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| Go John Lennon |
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Crafty Friday: Easy DIY Sugar Scrub from Ingredients in Your Cupboard
This is another simple way to pamper yourself- and for a far
lower price than what you would get charge if you purchased this on your own.
MIX:
*1 cup of white sugar
*2 ½ cups of brown sugar
Next, ADD:
1 cup of olive oil
3 Tb vanilla extract
1 Tb of cinnamon/nutmeg mix
Pour into a jar for gifts or into single serving use pouches
for yourself! The sugar softly scrubs away your dead, dry skin, and the olive
oil soaks into your skin and softens tough, dry areas. WONDERFUL for a hand or
foot scrub.
Mix ‘em up and have some fun! Makes great gifts, too!
Friday: Crazy Easy DIY Soothing Bath Salts
Today's Crafty Friday project is about as easy as you could hope for. 3 ingredients and BOOM. You have bath salts. It is nearly impossible to ruin these.
MIX:*1 cup of ice cream salt/ rock salt
*3 Tb of almond flavoring (you can do vanilla, mint, etc. Whatever calms you
most)* 1/8 tsp of food coloring
You're done! I like to put my in single- serving bags, 3 Tb each. These bath
salts are perfect for a foot soak or a nice, long soak in the tub. Aromatic and soothing!
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Thursday: Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie! 5 ingredients- no bake!
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| Just starting out |
Ingredient List:
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1 8 oz container of whipped topping
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
4 oz (1/2 block) cream cheese
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| Spreading melted chocolate |
of course. 1 graham cracker crust
*Melt the chocolate chips in the microwave, stopping to stir every 20 seconds or so
-spread 3/4 of the melted chocolate on the bottom of the graham cracker crust
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| Mixing the filling... |
*Soften the cream cheese and peanut butter in the microwave (think warm, gooey, but not hot)
*Mix the peanut butter, whipped topping, sweetened condensed milk, and cream cheese in a bowl until smooth
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| Swirled chocolate |
*Pour into graham cracker crust
*Swirl the remaining chocolate on the top of the pie
*Add Reese's mini peanut butter cups to garnish if you so choose
*Throw this bad boy in the freezer for at least 1 hour and pull out 10-15 minutes before you want to dig in. (Note: Because there will be a layer of solid chocolate at the bottom, cutting it will take a little bit of force.)
Makes a creamy, crazy-satisfying dessert. After all, if you are going to splurge your calories, why not make it something that will actually satisfy your sweet tooth?***If you prefer to make your crust from scratch, rather than use a ready-made one from the store, just follow the simple instructions in this 2-minute video. Making a Graham Cracker Crust
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Wednesdays: 5 Ways to be a More Productive Stay at Home Mom
Let’s face it- being a stay at home mom IS work- but without
the regulated hours or regular pay of a 40 hour work week, it leaves YOU,
the mom, in charge setting your own work, hours, goals, etc.
There are lots of good reasons to be a SAHM- I have at least five reasons for being a stay at home mom- but if you don't feel productive and successful, you might want to give it up altogether.
There are lots of good reasons to be a SAHM- I have at least five reasons for being a stay at home mom- but if you don't feel productive and successful, you might want to give it up altogether.
Here are 5 tips on how to be more successful as a stay at
home mom
1- When possible, wake up before the rest of your family
(namely children) shower, dress, and get ready for the day. This will automatically
set your mind in go-mode, preventing you from being sluggish and unproductive throughout
the first hours of the day
2- Any physical exercise, even just 15 minutes a day, will
release extra endorphins, giving you some extra energy. Additionally, a little
cardio can help you work out anger/frustration (which can’t help but give you more
patience with your children)
3- Each night, before going to sleep, jot down a to-do list
for the next day. Even if you aren’t able to accomplish everything on your
list, you will find that simply having them written down will help you to do more
than if it was just on your mind
4- Have one long-term goal (eat better, work out, finish an
art project, sculpture, quilt, garden, etc.) and do a little bit of work on it
each day. Stay at home moms are busier than ever, so giving just a few minutes
a day over time will result in a substantial result that will surprise you.
5- Tune out the TV. Have favorite shows? Ones you can’t
miss? Just choose even one hour of TV that you normally watch and substitute it
with listening to the radio for an hour instead- that hour of programming that
you miss will quickly turn into something far more important: an hour playing
with your kids, a cleaner home, a better dinner that evening….
However, remember to keep a balance in your productivity. In five years,
will you remember that half hour that you laughed and chased with your
children? Or your spotless floor? Just be careful not to get carried away with productivity.
It's important to be productive, but make sure that you are happy, too, or you risk resenting your sweet children. Here's 5 Ways to be a Happier Stay at Home Mom.
New to mom-ing? Check out 5 Tips for New Moms.
It's important to be productive, but make sure that you are happy, too, or you risk resenting your sweet children. Here's 5 Ways to be a Happier Stay at Home Mom.
New to mom-ing? Check out 5 Tips for New Moms.
Tuesday Newsdays: Hunger Games Weekend and Baby Shots
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| Baby at the doctor's |
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| They gave her silver bandaids- Like they were WANTED her to pull them off herself.... |
Which is entirely unfair, since I had taken her about a month ago for a week in Texas, and when we returned home, she was smiling and laughing with her daddy like she didn't know how she lived without him.
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| Ok, Sam looks a little tired, but I love the little monkey baby |
I guess she's just a daddy's girl.
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| The baby I missed this weekend |
But returning to the Hunger Games.... we went with a fairly large group and as we discussed how we felt about the movie, the critiques were so mild that I am quite certain there is very little wrong with the movie at all. Like my sister-in-law's "In that one scene in the cave, the blood looked fake on his forehead." Yup. That was it. That was her whole critique. But I wonder- after having all those Twilight movies come out with "Team Jacob" and "Team Edward", will there be a similar "Team Peeta" or "Team Gale" debate? If there is.... I MIGHT just be Team Gale. Maybe. And let me just say that a weekend away with my girls- a blast and a half!
And looking over this particular blog article today, seeing only pictures of my baby- you can see where my mind was all weekend, even if I wasn't home.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Monday: Why I still have faith in America
America has its own set of problems, as most Americans are
well aware. Economy seems to top our problems list, with education, crime,
drugs, and healthcare clamoring after it. Some Americans may even be led to
disparage their own country, seeing every dark smudge and all that could be
better. They say that their faith in America is lost.
Lost? I say I still have faith in America.
Why?
Because Americans are still outraged when they discover a
wrong.
I’ve lived in Russia and learned a code word for the mafia
so you can talk about them without having any mafia members overhear you, as
you live in fear that they might discover your words. I’ve seen the yakkuza
(Japanese mafia) clearly recognized for their crimes but living with impunity. I
was in a car in Bolivia where we were pulled over and expected to bribe
policeman two times within as many hours. So many citizens of so many nations
have come to accept corruption. They feel there is little or nothing they can
do to protest it without fear of death, so they learn how to manage their lives
within a framework of corruption and lies.
I have faith in America because our people still detest
scandals. I have faith in America because stories of do-gooders still attract
interest and attention in our news. I have faith in America because there still
those do-gooders doing their best to assist others in need. I have faith in
America because Americans still expect certain standards and rage when they are
not met.
The day that we, as Americans, accept corruptions, crimes,
and wrongs as inevitable may be the day that I lose my hope in America.
However. As long as the people in America understand and act on their right to
expect right, we cannot fail.
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Thursday: Easy Cheesecake! (No Bake!)
Are you ready for a cheesecake that's easy, quick, and unhealthy? (Sorry, it's just not possible to find a healthy cheesecake- your diet will just have to suffer.
Ingredients
*1 8 oz tub of whipped topping (thawed)
*1 8 oz container of cream cheese (softened)
*1 can of sweetened condensed milk
*1/4 cup of lemon juice
*1 graham cracker crust
Step 1: Mix the whipped topping, cream cheese, and sweetened condensed milk until smooth and silky.
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| Look! All done and yummy. |
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| Ready to mix! |
Step 3: Pour into a graham cracker pie crust and throw it in the refrigerator for at least an hour before enjoying.
Step 4: Feel free to garnish with strawberries, caramel syrup, chocolate syrup.... whatever makes you and your cheesecake happy. What'd I tell you? Easy! Five minutes, tops. And only four ingredients for the filling!
***If you prefer to make your crust from scratch, rather than use a ready-made one from the store, just follow the simple instructions in this 2-minute video. Making a Graham Cracker Crust
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Monday, March 19, 2012
Tuesday Newsday: Baby Sure Loves Her Daddy....
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| Just love this photo |
Tuesday News Days!
This week, Sam and I had our first date night in over a
month! And our first time away from baby longer than one hour together. PERIOD!
All other date nights were shorter than an hour! We saw the VOW…. Something
that I vow to NEVER make someone
else watch it.
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| Baby and Turtle pal |
Baby and I made a trip to the mall for shopping and stopped
to play in the play-yard. She was so strong and stood up holding on to the
turtle. Sam was extra proud of her for spending time with a turtle, since Sam is
always trying to make sure that his baby girl loves animals like her daddy. (I
keep telling him that ALL little kids love pets and animals….) Plus, mommy got
to buy an awesome white pencil skirt. Mommy… looks like a babe. ;)
We also had a fun time with baby’s cousin, as we had a
really fun game night- Sam FINALLY learned how to play Phase 10! I just hope I
can make Sam play it again.
Exciting week? Well, maybe not that crazy- but we did get to
spend a lot of time together, just dad, baby, and I.
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| Snuggles... |
Especially daddy and baby- which is good, since he will have her next weekend while I spend time with my sister's in Idaho at.... THE HUNGER GAMES PREMIERE!!! SO sweet.
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| Loves to sit with papa |
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| Just laying on daddy... |
Mondays: Why I Donate Breastmilk
I have a little 6-month-old pumpkin pie. She is tall and skinny, but has little rolls of fat on her thighs. In my eyes (I'm her mom....) she is just the cutest, sweetest thing in the world.When she was just a few weeks old and I was slightly more emotional than normal, having just given birth. I was up late feeding her and watching the TV. Some doctor show came on and in the course of the story, a premature baby died. Being a new mom, this seemed like the saddest thing in the world and all I could think was that if I could help a little, tiny, helpless infant, I would.
Now, some mother's are very successful breastfeeding. Great for those of you that are. My little one and I did not fare so well and I ended up pumping exclusively. As time went on, it was clear that I made far more milk than my baby girl needed. I had heard that breast milk was something that could be donated and thought I might like to donate my extras, but first, I wanted to know more. I called a mother's milk bank and this is what I learned.
*85-90% of all donated breastmilk goes to babies in the NICU (neo-natal intensive care unit) who were born prematurely. Often time, these premature babies were delivered so early that the mother's body was not able to produce breast milk to feed their own child.
*Babies born prematurely have very sensitive intenstines and formula can eat away at their insides. This can be fatal
Ok, so I learned more than just that, but those were the things that stuck out and made a difference. I thought that if I had the ability to make extra milk and if this milk could literally mean life or death for a new baby, I couldn't think of a reason NOT to donate.
And bottom line, being a mom, I just could not imagine the feeling of watching my own little girl, writhing in pain in the hospital, all because she didn't have breastmilk.
Is pumping a pain? Kind of. Some times. ALWAYS. But, for me, it is worth it.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Thursday: 4-ingredient Blueberry/Blackberry Cinnamon Rolls
This is an easy and cheap way to make blueberry cinnamon
rolls!
Ingredients:
1 cup of blueberries or blackberries (frozen or fresh)
½ cup of sugar
2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice (a mix of cinnamon and nutmeg is
a decent substitute)
2 packages of refrigerator biscuits (homestyle or
traditional- either is fine)
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| Step 1 |
STEPS:
1- Wet your hands slightly and take 2 biscuits-
flatten/combine them as shown in the picture
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| Step 2 |
2- Combine the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and berries in a
saucepan on medium heat until warm
3- Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the berry mix on the dough and roll it
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| Step 3 |
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| Step 3 |
4- Place the rolled dough in a round, lightly greased pie
pan
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| Steps 4 and 5 |
5- Once all of the berry rolls have been put into the pan,
pat the dough down to flatten it slightly and sprinkle with a dash more of
pumpkin pie spice
Bake your rolls at 350 for 17-20 minutes or until golden
brown.
Spread some frosting on the top if desired, pull apart
and enjoy!
PS- Don't forget Freebie Friday's this week, I'll be giving away a sushi making set!
PS- Don't forget Freebie Friday's this week, I'll be giving away a sushi making set!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
Tuesday News-Days: Some-day Nursery and First Solid Meal!
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| Baby girl is on a 90-day Layaway... |
This week, Sam, baby, and I are getting ready to move out of our small, basement apartment. Are we moving? Nope, not even close- but I know that we will be moving in the next few months and am preparing accordingly.
SO, I am getting everything ready for my someday nursery.
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| Our new white crib! |
Newest addition? This
cute little white crib. I bought it at Burlington Coat Factory, and through a
combination of gift cards, coupons and other discounts, it came at the low low
price of $80! Take that white crib, add my rocker and ottoman and diaper
changing station (a little extra paint) and I have the nursery ready to go!
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| Don't you think she'll be happier in her own crib than a pack-n-play? |
Not that I HAVE a nursery, but someday when I do, I’ll be ready to go. I can see it now- white furniture, pink and turquoise for bedding, cushions, and curtains…. Just have to get a place to put it all.
Now, if a some-day nursery isn’t enough, little girl had her
first solid meal this week- Rice cereal! She kept using the same sucking that
she does to drink from her bottle to eat it, but couldn’t figure out how to
keep her mouth closed while doing it. This, naturally, gave her face, bib, and
me a fine, thin coating of milky rice cereal.
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| Practice makes perfect! |
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| Getting ready... |
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| Daddy RUSHED home to give her the first bite |