Movie Review

First of all...in our town, one of our movie theater shows free kid movies for about 8 weeks in the fall and again in the spring. Yes, FREE!! Hide your own snacks in your diaper bag, and you're good to go!
Here is the link to this theater chains free movies...http://www.gqti.com/

Although we did try to go to the free show this week, it was sold out (something that rarely occurs...the only other time we experienced this was when they showed Harry Potter). So instead, we ran to the movie store and rented the movie that was showing. We made our living room into a movie theater (put sheets up over the windows, set up a row of seats, made popcorn, our daughter set up a ticket booth). It was fun and our kids got that movie-theater experience, well sort of.

So here's the review...Flushed Away (Dreamworks, 124 minutes)

This is a delightful movie about a pet mouse discovering the real world of rodents in the sewer. Many things happen, but overall he has to save this new world he has come to love from being flushed away from an evil frog (and his hundreds of tadpoles). The animation is great, very colorful and entertaining. The kids loved the action (many big action sequences like any other action film) and the characters. The plot was simple enough for most of us...with a mild love story and themes of family and belonging. However, the best part of the movie is for the parents watching. I didn't count...nor found all of them...the numerous references to pop culture, particularly children's pop culture (kids TV shows, movies, books, characters) as well as some older references (love the Batman jokes!). They are everywhere...be on the look out. Additionally, the music of the film is great...many songs sung by a slew of singing slugs.

Although the DVD extras aren't great (you must watch the preview for the Bee movie!), overall the movie was great. Well, worth the $3 we spent on it. My son likes it so much, he has been sleeping with the DVD.

Birthday Magic

Of course, many people in our lives have birthdays...and we are often asked to celebrate them with them. But it is always a challenge to find that perfect (and economical) gift. Here are some ideas we have used (I think people have liked them...or are at least polite enough to pretend).

*Kid art! Especially for the grandparents! Frame it to make it extra special.

*Photos! Frame them! Or make a collection and burn them to CD (grandparents can make it their screensaver). Make a collage!

*Make them their birthday cake!

*Plan a special day with them.

*Make a great card. Recently, we spelled out "Happy Birthday, Phil!" with our bodies, taking a photo of each letter and then printing and cutting them out OR Spell out the person's name and use each letter to describe them (D is for dancin', A is for adorable....).

*Perform a show!! This is our latest (and oldest tradition) from our family...never leave the house without a leotard and some scarves.

*Make a photo slide show

*Have the kids sing a song

*Lipsync and dance to favorite or funny song

*Write a poem about the person

*Find out what happened the day they were born (for my mom, my dh found out what was happening in the world when she was as old as each of the grandchildren (e.g. when Caryn was as old as Cooper, 1 year, it was 1952...))

*Be creative and create your own traditions (my brother has started a 'make your own birthday treat' the past two years including cake decorating and cookie making).

Circumcision Follow Up

Here is a follow up article to the one from earlier this week on circumcision on msnbc.com

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17520298/

Recipe!!

I know, its been awhile. Here is a great recipe we made last week!
A little taste of Thanksgiving on a weeknight...

Pecan Turkey Patties with Cranberry Sauce
1 package ground turkey (about 1 1/3 lb)
1/4 cup coursely ground toasted pecans (I used my coffee grinder)
1/2 tsp ground sage (or poultry seasoning)
pinch of cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Heat large non-stick skillet on medium. Drizzle a little olive oil in pan. Make small patties (any size you like...I make small ones for the kids and hamburger-size ones for the adults). Place in hot pan. Cook until brown on one side, about 5-7 mins. Flip and cook an additional 5 mins or until browned. Top with cranberry sauce.

*Can serve like burgers with buns, etc., if desired.

Jenna's Cranberry Sauce
1 package cranberries, fresh or frozen
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 cinnamon sticks
5-10 whole cloves (put these in a tea ball)
(can also use 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground clove)

Put ingredients in medium sauce pan on medium heat. Bring to boil. Once berries start to pop, turn heat off. Allow to cool and thicken (you can smash more berries up with the back of a spoon for smoother sauce).

Kids Music...that parents like

We love music in our house...it is almost always on. We have put together some collections of our favorites to give out to other families and have to play in the car. Here is a list of our latest CD.

WW Kids Collection II
*Just a Girl...No Doubt
*Glory Days...the Incredibles Soundtrack
*Arthur Theme Song...Arthur and Friends
*Get'ch Your Head in the Game...High School Musical
*We are Ants...Ralph Covert
*I Don't Feel Like Dancin'...Scissor Sisters
*No Mirrors in my Nana's House...Sweet Honey in the Rock
*LMNO...They Might Be Giants
*Far Away Cookies...Philadephia Chicken/Caitlin McEwan
*Thomas Theme Song...Thomas the Tank Engine
*William's Doll...Free to Be You and Me
*Somebody to Love...Happy Feet/Brittany Murphy
*Bop to the Top...High School Musical
*Alphabet Lost and Found...They Might Be Giants
*Little Patch of Heaven...Home on the Range/kd Lang
*A Spoonful of Sugar...Mary Poppins/Julie Andrews
*Wouldn't it be Loverly...My Fair Lady/Julie Andrews
*Snuggle Puppy...Philadelphia Chickens/Eric Stolz
*It's Alright to Cry...Free to be You and Me
*Kiss/Heartbreak Hotel...Happy Feet/Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman
*Upside Down...Curious George/Jack Johnson
*The Binky Song...Arthur and Friends
*The Lonely Goatherd...Sound of Music/Harry Connick Jr.
*Rhubard Pie...Laurie Berkner
*Dump Truck...Ralph Covert
*Walk in Jerusalem...Ya-Ya Sisterhood/Mahalia Jackson
*Yodel-Adle-Eedle-Idle-oo....Home on the Range/Randy Quaid

New Name, Same Blog

I finally decided to change the blog name to...

A Mom for All Seasons

The content will remain similar to before...recipes, book and movie reviews, stories about my kids, soapbox forums, news items....

So please check in often!

Jenna

Circumcision Debate

*Soapbox Alert*

On msnbc.com today there was an article about the ongoing debate about circumcision.
Here's the link...http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16776931/

You want my opinion....
Routine newborn circumcision is wrong...yes, ethically wrong. I feel extremely strongly about this. Altering your child's body in any way that is not medically necessary or in concurrence with your practicing religion or culture is wrong. I would include circumcision, ear piercing, cosmetic surgery in this category.

Obviously boys are born with foreskin on their penises...therefore it should be there. Why would you cut if off?

Oh....your son might get more urinary tract infections....if you keep everything clean (including regular diaper changes and bathing), things will be fine. Girls are more likely to get UTI's than uncircumcised boys...what should we do about that? Teach your children to bathe properly.

Oh...your son might get more STD's....not if you teach him about safe sex and how to use a condom. Yes, there are lots of studies that say that uncircumcised men are more likely to contract an STD BUT!!! not if they practice safe sex.

Oh...you or your husband are circumcised and you want your son to look like daddy...your son's penis will not look like yours until he is much older (when you probably won't be showing each other your penises anyways).

Oh...his penis won't look like his friends...with the growing trend to leave boys intact, there will be a variety of penis looks coming up.

I am very concerned that doctors perform this procedure and that health insurance companies pay for it since it is NOT recommended by any medical association (and it costs money). I can't get a mole removed...even though it has higher chances of getting cancer than my son's penis. You won't bring in your daughter and ask to have her pinky toe removed....they would call social services and psych. But bring your son in and ask to have his penis cut and they say sure. It is an ethics question.

My other concern is that parents are making this HUGE decision lightly. Many parents I have talked to say, they never even thought NOT to circumcise. People think it is the norm...and in the US, we lead the world in routine circumcision but why? Parents need to get educated and learn the pro and cons of the issue (and every other parenting issue...one of my big pet peeves). It is not in American culture to circumcise...at least not before the World Wars....only the Jewish and Islamic faith have roots in this practice.

The trends are changing and this is why....many states health insurance programs are no longer paying for the procedure. Therefore, many boys are not being circumcised for this reason. Over time, I predict that a sign of the middle-class will be circumcision. The poor can afford it and the wealthy will be more likely educated against it.

Stepping off...although I will mention that of course my two boys are intact.

Here are some resources...

Circumcision Information and Resource Page

http://www.cirp.org/

Circumcision Resource Center

http://www.circumcision.org/

Smoke Free!!!

I love that my town has gone smoke-free!! Its great!!! I went out to a bar last night to see my husband play in a band and I felt no reason to leave (usually I feel terrible after about an hour in a smokey environment..my throat hurts, asthma kicks in, contacts get foggy). You can eat in a restaurant with the kids and not have to go home and bathe everyone.

I can't really understand why so many people are opposed to this...well, I can, I have heard you all (on the news, letters to the editors, at the city events). If entire states can do it and their economy can be left intact...money loss to bar and restaurant owners being the main arguement...why can't my little town or yours?

Write to your representatives and let your opinion be heard!!! And vote!!

Reading Good...Pizza Bad

Here is a link to an article to on msnbc.com.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17422250/

It talks about the Book It reading program in which children read a certain about of books or minutes and earn a free, personal-sized pizza from Pizza Hut. Many are saying this program encourages childhood obsesity as other say it is great way to encourage reading.

If you have been reading this blog, I think it is clear that I think reading is important, for all ages. And I think any program that gets kids to read is a good thing. I remember participating in this program when I was a kid...hey, Mom, free pizza!! I was excited and wanted to read more to get that pizza (we never got to have Pizza Hut). And now my daughter is participating in the program and she loves it (not that she has to work super hard to reach the goals, she reads every day). At my daughter's school they have to read an average of 15 minutes a day all month.

In the short of it....most kids eat pizza (hey, they serve it every Friday for lunch at school). Why not give the kids and families an opportunity to earn a free pizza by doing something that is great for them...reading.

Milestone!!

Today, my youngest and I have been nursing for 18 months!! (that makes 3 1/2 continuous years for me...plus the year with our oldest...WOW, that's a lot of time from my 10 years of parenthood).

And I love breastfeeding, I will definately be missing something from my life when I eventually stop.

This Week...

What we ate...
Pork Tacos...yummy and made in the crock pot!
Valentine's Food...heart-shaped cranberry scones, heart-shaped pizza, red velvet cheesecake bars, berry smoothies
Baked Pasta with garlic, white sauce
Meatball sandwiches with veggie fries (roasted veggies) and milk shakes (banana smoothies)
Fried Chicken (actually baked) with creamed spinach (used later for omlettes) and baked potatoes
lots of leftovers!

What we read...
the toddler (who is really into puzzles this week)...Dora takes a ride, Beautiful Babies, How many bugs in a box, Peek-A-Pet
the 3 year old...Firefighters in the Dark, K is for Kitten, and working on his own ABC Book*
the 10 year 0ld...working on Harry Potters
the husband...In the Wild (another uplifting book about tragedy in the wilderness)
the mom...still working on Philip Pullman's series...but I will finish within the next 24 hours...please!

*I made a book with large index cards and a large ring clasp. The cover says "Adison's ABC Book". Each page has a letter in upper and lower case (obviously in alphabetical order). Each day, once or twice, we think about words (5-10) to add. We talk about the beginning sound and find the letter (and sound) it begins with. Then we write the word and draw a picture for the word.

Remember to use letter sounds as well as letter names. Just as we teach kids animal noises, we can ask them, what does a D say? This will help them sound out words when they are learning to read.

I did the same thing with my daughter but we put each letter on construction paper and put them up on the wall. We did one letter a day. Later on, we did it again with her writing the letters and words.

Movie Reviews

Baby Einstein
My toddler and preschooler's new addiction is Baby Einstein. I got a video from the library one day...and they loved it. So, I got another. Then, I broke down and bought a DVD. My little one never has really shown any interest in TV but he started bringing the video case to me. He watches it and laughs, points and says words and signs. He dances and claps. My three-year-old loves it too. Besides enjoying it himself, he tells the baby different words to say.

The DVD's and videos consist of series of images including toys, puppets, a variety of colorful oddities (such as those oil and water paperweight-like things), etc. with classical music in the background (perhaps based on the mythical 'beethoven effect'). There are lots of different DVD's focusing on different topics...art, colors, words, languages, animals. The DVD's also include digital flash cards to enhance vocabulary and language. Additionally, the DVD's have a repeat mode so that the DVD will continue to loop.

I try to sit down and watch with them and talk about what they are watching...but it also gives me a bit of time to get dressed, do the dishes, make lunch, or sit and read the news.

Overall, I would recommend them. It is definately a DVD that can foster development and entertain. They are short in length so your child won't be watching TV for hours...even if they watch it twice in a row. The DVD's are about $15 but our library has them on DVD and video ( as well as similar series).

See babyeinstein.com for more information.


Moster House
This Academy Award-nominated film is not for everyone. First of all, simply because it is animated does not mean it is a kiddie movie. I think it would best suit children 8 years and up, based on parents' opinion. In the theater, I think it would have been frightening for many and there are definate adolescent themes . Now, I am a horror movie junkie (not that I watch them with my kids), but I love a good one, on TV especially. And this movie started out like a great horror movie...no joke. Not a surprise from Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg. The music, the symbolism, the mysterious story (very 'twisty-turny' says my 10-year-old). But it fell quite flat. Perhaps, someone stopped them halfway through and said 'this isn't a horror movie, its a kid movie'. The story turned out to be a dud without much meaning or moral (something that seems to be in all children's movies and even most horror movies).

The story is based around a neighborhood haunted house that eats anything they happens upon its lawn. The boy who lives across the street has been studying the house and decides to solve the mystery and save the children of the neighborhood (especially since it is Halloween and trick or treaters will be everywhere soon). However, the mystery of the house isn't very interesting and I didn't see how it was beneficial for my kid to understand. The character development was shallow as well. My daughter mentioned that some characters did not get a good introduction or follow through.

However, the animation is great. The skinny style of the characters is creepy enough to make some characters cute. The voice talents (including Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, Jason Lee, Catherine O'Hara, Fred Willard, and Kathleen Turner) are well done. The run time of 91 minutes is just enough.

We didn't look through the bonus features...since none of them sounded very interesting.

Cars and Kids

Soapbox Alert!!

I read recently in the Chicago Tribune that a woman left her one-year-old in the car while she and her four-year-old ran into a grocery store. What was she thinking? Honestly, I can see the logic, in a way, I'm just running in for milk or whatever, I'll just be five minutes...but besides the fact she brought her other child with her, I wouldn't leave my child unsupervised for more than five minutes in the house...let alone leave her out in the open...out of my sight....in a situation that could easily take twice or three times the amount of time. I don't leave my kids in the car alone...except for about the 30 seconds it might take to put one in and run back to the door to get the other one. And never with the car on. Its not safe...in so many ways.

I think the greatest invention for families is the pay-at-the-pump system at gas stations. Before all the stations had that, the temptation to leave your kid in the car while you ran in to pay was so strong. I can't think of a more dangerous place to leave a child in the car unattended. So, now it is so great that you can gas up the car, pay, and never leave your little ones. Drive-thru windows are also fabulous...especially at the pharmacy and coffee shop.

Besides leaving your kids in the car...my other big pet peeve is not using a car seat. In Illinois, children must be in a car seat up until age 8. It is recommended that they stay in until they are 4ft 9in and at least 80 lbs. We kept our daughter in until she was almost 9...she won't be that tall and that weight for a long time. But she plead with us to get into a regular seat...she wasn't a baby anymore. However, she must sit in the back seat until she is at least 12, in a seat belt. Of course, our other little ones are in car seats. It drives me crazy when I see kids, not only not in car seats, but not even in seat belts! Where are the police? Not only is it physically safest place for the kids but I couldn't handle the kids all over the car. There is enough to deal with while you are driving without having the notion that your kids could (and probably would) move around the car, open the doors, hang out the windows....

Anyways. You have kids...be responsible with them...keep them safe.

Book Recommendation

My three-year-old is very interested in anything with wheels (e.g. trains, cars, trucks) so when we came across David Gordon's books, he fell in love, and so did we.

David Gordon has taken classic fairy tales and set them in the world of vehicles. The stories are classic but with his wonderfully rich illustrations.

Three Little Rigs is like the Three Little Pigs
Hansel and Diesel....Hansel and Gretel
The Ugly Truckling...the Ugly Duckling

If you and your family liked the movie Cars...then check these out.

Restaurant Review: Smokey Bones

I'll be honest, we don't take the whole family out to dinner very often. There have been times, we thought we would have to leave right after ordering...our kids cried the whole time we ate...food was thrown...drinks spilled. In addition to risk of the kids being crazy, it is expensive, and we are on a tight budget. However, our daughter brought home staight A's on her report card and the reward for that is a dinner of her choice. And she chose to go out. Additionally, our 3 year old was great yesterday and took a nap so that he could go (we were not going to risk going out with a crabby kid, so the nap was required). So we tried a new bbq place in town...which also happens to be a national chain, Smokey Bones, barbeque and grill.

Although, not for the vegetarian, the menu has a nice variety of salads, chicken, fish, steaks, burgers and sandwiches, and basic barbeque fare (including pulled pork, brisket, smoked turkey, ribs). My husband had the buffalo burger, which he really enjoyed. I sampled the pork and brisket, which were nice, tender, and delicious. Most meals come with at least one side item of your choice...which include basics like baked beans, cole slaw, mashed potatoes, fries and healthier choices of broccoli, asparagus, collard greens, baked potatoes, and apples. The baked beans were great!

As for the kiddies, the kids' menu, for those under 10 years old, included your basics of mac and cheese, burgers, and chicken fingers but also included the pulled pork, bbq chicken, and a grilled chicken breast. The kids also got to select a side item. And the price ($4.29-4.49) included a drink. My kids ate their selections and really enjoyed them.

Since it was a celebration dinner, my daughter asked to get an appetitizer (something we rarely do). We had the potato slabs (their take on potato skins). They we thin slices of potatoes covered in cheese and bacon. I really liked them and so did the kids, even the picky eater. They were lighter that the traditional potato skin.

Overall, the service was good. We were seated immediately...we were there at 530pm. Most of the booths are large and easily acommodated our family of 5, with room to move. It was a tad slow for our family, since it took awhile for the appetizer to come out but once that happened things were their way and the waitress was very attentive...especially when the baby spilled that large cup of ice water on my lap. And my husband's Coke was refilled at least three times in the hour we were there.

An interesting feature about the restaurant was there are lots of TV to watch. I am not sure whether I like this or not. They seated us near a TV on cartoons (and other families). So my kids watched some TV, while my husband and I caught up on the day. My little ones lost interest once the food came but our 10 year old couldn't focus on the conversation at all (and after all, we were out to celebrate her). I also found myself looking at the TVs while I talked...they were very distracting however I could see how it might be nice if you want to have an adult conversation while out with the kids or there is a big game on while you are at dinner. The kids were also given a kids' menu and crayons to keep them busy.

Overall, it wasn't something terribly unique but still very tasty and reasonably priced (although, with tip, our bill was $50...for 2 adult entrees, 2 kids meals, an appetitizer, and a soda) and very family-friendly. We enjoyed ourselves and would go there again.

For more information, go to www.smokeybones.com

What happened to my children?!

So, something has happened to my children...they are actually being nice, sweet, and cute to each other! Even hugging at times!

Now, its not like me kids hate each other but lately there has been lots of yelling, pushing, and hitting as each of them is finding their position in the household. Last week, we started our Family Fun Night with lots of screaming...culminating with me shouting 'everyone be quiet!'. There has been lots of competition of my attention as well. The boys were just hitting each other all the time...to the point that the baby would flinch or start crying if our 3 yr old got anywhere near him.

So, after lots of talks about 'nice choices', emotions, and even some time-outs, all the sudden, everyone is playing together. My 3 yr old, in particular, is being especially nice. He helped our baby up after he fell and asked him if he was ok. Asked him to play with him (even shared his trains!). Holds hands while walking. Gives hugs and kisses. Says hello and good bye to everyone ('bye buddy!' to his brother in the morning and a 'walk safely' to his sister). When his sister came home from school yesterday he asked her about her day and offered her snack.

It is a nice, warm, fuzzy feeling...let's hope it lasts!

What can you learn?

As we were driving to drop off my son to preschool, my daughter asked me what they do there and if they learn anything. She asked if they had 'class'-type activities. I told her they learn through play. She was terribly confused by this...as are lots of people. Of course, kids (and adults) learn as they play...how do you think they develop!

So, I gave her an example. Imagine reading the Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle (a book I have memorized...as have all the children).
Here is a list of things a child can learn while reading it:
*Early literacy...reading is good and fun! as well as parts of a book (e.g. pages, words, letters, title, author, illustrations, plot (beginning, middle, end)
*Science...metamorphesis of a caterpillar into a butterfly, what happens when you eat too much, hunger, moon and sun
*Days of the week
*Names of foods
*Counting
*Size (a very little caterpillar into a big, fat caterpillar)
*Colors
*Fine motor/muscle skills...turning pages, holding a book, pointing at pictures
*Language...ask them questions, identify pictures
*Emotions...how is he feeling at different points of the book
*Spending time with you! and others!
*and more!

Can believe you child can learn that much in ten minutes of reading!!! They learn through everything they do. A classic assignment in teacher education is to make a list of everything a child can learn while playing with blocks (a lot, by the way). Take a minute and think about all the things your little one does and figure out what they are learning. You may then see the great value in your child's preschool or daycare setting when they have lots of play opportunities for the kids (and not so much 'academic time').

Of course, I think cooking and eating with your kids is a great opportunity for development as well!
Here are some ways:
*Science...chemistry, engineering (structure, construction), invention, experimentation, colors, textures, tastes, research skills
*Math...Pattern, addition, subtractions, multipication, division, fractions, spatial relationships, time, budgeting, weights and measures
*Social...family history and traditions, cultural awareness, history, eating and socialization, time management and planning, manners, doing nice things for others, sharing, spending time with others
*Reading
*Sensory...taste, texture, feeling, sight, hearing, temperature
*Hand-eye coordination (mixing, dumping ingredients, kneading, cutting)
*Safety
*Nutrition and diet
*Fun!
*Self-esteem and accomplishment

So cook with your kids more...you may both learning something!

What we are up to...

We have been busy over the past several weeks, this is what we have been doing...

Play things...
Snow! Snow angels, snowmen!
Train table and new trains
Cars and Toy Story toys
Barbie Dream House
New puzzles
Lots of ring-around-the-rosy and hide-and-seek
Family Fun Nights (movies from the library, pizza and ice cream sundaes)

Reading...
the 16 mon old...Time for Bed, Thomas books, Sandra Bonyton books
the 3 yr old...Mickey Mouse books, Polar Express, the Street Sweeper
the 10 yr old...So Be It by Sarah Weeks, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
the husband...Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Aron Ralston
the mom...James Patterson's Women's Murder Club series (1st to Die, 2nd Chance...), the Golden Compass by Philip Pullman, a couple Robert Parker novels

Eating...
Holiday cookie trays included: Hershey Kiss cookies, Snowmen (made of white chocolate covered nutter butters), Cranberry nut granola, Butterscotch fudge, Chocolate truffles, Pumpkin Bread.
Christmas dinner included: baked ham with spiced cherry sauce, green bean casserole, stuffing.
New Year's Eve dinner included: ribs, baked beans, cole slaw, twice-baked potatoes, bread pudding.

I'm Back!

Gosh, it has been awhile, I know. I hope someone out there is still reading. Honestly, with a toddler now (plus the other kids as well), my computer time has been extremely limited. The baby has a talent for turning the computer off...while the preschooler can find many interesting topics from the help menu. And from Thanksgiving to last week, the time flew by! I can't believe it is a new year already. Anyways. I will try to be back here regularly now.

So...what to talk about? If there is anything you would like to see here, please let me know. You can simply 'comment' on this blog or drop an email to earlychildhoodfun@yahoo.com.

Talk to you all soon.

Ingredient of the month...

Beets!!

What?!?! Yes, beets. They are great. Now a few years ago, I thought of beets as a nasty canned item that some old lady would try to serve me. My husband refused to try them again due to his memories of sitting at the dining table until he ate all of them off his plate. But our local co-op farmer had them on the menu so we tried them.

They are delicious and very good for you! So eat up.

To prepare them you can do a couple of things....for the roots (the red parts)

Burn them!

Yes, throw them on the grill until the skin begins to blacken (similar method to roasting peppers). Then peel the skin off, salt and pepper and enjoy.

Boil them!

Throw into a pot with water and boil until fork tender. Then peel, butter and eat.

Roast them!

Peel and dice. Toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Put into a hot oven (400F) for 30 mins or until fork tender.

Grate them!

Grate them into salads or cole slaw! My grandmother grates them into horseradish at Easter time to symbolize Jesus' blood.

Our favorite way to eat beets...grate beets and place into a steaming basket with a sprig of basil and a couple lemon slices. Place over simmering water with tight fitting lid and steam for five minutes. Remove beets and discard basil and lemon. Mix with a scoop of yogurt and drizzle of honey with some salt and pepper to taste. Great hot or cold. The kids love this one! Even the baby (do not give honey to children under 1 year old!).

For the greens...

You can prepare them as any other dark green...so steam them or chop up and mix into soups or stir fries.

For more information on beets, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beets

Ingredient of the month...

Apples!!

Its finally fall and nothing makes us feel like fall then apples! Going to the local orchard and picking them off the trees and tasting all different varieties. Now, we eat apples year-round but we feel like eating them more in the fall months.

What to do with them? What NOT to do with them!!

Eat them plain! Or slice up and eat with cheese or peanut butter.

Apple Crisp!

Slice up some apples thinly with the skin on--enough to fill an 8x8 pan. Top with your favorite crisp topping and bake. Use canned biscuits or oatmeal cookie dough. Our favorite is a mix of 1/2 whole wheat flour, 1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup smashed almonds, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp each of ginger, nutmeg, ground cloves, and allspice. Cut in 4-6 tablespoons butter. Bake 30-45 mins until browned and bubbley.

Slice and add to sandwiches. Turkey or ham and apples is yummy.

Add to salads.

Make an apple salad--dice apples and combine with pineapple, peanuts, and yogurt! or grate with carrots, dried cranberries, and a poppyseed dressing.

Add to muffins or breads.

Add to soups.

Butternut Squash and Apple soup! Sautee an onion, two carrots, some celery, one butternut squash, and a couple apples, 6 cups chicken stock, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cook until squash is tender and puree.

Slice and sautee (a little butter, brown sugar, and spices). Add to sweet potatoes, waffles, pancakes, french toast, carrots, pork chops, or serve alone.

Enjoy fall and its fruits!!

Birthday Season

Twice a year, we have Birthday Season. In the fall, my kids' birthdays fall within six weeks of each other and my husband's and my half-birthdays are mixed in there. In the spring, my husband's and my birthdays come up and the kids' half-birthdays. What are half-birthdays, you ask? My husband's family started to celebrate their half-birthdays (six months past your actual birthday) because a year is too long for a little kid to wait for that special day. We have half of a cake and sing half of Happy Birthday. It is a great idea until you are still forcing your wife to plan a big celebration in your twenties or your child doesn't understand why no one at school is wishing her Happy Half Birthday.

Anyways....because of this season, we end of eating cake for six weeks. In many ways, we enjoy this. But as we are trying to keep off that baby weight (or loosing it, darling hubby)...it takes great restraint.

Each person gets to pick what kind of cake they want. 9.5 times out of 10, its chocolate cake. So, below is my standard cake recipe. Everyone picks different fillings and icings but the cake is usually the same. Once in awhile we throw in carrot cake (for the baby's first birthday, he likes carrots) or a cheesecake.

I also let the kids pick their theme...Toy Story, Bugs Life, Hungry Little Caterpillar, Princesses. Decorating cakes is really easy. Just be imaginative and creative. Use some ziplocks as piping bags. Color frosting to any color you want. And use small toys as cake toppers. Recently, I made a cake for my niece using small rounds a cake on top of each other to create Rapunzel's tower.

Enjoy!

WW Birthday Chocolate Cake

2 cup sugar
1 ¾ cup flour
¾ cup cocoa
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
½ cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup hot water

Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients except water. Mix for 2 minutes. Add water. Mix until well incorporated. Pour into 2 greased, and parchment-lined circle pans. Bake 30 minutes on 350oF. Cool and frost.

Chocolate Ganache Filling

1 cup heavy cream
1 cup chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Combine cream and chocolate in microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave for 1 min. Stir, repeat until chocolate is melted. Stir in vanilla. Chill one hour or until thick. (Add a layer of raspberries! my hubby's fav!) Can add any extract or liqueur to change flavor.

Chocolate Frosting

3 cup powdered sugar
2/3 cup cocoa
½ cup butter, softened
5-6 tbls milk
1 tsp vanilla

Combine cocoa, butter, about half sugar. Add remaining sugar and milk alternately. Add vanilla.

White Frosting

1/3 cup water
2 tbls meringue powder
½ cup plus 1 tbls butter, softened or shortening
6 cup powdered sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla
¼ tsp almond extract

Combine water and meringue powder. Whip until soft peaks form. Add 2 cups sugar. Add butter and remaining sugar alternately. Add salt and flavorings.
Can be easily colored and great for piping.

Little Things

Its been a stressful and busy week, so here are some little things to get you through.

*My daughter's art teacher was named the Teacher of the Year for the state of Illinois today! She is a fabulous teacher and person. We love her and we are so glad that she was recognized for her outstanding dedication to our kids and community.
Check out the story at:
http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/2006/09/14/washington_school_teacher_named_illinois_top_educator


My husband is hilarious! Now he doesn't cook, really at all. So, when he was in charge of dinner...he lost track of things. He was making breaded chicken fillets (the pre-packaged, just heat and eat kind). When I got home I noticed that the oven was off and there was no chicken to be seen. I assumed he just didn't make them. So we were sitting down to eat--I somehow ended up serving, my daughter asks where the chicken is. The look on my husband's face was priceless. Then he explains...well I put them in the oven and set the timer for 17 mins. But he apparently completely forgot what was happening and when he went back in the kitchen, he noticed the oven on and turned it off (I don't know, thinking I left it on before I went out to run??). When the timer went off later, he simply turned it off and completely forgot he was baking the chicken in the oven. It still makes me laugh thinking about it.

**Our baby is officially walking! and into everything possible!

**Our almost 3-year-old started preschool and loves it so much he wants to go all the time--especially after dinner and on weekends. Just wait until he is a teenager and I have to bribe him to go.

**Our almost 10-year-old had artwork selected to be copied onto a tile for the wall of the new pediatric wing of the hospital. It is very special (and super cool of the hospital to think of including local, children's artwork as a permanent feature!).

This Week...

What we ate...
Pot Roast (in the crock pot) with roasted potatoes and acorn squash
Meatloaf with brown rice and veggies
Pasta Primavera
Smoothies (hubby's on the Abs Diet that includes lots of smoothie recipes)
Dove Bars!
Apple Crisp
Whole wheat french toast
Cheesy scrambled eggs with hash browns with peppers and onions
Lots of leftovers! (the pot roast and meatloaf fed us for days!)
Carrot Cake (baby's 1st bday!!)
Pumpkin Bread

What we read...
the baby...really into Baby Sign books, Five Little Ladybugs, the Eency Weency Spider
the 2-yr-old...Berenstein Bears Get into a Fight, Green Eggs and Ham, Look and Find Books
the 9-yr-old...Bone: Out from Boneville
the mom...4% Famous (a new book and I have yet to see a plot develop and I am 100 pages in...I don't even know why I am reading it still)

Baby Weight

First of all, I would like to give my love and support to anyone trying to loose weight and/or get into better physical shape. It is a hard thing to do.

Secondly, I would like to share that I am finally back to my pre-baby weight (pre-my 3 year old weight). Although I think our stomach flu of last week helped me get there...

I was very young when I was pregnant the first time and only gained about 25 pounds. I lost it right away...didn't even think about it. Second baby...gained a lot. I decided to be pregnant as much as possible and ate anything I wanted, didn't exercise....I gained almost 40 pounds (I know many people think that is nothing but consider I am only 4 ft 11 inches tall and normally weigh about 118 lbs). With that pregnancy, I had back pain all the time and swelled up like a whale. After losing the initial chunk (e.g. the baby and fluids), I didn't loose much weight at all (I kept a good 5 lbs on in the end). So, we decided to have another kid instead of trying to loose the weight.

Now 3rd time around...I gained about 30 lbs, exercised (up until the day before delivery), and ate better. I thought... I feel great, I look great. I will loose this weight in a snap--I'll be nursing (not that I stopped) and running around after three kids now. And I did loose the initial 20 lbs by my 2 week check up...and didn't loose another pound for 4 months.

What did I do? Besides sweeping away any depression about my weight (couldn't hear or see another celebrity mom who lost all her weight in a week--with the help of nannies, personal trainers, and chefs--did any of those women breastfeed?) and refusing to buy new clothes to accommodate my new size...I started taking classes at the gym (the same gym I had been going to all along and just using the cardio machines--the same gym we picked because of the classes we had never been to). The first class...cardiokickboxing was awful, I thought I would die. The second class..step was terrible, I was just waiting to fall on my face. Then, I did a core class. This is great! Then I persisted on the kickboxing class. I ended up going to the class 2-3 days a week. I have kept this up for 10 months! I love it!

I also tried to watch my diet. Just more fruits and veggies--eating the rest of the baby food doesn't count. I cut out all beverages during the day and drank only water--I allow one small glass of juice and one of milk and an ocassional cup of decaf coffee (I used to down cranberry juice like my life depended on it). I don't drink soda anyways.

I also frequented a Breastfeeding and Weight Loss message board (at ivillage.com). This is a great help. There are other women who don't bounce back in six weeks or even six months either.

Finally, the pounds trickled off. And one year later, I finally lost that extra 13 pounds (that's about a pound a month). So, I lost the weight and can I say my jeans are even a bit baggy! (know that I still have a nice, soft belly there) More than the weight, I am in good shape. This means I can play harder with my kids and be a great example of good health for them.

Sick again

Well, we went through it this week. My daughter came home after visiting her various grandparents sick. Not just tired and crabby from too much fun and spoiling from the grandparents...but throwing up sick. We figured she was exhausted, motion sickness or maybe even food poisining. She was fine the next day and even the next. But that night, it started again and it wasn't pretty. After about 4 hours of vomitting and other things (not all making it to the bathroom), it was over. She was better the next day--tired, dehydrated, and afraid to eat in case she had to get sick again...but better. Great, that was over.

Then I got it. Thankfully, I got the younger two to bed easily and finished my PTA stuff for the coming first day of school before it hit. My husband was out at fire fighting training, out of reach so if the boys woke up, I don't know what I would have done. For over 6 hours I was in the bathroom. I slept on the couch, sitting up...close to the bathroom and far away from anyone else. My husband brought the baby down a couple times to nurse. But I figured that our daughter was sick for 4 hours so I should be done soon, right? And I did feel a bit better the next day--exhausted but better. But my husband came down at 6am that morning to take his turn. Now I had only not thrown up for 3 hours and a terrible sense of anxiousness came over me.

If my husband and I were both sick...I mean really sick like this, who was going to take care of the children? Crap!! What were we going to do? Most of our friends were out of town or working and we didn't want to send our possibly infected children to anyone else's house with little ones. Should we call in the reinforcements (e.g. the parents)? Unfortunately, my mom who had been babysitting the kids while we were out of town had caught the same bug and was sick, sick, sick too. There is a crisis nursery in town that we could have used if necessary. But I was feeling better, enough to take care of the kids. And then my husband felt better (only 3 hours of real sickness for him). So we took turns napping and taking care of the kids.

Then all was well. Well, the dishes and garbage piled up (a lot) and we watched a lot more TV than usual. We fed the kids whatever they wanted (out of the meager supply we had). My husband felt better fast and was running errands (e.g. more saltines or powerade, anyone?), he threw in some laundry and a load in the dishwasher. I made up a batch of cherry jello and another of vanilla pudding. And we were all set...then I started getting sick again. Of course Mom gets the sickiest--probably because I had the least amount of time to really devote to getting better (I still had to nurse and take care of people, my husband can nap anywhere anytime).

It feels like it will never end---my kids will never eat a real meal again (I couldn't even watch Food Network, I was so nauseous), the sink will never be empty, I will spend the rest of my life in the bathroom--our one, tiny bathroom.

But alas, it did end (at least I hope so, the little ones haven't gotten it). I finally woke up this morning and felt completely different, anew. I could eat. I could play with the kids. We had an actual meal together tonight. It was only a few days but having three of us sick in the house (including the two adults) was a big blow. I feel like we should set up some kind of plan in case, god forbid, it should ever happen again. At least a sickie food stash and unwatched dvd's.

I hope none of you get sick like us--at least not at the same time.

This Week...

What we ate this week...
Teriyaki Pork Tenderloin and baked potatoes with mixed veggies
Hash Browns (using the leftover potatoes) and cheesy scrambled eggs
Taco Pizza (see below)
the Big Salad
New Barilla Plus pasta with tomato sauce
Homemade Mac and Cheese (with new pasta)
a yummy dinner at a wedding reception
lots of PB and J's (with natural PB and all-fruit J, of course)
Raisin Bran and Cheerios
Carrot, Apple, Kale Puree (for the baby)
Udon noodles with tofu and veggies
Tabouleh salad

What we read this week...
the baby...animal board book, Maisy Takes a Bath
the 2-yr-old...Buzz and the Bubble Planet, My Truck is Stuck
the 9-yr-old...American Girl Books
the mom...People and Parenting Magazine, newspaper (no books, I know...bad, bad)


I grew up in Chicagoland, so it is given that I like pizza. This was a problem with I decided to give up cheese to help with the baby's reflux. Now that I don't live in Chicago any more, it is hardly worth it to order pizza (too expensive for sub-par food). So we often make our own...plus its a great use for leftovers.

What we do...

Crusts

Crackers, tortillas, toast, store-bought crusts, homemade crust (sorry, I haven't found a recipe I like enough to pass on)

Toppings...

Leftover chicken, bbq sauce, onions, jack cheese

Ground meat, black beans, leftover pasta sauce with a splash of taco sauce, cheese, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes (last 3 add after baking)

Any leftover or fresh veggies

Ham and pineapple (a great use for that Easter ham)

*The kids like to make their own pizzas (torillas are the perfect size for that)!

A Working Vacation

Remember when you were a kid and vacation was the coolest time of the year? You would play until you dropped, ate junk food until you felt sick, got sun-burned, drove for hours and hours at a time?

Who made those priceless, childhood memories possible? Your hard-working parents.

We are on vacation this week in Wisconsin. We are here at my parents' house with my parents, brother, and niece. When I was a kid, we used to come up to Wisconsin all the time with my cousins, aunt, uncles, and dogs as well. It was a blast when we were kids. I have very vivid memories of all the fun. I don't remember the 8-hour drive. I don't remember my parents cleaning up all the time or scrambling to keep us entertained and somewhat clean and rested. I don't remember what my parents did at all actually. Probably because they were busy being thoroughly exhausted.

Honestly, I was ready to go home before we even left Illinois. We had come up early and stayed at my parents' regular house for two days before heading up. So with a teething baby, a moody two-year-old, and a overtired nine-year-old, we were done after that. But we got in the car and did it. The ride was actually ok. The baby only screamed for probably an hour or so (reaching his hands out to me with a look to break my heart). I didn't get car sick--a usual occurance. My map-loving brother navigated us passed a terrible traffic jam. Our two-year-old actually ate lunch when we stopped. So all is well. But what makes you so tired while driving. We were just sitting and talking for 6 hours.

I know why I was. It is hard to entertain two kids for that long. I used every toy I brought and found in the car, plus anything else babysafe I could find. Fed them animal crackers, teddy grahams, juice, water. Sang songs, played peek-a-boo, read books. Let the baby poke me in the eye--since it made him laugh. Tickled them, carassed them, ignored them. Finally, we made it.

Then we had to make sure they safely explored the new place. Remembering if everyone ate, slept, has clean clothes. Are the doors locked? Did the baby eat the dog food? Are the cousins fighting again? Why won't the two-year-old wear a lifejacket? Where is the three-year-old?

It is just so much work to go on vacation with the whole family. My husband and I just want to sleep, really. My mom keeps asking me what I want to do this week...and I reply 'nothing'. I just want to relax a bit. So we are trying to relax and have fun--in between the overtired tantrums, dehydrated kids, and wet dogs.

At least we are with family...the kids will love that they got to go on vacation with their cousins, uncles, aunts, and grandparents. It will build loving relationships for life. Just as our parents did for us. It is worth it in the end (I am close to all my eighty-plus family members who we still vacation with regularly).

But my husband and I are thankfully going out of town next weekend without the kids. Its to a wedding but I'll take the excuse to go overnight without the darlings. Its our vacation from the vacation.

Ingredient of the month...

Well, its time for INGREDIENT of the MONTH!!!!

Ground Turkey

This is our family's new favorite thing. We use it all the time. You can easily replace ground turkey in any recipe that calls for ground beef. It is leaner than beef as well. It can be more expensive than ground sirloin (our usual beef of choice) but if you catch it on sale and stock up...it is about the same price.

Turkey burgers are good as well. It won't taste just like beef but it is yummy nonetheless.

Turkey Chili

1 package ground turkey

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 sweet pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 large carrot, chopped

1 4 oz can diced green chilies

1 15 oz can of tomatoes

1 15 oz can beans, whatever you like

1 15 oz can of chicken or beef broth

1-3 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1-3 teaspoons chili powder

salt and pepper to taste

In a large, deep skillet or pot, heat pan and add oil. Add turkey and brown. Add veggies and cook 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Add chilies, tomatoes, beans, chili powder, and worcestershire sauce. Cook 3 minutes. Add broth. Bring to boil. Once to a boil, cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes. Add extra water to make desired consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste.

I usually make this in the morning when I have a bit of time and then stick it in the frig. This allows the favors to meld better. Also, serve any leftovers over grilled hot dogs with cheese and onions.

This Week...

What we ate this week...
Pork Chops with Gorgonzola and Pears (yummy and fast!!)--recipe below
Thai takeout
Turkey Chili Mac and Corn Muffins (the kids made this dinner)
Sweet and Sour Beef (crockpot meal)
Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches
Grilled Salmon
Pasta with Tomato Sauce

Whole Wheat French Toast

Lots of Salad and fresh veggies and fruit

What we read this week...
The baby...Hey! Wake Up! Winnie the Pooh Collection (ok, he ate these books)
The 2 -year-old...Monster Muffins, Elmo's Counting Game, What Bounces?
The 9-year-old...Babysitter's Club, Nickeloden Magazine
The Mom...A Simple Plan by Scott Smith (this was great!) and Parenting and People Magazines

Pork Chops with Gorgonzola and Pears
Source: Better Homes and Gardens, July 2006
Prep: 10 minutesCook: 20 minutes

Ingredients
4 pork rib chops, cut 3/4 to 1 inch thick
Sea salt, kosher salt, or salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium ripe pears, peeled, cored; each pear cut into 8 wedges
2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup dry white wine or apple juice
1/4 cup whipping cream
8 oz. creamy Gorgonzola or blue cheese, cut up
Freshly ground black pepper
Additional Gorgonzola cheese, cut into chunks (optional)

Directions
1. Sprinkle pork chops with salt. In a 12-inch skillet cook pork chops in hot oil over medium heat for 5 minutes. Turn chops and cook 5 minutes more or until browned and juices run clear (160 degrees F). Transfer chops to a serving platter. Drain fat from skillet.
2. In same skillet cook pear wedges in butter over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until browned, turning once. Add pears to platter.
3. For sauce, add wine and cream to skillet. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Boil gently, uncovered, 1 to 2 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the 8 ounces Gorgonzola; whisk until cheese is almost melted. Remove from heat. Serve with pork and pears. Sprinkle with pepper; serve with additional cheese. Makes 4 servings.

Breast is Best

SOAP BOX ALERT!!!

Ok, I didn't really think so but I am becoming a bit of a Breastfeeding Nazi. I was breastfed and I breastfeed my kids. Almost all the women in my family have breastfed their children as well. I didn't even debate it when I had my kids. I honestly don't think there is a debate...breastfeeding is the best choice.

We are mammals...because we feed our young with our own milk. Women are made it do this...this is the purpose of breasts (sorry, it is not to make sex more fun). Babies were made to eat it. And humans have been doing it since the creation of humans. Formula wasn't invented until 1867 (by Nestle)!

Now, I understand that their is a small, very small percentage of mothers that truly cannot breastfeed. And since their is an alternative to breastfeeding, it is a woman's choice. But I am amazed that only about 65% of mothers leave the hospital breastfeeding and by six months only about 30% and only 10% at one year*. Now, the American Academy of Pediatrics** recommends breastfeeding for 2 years and in most cultures where children are allowed to nurse as long as they want or need to, they usually self-wean between 3-4 years--yes, YEARS!

And breastfeeding in public...now there's an issue. In most states, 41, women and children are protected by law to nurse in public. And if a public place denies a woman and nursling this right...you will probably hear about in the news (recently Target and Victoria's Secret). Of course I nurse in public. I am as discret as possible and most of the time people don't even know it has happened. But if you look over and notice...so what. Baby's gotta eat. Or would you rather he scream in hunger.

Extended breastfeeding (typically nursing after 1 year)...ya, I do that too. My first baby...13 months. Second baby...20 months. Third baby..going on 11 months. Besides continued nutritional benefits, the emotional benefits are great.

Nursing while pregnant...did that too. Yes, it is safe (as long as you take care of yourself).

Breastfeeding and the Media...in the news, both sides of the debate are well-represented. In entertainment...very poor. This includes shows about babies (such as TLC's Bringing Home Baby). Where did my kids learn that babies eat from bottles? Not at home. If you can see women's breasts almost falling out of their shirts, you can show mothers nursing their babies (which doesn't show any of the breast, in most cases). The most recent media blitz has been the cover of the August issue of BabyTalk. (see http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14065706/).

Overall, I think breastfeeding is great. It works fabulously for our family. I had great support, education, and resources. Sometimes, breastfeeding takes some real work and can be frustrating and painful. So, if you are going to breastfeed, go out there and find some support (most hospitals have a lacation consultant on-call (We love the Carle Hospital Breastfeeding Clinic!!), join La Leche League (lalecheleague.org) or just call the leader for advice, find some other breastfeeding moms (either in person or online--ivillage.com has a great set of breastfeeding message boards).

Why We Love Breastfeeding...
Its the best and most natural nutrition for my baby.
It is so easy and convienent.
Its free!
It guarantees me individual time with my nursling.
It makes me sit down for 10 minutes every two hours.
It keeps my breasts to a C-cup (ok, this is my husband's addition).


Resources
*Kelly Mom
www.kellymom.com
A great breastfeeding website! Tons of information and support!

**American Academy of Pediatrics
http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/breastfeeding.cfm

Oh Poop!

You know that you are a true parent if you talk about poop on a regular basis.

And I am a parent so...

our two-year-old finally went poop on the potty! This is a big moment in life. He has been working on potty training for months. He has total control over his bladder and bowels. He runs around naked most of the time with no accidents but he resisted using the toilet for bowel movements. So much that has become chronically constipated--requiring daily doses of milk of magnesia. When he needs to poop, he would ask (or plead) for a diaper. But yesterday, we simply didn't have any diapers. We went and bought some Buzz Lightyear pull-ups but he refused to wear them. So he had no choice but the potty left. It took him several tries but he finally did it. He was so proud. We hope that is the turning point in potty training. He still won't wear underwear--he prefers to be nakey. But one step at time.

Summer Changes

This summer has been a challenge as a parent. Overall, I am exhausted but I have to find the energy and strength to continue on from day to day. What has changed the past six weeks?

Well, not much overall. But, school is out. My nine-year-old is home...all day...every day. I never realized how much she was gone at school and her other activities. Don't get me wrong, I love my daughter and overall she is a delightful person. But, I realized that having her home all the time changes the vibe and routine in the house. My usual quiet time while the boys are napping is gone. I have to divide my attention throughout the day in thirds. And the girl has got to eat! This has been a very unexpected change--not that she eats, I knew that, but the amount of food and expense was a surprise. During the school year, my daughter eats two of her three daily meals at school. And we only pay 70 cents a day for her to do so. Can you believe that?! I have tried to figure out how to do that at home, and it is impossible...so thank you school district for finding a way to nutritionally and economically feed our children. So our grocery bill has gone up a bit and I find myself having to go to the grocery store weekly (I used to make a 'big' trip every other week, and a produce and milk run once a week).

Speaking of eating...the baby is eating more food now too. Don't worry...he still nurses ten times a day (that is not hyperbole). Having all three kids home and eating has been good for our schedule. It makes us all eat, together, three times a day. This has been especially good for our picky, snacky two-year-old. He sees his sibs eating and thinks maybe its a good idea.

Speaking of the two-year-old...this summer has been the summer of transition for him. Potty training, pacifier weaning, juice reduction. And he decided to cash in on his last few months of being two...temper tantrums! Lots of them!

And the baby is crawling and learning to walk....

My husband is trying to find a new job....

And I am trying to keep us all under control.

Ingredient of the month...

This month...I love GOAT CHEESE!

This is a great ingredient that is relatively affordable and makes you feel like you are eating adult food again! And everyone will think you are a fancy chef.

At our local farmer's market sells some great stuff! But it is available in most grocery stores.

Here is how we use it...
*Add to tomato soup!

*Top it on burgers! or steaks! with mushrooms and onions!

*Mix into salads!

*Make a turkey, apple, cranberry, goat cheese quesadilla!

*Top puff pastry with goat cheese and sliced apples, drizzle with olive oil and bake 10 mins!

*Mix with dried cranberries and a drizzle of honey and spread on crackers or bread!

*Mix in pasta with sundried tomatoes and garlic!

*Smear on portabello mushrooms, sprinkle with bread crumbs and broil 5 mins!

The possibilities are endless!!! Enjoy!

What I've been doing...

This is part of my new format...this will give you a quick idea of what our family has done each week. Additionally, I will write journal-type entries.


What we have been eating...
Many of these meal recipes are or will be posted on this site.
*Thai Chicken Pizza (so yummy!)
*BBQ Tofu/Tempeh in wheat tortilllas
*Pasta with artichokes, mushrooms, and spinach (yum!) and big salad
*Homemade macaroni and cheese, grilled hot dogs, and mixed veggies with spices
*BBQ chicken sandwiches, baked red potatoes, peas
*Turkey Meatball Sandwiches
*Peanut Stir Fry with Noodles and Chicken
*the Big Salad

*the famous 'Leftovers!'

What we have been reading...

the baby--Baby Sign books, Maisy's train, Goodnight Moon

the 2 year old--How I Became a Pirate, Tarzan, The Very Busy Spider, The Very Quiet Cricket, 10 Hungry Monsters

the 9 year old--Harry Potter 4:GOF, Ella Enchanted

the Mom--Blindness by Jose Saramago (this is a great book! and it would have been even better had I had all my brain cells back intact. it is a bit difficult at times but really thought-provoking (remember when you thought about something besides poop)); Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasan (great, fun read).

What have we been watching...

BabyFirst TV (babyfirsttv.com)

(we got a month-long preview on our service). It is really great. The 'shows' are about 3-5 minutes each and are developmentally-appropriate. Our baby didn't really care about it but our 2-year-old loved it. He was very interactive with the programs.

So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)

My daughter and I like to watch. We have never really watched American Idol or anything, so this is our first show that we are getting into it all. No, we haven't voted for our favorite yet (and probably won't). Its good summer fun.

Rent

Got it from the library, of course. I haven't seen the stage show (but I have seen La Boehme) but I really liked this movie. The music is great and the cast (mostly the originals from Broadway) are great.

Pirates of the Caribbean 2

Search for the lost editor...it is WAY too long. Its all pirate action and its all good. Johnny Depp is great and I could easily be persuaded to watch Orlando Bloom for two hours. My nine-year-old liked it too but was scared at certain parts. The plot confused her a bit as well. If you liked the first one...and plan on seeing the third...head on out.

Cars

This was a good one--of course Pixar can't miss. Of course my two-year-old son loved it (and told his toy Lightning McQueen that he was home when the movie started). I thought is was a bit long (2 hours) and slow at times and right now the least favorite of the Pixar collection (but I am sure it will grow on me once my sons have requested to watch the DVD a hundred times).

New Directions

So, I have been trying to become a master 'blogger', rather unsuccessfully. I intended to use this blog to express my feelings and experiences about early childhood and parenting, including how I get through my daily life of a mother of three kids (e.g. recipes and activities). But...because I am a mother of three kids, I have been having a difficult time finding the time and energy to blog.

But rest assure, I have not given up. I have decided to use a slightly different format (and fancy new layout). Additionally, one thing that has bothered me about blogging is the lack of interactions with my readers. So, please email me or comment on the blog. If you are reading this, let me know what you think...any questions...want a recipe for something...what to share a recipe....

Please keep coming back. I really am determined to update the site weekly...I promise...at least for now.

Enjoy!

Wake Up!

So, our lives are so busy and our schedules are so full that I seem to run on autopilot. The routine that I have established in the house runs itself each day, seven days a week.... This routine is good. Kids thrive on routine--don't we all. They can predict what is going to happen next and find comfort in knowing what is going on in this crazy world they live in. Also, routines set your biological clock and allows one to sleep (or want to sleep) at regular intervals and eat in a sensible manner. Parents loves this as they can predict when their kids eat and sleep and thus can plan activities.

However, this continual routine can also be bad. It runs, and runs, and runs, and then all the sudden a month has gone by...or a year. What happened? The days run together and you find yourself in continuous motion--working only to maintain this routine. And you've been eating the same ten meals for the past three months. And it is exhausting.

What actually made me think about this was a song on the car radio--actually one of my husband's countless mixed CDs. It said--with a great dance beat--"Wake up! You're asleep at the wheel!" And indeed sometimes this is how I feel. I wake up and 'drive around' without even aware of what I am doing--nurse, change diapers, pour bowls of cereal and cups of juice, throw in some laundry......and on and on. I even find myself driving certain places without much thought--I have actually driven to a place and realized I had no real reason to be there, I simply automatically drove there.

So, I have decided to 'wake up'! Yes, I still have to 'drive'. Kids have to eat, play, and be cleaned--so do I. And a basic routine is still a good thing. But we can make things fun and interesting. Change things up! Stop and watch the kids laugh and dance, instead of taking the opportunity to finish the dishes. We can go to the park--even though lunch is supposed to be in 30 minutes. Take the time to enjoy breakfast with the kids and not be thinking two meals ahead. Take a bath or shower with the kids--with bubbles!

And to this end...here's some quick 'wake ups' for regular recipes (basically by adding fresh herbs and favors).

Mint and Lemon Peas
Frozen or fresh peas, cooked
Lemon zest
Fresh mint, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper

Make peas like usual. Add lemon zest and mint. Enojy. (good cold as well!).

Crunchy Green Beans
Frozen or fresh green beans
Dried cranberries
Roasted almonds, chopped

Cook beans like usual. Add handful of berried and almonds.

Chili Corn
Canned, frozen, or corn on the cob
Butter
Chili powder
Lime zest
Salt and Pepper

Cook corn like usual. Add butter, salt, and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with chili powder and lime zest.

Books are Back

Yes, I am still here. Sorry. We have been so busy this month...including a great vacation to Colorado. Travelling with the kids is so exhausting but the kids and even I had a great time visiting family, friends, and nature. Then we just have all these things on our calendar. Crazy! So is the life of a family. I can only imagine what it will be like when the kids are in jr. high and high school!!!

Anyways. I wanted to at the very least recommend some more reading--I know we all have tons of extra time to sit down and read, right?! Actually, I read at least 15 mins or one chapter before I go to bed each night unless its super late or I am super exhausted. I just finished R is for Ricochet by Sue Grafton and have Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code on my shelf.

The Tao of Poop by Vivian Elizabeth Glyck
This is a funny and interesting book for new and vetern moms alike. Read the whole first chapter before making a judgement. Besides including her personal experience as well as other parents, each chapter includes 'sanity savers' and 'thought exercises'. These give you some things to help out and think about your life.

Belly Laughs by Jenny McCarthy
This book is the first in a now series of books by the comedienne. It is a funny reflection of her own pregnancy including all the things that other books don't really mention including the unpleasantness of pregnancy and weight gain and loss. Its a fun read for vetern moms and a reality check for new ones.

The Breastfeeding Cafe: Mothers Share the Joys, Challenges, and Secrets of Nursing by Barbara Berhmann
This is a fabulous collection of stories from breastfeeding parents all over the nation. You'll laugh, you'll cry...what could be better?! A great book for all nursing moms.

The Complete Book of Breastfeeding by Marvin Eiger andSally Wendkos Olds
This is the breastfeeding reference book I own. (Yes, I do occasionally purchase a book). Besides all the usual info, there is a drug list for nursing moms and a great reference section.

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
No, this is not a parenting book but its a great book to read with your child--age 9-15 years. I love Hiaasen's books and he has two young readers' books. This is a great book. My daughter and I really liked it. There is a movie that was recently released based on the book--although I have yet to see it.

Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine
Ok, I haven't read it yet but...this is our first summer read-together book with my daughter. There is also a fabulous movie based on this one. I'll let you know how it is.

What my 2-year-old is reading right now...Sesame Street Magazines, Maisy's Train, Arthur's Valentine Countdown

What my 9-month-old is reading right now...The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Good Night Moon, Barnyard Dance

Recommended Reading

by request

I'll be honest, I don't have a lot of 'parenting' books on my shelf. Since I have studied families, child development, and education, I have read a lot about these subjects. And I have been a parent for almost ten years, so my past experience is enough to write a couple books. Additionally, other parents and the internet are fabulous resources. I do own a few books--mostly reference books on pregnancy and breastfeeding.

But I do have some books that I highly recommend.

Our Babies Ourselves: How Biology and Culture Shape the Way We Parent
by Meredith Small
This book is a must for any new or vetern parent. Read this one as soon as you realize you want to or will be a parent. Small takes the reader through several aspects of parenting (e.g. feeding, sleeping, play) in relation to cultural traditions of many cultures including the US. This book allows you to think critically about your parenting choices and why you make those choices. Its great book to read to reflect upon yourself as a parent.

Entertaining and Educating Your Preschool Child
by Robyn Gee and Susan Meredith
A good book to help you figure out what to do with that bundle of joy. It answers the question of 'how do I play with my child'. Including developmental information for ages 0-5 years, this book describes numerous activities to do with your child to foster his development. It is super parent-friendly.

The Happiest Baby on the Block: The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer
by Harvey Karp
This is a nice book to learn how to relate to your child and make her feel good. Written by a pediatritcian, he clearly explains why and how to soothe your baby.

The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night
by Elizabeth Pantley
This book is an interesting perspective on sleep. It includes information on babies' sleep cycles and many options for getting some sleep (including co-sleeping). Be warned, this technique takes hard work--like any sleep training, and strong consistency. It also may work for one baby and not the next (like in our house).

The Baby Book: Everything You Need to Know about Your Baby from Birth to Age Two
by Martha and William Sears
I like Dr. Sears' books and perspective on parenting. He utilizes 'attachment parenting' as his major philosophy. Again, this perspective may not work for your family or every child. His website is www.askdrsears.com.

First Meals: The Complete Cookbook and Nutrition Guide
Annabel Karmel
This is a good book to to guide you through making your own baby food. Although there are some questionable recommendations from my perspective (I don't push solids too much until the babies are 9-12 months old and I avoid dairy the first year); there are a lot of fun and great recipes for all ages.


You should know by now that I love the library. So, I urge you to go and spend some time in the baby book section. There are a lot and you should find books that match your personality and outlook on parenting as well as your baby's temperment. Do not feel obligated to follow all of anyone's advice. Do what you feel is best.

Bring the Restaurant Home

We don't eat out much. But we miss a couple things from restaurants--soup and salad bars. We love to have soup and salad dinners--they are healthy and economical. So here are some ideas to bring the 'restaurant-style' home.

Fake-Out Cream Soups
This recipe is for Cream of Cauliflower Soup or Cream of Brocolli Soup but its a lot healthier and super fast. Pureeing soups gives a creamy texture without adding lots of cream--actually no cream. Simply topping soup with cheese instead of adding it while cooking, reduces the fat as well.

2 tablespoons olive oil or 1 tablespoon oil and one butter
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 head of cauliflower or 1 bunch of brocolli, roughly chopped
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup milk
4 cups broth or water (if using water, simmer extra 10 min)
1 cup shredded cheese

In large pot, heat oil. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Sautee five minutes. Add garlic and cauliflower or brocolli, and salt and pepper. Cook 5 minutes. Add flour and stir well. Cook 5 minutes. Add liquids. Cook on high and cover. Bring to a boil. Drop heat to low and simmer 5 minutes. Using immersion blender, puree soup (or ladle into blender and puree in batches). Leave some vegetable chunks. Ladle servings into bowls and top with 2 tablespoons cheese.

Makes 6 servings.

*You can also make Baked Potato Soup by adding 3 baked potatoes (leftover or made in microwave so save time). And so not puree but use a potato masher to smooth out soup. Top with cheese, bacon, and green onions.
**Experiment with adding spices or fresh herbs to change flavors. Cummin, curry, cilantro...

Great Fruit Salad
Your favorite fruits (we like apples, berries, bananas, melon)
Add chopped nuts--almonds are great!
Add minced mint and ginger
Add the rind of one lemon or lime and its juice

Super Salad
Start with your favorite greens. Add as many fruits and veggies as you like. Here are some of our favorite combos.
*Apples, dried cranberries, almonds
*Carrots, peas, avocado, almonds
*Veggies, nuts, dried ramen noodles
*Pears, nuts, blue cheese, raisins
*Peas, pesto
*Brocolli, carrots, peas, apples
*Beans (chickpeas, kidney beans, green beans)

The Little Things

When people ask me how I am, I almost always answer with either "busy" or "tired". Things get so crazy around here sometimes. Soccer practice, PTA meetings, meal preparation, shopping, laundry, vacuuming... Having three kids different ages is definately a challenge. Each child needs such different things. Our nine-year-old needs to research her science project. Our two-year-old is potty training--enough said. And our baby is learning to use his body to obtain and eat everything in the house.

So through all this chaos, you have to sit back and enjoy it. So here is a list of ten things that happened in between and during the chaos that make it all worth it.

1. Our 8-month-old finally figured out how to crawl and can now smoothly transition from laying down, sitting, crawling, and standing!
2. My husband mistakingly dressed the baby in our 2-year-olds clothes and vice versa. And neither one cared.
3. Our daughter sweetly helped our two-year-old during his first Easter egg hunt.
4. Our daughter played goalie at her soccer game.
5. We have an owl in our yard and we all stop and listen to it.
6. Our two-year-old helped feed the baby cereal.
7. It was nice enough to play outside--so we are out every day!
8. The kids all sat and played musical instruments together.
9. Our two-year-old learned how to say our last name (which is a complicated one!).
10. Our daughter made us a ceramic toothbrush holder in art class. She hid it from us in a gift bag to find with our Easter baskets.

Playing with your child on the cheap

Have you been to the toy store lately? There are SO many toys now. I swear when we were kids there were not as many toys and for sure, our household didn't have that much. After the holidays, my kids had so much and I couldn't believe it. To be honest, I don't remember a lot of my childhood toys. I am sure my parents and relatives provided tons of things to play with but actual manufactured items....I had dolls and stuffed animals. I even asked my mother about it and she couldn't remember any of my specific toys either. However, my mom and I can clearly remember my brothers' toys including He-Man stuff (we had the Castle Greyskull and this really smelly skunk-man) as well as a bunch of Star Wars toys. Perhaps I was the forgotten third child or it was assumed I wanted to play with my brothers' things, or perhaps I played with other things such as soup cans, boxes, pots and pans, and books.

My kids have lots of toys. A lot of things that require a lot of batteries (batteries make a good baby shower gift!). My son has dozens of trucks and trains and cars. My daughter has so many Barbies (30 at one point) and little craft kits (beads all over!). Even the baby has a lot--but his favorite toy for awhile was a washcloth. And even though our two-year-old really loves his train set...the kids love the simple things such as paint, blocks, empty boxes, dancing, playing outside, cooking, coloring, and reading. So I have vowed to do a major downsize of your toy stash this spring.

To that end, I thought I would share some of our favorite activities and toys that are fun and inexpensive.

1. Cheesy Sticks
This is a favorite that I picked up from a developmental therapist.
Take an empty and clean parmasan cheese container and 10 or so popsicle sticks. Allow your child to put the sticks into the top of the cheese container. Start with the lid off. Then progress to the large opening side...then the three small hole side. This will work on the child's fine motor skills or hand and finger skills as well as hand-eye coordination.
By using colored sticks or writing letters, pictures, or numbers on them--the child can sort them ('find all the blue sticks'), make a pattern ('let's do a pig stick then a sheep stick'), or count them as he puts them in.

2. Bouncy Ball
Who doesn't like to play ball. Go out and invest in an exercise ball or pilates ball. Make sure to get one that best fits your size. This is a great thing for everyone in the family. My husband prefers to bounce on the ball than rocking in a rocker when dealing with a fussy baby. It is also great to restore your core muscles after the baby (just sit with your baby and make circles with your hips). I love to exercise with it...but that's a different post.
*Sit on the floor with the ball in between your legs.
1. Lay your baby on top of the ball on his belly. Gently bounce the ball. (this will strengthen the baby's upper body and its fun!)
2. Roll the ball slightly so that the baby almost is standing on the floor, you holding his hands over the top of the ball, and then roll him back to the top (like #1).
3. Sit the baby on the top of the ball. Hold either her torso or top of the thighs. Gently bounce the ball (this is help strengthen your baby's core so that she can sit by herself).
4. Have the baby sit in your lap. Pat the ball with your hand. Help your baby pat the ball. Take turns patting the ball. (this will encourage turn-taking and imitation).
5. Sit with your baby close to a wall--a few feet. Roll the ball with your baby toward the wall (it will bounce back). (this is help your child learn to predict).

3. Paint
Most kids love painting.
You can make paint out of lots of things:
Jello (with just enough water to make a thick paint)
Pudding (with just enough milk...)
Powdered tempera paint (you can make it as thick or thin as you want)
Dish or hand soap with food coloring
Yogurt with food coloring

Try painting outside or in the bath tub for easy clean up.
Paint on old wrapping paper, paper bags, construction paper, the sidewalk, bath tub.

4. Box town
We always have boxes around. Let your kids do whatever they want with them. Or help them (for younger kids, you can do it and surprise them one day). Make them into cars, trains, planes, houses, mail box, refrigerator....the possibilities are endless.
I usually limit the lifetime of our box creations to 1 week--that's about how long I can stand to have a big box in the living room or bedroom.

5. Kitchen Fun
By now you realize we spend a lot of time in the kitchen. And hopefully by now you have reorganized your kitchen so that it is safe for the kiddos.
1. Pull out the pots and pan and wooden spoons and make a drum set for the kids.
2. Have them organize the pantry for you--soup in one spot, pasta in another.
3. Have them help make a grocery list--have them check the pantry, what's missing, count what you have.
4. We have lots of fun magnets and magnetic toys on the frig and dishwasher.
5. Kids can stack boxes or can to make a castle out of cans.

Some good resources...
Entertaining and Educating Your Preschool Child by Robyn Gee and Susan Meredith (a great book for 0-5 year olds (one section for 0-2 1/2 years; one for 2 1/2-5 years) including what to use in your house to foster development).

Parenting Magazine--they have a section each month on ideas to use recycleables (e.g. toilet paper rolls, milk jugs, paper napkins).

State of the Household Address

by request

We made the decision for me to stay home with the little ones while my husband works a full-time job. This puts us on only one income. Therefore, maintaining a tight budget is extremely important. Here are some things we do to keep our expenses low.

1. Food
It is estimated that Americans' second largest monthly expenditure is food (after mortgage or rent). (some of these tips are from the Chicago Tribune--although I unfortunately cannot find the article again)
*We don't eat out much. In addition to having three kids who won't sit for more than 20 minutes at a restaurant...eating out is terribly expensive (this includes driving through, ordering in, or stopping by). Additionally, making food at home is faster. By the time you decide on what everyone wants, order, wait, drive home, lay it out on the table...you could have made a simple and healthy meal.

*If you do eat out....don't order drinks. Water is good for you and free.

*Order a meal and only eat half (this will save your waistline too!). Save the rest for lunch.

*Many restaurants offer 'kids eat free' program. Do some research and find which do and don't.

*Also, look in those advertisements you get in the mail (that I often recycle). They often have coupons for local restaurants.

*Be a conservative tipper--unless the service is excellent, don't feel bad to keep it at 15%.

*Don't order food for your 2 year old unless you think he will actually eat it. Otherwise, ask for an extra plate and give him some of yours (this is NOT meal sharing and it should not cost a thing).

*Make it at home!!!
I love coffee but paying $3 for a latte is silly and is now a nice treat once in awhile. Instead I make a cup at home for pennies.
I make our own babyfood, baked goods, pasta sauce, soup, chinese, pizza....

*I am a great shopper.

*I read through the grocery store's weekly advertisement before going to the store (its online at our store). Most of the items on the ads are at great prices (often a loss to the store). So, stock up. I used to think...why do I need 10 bottles of apple juice. But...if you buy them when they are 10 for $10 and use them as needed....you will save about $1.50/bottle. Cereal is a good one to stock up on as well.

*Try to shop alone. The more people with you, the more requests and impulse buying will occur.

*Buy an extra freezer and buy meat when its on sale and freeze.

*Coupons are only worth it if you would normally buy the product anyways.

*I also almost always buy the store-brand. I am picky about a couple of items (shampoo, mac and cheese) but otherwise, its always cheaper (even when the brand name is on sale)

*Also, I buy reduced-priced baked goods. Our grocery store bakery puts 'old' baked goods half-off after a day. They are still fresh and taste better that they are cheaper. Our store also reduces the rotissary chickens after 7pm (pick one up with your milk and have the next day).

2. Beauty
*Ok, if you know me personally, you know that I am not exactly a beauty queen. I am very simple in my fashion and beauty regime. So, I cut back on make-up, hair products, and perfume (I don't use them really--I do wear make-up but not on a daily basis). I also do not color my hair--which saves me tons of money!

*As for haircuts....I do them at home for everyone but myself. We invested in a set of hair clippers ($15). I cut my husband's hair with the clippers and my son and daughter's with a good pair of hair sissors (that came with the clippers). I go to a hair stylist to get my hair cut a few times a year--and mostly to the discount places.

3. Clothes
*My kids birthdays are in the fall and then its holiday time--so they all get enough clothes to get them through most of the year. But we always have to get summer stuff.

*I use any gift cards I get for their birthdays and Christmas in the spring. I also watch out for some good sales at the stores.

*I try to buy clothes that are a bit too big--so they might fit the following year as well. Our poor baby simply wears almost all hand-me-downs from his big brother. I also buy winter coats for the kids every other year and at the end of the winter (for the following year). Around February, stores put everything on clearance (you can do the same in the summer for swimsuits--but those are harder to predict the size).

As for my husband and I, we really don't buy too many clothes for ourselves. Around twice a year, I take an Old Navy shopping spree and my husband's buys a new outfit for work.

Also, don't feel bad asking a friend or family-member for hand-me-downs or shopping at Goodwill. Kids go through clothes super fast! You could probably fill an entire room in your house with all the clothes they will wear in 18 years.

4. The Library!!!
I know I have mentioned it before. Go get yourself a library card. You can get books, movies, music, newspapers, magazines.....for FREE! I used to be a Barnes and Noble junkie--but now I have a hard time spending money on any of that since I know I could get it from the library. Plus its a great place for family fun!

5. Gift-giving

*This may sound cruel but...we don't give our baby gifts. He doesn't care if gets something under the tree from Santa or for his birthday. And if we do get the youngest something, it is always very practical. And we don't get our older kids much either. They get a few gifts at Christmas and their birthdays but we have enough family and friends that they get tons of stuff. We try to do more 'experiential' giving--like a special activity or dinner for their birthdays.

*This may also sound bad but...we don't give expense gifts to anyone. Bottom line...we can't afford it. We make a lot of gifts (framed kid art is great!) and try to spend time with people. My husband and I get each other modest gifts or make each other something (like dinner without the kids).

6. Penny-Pinching

I do a couple penny pinching things that I hope save us money but I don't even have time to find out.

*Turn off the lights. If you are not in the room, turn it off.

*Turn off the computer. My husband leaves it on all the time--just in case (of what, I don't know). But if you aren't using it, it will save energy and not give off any extra heat that you don't need.

*In the winter...open the drapes or blinds. Let the sunshine heat the house. In the summer...keep them closed to keep the heat out.

*Run your ceiling fans.

*Take shorter showers or double up (I will take a bath with the babies--hey what other time will you get a chance to soak?).

*In the summer, use your microwave, crockpot and George Foreman grill instead of the oven. It will keep things cool (and thus not cause the AC to charge on).

*Really measure your laundry detergent. Why waste a bunch if you are only doing a small load (like any of us have 'small' loads of laundry!) And wash on cold.

*Buy the cheaper diapers and wipes. Who needs Supreme? Or use coupons.

*Order free samples. If I see a product I already use on TV offering a free sample, I order it. Its FREE! If you are flexible with your brands, you could get a lot.

Let me know what you do to save money! There are always new ideas to try!

Email me at earlychildhoodfun@yahoo.com

next time....fun (cheap) toys and activities with the babies!