your choice, ends 8/10 AND a Crayola Creativity Pack (make sure to go to www.crayola.com to print out coloring pages!), ends 8/14

The Cloth Diaper Report- Britax carseat, ends 8/12

Two of a kind, working on a full house- Kushies Safari Organic Sleeper, ends 8/10

Is that all?? There must have been more....

Carrot Chocolate Chip Cookies

2009-08-09T13:50:00.005-04:00

It's a cool day in my neck of the woods. A great day to bake some cookies. Here is my favorite "healthy" cookie recipe. Gotta sneak those veggies in any chance I get!

Carrot Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup fat free milk
1/3 cup canola oil
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup grated carrots
1 cup raisins

In a large bowl, beat eggs, brown sugar, milk and oil. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, and nutmeg. Add to egg mixture and mix well. Stir in chips, oats, carrots, and raisins. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto baking sheets covered with nonstick cooking spray. Flatten slightly. Bake at 350 for 10-13 min or until golden brown. Remove to racks to cool. Makes about 7 dozen.

Sometimes I substitute some of the all purpose flour with wheat flour- the cookies just end up a bit squishy.

Wordless Wednesday- Cheap Mommy :)

2009-08-05T09:55:00.014-04:00

My double stroller.

The kiddos sitting in their favorite toys.

The play pen.

World Breastfeeding Week: The Code

2009-08-03T10:02:00.038-04:00

This week has been designated as World Breastfeeding Week by The World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). The theme chosen for this year is Breastfeeding: A Vital Emergency Response- Are you Ready?. Living in New England where *knocks on wood* natural disasters are rare or "minor" compared to the rest of the world, I never considered emergency preparedness in breastfeeding as an issue. Actually, I never "considered" it at all. But what if I was a mother in Siri Lanka after the tsunami of 2004 who has been nursing my child for 9 months. Being in a high stress situation, if I was given formula in a care package by a medical aid volunteer, and shown in a class how to use it, would I stop? Would I see using formula as an easier way deal with my situation?

This is where the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes or "The Code" comes into play. The Code was put together by the World Health Organization with the aim "to contribute to the provision of safe and adequate nutrition for infants, by the protection and promotion of breastfeeding, and by ensuring the proper use of breastmilk substitutes, when these are necessary, on the basis of adequate information and through appropriate marketing and distribution".

The Code is violated at almost every emergency situation, mostly due to lack of knowledge. Article 6.2 of the Code bans promotion of products within the health care system. This includes medical aid workers. It is seen as promoting formula over breastfeeding. Article 6.6 provides that donated supplies only be used or distributed for infants who have to be fed breastmilk substitutes. If The Code is followed and monitored, as a mother in Siri Lanka, I would never have been tempted to stop breast feeding.

This is why the WBW theme of Emergency Preparedness is so important. Getting out the knowledge that The Code exists, and ensuring that volunteers and health care workers are properly informed will give mothers the support they need to continue breastfeeding through a disaster situation.

The Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes does not pertain only to emergency situations. To read it in full visit The International Baby Food Action Network site where I got this info from.

Homemade Baby Food

2009-07-30T21:01:00.031-04:00

I am sooo not a fan of processed food of any kind. I try to make most of my family's food from scratch, so why should the baby's food be any different? At the suggestion of the kiddos doctor, I started Sophie out on avocados and sweet potatoes, instead of the boxed cereals. She started at about 4 months, when she was holding her head up and taking food off my plate. The avocados I would just mash and give them to her as needed. The sweet potatoes I would boil and toss in the food processor with either the water from boiling, or breast milk if I had any on hand. I would do a whole sweet potato and freeze it in the ice cube trays with covers. I LOVE these trays. The covers keep the germies out and the tray makes the portion size easy.

When it came time to introduce new fruits and vegetables, I found the site Wholesomebabyfood.com really helpful. Actually, I am addicted to it and have it on bookmark tab. For each fruit and vegetable, the site lists the vitamin and mineral content, the recommended age of introduction, and recipes.

Another thing I love when making Sophie's meals is my immersion blender. Honestly, we had gotten this thing as a wedding present and I had no clue what to use it for. One day (4 years after it had been shoved in a drawer) it clicked that I could use it to smash baby food. I will throw some organic frozen veggies (right from the bag that I bought at the grocery store) in the microwave (enough for one serving). I use the water it's cooked in to thin out the consistency and maybe add some apple sauce, or a cube of sweet potato (thawed) and blend it all together. Voila, one serving of baby food!

Here Comes Trouble!

2009-07-30T12:01:00.009-04:00

My baby girl is growing up so fast! She is already harassing her big brother!

Cloth Diaper Blog Carnival! What Do I Know Now About Cloth Diapering that I Wish I Knew Before?

2009-07-27T22:02:00.029-04:00

This is my first time participating in a blog carnival. It is being hosted by Kim at Dirty Diaper Laundry.
Until I can figure out how to put the link on here, go to Dirty Diaper Laundry to catch the link to the other blogs participating in the carnival.

I have been cloth diapering continuously for almost 3 years. For a while 2 kiddos at a time. What do I know now about cloth diapering that I wish I knew when I first started?

A few things. The first being, don't get overwhelmed! When I was first researching cloth diapers I knew nothing. Friends and family members thought I was insane and either tried to talk me out of it, or were making bets that I wouldn't last long. There were no stores in my area that sold cloth diapers, so no help there either. The computer was information overload. Pre-fold, fitted, all-in-one, or pocket???? Who knew there were so many different kinds of diapers!!! I have since had several friends call me in a panic when they go to purchase their first diaper.

Secondly, there is no "right" way to cloth diaper. Of all the Mommas I know that cloth diaper, no 2 have the same system going. You and your baby will choose what style best suits your needs, be it all in one, or fitted with cover. Be it snaps or hook and loop. I know moms who wet pail, who dry pail, or who use a laundry bag. And washing the diapers? I have tried every method and combination of methods out there and have learned that what works for me, doesn't work for everyone. It depends on your baby's skin, what type of water you have, what kind of washing machine you use, and how you dry. Don't get disappointed if one way doesn't work, there are other options!

Lastly, it's so easy to make cloth diapers! I had been considering making my own for a while, but it took me 9 months into cloth diapering before I finally convinced myself to whip out the sewing machine and make my own. With basic sewing knowledge you can turn an old sweatshirt and T-shirt into a diaper. These pictures are actually of the first diaper I made. When ever I make a mistake I just tell myself "it's just gonna get pooped on"!

So, to some it all up, the most important thing I have learned since I started cloth diapering is that every mom eventually finds her own "way" through the maze of cloth diapering products and information. It takes time and some experimenting, but you'll get there!

Finally!!!!

2009-07-20T13:53:00.000-04:00

I opened this blog account weeks ago and am finally writing. At first it was because I couldn't find time. With 2 little ones it is hard to find time uninterrupted. Then it was topics. Soooo many running through my head that I did not know where to start! So today I just decided to start typing. L, my 2 1/2 year old son, is quietly playing with his trucks. S, my almost 9 month old daughter, is napping. It seems I have a moment to myself. For now.

I guess I will start with an introduction. I am a married, stay at home mom. The hubby is working 2 jobs so that I can stay home with the kiddos. It is hard money wise, but we are making it happen. We have been married for 4 years, together 10. I had both kiddos in my mid thirties. I cloth diapered both kiddos until L was potty trained about 6 months ago (YAY!!). We co-slept with both kiddos for at least the first 6 months. I breast fed L for 7 months and am still breast feeding S. All of these will be topics in later posts as they are all very important to me.

Well, first post accomplished!!! Hubby just got home from job number 2. Family time :)

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********CRIB RECALLS*********

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Finally!!!!

CRIB RECALLS*

* Cloth Diaper Giveaways!!!!!****