Things you maybe knew about being a mom but were afraid to ask!s

This came through today from AlphaMom.
Hello.
Right on target.  Love the one about the puke.  Especially as my oldest is puking as we speak...=(
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by Chris Jordan

Nothing really prepares you for becoming a mother. Sure, people tell you what to expect, but until you actually have a kid or two, their words mean nothing. Needles in your spine? Dignity lost on the delivery table? You think after hearing everyone’s labor delivery nightmare stories that nothing else will shock you.
The only thing that prepares you for motherhood is becoming a mother.  And then you can have your own shocking realizations.
1: Loneliness.  Motherhood is very isolating.  Even when I had several kids I described my life as being lonely in a crowd.  Now that my kids are older I  have moved past this stage, but I still think it is one of those things mothers don’t talk about much.  Somehow it is taboo to admit that your baby doesn’t fulfill  every last desire that you have.
2: Your body will never be the same.  I’m not sure why this one shocked me so much.

Click here to read the rest.

Seeking Significance - Becoming Minimalist

Becoming Minimalist has a wonderful article up today about Seeking Significance instead of Success.  This couldn't come at a better time for me because I'm on the brink of a major life-changing decision about my job.  I hope you find something of comfort and inspiration in it too.

A lean, mean, green smoothie drinkin' machine! Or "Can I do this without a VitaMix b/c I'd rather spend $300 on a Silhouette?"

I've had this link on my favorites menu for ages and with my ADD setting in tonight, I decided to check out what other food ideas I want to try with the kids this summer instead of making my 4th batch of strawberry jam.

I know this one is going to be at the top of my list and the bottom of the boys'.  This Green Smoothie from Happy Foody.    My friend KDGW impresses me every day...most recently b/c she claims states that her kids will drink whatever veggies are left from that week's CSA box.  How nice.  My kids eat their veggies, but I doubt I could convince them to drink anything that's not white and starts with an "m."

At KDGW's Mother's Day gathering, her sil also claimed touted the amazingness of a smoothie-a-day in her three's diet.  At the risk of using too much of our CSA greens in yet, another, salad (please, no) I'm going to test out their exaggerated state of happiness claims and see if it can indeed produce the same results here at the P Ranch.

Here's my shopping list for this coming weekend's test run.  (i.e., Mr. P get ready to drink the leftovers)

Frozen bananas
Whole peeled orange
Fresh pineapple
just enough water to blend it at this point

and finally...

Baby spinach (She also recommends swiss chard, mustard greens or romaine).  I tried this in my first batch and obviously put tooooo much greena bit of sweetener, like Stevia

I don't have a VitaMix but she did recommend blending it for 2-3 minutes.  Green smoothies shouldn't have chunks...20/20 hindsight, right?



Note - wide straw helps the kiddos...

She says that, "Adding a green smoothie to your day is the BEST thing you can do to get on the path to a healthier you. When you drink a big green smoothie in the morning, it fills your body’s need for those vital nutrients to function throughout the day. You will slowly STOP CRAVING junk food."


I'll drink to that...

"The beauty of sharing our history is that our children can learn the easy way what we learned the hard way."

Wow. For more inspiration, chcek out yet another great post on Zen Family Habits. I love #2 the most. If my kids only knew what went on in my head all day long...uh-oh!

Family Happiness - can it be achieved?

Here's a great reminder of what's important and how to really live like you mean it. Zen Family Habits A reminder to get off the computer during daylight hours =)

Healthy personal care products for babies and kids

Great list for starters =) from Healthy Child, Healthy World. My online BFF. You should also check your products for these hazardous ingredients.

Toxic America

The Hubsters hadn't seen Food, Inc. yet so we watched it last night while dining. Thank goodness we didn't have chicken...
I'm really happy to see that the toxic bandwagon is getting bigger. Less people are calling me crazy lately...
You may want to know what's in your stuff too. Check out this special on CNN tomorrow and Thursday nights. Great site for information too. Let's hope Sanjay doesn't goof this one up though, like he did when he called Dementia a form of Alzheimer's...

Are You Raising A Narcissist?

Great article from Michelle (Scribbit) to remind us that "A Star is Born" shouldn't be our kids' first thought.
Ok, so I'm 100% guilty of the photomania. Must. Stop. Now.

Justice-Minded Children

Sunday was the big par-tay for the boys! Lots of fun. More to come on that later. As we gathered in the living room last night to open presents, I talked to Curly and Spike about our ritual of selecting a few (or more) toys or games that they would like to donate to someone or someplace that doesn't have the chance to enjoy as many toys as they do. In other words - give it to someone less fortunate before you open all the other stuff that you are damn lucky to have.

Curly seemed to get the idea. Until he suggested giving his firetruck to his friend, Alden, because Alden didn't have one. Love Alden. Know that he could have one if he wanted to, but he's not the kind of "someone" I was thinking of.

Mr. P and I pondered what we could do to help the boys, at their respective ages, see how they world is full of injustice and how they could play a part in righting some wrongs and making a difference.

Today I came across this post about how to raise justice-minded children. Thought you might like the read too.

Saving the world. One plastic bag at a time.

Took my mommy (Hi Mommy) out to dinner last night for her birthday (didn't say how old, Mom.) The waitress paused a second when I refused the plastic bag for my take-out container. I told her that I was saving the world one plastic bag at a time. Then she brought me a NEW glass and NEW straw for my iced tea refill....

Sigh.

Anyways...when I can, I try to read Beth Terry at Fake Plastic Fish. Very motivating. And guilt-inducing at the same time.

Today's post about storing produce without plastic was especially relevant as I looked over this week's CSA stash (huge!). She has a great link to the Berkeley Farmer's Market which recently went plastic free. This awesome pdf file lists out recommended ways to store those coveted items like the kohlrabi that I had to call my CSA coordinator to ask what the heck it was...

Wonderfully complete wheat-free grocery list

Monica at HealthyGreenMoms recently shared a terrific wheat-free friendly grocery list. Check it out and subscribe to the blog cause you know you will want to after this!

In her words,

"One major key to healthy nutrition is to eat food as close as possible to it’s original state. Simple Real Food. Food we recognize and ingredients we understand. My grocery list is pretty simple. Notably absent are products made with corn, soy and wheat – this also includes avoiding products that use these ingredients as livestock feed – organic or not! If it makes the animals sick, why would I eat it? We rely as much as possible on local suppliers and ask a lot of questions. If I were to describe our meals these days? Real foods, local fresh foods, organic, wheat free, reduced dairy, 50% raw and cooked from scratch."

Here at the P house, we're not wheat-free but I am aiming for simple real food as often as I can. Realistically, Mama loves her some carbs. But the ease of this list and the mere organization of it along with the fact that someone else typed it up and it reminds me of what all is available to my family all equal brilliance in my book.

Bless the beasts, the children and Monica.

Get outside people!

Entrance fees will be waived at all 392 national parks April 17-25 for National Park Week.
Details

Orange you glad you eat well?!

Ever since starting the CSA, I've had a new interest in making dinner. My mom worked full-time and still had the energy to put a four-course meal on the table every night. I loved eating her pasta sugu, her porkchops, stuffed artichokes and especially Breakfast-for-Dinner! I hated that she wouldn't let me drink my glass of milk until I was all finished with it, but I loved the majority of what she made. Except beef stroganoff. Yuck.

When I moved into an apartment with roommates in college, we set up a system where we each cooked for the 4 of us one week-night and didn't have to worry about anything but eating the other 3 nights of the week. Sweet!

Sour. Well, sheepishly sweet for me, but probably still sour for them. Their moms all stayed home with them while they were young and, for the most part, cooked from scratch. So did mine, but she still had a realistic relationship with Hamburger Helper.

(Our "Orange" meal from last week. We hit all the food groups - even had an orange jelly bean to show how little sweets we "need."

So one of my first presentations for my dinner debut was just that. Cheeseburger Macaroni. To this day, they tease me about how, um, healthy, and happy that meal was. I think 2 of them had never heard of Hamburger Helper. Or Pop Tarts.

For my birthday that year, they presented me with a hand-made cookbook with all their recipes written out on cards along with memorable quotes of our year together. I treasure that book. For the memories it brings, but also for the dinner ideas and simple ways to make something special for your family. Recipes calling for 5-7 ingredients and not a little time. I've added my favorites from my mom as well as a few from my mother-in-law and some close friends.

When I started cooking for Mr. P, I was so excited to use some of these recipes. He ate them. He also started insisting on cooking more and serving less. I didn't get his new obsessions with portion controls. And who doesn't want applesauce and a starch with their meal? My mom was an expert at providing a healthy-balanced dinner so I assumed I had to do the same. How dare Mr. P risk his health and my ego but refusing his carbs?

When I got pregnant with our first son, he started eating less of what I made, I started throwing up more of what I made and my cooking days were numbered. Mr. P gladly took over (for various reasons) and I let him. Happily. I'm embarrassingly admitting that up until last year, I probably cooked once or twice a month for almost 3 years...toddlers don't require "cooking" and most of my vegetables were frozen from Trader Joe's. Not unhealthy.

Enter the preschooler, the husband who isn't available to cook and time. Well, I don't have more time, just more motivation. I have two real eaters in the house now, besides myself and $15 a week going towards the most deliciously fresh picked vegetables in Orange County.

Even I am blown away by all that I've conquered in the past 3 months - kale, bok choy, swiss chard. The list goes on and on. So does my receipt from Trader Joe's where I do 99% of our shopping now. I cook with fresh ingredients, often using a "starter" from TJ's (whole grain mix, turkey meatballs, etc.) Lunch is rarely PB and J and can even be handfuls of samplings from each food group.

We've been talking every day about the 5 food groups and "eating a rainbow" each day. Something that I have taught first graders for over a decade but didn't take to heart until I was teaching it to and feeding it to my own precious boys. When the CSA box comes each week, I let them sit on the kitchen counter and help me sort, wash and chop up the "vegetibles" as Curly calls them. We've been to the farm twice, most recently for a strawberry tour. This past week, Curly asked me if we were adding "green onions" to our lunch as he pulled them out of the fridge! Green onions! My kid knows what a green onion is! Jamie Oliver would be proud! (Love that show, by the way. SO inspiring).

I also put handouts in a clear, plastic sleeve and we cross them off with a dry-erase marker each night. This one from MyPyramid.gov will personalize it based upon your child's weight, height and age. Brilliant. Here's another one.

The boys are benefitting and so am I. Healthier eating and a healthier relationship with food for a healthier LONG life.

Won't their roommates LOVE me? =)

Sunday's Simple Start

I discovered Katherine Center this weekend. Where has she been all my life?

"We all carry our mother inside us."

Here's my Mommy who carried me inside her and my Trilogy who let me carry him.

Quick read - Don't get mad, get enlightened.

Here's a great article shared by my red-headed, never-blows-her-top parenting idol.

Ultimate Blog Party 2010

I love me a good party. Especially one I can attend in my jammies while the hubby and kids are sawing logs.
Janice and Susan, the duo (literally - twins) behind 5 Minutes for Mom are hosting their annual Ultimate Blog Party again.
Last year, I just lurked. This year, lurking still, but thought the 8 of you might want to join me =)
Click on the button below and pick a number. Visit every blog that ends in that number. Random stratified sampling, see? =)

And don't forget to sign up for 5 Minutes for Mom and 5 Minutes for Photography - my two faves! I love the quick and inspirational reads!

Another shout-out for the store Janice and Susan own. I drool over some of the retro phones - especially the one that reminds me of my grandparents' red one with a direct line to the President.

So I'm Jennifer...I have 3 boys under 4, 2 dogs under 16, 1 marriage just under 9 and 1 husband just under 16 =)
I started 2 separate blogs in 2006 when my first son was born. One for our family's memories since I type fast and am terrible at writing things in their baby books. I think my mom still reads it.
The other was an outlet for sharing with no one in particular the results of my OCD and anal-ness when it came to researching stuff for my kiddos. I think my friends Anne Marie and Kristen are the only ones still reading. Oh, and my mom.

Got pregnant again, threw up for 25 weeks (again) and stopped blogging. Started up again. Got pregnant again, threw up for 25 weeks (yet again) and stopped.

Now I'm back.

Until I get knocked up again.

Can it be a girl this time? =) Just asking.

I don't get paid for any of the opinionated posts I put up. And if I win anything ever in my life, it's the pleasure of being the booger retriever in my house when cold season hits.

If I did win something through UBP, golly gee willikers!

Dying over dyes.

The timing of this couldn't be more perfect! I have our Easter Egg dye kit out on the desk (after the fact) because I wanted to check the Food Coloring #'s to see if I had just poisoned my children in my pursuit of some hide-n-seek fun...

Healthy Child Healthy World has a fabulous article about the dangers and unknown secrets behind artificial food dyes.

Last Easter I saved lots of links to natural dyes thinking that THIS Easter I would be a better mother. One thing led to another and there we were, friend and her 2 kiddos present, looking for something to entertain the kids. With Daddy unable to join us for Easter this year, I figured that last thing I'd manage was juicing my frozen blueberries so I picked up the PAAS Color Cups kit.

Image courtesy of PAAS


Naturally, I started to second guess myself when the kids' fingers were still green two days later..

Thanks to this article, I can see that the 5 dyes listed on the back of the Food Color Tablets package: Blue #1 and #2, Yellow #5 and #6 along with Red #3 are all bad. Very bad? "Avoid" or "Caution" aren't the terms you like to read after you put Green Fingers and Blue Thumb to bed, are they?

Now that I've scared you, here's the link I saved last year to the Natural Dying we'll be doing for the rest of our short, chemically-shortened lives.

BIG CRUMBS - you have to bookmark this site: The Food and Food Coloring Database! Check it out and see why...

Another freebie - free Photobook from Picaboo

How Does She posted about this terrific freebie - a free Photobook from Picaboo. I've made one for each of the older two's first years. Plan on doing the same when Trilogy reaches that milestone, but in the meantime, maybe a book about their hair?

Over-Used Recipe anyone?

Tiffany at one of my favorite blogs, Simply Modern Mom (also the sponsor of Project 52: Date Nights - love this) is hosting an Over-Used Recipe Swap all this week.

I'm going to contribute my (inherited from a roommate in college)

Chili and Cornbread.

Seriously. Over-used and over-thought.

INGREDIENTS:
3 cans of chili
1 can of cornbread (LOVE Marie Callender's version)

DIRECTIONS:
Use 9x13 baking pan. Open chili, pour into pan. Mix cornbread according to directions on can. Pour cornbread mix over chili. Bake according to directions on the can.
Eat.

The Case for Make Believe: An excellent review over at SimpleKids

As a first grade teacher, my favorite gift for birthdays and holidays is a good, engaging, can't-put-it-down book. Not just for the first read-through and its value, but also for the re-enactments and sequels that young children use their hard-earned imagination for. Megan over at SimpleKids posted a wonderful review of a great book about the value of Make Believe. Check it out here.