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Tuesday, January 29, 2013

No Bake Energy Bites! May I have another??

So, I love Pinterest!  Am I addicted to it?  Well, that's a tough question.  Do I get on it everyday?  Why, yes I do.  Do I get most of my recipes and tips from Pinterest?  Yes I do.  Am I in denial about being a Pinterest addict?  Yes, I probably am.  Hello, my name is Rebekah and I am addicted to Pinterest!  I LOVE PINNING!!  There, I feel so much better getting it out there!  Where was I?  There are so many great recipes on there!  For example, I found a recipe for No Bake Energy Bites found at this yummy site.  


They look delicious right?  Well, not only are they delicious, but they are also easy to make!  No oven required!  Which is a plus in my book!  I always find it so hard to try and make and bake cookies with the little ones (which is why it doesn't happen very happen-sad but true).  These are easy to do.  You can mix everything up and pop the bowl in the fridge and come back when the little boogers are napping!  So, I did tweak the recipe slightly.  I didn't have any flax seed, but surprisingly I had some wheat germ (I actually bought it to put in my yogurt, but gagged on the taste of it) so I used that.  It called for a 1/2 cup of wheat germ, but due to my history with it, I only put a 1/4 cup.  Next time I make it I will go for the 1/2 cup!  I was thinking about putting in natural peanut butter versus the regular, but I felt that the regular peanut butter would mix up better.


So, now the test - do they give me energy?  Well, after I tried a couple three or four, I feel pretty good!  So, check out the recipe and make them!  The test will be when Peter gets home from school.  I will let you know what a 9 year old thinks of them! 


Monday, January 28, 2013

Just another Saturday...

Well, Saturday was supposed to be a girl's day for Abigail and me.  What were we planning on doing you ask?  Well, nothing too exciting, grocery shopping and out to lunch WITH Mommy!  I know what you are probably thinking?  I am spending quality time with my daughter and I decide to take her to the store with me?  Well, yes!  There are 3 reasons why I plan on using Mommy and Me time to go to the store:

1 - My cupboards and fridge are empty!  Nothing for lunches.  Nothing for dinners.  Nothing for snacks!  It's an awful site!!
2 - We are supposed to get freezing rain tomorrow and MORE rain on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday!  Today - it is sunny and dry - we are going!
3 - And the most important - she LOVES to go!  She is excited to go with me.  Isn't that the most important?  I think yes! 

Right now I can get away with these cheaper girl's day outs! 

So, I laid Maison down for a nap around 12:30 and my relief (my husband) had not made it home yet.  He decided to go to the office for a couple hours, which turned to 3 or more.  On top of that, Peter called from his Dad's and said that he wasn't feeling good and wanted to come home.  Well, I certainly was not ready for that clincher in my day!  Ok, so when Peter told me Friday that his head hurt and that he thought he was getting tonsillitis, I probably should have taken it into consideration, but I didn't think anything of it.  I just told him to call if he got worse so he could come home.  What kid would possibly know that he has tonsillitis?  Mine does apparently!  I did have him open his mouth for me so I could check (not being a nurse, I wasn't sure what I was looking for), but since he just had a peanut butter sandwich I didn't see much, but peanut butter and bread!  Nothing gross about that, being a Mom, I have seen much worse!!

If you are wondering, Abigail and I finally got to have our little girls' day at the grocery store and a late lunch.  She slept really good Saturday night.





Friday, January 25, 2013

TGIF

It is Friday! 
Divendres!
Vendredi!
Fredag!
Vineri!
 Perjantai!
 Freitag!

Here's to another week gone - Friday by Rascal Flatts!  Love this song!  So fitting for a Friday!! 
 
It doesn't matter how you say it, it is Friday around the world!  Even though we do not have anything exciting to do today or tomorrow, I am still happy to have the weekend here.  As you all know last weekend we were all sick so we were unable to enjoy it!  I am hoping to get to the store and finally fill up my fridge, freezer, and cabinets.  My poor son didn't even have any fruit in his lunch today because I ran out yesterday.  

TGIF!!


I thought this would be a fun song, "Saturday Night" by the Bay City Rollers!  Get on your feet and move!

 Have a good weekend everybody!!  See you Monday!





Thursday, January 24, 2013

Hit the road FLU and don't you come back no more...

I am so thankful for my friend McKenzie for guest posting on Tuesday.  My family and I were hit really hard with this flu bug so I didn't have time to get anything written down.  Normally, there is always a culprit to these colds and his name is Peter, my 9 year old.  He loves bringing home all those nice germs from school!  Before he touches Maison or Abigail or even has a snack I make him wash his hands.  So, he was not the culprit THIS time.  Guess who it was?  My wonderful husband!!  Yep, the one who NEVER gets what everyone else gets.

So, now that it is a week later and a million tissues later, we are getting back to normal.  Is the house back to normal?  I never said that!  It still has a lot of work to do?  Have I been to the store lately?  Nope, my car hasn't been started for 5 days!  Do I know what we are going to have for dinner?  Nope, planning on winging it so I am sure my family will be looking forward to tonight's wonderful meal!  Is everyone feeling better?  YES and that's all that matters?  So, hopefully this blog will be back to normal soon too and I will have more interesting things to talk about.  

I hope all of you are healthy and staying warm today!

So, here is a song to warm you up!  Enjoy!




And no, I am not in Hawaii, but it doesn't sound half bad right about now!


Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Healthy food talk with my friend AND guest - McKenzie

 I would like to introduce my friend McKenzie.  She always has such great advice and yummy recipes which are also good for you!  I recently asked her for some smoothie recipes to have for breakfast and they were yummy!  I will have to have her on here again to talk about that.  A lot of people might have made New Year's resolutions to lose weight and eat healthier (myself included).  Well, I thought that it was only fitting to have McKenzie guest post on here with some really good advice for eating healthier by eating the right foods.  She doesn't talk about any diet plan (Atkins, Weight Watchers, Slimfast, NutriSlim, etc).  So, read and enjoy and I hope this encourages you to have a healthier new YOU for the New Year!  

*************
 
Hi Everyone!  My name is McKenzie.  I’m a registered dietitian with the WIC program.  I’m lucky enough to get paid to talk about food all day, while being surrounded by tons of cute little kids!  In addition to nutrition education, I also write a monthly newsletter for our program that focuses on nutrition & wellness and daily, I update the Scott County WIC Program Facebook page with health & nutrition news, parenting tips and healthy recipes! 


I’ve known Bekah for several years and our husbands have been friends for ages!  I feel so privileged to get the chance to guest post today and hope you enjoy! 


Michelle Obama has done an amazing job promoting healthy eating & physical activity.  Today I thought I’d share with you some strategies from Letsmove.gov to help you create a healthy home environment in just a few easy steps!  Since children do not usually choose what to eat and have to rely on what parents purchase, surrounding children with healthier options ensures they will eat healthier food.  Small changes in five key areas can make a huge difference and add up to real results: eat more fruits and vegetables, consume less sugar and fat, eat healthier snacks, watch portion size, and eat together as a family.

Fruits & Vegetables
              Kids (and adults) should eat five fruits and vegetables a day
              Serve fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables; they all count
              Provide fruit or carrot sticks as snacks
              Offer 100% juice, with no added sugar
              Mix vegetables into dishes, like adding peas to rice, or cucumbers to a sandwich

Healthy Choices to Reduce Fat and Sugar
              Switch to low- or non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese
              Choose lean cuts of meat like skinless chicken or extra lean ground beef for burgers or pasta sauces
              Bake or grill instead of fry
              Substitute olive or vegetable oil for butter
              Substitute water or low-fat milk for sodas or sweetened beverages
              Drink less soda or sugar-sweetened drinks
              Switch to lower sugar breakfast cereals
              Switch desserts like ice cream and cake for fruit based desserts

Snacks
              Reduce the number of snacks served each day
              Leave a bowl of fruit or carrot sticks on the kitchen table
              Differentiate between snacks that require permission (cookies), versus snacks that kids can take freely (fresh or dried fruit)
              Have kids drink water at snack time
              Save "treats" for special occasions

Portion Size
              Kids are smaller than adults and should eat smaller portions
              Use smaller plates for kids
              Don't force kids to clean their plates if they are full
              Portions should be about the size of the back of a fist—a child’s fist for a child’s portion
              Start with a small portion. Children can have seconds if they are still hungry

Eat Together
              Family meals focus on eating and enjoying food and each other
              Eating together is a chance to model good behavior
              Regularly scheduled meal and snack times help kids learn structure for eating

I encourage you to start small.  Make it a goal to have your family make one small change every week.  I promise small steps add up to big change!  And if you want more information, you can sign up for my monthly newsletter (give Bekah your email address) or “like” Scott County WIC Program on Facebook!

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

9 to 5 - never again!!

Well, this morning as I am sitting here typing and sipping on my coffee, I start to remember the days when I actually had to go to work for someone else.  Yuck!!  Those days of punching the time clock.  I am so glad that those days are behind me.  The only decision I have to make in the morning is which pair of sweatpants I should wear with which sweatshirt?  Oh, and whether I should wear my hair up or up?  Hmmm...decisions decisions!!  When I know I am going to be home all day I don't wear any makeup and no jewelry!  So, please call first before stopping over so I can throw some earrings in to make myself look a little more presentable!!  

I always joke with my friend Steph (sorry, but I have to talk about you today) and call her a Diva!!  I have NEVER seen her without makeup!  She is always beautiful and ready to go for whatever.  She is not only my good friend, but also my wardrobe consultant.  Yes, when you are my friend you have to wear multiple hats!!  I am very thankful for a stylish friend like Steph though!  She has slowly been helping me get out of the frumpy SAHM look.  I am sure you are wondering where this is going - me too!  

Oh yeah, coffee and sweatpants!!

I hope this gets everyone moving today!!

Halfway into my coffee I start to remember my Dad getting up really early when I was a kid to get to work (seemed like he always worked that OT) and rarely had time to read the WHOLE paper and drink more than a cup of coffee in the morning!  Now, he is retired and he finally gets to enjoy reading that newspaper front to back and gets to leisurely drink his coffee and have more than 1 cup.  

I don't know how many of you are familiar with this movie, but I LOVE it!  So funny!  Watch and enjoy!  

Since my coffee is almost gone, I guess I should end this post for today and get up and clean up all the toys in the living room!  

Well, now my coffee IS done and the caffeine is kicking in so I better get some cleaning done!  I will leave you with this working song and hope it puts you in the mood to do some cleaning too!  


My friends who work "9 to 5" jobs, have a good day and hope this music gets you moving!  My friends who are SAHM's, I hope this sweet little cleaning song helps motivate you too!  I could do without all the bugs and rodents though!  

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Teething

When a child starts teething, I mean REALLY teething don't think you are going to get any sleep!  Maison has been teething since he was about 4 months, but do you think he has any teeth to show for it?  Not a one!!  Really?  All these sleepless nights for you AND me and still no teeth??  There have been symptoms that I look for too, but still no tooth.  He has had a little cold/cough and I thought, yeah, here we go, but nope.  Now, he has another little runny nose, so we will see.  I was doing some research though and it says that babies could get their first tooth on or before their 1st birthday!  Wow, that is amazing!  My other 2 didn't wait that long!!  Here is the website that talks more about teething in case there are Moms out there with questions.

Ok, so I may be going on with this a little too far don't you think?  I mean, it's not Maison's fault that he doesn't have any teeth, that he won't sleep at night, and that his mouth hurts!  I just would like him to get some teeth so we don't have to keep having our little parties at 1:00 and 4:00 in the morning.  I just want to yell out, "For the love of God, just come in teeth!"  

It is now 6:00 in the morning and I would really like to go back to sleep, but I decided to start my day.  So....I decided to start the dishwasher because I forgot to do it last night, start making my son's lunch, and possibly get my shower taken before noon today, but not until I finish my hot cup of cappuccino!  

And if any of you are wondering why I am not including any pictures today, well, 1 -  I am not looking too photogenic right now and 2 - Maison is finally back to sleep and I would like to keep it that way at least until I can drink my coffee up AND not to sound too selfish here, I can take a shower.

Well, I better get moving.  I hope everyone can enjoy their cup of coffee too today!  


Monday, January 14, 2013

The jobs of a full-time mother

How many jobs does a mother actually have?  Why is it that when you say you are a SAHM you get the response, "oh, that's all?" or another one I like, "don't you need or want to get out?"  Why is it that when you FINALLY get that chance to go out with your girlfriends all you talk about are your kids?   Well, probably because you love them for one and secondly, they are your life/job 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  It is not a 9 to 5 job that you can punch in and out of.  Some days it would be nice though, right??  Well, I made a list of all the jobs I have as a mother.  Some of you new mothers out may not have all these jobs, but as kids get older, I seem to add another job onto my resume.

A mother's job is...

* a listener

* a homework checker

* a chauffeur

* a nurse

* a hugger

* a kisser

* a tickler

* a good tucker inner

* a mediator between arguments

* and a referee

* a private chef

* a baker

* a book reader

* a hider

* and a seeker

* a disciplinarian

* a rocker (in the chair, but sometimes I have to rock 'n roll too)

* a cuddler

* a maid

* a grocery shopper

* a tutor

* a diaper changer

* a seamstress

* a teacher

Yep, that seems about right.  I know I have missed some, but those are my popular ones.  Feel free to comment and add a job that you do that I didn't include.  Every family is different so please tell me what you do!

Well, I better get going!  My break is almost up and my bosses (Abigail and Maison) are getting upset!  Have a great day everyone!!

Friday, January 11, 2013

Slim down like Jessica Simpson?

As I was folding laundry yesterday, I realized that I had not posted anything since Monday!  Was it really that long ago??  Yep!  You know, when I started this blog my kids were doing ALL sorts of goofy things, saying the darndest things, but now, nothing!  They are giving me nothin'!!  Thanks a lot!  I mean, isn't that the reason why we have them to be a conversation piece at dinners?  No....  don't be silly, that's not the ONLY reason why we have them!  

Anyway, so I was on Pinterest (hate to admit, but I am addicted) the other day and came across a Jessica Simpson Slim-Down Breakfast Smoothie Recipe, which you can find here if you are interested.  



Well, so who was the vulnerable one to try it?  Yep, you guessed it - ME!  Please do not be distracted by how beautiful the picture looks with the nice looking jar and the apples!  I thought it looked good too, so I made it the next morning!  First of all, it didn't say to leave the skins on the apple, so I did.  Secondly, it didn't blend as smooth as I thought it would have been.  The flavor was NOT what I was expecting.  My husband took one look at it and said, "that looks disgusting."  Well, sure enough, it was.  I had a few gulps of it to give it a chance.  I thought maybe it would grow on me, but within a few minutes I was pouring it down the drain.  YUCK!!  I couldn't take it!!   

So, then I got to thinking... did Jessica Simpson REALLY drink this every day or is this just a gimmick?  My husband reminded me that she has her own personal trainer and dietitian, she probably didn't drink this smoothie!  Well, then I looked online and read that Jessica Simpson has hired a Weight Watchers chef!!  Really?  If you want to read more about it, go here.  I think that would be really cool to have if I ever win the lottery.  I would love LOVE LOVE to have my own personal dietitian.  I think that would be awesome.  Well, since my chances of winning the lottery are slim to none, I guess I will just have to be my family's personal dietitian for now.  

Well, if you DO try this breakfast smoothie let me know what you think.  It wasn't my faves, but it could be yours.  My palate may not be as sophisticated as Jessica Simpson's!!

Monday, January 7, 2013

Feeling blessed

Here I am relaxing after a nice healthy dinner of slow cooked salmon and after a NOT so healthy dessert from Dairy Queen.  Aaaahh, life is good.  It would have been good without the ice cream, but let's be honest, it helped.


 After dinner, I'm nursing my 8 month old son Maison, Abigail is doing a puzzle on the floor, and Peter is with the AWANA group from church sledding.  Everyone is happy and the kids are getting along and not fussy!!  It's a dream come true for mothers.  It is a nice and relaxing Friday night.  Definitely not like the ones I spent when I was in my 20's, but I do wake up a little more refreshed these days!!  

Even though Abigail gives Maison kisses and hugs on him every 30 seconds when I am nursing him.  Even though I have to ask Peter to pick up after himself ALL the time.  Even though Maison doesn't want to sleep through the night at 8 months old.  I feel blessed.  I find it so easy to forget how blessed I am until I actually STOP and LOOK around.  

Here are just some of the ways I feel blessed:

*  I have a wonderful husband who works hard so I don't have to (also, to stay home with the kids)

*  I have 3 healthy children

*  I have a brand new van (yes van, I never thought I would be driving one of those)

*  A nice house 

*  Great parents that live close

*  Great in-laws (yeah, I have to include my brothers-in-law too, my sisters-in-law though are GREAT)

*  Good friends (you know who you are - the ones that are on my speed dial, the ones that I talk to at least once a day)

*  Freedom (one that we take for granted)


So, hug your loved ones today and feel blessed to have them even when you have days when you find yourself struggling.

I AM BLESSED

Friday, January 4, 2013

Cleaning schedule and sticking to it

Now this is more like how I look when I have to clean.  There are those people who LOVE to clean, but I am NOT one of them!!

New Year's resolution - creating a cleaning schedule AND sticking to it for more than a month.  It is so easy to get distracted with little ones and forget about the major mess in the toy room.  Does anyone make a cleaning schedule for the week and stick to it?  If so, please tell me how you 'stick' to it each week, I would LOVE love to hear how.  As my resolution I have made for myself, I made a list of the rooms I need to clean and then decided which day I will clean each of the rooms.  

I am NEVER ever this happy about cleaning!   

Here is what I have planned to clean weekly:

MONDAY:
Abigail's room
Living room (upper)
Hallway

TUESDAY:
Master bedroom
Laundry room

WEDNESDAY:
Entryway
Bathrooms 1 & 2/mop

THURSDAY:
Toy room
Peter's room
Living room (lower)

FRIDAY:
Kitchen/mop
Taking tree down (Yes, I am finally getting to it)

SATURDAY:
Storage closet (organizing it and finding a place for all the Christmas decos again)

I have found that it is easier for me to make a list of which rooms I want to clean on that day or else I won't get it done.  I also find that it is easier to designate a day to a certain room(s) and spend the whole day there picking up, dusting, vacuuming, and throwing things away.  I also find that it is easier to clean my 9 year old boys' room when he is at school because he would tend to keep EVERYTHING and not toss out!  

Oh and does anyone have 'that' table where things get set?  Please say I am NOT the only one with a table like that.  

Well, hope you have just as much cleaning this week as I will.