Babywearing:
As Ive shared multiple times, I was horrified of my kids when they were babies. Whether or not that fear was valid, thats up for more discussion, lol, but seriously, I was horrified. From a very early time though, I wanted and really needed them to be somewhat independent. I didnt want my kids to need to be with me at all times, or need to be held in order to sleep or settle. I wanted my body back and some freedom - remember, 15 weeks of bed rest because my body wasnt mine, but was a baby baker. However, things as always, did not go as planned. I still feel to this day that E was traumatized during his second hospital stay. Im sure the care was good and all, but he had spent 28 days in the hospital, came home for 2 weeks and then was back for a few days with his reflux. He was taken away, again. The beginning weeks and months of a childs life are vital for their attachment to family, mommy and daddy. . . and he had to go back to the hospital. He came home and we had to re-learn how to feed him. We had to give him prevacid 3 times a day. He screamed, a lot. Especially during the first weeks while the medicine kicked in and started to heal him to he could feel better. Through my own exhaustion and hormones, it was hard to see past my own discomfort. I was still afraid of creating this dependent creature, and I failed to see that he and N were born dependent creatures. That it wasnt the time to teach independence. . . yet. While N was ok to be left in the crib or pack n play with a toy or musical toy going, E just wasnt there yet. N hadnt been taken from his home though, his NICU issues were far less severe than E's.
So, what might I have done differently? I would have worn E all the time! Baby wearing is the use of a baby bjorn type thing. There are a million on the market, and its important to find what is comfortable for you and baby at the same time. There is one on the market called the baby ergo:
http://www.ergobabycarrier.com/
I wish I had gotten that one. Everyone I know who has it looooves it. Im not sure what the weight limit is, but I understand you can use it for quite some time. I think E would have benefitted from being close more, earlier. I gave in at one point and bought a maya wrap, but I wasnt as happy with it and didnt use it as often as Id have liked. I tihnk I might have if it was more comfortable. Part of the issue too was that the ergo cost $100+. But. . . I probably could have found on on craigslist and washed it. . . . whatever. . . hindsight is 20/20, and I promise you, and the dr. agrees, both E and N are perfectly happy, well adjusted, developing on target little men:)
Its just a PHASE!
Often I have said I wish someone told me that. . bla bla bla. But I cant say this here. We've all heard that 'oh, its just a phase'. Babies do that, and it changes, etc. . nothing is forever. Im not sure how I could have hard wired this into my brain, especially since Im still working on that part. But nothing is forever, as soon as you get one thing down, another changes. Its all fluid. A LOT of trial and error. I havent figured out a way around that part yet, but will share if I do. I had a hard time with the sleep thing, and the routine thing. Every time we had a piece of the sleep issues down, or a new part of the routine that I felt worked. . . anything that threatened anything I had down pat was to be squashed. Eventually though. . . they go to sleep, mama gets her shower, and even gets to sleep. . . through the night:) It might take a while, but it DOES happen. I was so hung up on not losing any part of what I had created that I refused help and made up excuses a lot. Maybe it was the hormones?
Again though, I have to say. . . . my boys are happy, healthy, and currently as I type? Playing in their cribs before nap time:)
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Toddler activities
Just came across this note on my computer. I do not know the source, but want to specify, the ideas are not mine and I cannot take credit, just sharing, enjoy!
1. COLORED RICE
An idea for indoor entertainment at home is letting them play with colored rice ….if they can be trained not to put it in their mouths.
Get a storage container - it's nice if it's large enough for 1 child to sit in cause they'll be determined to do it- I make them take turns- (my container is maybe 2ft long, 1.5ft wide and 5" high? small enough that I can lift it and store it, but just large enough for 1 child to sit in and many children to gather around) and fill it with rainbow colored uncooked white rice. Lay down a bed sheet/table cloth/paint drop cloth, put the rice in the storage container on top of the sheet. Give them funnels and jars to fill up, spoons, measuring cups if you want to work discussing full/empty terms with them, a few plastic animals they'll enjoy burying and then finding......when they're done, you can use the bedsheet to funnel in rice that spilled out of the container back into the container, and rice that went beyond the sheet is swept up and thrown away. To make colored rice, buy many bags of basic white rice, and put rice in ziploc bags. Drop in food coloring with 2 Tbls rubbing alchol which helps the dye stay and not rub off on hands. Mix the rice up in the ziplock back then lay out on a baking sheet and let dry for a bit – you could also try maybe low temp in the oven. This is a winner for many ages and keeps them focused for a while. Then store the container and sheet away to use another time. We've been using ours for 4 years now, and even with all the rice I sweep and throw away I still haven't had to make more colored rice. And rice is far easier to sweep than sand, so that's why I champion this as better indoor texture play than a box of sand.
2. Large boxes with packing peanuts
Kids love to jump in, hide in and play with packing peanuts in large boxes. I keep them around until the boxes are destroyed.
3. Body painting before bath time. Use washable paints, strip them down to their diapers, put some paint on some paper plates and let them go. Messy – yes – but washable paints are quick and easy to clean up. Buy some rolls of butcher paper and cover the floor so they can make footprint art (makes unique wrapping paper).
4. Playhut’s indoor pop up tents, tunnels and ball tent. Playhut has easy to fold and store pop up tents with attachable tunnels, etc. A ball tent is great – you can pick up bags of ball tent balls at Toys R Us (much cheaper than ordering that online and paying for shipping) – you’ll need at least 200 balls for a ball tent. I’ll pull out the ball tent for 2 weeks, then pack it up (balls come in re-zipperable bags) and store away for a while. The other huts and tunnels can be fit into small rooms- I'll even run it down a hallway.
5. Magna doodles – my favorite first drawing tool….as I dislike Crayola’s Wonder markers since it takes a second or two after the child has drawn for the line to appear and this confuses the child.
6. Make your own playdoh and provide some plastic scissors, small plastic cookie cutters, children’s rolling pins, and pastry wheels to play with.
COLORED PLAYDOUGH
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup salt
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar
Food coloring
Saucepan
1 cup flour
Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm. Remove from heat and add flour. Stir, then knead until smooth. The cream of tartar makes this dough last 6 months or longer, so resist the temptation to omit this ingredient if you don’t have it on hand. Store this dough in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag.
7. Colored sand/salt art. Buy colored sand, or color your own sand or salt using powdered paints. Put the colored sand/salt in salt shakers. Give each child a piece of paper in a tray/cookie sheet and let them ‘draw’ with a glue stick. Then allow them to shake the colored sand/salt on their drawing, tip the paper up and there is their masterpiece....and toss the left over salt in the tray.
8. Even the smallest back yards or condo patios can usually fit a sand box or water table or sand/water table. Ditto with smaller play slides from Step 2 or Little Tikes.
9. HUNTS:
a) Plastic egg hunts – it doesn’t need to be easter. Fill some with their favorite snacks, place them around the room and let them gather them. If you don’t have plastic eggs, tie snack filled ziplock bags with ribbon.
b) If you have a sandbox, buy some rocks and gold paint spray at Home depot – spray the rocks, bury the rocks in the sandbox and let them hunt for gold. Or toss the rocks around the backyard and let them hunt for them.
10. Begin teaching them how to do playful wrestling – no biting, no shoes, no kicking…the kids will do it naturally on their own but better that you make it an “activity” so they learn how to do it nicely. And, if any of your children are boys then wrestling is a necessity to burn off “boy energy.” Any time my son is starting to get whiny, I find spending 5 mins wrestling with him can make a remarkable difference. I often get trapped into a power struggle with him and then suddenly a lightbulb will go off in my head and I realize I haven't wrestled with him in a while - and bingo, the behavior problems end for the day.
11. Get a gym mat so they can practice tumbling…most mats fold up so you can slide in a closet/behind a bureau, etc.
12. They are old enough for imaginary play and cooking/playing restaurant is fun for boys and girls at this age…so if you don’t already have a play kitchen, get one.
13. Check out the books by Trish Kuffner. I love “The Toddler’s Busy Book”
I know you specified “at home” activities, but there are 3 field trips that I think are manageable with 1 adult + multiples - plus parking is free and easy. It's a short walk from your car to the first 2, a bit of a longer walk for Skirball so you may need a stroller:
1. Playa Vista Sports Park – it is gated and has a security guard usually posted outside.
2. The Zimmer Children’s Musuem – a small “contained” museum with only 1 exit that has staff posted at it. So kids can run around downstairs without you worrying about anyone disappearing. Great for all ages. Children are free, you pay for the adults but a membership can be well worth it. They also offer toddler art and cooking classes.
3. The Skirball’s Noah’s Ark Exhibit.- you have to prebuy date/timed tickets through their website (look into a membership) but again this is another “contained” exhibit with lots of staff walking around to keep an eye on the kids – so if your kids run in 3 separate directions you don’t need to panic. Great for all ages. During the summer you can time your entrance along with watching one of their 30min free family conferences on weekends, and when the kids are a bit older…maybe 2 ½ or 3, during the summer there is also a free drop in art studio you can hit after the Noah exhibit, thereby really maximizing your time there.....there are also outside tables so you can bring a picnic lunch, or eat while watching a free concert.
1. COLORED RICE
An idea for indoor entertainment at home is letting them play with colored rice ….if they can be trained not to put it in their mouths.
Get a storage container - it's nice if it's large enough for 1 child to sit in cause they'll be determined to do it- I make them take turns- (my container is maybe 2ft long, 1.5ft wide and 5" high? small enough that I can lift it and store it, but just large enough for 1 child to sit in and many children to gather around) and fill it with rainbow colored uncooked white rice. Lay down a bed sheet/table cloth/paint drop cloth, put the rice in the storage container on top of the sheet. Give them funnels and jars to fill up, spoons, measuring cups if you want to work discussing full/empty terms with them, a few plastic animals they'll enjoy burying and then finding......when they're done, you can use the bedsheet to funnel in rice that spilled out of the container back into the container, and rice that went beyond the sheet is swept up and thrown away. To make colored rice, buy many bags of basic white rice, and put rice in ziploc bags. Drop in food coloring with 2 Tbls rubbing alchol which helps the dye stay and not rub off on hands. Mix the rice up in the ziplock back then lay out on a baking sheet and let dry for a bit – you could also try maybe low temp in the oven. This is a winner for many ages and keeps them focused for a while. Then store the container and sheet away to use another time. We've been using ours for 4 years now, and even with all the rice I sweep and throw away I still haven't had to make more colored rice. And rice is far easier to sweep than sand, so that's why I champion this as better indoor texture play than a box of sand.
2. Large boxes with packing peanuts
Kids love to jump in, hide in and play with packing peanuts in large boxes. I keep them around until the boxes are destroyed.
3. Body painting before bath time. Use washable paints, strip them down to their diapers, put some paint on some paper plates and let them go. Messy – yes – but washable paints are quick and easy to clean up. Buy some rolls of butcher paper and cover the floor so they can make footprint art (makes unique wrapping paper).
4. Playhut’s indoor pop up tents, tunnels and ball tent. Playhut has easy to fold and store pop up tents with attachable tunnels, etc. A ball tent is great – you can pick up bags of ball tent balls at Toys R Us (much cheaper than ordering that online and paying for shipping) – you’ll need at least 200 balls for a ball tent. I’ll pull out the ball tent for 2 weeks, then pack it up (balls come in re-zipperable bags) and store away for a while. The other huts and tunnels can be fit into small rooms- I'll even run it down a hallway.
5. Magna doodles – my favorite first drawing tool….as I dislike Crayola’s Wonder markers since it takes a second or two after the child has drawn for the line to appear and this confuses the child.
6. Make your own playdoh and provide some plastic scissors, small plastic cookie cutters, children’s rolling pins, and pastry wheels to play with.
COLORED PLAYDOUGH
1 cup water
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup salt
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar
Food coloring
Saucepan
1 cup flour
Combine water, oil, salt, cream of tartar, and food coloring in a saucepan and heat until warm. Remove from heat and add flour. Stir, then knead until smooth. The cream of tartar makes this dough last 6 months or longer, so resist the temptation to omit this ingredient if you don’t have it on hand. Store this dough in an airtight container or Ziploc freezer bag.
7. Colored sand/salt art. Buy colored sand, or color your own sand or salt using powdered paints. Put the colored sand/salt in salt shakers. Give each child a piece of paper in a tray/cookie sheet and let them ‘draw’ with a glue stick. Then allow them to shake the colored sand/salt on their drawing, tip the paper up and there is their masterpiece....and toss the left over salt in the tray.
8. Even the smallest back yards or condo patios can usually fit a sand box or water table or sand/water table. Ditto with smaller play slides from Step 2 or Little Tikes.
9. HUNTS:
a) Plastic egg hunts – it doesn’t need to be easter. Fill some with their favorite snacks, place them around the room and let them gather them. If you don’t have plastic eggs, tie snack filled ziplock bags with ribbon.
b) If you have a sandbox, buy some rocks and gold paint spray at Home depot – spray the rocks, bury the rocks in the sandbox and let them hunt for gold. Or toss the rocks around the backyard and let them hunt for them.
10. Begin teaching them how to do playful wrestling – no biting, no shoes, no kicking…the kids will do it naturally on their own but better that you make it an “activity” so they learn how to do it nicely. And, if any of your children are boys then wrestling is a necessity to burn off “boy energy.” Any time my son is starting to get whiny, I find spending 5 mins wrestling with him can make a remarkable difference. I often get trapped into a power struggle with him and then suddenly a lightbulb will go off in my head and I realize I haven't wrestled with him in a while - and bingo, the behavior problems end for the day.
11. Get a gym mat so they can practice tumbling…most mats fold up so you can slide in a closet/behind a bureau, etc.
12. They are old enough for imaginary play and cooking/playing restaurant is fun for boys and girls at this age…so if you don’t already have a play kitchen, get one.
13. Check out the books by Trish Kuffner. I love “The Toddler’s Busy Book”
I know you specified “at home” activities, but there are 3 field trips that I think are manageable with 1 adult + multiples - plus parking is free and easy. It's a short walk from your car to the first 2, a bit of a longer walk for Skirball so you may need a stroller:
1. Playa Vista Sports Park – it is gated and has a security guard usually posted outside.
2. The Zimmer Children’s Musuem – a small “contained” museum with only 1 exit that has staff posted at it. So kids can run around downstairs without you worrying about anyone disappearing. Great for all ages. Children are free, you pay for the adults but a membership can be well worth it. They also offer toddler art and cooking classes.
3. The Skirball’s Noah’s Ark Exhibit.- you have to prebuy date/timed tickets through their website (look into a membership) but again this is another “contained” exhibit with lots of staff walking around to keep an eye on the kids – so if your kids run in 3 separate directions you don’t need to panic. Great for all ages. During the summer you can time your entrance along with watching one of their 30min free family conferences on weekends, and when the kids are a bit older…maybe 2 ½ or 3, during the summer there is also a free drop in art studio you can hit after the Noah exhibit, thereby really maximizing your time there.....there are also outside tables so you can bring a picnic lunch, or eat while watching a free concert.
Twins and the stuff
A lot of people think that having two babies means two of everything. Two of the same toy, book, blanket, swing, bouncy chair, etc. Its NOT true! There are obvious things a twin family needs two of. . . cribs, car seats, high chairs / boosters.
Bouncer
I'd recommend a bouncy chair AND a swing to start and then you can see which your kids prefer. We started with two bouncers:
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-K2564-Rainforest-Bouncer/dp/B000I2WB6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293687266&sr=8-1
A bouncer like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Infant-Toddler-Rocker-Friends/dp/B001HTJS60/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1293687326&sr=8-3
might even be better. I like toys and items that grow with the child since a phase only last so long, and lets face it. . . we only have so much space! This chair starts as a bouncer, and progresses to a rocker/stationary chair.
Swing
And got a swing later on. . . niether of my boys like the swing. It could be because we waited a while to get one, but in any event. . we returned the darn thing!! I know other families who swear by their swing, so its worth looking into.
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Sweet-Peace-Soother-Cuddly/dp/B002T4F0UU/ref=sr_1_17?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1293687582&sr=1-17
Car Seats
We used the graco snugride car seat:
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-SnugRide-Infant-Tango-Tongo/dp/B001PNAL5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1293687653&sr=1-1
It was rated highly on consumer reports, so we went with it.
When it was time to move on to convertible car seats, we went with the Evenflo Triumph.
http://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Triumph-Advance-Convertible-Harbortown/dp/B000YZD0QM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1293688305&sr=1-1-spell
Again, it had a strong consumer reports rating. We got one for N at about 10 months, and another for E a few months later. E has always been smaller, so we didnt feel the need to upgrade him just because we were getting a new one for N, who was too tall for the infant seat! We DID, however, have to say goodbye to our snap n go at this point. Once one kid is out of the infant seat, the snap n go was useless. This initial transfer is expensive, but when the second kiddo is ready for the bigger car seat, its just one purchase at that point.
There are some car seats that are safe for an infant -toddler of some age. I think starting with the infant car seat is best because of the versatility. A sleeping baby can easily be carried in and out of the car, the store, mall, wherever. . . but if you have a stationary convertible car seat, the baby needs to be taken out at each stop - a rough time for busy parents, and especially parents of twinssss. Our grace snug ride had an optional snap n swing so if we came home with sleeping babies, we could snap the swing in to keep the motion of the car going - at least some semblance of it.
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-SnugGlider-Swing-SnugRide-Infant/dp/B000M4K4BY/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1293688665&sr=1-1
We also picked this car seat because it has a high weight for rear facing. Legally, a childs seat can be turned forward at 1 year or 22 lbs. . . maybe 20, cant remember. Studies I cannot site because I dont remember, have shown that the longer a kid is rear facing, the safer they are and more likely they are to survive an accident. G-d forbid of course, but we have both boys rear facing still, at almost 19 months, and at 26 and 22 lbs.
Strollers
Graco makes a whole travel system: car seats, car seat bases (a base that sits in the car and the car seat snaps into it for easy in and out) and a stroller. Its a great combo, but VERY bulky. Most twin strollers are bulky, but I just coudnt handle this ginormo stroller, PLUS the car seats in there. . picture the link below, WITH car seats. . . just a huge freakin bus!
http://about.pricegrabber.com/search_attrib.php/page_id=1997/form_keyword=graco+duoglider/rd=1/st=query
We started with the Babytrend snap n go:
http://www.babytrend.com/strollers_snap-n-go/1305TW.html
This was awesome and worked so well for me. I was on my own a lot with the kids, and this stroller is just poles so it weighs like nothing. VERY easy in and out of the car and stroller, and light, which was nice to my back:)
Once the boys were big enough, and out of their infant car seats, we opted for the Kolcraft contours duo stroller:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VPCPRS/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000J2DQPA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0G8BCX7SQFXSFEN6D6K9
I liked this stroller because the seats can change position. I had visions, which have come true over and over again, of my boys pulling each others hair. For amusement, meanness, crankyness. . . whatever. . they pull hair! Soon, Im sure they will be kicking each other too. This stroller is cool because my kids can face each other, both face me, both face front, OR even face away from each other. . . . this might be a good timeout positioning if we come to that in the stroller. They HAVE figured out that they can reach over the top of the front sitter, if he is facing forwards, and still pull his hair. I cant imagine how they would be in something side by side though, even as luxurious as the city mini.
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-Double-Stroller-Orange/dp/B003WIYO2C/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1293688210&sr=1-2
The kolcraft is a bulky fit when folded up and the city mini folds like a dream, but it costs more too. . . . tough call, but I still think we went the right way.
Pack n play
There is a pack n play out there that is specifically for twins. . . I think its totally unnecessary. We had the chicco lullaby play yard:
http://www.amazon.com/Chicco-Lullaby-Baby-Playard-Discovery/dp/B003ER9926/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1293688719&sr=1-3
Honestly. . . I think we went overboard on this request. It was a bit too fancy for what we really needed. As new parents though, I went with things I read and blah blah blah. As long as the pack n play is safe, has a bassinet and a changing table, I think its great. The bassinet attaches to the rim of the pack n play and holds the babies up at a high level, easier on your back, and for good reason. . . teeny new babies arent climbing yet, so they can be up high with little risk of them flopping out onto the floor. We bundled both boys in the bassinett together until they were over the 15lb combined weight limit. Being that N was born at 5'5 and E was 4'7, we had some time. This is obviously not the way to go with twins born at 6lbs each!
One thing I liked about this pack n play was it came with a snap on night light. . . I was paranoid and checked to make sure they were breathing at all hours. We started out in a small apartment, with the pack n play at the foot of our bed - there wasnt room to have it on the side next to us. I slept upside down for a long time. . . my head at the foot of the bed near my babies and my feet near by poor hubbys face.
High chair
We have two evenflo high chairs. . they are huge. I cant even find a link for them online anymore, so maybe they are discontinued??? Either way, its important to read reviews. Its also important to have something easy to clean because these things get DIRTY!!! No fabric, fancy stuff. . . plastic lined, all washable, wipeable surfaces:)
Im undecided, but I think maybe we could have been better off choosing a booster with tray that sits on a chair, at the kitchen table. Im not sure though because even now, with almost 19 month olds, its nice to have space for 4 adults to sit, and the kids have their own messy eating space.
For travel eating, I think this munchkin booster seat is a MUST!~
http://www.target.com/Munchkin-Travel-Booster-Seat-Green/dp/B002XMRGMS
Its awesome because it folds up small for keeping in the car, and when you drop by someones house, friends, family, or a restaurant without high chairs, you have a seat already! There is a storage compartment at the bottom for food utensils, diapers, wipes, toys, whatever! VERY cool thing:)
Bottles
We have used all kinds of different bottles. its a hard thing to figure out what bottle will work for one kid, let alone 2!! We spent a lot of money trying to figure it out and ended up with the playtex drop in system. Its not the greenest option, but it its the easiest to clean. The liners can be purchased at Target. . use their brand, its all fine, and they are recyclable. Its a monthly cost, but time is worth something too, right? E had acid reflux for 10 months, so we used the playtex ventaires with him - they are supposed to limit air intake, and cause less spit up and reflux spit up. These bottles have like 5 pieces and were a PAIN to clean!
Cribs
We got our baby furniture form IKEA. The cribs are convertible and turn into toddler beds - though Im dreading the day they can get out of bed on their own!!!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60108663
We got the matching dresser and changing table too.
Swaddling
We loooved these aden and anais light weight swaddlers. They are really big and made swaddling really easy. I wish we had found them sooner! Receiving blankets werent as useful as these, and we got a TON of those!!!
I heard awesome things about the miracle blanket too, but never had the guts to spend the $40 on them to try it out, so I cant speak to that.
SIDS
any new parent will have read and overread things on SIDS, and how to prevent it, what it actually is. . . .we have had a fan in our boys room since day 1. Those are said to lower the risk. The risk also goes down as the kiddos get older. There is a definite risk of over heating a baby as well. In an air conditioned house, we were still worried. This is part of why I looooved the aden and anais swaddlers. We put the kids in diapers, onesies, and these swaddlers, and I felt like they were warm, but not hot.
More of the stuff to come later. . .
Bouncer
I'd recommend a bouncy chair AND a swing to start and then you can see which your kids prefer. We started with two bouncers:
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-K2564-Rainforest-Bouncer/dp/B000I2WB6G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1293687266&sr=8-1
A bouncer like this one:
http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Infant-Toddler-Rocker-Friends/dp/B001HTJS60/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1293687326&sr=8-3
might even be better. I like toys and items that grow with the child since a phase only last so long, and lets face it. . . we only have so much space! This chair starts as a bouncer, and progresses to a rocker/stationary chair.
Swing
And got a swing later on. . . niether of my boys like the swing. It could be because we waited a while to get one, but in any event. . we returned the darn thing!! I know other families who swear by their swing, so its worth looking into.
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-Sweet-Peace-Soother-Cuddly/dp/B002T4F0UU/ref=sr_1_17?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1293687582&sr=1-17
Car Seats
We used the graco snugride car seat:
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-SnugRide-Infant-Tango-Tongo/dp/B001PNAL5U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1293687653&sr=1-1
It was rated highly on consumer reports, so we went with it.
When it was time to move on to convertible car seats, we went with the Evenflo Triumph.
http://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-Triumph-Advance-Convertible-Harbortown/dp/B000YZD0QM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1293688305&sr=1-1-spell
Again, it had a strong consumer reports rating. We got one for N at about 10 months, and another for E a few months later. E has always been smaller, so we didnt feel the need to upgrade him just because we were getting a new one for N, who was too tall for the infant seat! We DID, however, have to say goodbye to our snap n go at this point. Once one kid is out of the infant seat, the snap n go was useless. This initial transfer is expensive, but when the second kiddo is ready for the bigger car seat, its just one purchase at that point.
There are some car seats that are safe for an infant -toddler of some age. I think starting with the infant car seat is best because of the versatility. A sleeping baby can easily be carried in and out of the car, the store, mall, wherever. . . but if you have a stationary convertible car seat, the baby needs to be taken out at each stop - a rough time for busy parents, and especially parents of twinssss. Our grace snug ride had an optional snap n swing so if we came home with sleeping babies, we could snap the swing in to keep the motion of the car going - at least some semblance of it.
http://www.amazon.com/Graco-SnugGlider-Swing-SnugRide-Infant/dp/B000M4K4BY/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1293688665&sr=1-1
We also picked this car seat because it has a high weight for rear facing. Legally, a childs seat can be turned forward at 1 year or 22 lbs. . . maybe 20, cant remember. Studies I cannot site because I dont remember, have shown that the longer a kid is rear facing, the safer they are and more likely they are to survive an accident. G-d forbid of course, but we have both boys rear facing still, at almost 19 months, and at 26 and 22 lbs.
Strollers
Graco makes a whole travel system: car seats, car seat bases (a base that sits in the car and the car seat snaps into it for easy in and out) and a stroller. Its a great combo, but VERY bulky. Most twin strollers are bulky, but I just coudnt handle this ginormo stroller, PLUS the car seats in there. . picture the link below, WITH car seats. . . just a huge freakin bus!
http://about.pricegrabber.com/search_attrib.php/page_id=1997/form_keyword=graco+duoglider/rd=1/st=query
We started with the Babytrend snap n go:
http://www.babytrend.com/strollers_snap-n-go/1305TW.html
This was awesome and worked so well for me. I was on my own a lot with the kids, and this stroller is just poles so it weighs like nothing. VERY easy in and out of the car and stroller, and light, which was nice to my back:)
Once the boys were big enough, and out of their infant car seats, we opted for the Kolcraft contours duo stroller:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002VPCPRS/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000J2DQPA&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0G8BCX7SQFXSFEN6D6K9
I liked this stroller because the seats can change position. I had visions, which have come true over and over again, of my boys pulling each others hair. For amusement, meanness, crankyness. . . whatever. . they pull hair! Soon, Im sure they will be kicking each other too. This stroller is cool because my kids can face each other, both face me, both face front, OR even face away from each other. . . . this might be a good timeout positioning if we come to that in the stroller. They HAVE figured out that they can reach over the top of the front sitter, if he is facing forwards, and still pull his hair. I cant imagine how they would be in something side by side though, even as luxurious as the city mini.
http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-Double-Stroller-Orange/dp/B003WIYO2C/ref=sr_1_2?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1293688210&sr=1-2
The kolcraft is a bulky fit when folded up and the city mini folds like a dream, but it costs more too. . . . tough call, but I still think we went the right way.
Pack n play
There is a pack n play out there that is specifically for twins. . . I think its totally unnecessary. We had the chicco lullaby play yard:
http://www.amazon.com/Chicco-Lullaby-Baby-Playard-Discovery/dp/B003ER9926/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=baby-products&qid=1293688719&sr=1-3
Honestly. . . I think we went overboard on this request. It was a bit too fancy for what we really needed. As new parents though, I went with things I read and blah blah blah. As long as the pack n play is safe, has a bassinet and a changing table, I think its great. The bassinet attaches to the rim of the pack n play and holds the babies up at a high level, easier on your back, and for good reason. . . teeny new babies arent climbing yet, so they can be up high with little risk of them flopping out onto the floor. We bundled both boys in the bassinett together until they were over the 15lb combined weight limit. Being that N was born at 5'5 and E was 4'7, we had some time. This is obviously not the way to go with twins born at 6lbs each!
One thing I liked about this pack n play was it came with a snap on night light. . . I was paranoid and checked to make sure they were breathing at all hours. We started out in a small apartment, with the pack n play at the foot of our bed - there wasnt room to have it on the side next to us. I slept upside down for a long time. . . my head at the foot of the bed near my babies and my feet near by poor hubbys face.
High chair
We have two evenflo high chairs. . they are huge. I cant even find a link for them online anymore, so maybe they are discontinued??? Either way, its important to read reviews. Its also important to have something easy to clean because these things get DIRTY!!! No fabric, fancy stuff. . . plastic lined, all washable, wipeable surfaces:)
Im undecided, but I think maybe we could have been better off choosing a booster with tray that sits on a chair, at the kitchen table. Im not sure though because even now, with almost 19 month olds, its nice to have space for 4 adults to sit, and the kids have their own messy eating space.
For travel eating, I think this munchkin booster seat is a MUST!~
http://www.target.com/Munchkin-Travel-Booster-Seat-Green/dp/B002XMRGMS
Its awesome because it folds up small for keeping in the car, and when you drop by someones house, friends, family, or a restaurant without high chairs, you have a seat already! There is a storage compartment at the bottom for food utensils, diapers, wipes, toys, whatever! VERY cool thing:)
Bottles
We have used all kinds of different bottles. its a hard thing to figure out what bottle will work for one kid, let alone 2!! We spent a lot of money trying to figure it out and ended up with the playtex drop in system. Its not the greenest option, but it its the easiest to clean. The liners can be purchased at Target. . use their brand, its all fine, and they are recyclable. Its a monthly cost, but time is worth something too, right? E had acid reflux for 10 months, so we used the playtex ventaires with him - they are supposed to limit air intake, and cause less spit up and reflux spit up. These bottles have like 5 pieces and were a PAIN to clean!
Cribs
We got our baby furniture form IKEA. The cribs are convertible and turn into toddler beds - though Im dreading the day they can get out of bed on their own!!!
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/60108663
We got the matching dresser and changing table too.
Swaddling
We loooved these aden and anais light weight swaddlers. They are really big and made swaddling really easy. I wish we had found them sooner! Receiving blankets werent as useful as these, and we got a TON of those!!!
I heard awesome things about the miracle blanket too, but never had the guts to spend the $40 on them to try it out, so I cant speak to that.
SIDS
any new parent will have read and overread things on SIDS, and how to prevent it, what it actually is. . . .we have had a fan in our boys room since day 1. Those are said to lower the risk. The risk also goes down as the kiddos get older. There is a definite risk of over heating a baby as well. In an air conditioned house, we were still worried. This is part of why I looooved the aden and anais swaddlers. We put the kids in diapers, onesies, and these swaddlers, and I felt like they were warm, but not hot.
More of the stuff to come later. . .
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
New Year's Eve Strawberry Champagne Sparkler Cupcakes
thinking about making these. . .
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/DC-Cupcakes-New-Years-Eve-Strawberry-Champagne-Sparkler-Cupcakes
http://www.oprah.com/oprahshow/DC-Cupcakes-New-Years-Eve-Strawberry-Champagne-Sparkler-Cupcakes
little red wagon, the deluxe version!
One of the kids millions of Channukah gifts was this red wagon:
Its soooo awesome!!! They have been getting a bit big for the stroller, and this wagon being so low to the ground gives them a new perspective on things. We loooove it:) We have gone on several walks and they turn into nature walks! The boys can reach out easily and touch the plants passing by. The seats have a removable padding, with extra pockets. There is some storage behind the back seat and the bag on the back of the wagon is huge! Holds a lot of stuff. There are cup holders in the wagon for sippies and on the outside for grown up water bottles. The canopy is great too and keeps the sun out of their eyes. There are several set ups for the seats, so this wagon for two kids, or one and storage, or even as a desk! Soooo great:)
Its soooo awesome!!! They have been getting a bit big for the stroller, and this wagon being so low to the ground gives them a new perspective on things. We loooove it:) We have gone on several walks and they turn into nature walks! The boys can reach out easily and touch the plants passing by. The seats have a removable padding, with extra pockets. There is some storage behind the back seat and the bag on the back of the wagon is huge! Holds a lot of stuff. There are cup holders in the wagon for sippies and on the outside for grown up water bottles. The canopy is great too and keeps the sun out of their eyes. There are several set ups for the seats, so this wagon for two kids, or one and storage, or even as a desk! Soooo great:)
Twin / multiple kid friendly parks
**continuouslty updated post. boys are nearing 21 months now.
As a mother of nearly 19 month old twins, my park options have severely dwindled. Where we used to join our playgroup at all the parks, now, as I can only chase a running toddler so fast. Even with our family living nearby, there are only so many hours in a day where someone is available to chase with me because people have jobs! Soooo. . . . here is what we've been doing. . .
Irving Schachter Park, Beverlywood
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=irving+schachter+park&fb=1&gl=us&hq=irving+schachter+park&hnear=irving+schachter+park&cid=6121344263658565275
We recently discovered this park with the help of our playgroup as well! Its a bit more of a drive than I'd like for a park, BUT being that we have twins and therefore more restrictions on where I can take the kids on my own, its worth it. This park is also totally gated, but bigger than the toddler park in Playa Vista. It was a great time with plenty of space for the kids to run around and push our wagon along. It did make it more difficult to see where my boys were at any given moment. I was comfortable though because I was in a group of 5+ mamas who also watch out for everyones kiddos.
There is a lot of sand at this park and plenty of concrete for push toys and ride alongs.
Parking is on the street, no parking lot. Ive never had a problem though. I dont think there is street cleaning here, but make sure to check for signs.
Santa Monica Airport Park
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=santa+monica+airport+park&fb=1&gl=us&hq=airport+park&hnear=Santa+Monica,+CA&cid=5293622992095494220
It appears this listing, and the others I found, are for the dog park area. There IS a dog park, and its nice from what I have seen, but we got for the gated play area:) Not my favorite for the play stuff, and I HATE the slide there - its just too tall and I try very hard to get my boys to ignore it. Its a great park though because of the planes and helicopters coming in and out. They looooove all of that activity going on.
Lots of sand, and interesting play equipment. A decent amount of cement, but not ideal for push toys.
There is a large parking lot that is shared with the dog park. Ive never had a problem parking there.
Douglas Park, Santa Monica
http://www.yelp.com/biz/douglas-park-santa-monica
We checked this park out over the weekend. There is a duck pond, and little creek area on the grass. VERY cool, but not gated. I wouldnt go near it without someone to watch one of my kids while I had the other. Too easy to fall in to some nasty looking water. Some nearby moms told me how they had seen numerous kids fall in. Seriously. . . looks like you could get a staph infection from getting too close. BUT, very cool to walk around and see some nature off of Wilshire Blvd:)
The play area IS gated, but also rather large. I havent decided if I would venture there on my own with both boys. While being large, I can see across the entire playspace, but there are also 4 (I think) gated entrances to get into the play area, and its a bit too accessible for my taste.
A LOT of sand at this park, hardly any cement. There is an oval shaped cemented area just outside the gated playspace. Im not sure what its intended for, but its great for push toys!
Parking was rough, since it was a weekend day, but I saw some meters, and permit parking signs around. Be sure to bring change just in case and watch for the signs around!
Penmar Park, Venice
I havent yet been to this park, and will try to update after visiting. A friend of ours discovered this park, also gated in. This one has two play structures, so that part makes me nervous. I suppose it could be easier for a parent of a young child and another a bit older who doesnt need as much supervision. We will see!
Linnie Canal Park, Venice
We enjoyed this park this morning! Small, so I can see the whole park at once, and there is a gated off duck pond as well. AWESOME find, thanks to my playgroup buddy.
http://www.laparks.org/dos/parks/facility/canalPk.htm
gated and looks great!
This park is a near sand/grass split. There is a bit of concrete, but not the best spot for push toys.
Parking is NOT ideal, and you may need to park along South Venice. Street cleaning days are Monday and Tuesday
Glen Alla Park, Marina Del Rey
http://www.yelp.com/biz/glen-alla-park-marina-del-rey
We visited this park over the long weekend, and it was jam packed! Too big for me and my two on my own though. I cant see across the whole park. I have the same issue at Playa Vista Sports Park. Awesome park.
Mostly rubber floors with a very cool sand area.
I didnt see any parking lot around, so be sure to watch for street cleaning signs when parking on the streets.
Playa Vista Toddler Park, Playa Vista
There is a totally fenced in toddler park at Villosa and Kiyot, in Playa Vista. Right by the dog park. There are two gate entrances, and one play structure, making it much easier than most parks to keep an eye on two kids and to keep them safe.
The floor is all concrete or that rubberized stuff. There is a small area of grass with a few trees as well.
Parking is on the street, and usually there is plenty available. Always watch for street cleaning signs.
Westchester Recreation Center, Westchester
This park is a good fall back park, for us anyway. It is gated, BUT, there are two facility buildings that open into the play area. It seems like the opening and closing doors are too easy for a toddler to slip in/out of, or some creep to come in through. . . too many openings. Part of the enclosed space goes around a corner too, so its not totally visbile.
This park is mostly sand, in the play area, and has some cement by the buildings.
Parking is available in the lot off of Manchester and Georgetown.
Recreation Park, El Segundo
http://www.yelp.com/biz/recreation-park-el-segundo
Today, we ventured south to El Segundo and found this AWESOME and GATED park! My husband and sister in law came along, but its a totally doable park on my own. Ive noticed that a few of the gated parks I have seen are closed off, which is great, but too big for me to see both boys across. This park was a bit bigger, but small enough that I could stand off to the side and see the entire thing. The play structure is gated to the bottom - read, kids cant fall off the bridge as they run across it, and twin mama here is helping the other kid 2 inches too far to catch the falling one.
There is a sand pit as well, so its a good park for shovels and buckets! There is plenty of concrete as well.
There is a parking lot with ample parking.
As a mother of nearly 19 month old twins, my park options have severely dwindled. Where we used to join our playgroup at all the parks, now, as I can only chase a running toddler so fast. Even with our family living nearby, there are only so many hours in a day where someone is available to chase with me because people have jobs! Soooo. . . . here is what we've been doing. . .
Irving Schachter Park, Beverlywood
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&client=safari&rls=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=irving+schachter+park&fb=1&gl=us&hq=irving+schachter+park&hnear=irving+schachter+park&cid=6121344263658565275
We recently discovered this park with the help of our playgroup as well! Its a bit more of a drive than I'd like for a park, BUT being that we have twins and therefore more restrictions on where I can take the kids on my own, its worth it. This park is also totally gated, but bigger than the toddler park in Playa Vista. It was a great time with plenty of space for the kids to run around and push our wagon along. It did make it more difficult to see where my boys were at any given moment. I was comfortable though because I was in a group of 5+ mamas who also watch out for everyones kiddos.
There is a lot of sand at this park and plenty of concrete for push toys and ride alongs.
Parking is on the street, no parking lot. Ive never had a problem though. I dont think there is street cleaning here, but make sure to check for signs.
Santa Monica Airport Park
http://maps.google.com/maps/place?client=safari&rls=en&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=santa+monica+airport+park&fb=1&gl=us&hq=airport+park&hnear=Santa+Monica,+CA&cid=5293622992095494220
It appears this listing, and the others I found, are for the dog park area. There IS a dog park, and its nice from what I have seen, but we got for the gated play area:) Not my favorite for the play stuff, and I HATE the slide there - its just too tall and I try very hard to get my boys to ignore it. Its a great park though because of the planes and helicopters coming in and out. They looooove all of that activity going on.
Lots of sand, and interesting play equipment. A decent amount of cement, but not ideal for push toys.
There is a large parking lot that is shared with the dog park. Ive never had a problem parking there.
Douglas Park, Santa Monica
http://www.yelp.com/biz/douglas-park-santa-monica
We checked this park out over the weekend. There is a duck pond, and little creek area on the grass. VERY cool, but not gated. I wouldnt go near it without someone to watch one of my kids while I had the other. Too easy to fall in to some nasty looking water. Some nearby moms told me how they had seen numerous kids fall in. Seriously. . . looks like you could get a staph infection from getting too close. BUT, very cool to walk around and see some nature off of Wilshire Blvd:)
The play area IS gated, but also rather large. I havent decided if I would venture there on my own with both boys. While being large, I can see across the entire playspace, but there are also 4 (I think) gated entrances to get into the play area, and its a bit too accessible for my taste.
A LOT of sand at this park, hardly any cement. There is an oval shaped cemented area just outside the gated playspace. Im not sure what its intended for, but its great for push toys!
Parking was rough, since it was a weekend day, but I saw some meters, and permit parking signs around. Be sure to bring change just in case and watch for the signs around!
Penmar Park, Venice
I havent yet been to this park, and will try to update after visiting. A friend of ours discovered this park, also gated in. This one has two play structures, so that part makes me nervous. I suppose it could be easier for a parent of a young child and another a bit older who doesnt need as much supervision. We will see!
Linnie Canal Park, Venice
We enjoyed this park this morning! Small, so I can see the whole park at once, and there is a gated off duck pond as well. AWESOME find, thanks to my playgroup buddy.
http://www.laparks.org/dos/parks/facility/canalPk.htm
gated and looks great!
This park is a near sand/grass split. There is a bit of concrete, but not the best spot for push toys.
Parking is NOT ideal, and you may need to park along South Venice. Street cleaning days are Monday and Tuesday
Glen Alla Park, Marina Del Rey
http://www.yelp.com/biz/glen-alla-park-marina-del-rey
We visited this park over the long weekend, and it was jam packed! Too big for me and my two on my own though. I cant see across the whole park. I have the same issue at Playa Vista Sports Park. Awesome park.
Mostly rubber floors with a very cool sand area.
I didnt see any parking lot around, so be sure to watch for street cleaning signs when parking on the streets.
Playa Vista Toddler Park, Playa Vista
There is a totally fenced in toddler park at Villosa and Kiyot, in Playa Vista. Right by the dog park. There are two gate entrances, and one play structure, making it much easier than most parks to keep an eye on two kids and to keep them safe.
The floor is all concrete or that rubberized stuff. There is a small area of grass with a few trees as well.
Parking is on the street, and usually there is plenty available. Always watch for street cleaning signs.
Westchester Recreation Center, Westchester
This park is a good fall back park, for us anyway. It is gated, BUT, there are two facility buildings that open into the play area. It seems like the opening and closing doors are too easy for a toddler to slip in/out of, or some creep to come in through. . . too many openings. Part of the enclosed space goes around a corner too, so its not totally visbile.
This park is mostly sand, in the play area, and has some cement by the buildings.
Parking is available in the lot off of Manchester and Georgetown.
Recreation Park, El Segundo
http://www.yelp.com/biz/recreation-park-el-segundo
Today, we ventured south to El Segundo and found this AWESOME and GATED park! My husband and sister in law came along, but its a totally doable park on my own. Ive noticed that a few of the gated parks I have seen are closed off, which is great, but too big for me to see both boys across. This park was a bit bigger, but small enough that I could stand off to the side and see the entire thing. The play structure is gated to the bottom - read, kids cant fall off the bridge as they run across it, and twin mama here is helping the other kid 2 inches too far to catch the falling one.
There is a sand pit as well, so its a good park for shovels and buckets! There is plenty of concrete as well.
There is a parking lot with ample parking.
Josh Kay's Corn Casserole - not a health conscious recipe:)
One of the first times we had this dish was at Thanksgiving at our house in Texas. OMG SOOOOOOOOO delish!!! Not calorie conscious at all, but SO awesome:)
Thanks for sharing Josh and Shay!!
Corn casserole
1 can corn
1 can cream corn
1 stick butter (softened)
1 box Jiffy Cornbread
1 small sour cream (8 oz I think)
1 bag cheese (topping)
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Place mixture in a Pyrex oven safe dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove dish and top with cheese (you don't have to use the whole bag)and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes. It is ready when the dish looks firm on top and brown on the edges.
Thanks for sharing Josh and Shay!!
Corn casserole
1 can corn
1 can cream corn
1 stick butter (softened)
1 box Jiffy Cornbread
1 small sour cream (8 oz I think)
1 bag cheese (topping)
Preheat oven to 350. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Place mixture in a Pyrex oven safe dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Remove dish and top with cheese (you don't have to use the whole bag)and place back in the oven for another 15 minutes. It is ready when the dish looks firm on top and brown on the edges.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Sleeping with congestion
We have had some congestion in our house for a while. . . mostly due to teething - evil EVIL molars!!!! Ive read and received suggestions to lift the mattress or crib somehow on one side, but I constantly feel like my kids will just roll to the bottom in a little ball and the lift will serve nothing but to banish them to a corner of their own beds. SO, we pulled out our old wedge pillow - the one we use when ourselves are congested!! E was initially the only one having the issue, so we set him up with the pillow. He seemed to sleep on it quite a bit. We have a video monitor and I can see them both pretty clearly during nap time. (it also has night vision, but is obviously not as good as day time) Soon, N got congested too. We've seen the dr. . . . its just teething yucky-ness. So, off to Bed Bath and Beyond to get another wedge!
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=10060850
Both boys sleep pretty well on their wedges, and I really feel like its been helping with the coughing and post nasal drippage. AND, they have the option of either sleeping on the wedge, or just on the mattress, and no one is stuck in a bottom corner because the whole bed is tilted.
The boys are definitely at the age where we watch for them climbing out of the beds. Their cribs are in an 'L' shape in the corner on their room, and the pillows are in the same corner. My hope is that if they figure out how to use the extra height to climb out, theyll just end up in their brothers crib. . . they are brilliant though, so Im watching closely:)
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?sku=10060850
Both boys sleep pretty well on their wedges, and I really feel like its been helping with the coughing and post nasal drippage. AND, they have the option of either sleeping on the wedge, or just on the mattress, and no one is stuck in a bottom corner because the whole bed is tilted.
The boys are definitely at the age where we watch for them climbing out of the beds. Their cribs are in an 'L' shape in the corner on their room, and the pillows are in the same corner. My hope is that if they figure out how to use the extra height to climb out, theyll just end up in their brothers crib. . . they are brilliant though, so Im watching closely:)
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Scott's Famous (meat) Balls - THE best party recipe ever!!!
We have a wonderful friend back in Texas who introduced us over our stay there, to his balls - his famous meat balls anyway:) It has to be this way. . . its Scott:) The recipe looks bizarre, but I promise, its awesome and sooooooo easy!!!
Shared, with permission :
5 pounds of PLAIN frozen meatballs. Not Italian. Not Swedish. Not Czechoslovakian. Plain.
1 jar of Heinz chili sauce. DO NOT USE GENERIC!!!
1 jar of grape jelly. I think I use Smuckers. I think it's 32 oz.
Make and share all you want!
Shared, with permission :
5 pounds of PLAIN frozen meatballs. Not Italian. Not Swedish. Not Czechoslovakian. Plain.
1 jar of Heinz chili sauce. DO NOT USE GENERIC!!!
1 jar of grape jelly. I think I use Smuckers. I think it's 32 oz.
Make and share all you want!
Monday, December 20, 2010
Winter ickies and stuff
Its been a rough while in our house. . . . before we moved to the new place, the boys each took turns getting sick, so it had already been a while since we got any good sleep. Yikes! Then we moved of course, and they actually did pretty well with the transition, but then they each got sick again. Most recently, N got pink eye and an ear infection - ya, at the same time. I spent several nights sanitizing the surfaces and toys that possibly were infected and days changing N's sheets so he wouldnt reinfect himself, and did prevent the pink eye from spreading to anyone else. . thank goodness! A few days later of course, E had a bad cough in the middle of the night, which prompted me to get him to the ER at about 1am. (he is fine)
I need to premise this part of the story with the fact that hours before we rushed off to the hospital, B and I had our first night time date in quite some time. We have been out on our own a few times, but only during day time hours. I was just too scared of the dark to leave my poor babies alone with anyone else. Why? I have no freaking clue, but I was, and it is what it is. Being that the boys are 18 months, and prior to their birth, I was on bed rest for 15 weeks, I'd say its fair to say we had not been out alone, at night in nearly 2 years. INSANE!!!! I think I even forgot the world kept functioning outside of facebook after 8pm. Pre-babies, we used to sleep until 1 or 2 on weekends and our nights didnt start until 8 or 9, or 7 on an early evening. Now? Thats shut down time!
We had a night time date, in preparation for B's holiday party the following weekend. I needed a practice run closer to home. The party was in downtown LA. . . . why in downtown when the office is so close, I dont know?!?! Its like the party planners needed my blood pressure higher when I arrived or something. . .
We headed out to an old favorite sushi place, about 5 minutes from the house:) I cleaned myself up, wore cute jeans and boots, and even a bit of makeup in honor of the occasion. We had a really nice time. It felt good to be a couple, out to dinner, just us. I had a lot of nervous energy though, without any little people to fuss over and feed. It was a good night though:) We got home, got to bed, and within minutes, E is up crying. He really has a knack for waking up just as we are falling asleep. Nice. . . I got him out of bed, sat on the couch with some milk, and he starts coughing. I hadn;t heard a cough like this one before. It was almost hollow. It seemed to hurt him too:( Of course, I was exhausted, and tried to talk myself out of overreacting and rushing to the ER. I was almost convinced, and he coughed again. With all the junk going around these days, I knew better than to shut out my own intuition - mama really knows best - and we left. B stayed home with N. . . I knew Id need to sleep the next day so one of us needed to get some rest. E cried as I strapped him into the car. Probably because he was so tired and wanted to know why F I was taking him out on the town. All I knew was the last time he cried like that when I strapped him in the carseat was when he was 7 weeks old and couldnt breath because of his acid reflux.
(We didnt know he had any digestive issues. We had taken him to the pedicatrician at least 5 times because he was making a weird noise when he breathed in his sleep in the 2 weeks he had been home - after a 4 week hospital stay, including open heart surgery - HELLO?!?!? and no one diagnosed the acid reflux. ) By the time we were getting him in the car to see the dr. his voice was practically gone and he was starting to change colors. NOT good and VERY SCARY. I sat in the back with E, B drove and we left 7 week old N home with my sister in law who was visiting in town - we were still in Texas. We were heading to the after hours pediatrician, maybe 15 minutes away, but we never made it there. Sitting in the back seat with E, I was horrified. He kept screaming, and the car had always calmed him. . . . all two weeks of his home life anyway. There was a fear in his eyes I didnt recognize and his skin felt balmy. I had B turn into the emergency room, which was literally around the corner from our apartment) I ran him in and told the receptionist he was having a hard time breathing. 2 nurses appeared from nowhere and rushed him off. By now, Id never let ANYONE take my son from me like that, but back then, I trusted nurses far more than myself. His oxygen was down in the 80's, and he had to be transferred back to the hospital where he had his heart surgery. We shared an ambulance ride, and began a 3 day stay at the hospital. The last time my son cried like that in the car seat, my family was torn apart. . . for the third time. Now, at 18 months, that was all I could think about.
As I drove, I debated. . nearby urgent care, or UCLA?? I opted for the urgent care only because it was closer. Our pediatrician told us before that if anything happened, ALWAYS go to UCLA because of their pediatric unit. Urgent care was closed, I began to panic. I called my mother in law, who was (as always) awake, lol. She came with us to UCLA - always UCLA!!! After a few hours of ER time, a happy, cooperative patient, chest xray, flu and rsv tests. . . . the dr. told us E was suffering from reactive airway disease. I can turn into asthma, he can grow out of it. . . here is an inhaler. . . . Thankful and exhausted, we headed home.
We followed up with the pediatrician the following Monday, less than 48 hours since we arrived at the ER. We continued the inhaler for a few more days. NO sleep, NO sleep, NO SLEEP:( We saw the pediatrician for a scheduled appointment a few days ago, and she assured me that his breathing was fine, and that despite matching runny noses, both boys are developing well and are happy, healthy toddlers. She said to expect a runny nose all season. . . really? EWW! That makes it hard to sleep too:(
They each have a wedge pillow, baby vicks and warm humidifier to keep things soft and as comfortable as possible.
Oh, and we went to B's holiday party and had a nice time. We got all dressed up, and hadnt done that in a looooong time!!
I need to premise this part of the story with the fact that hours before we rushed off to the hospital, B and I had our first night time date in quite some time. We have been out on our own a few times, but only during day time hours. I was just too scared of the dark to leave my poor babies alone with anyone else. Why? I have no freaking clue, but I was, and it is what it is. Being that the boys are 18 months, and prior to their birth, I was on bed rest for 15 weeks, I'd say its fair to say we had not been out alone, at night in nearly 2 years. INSANE!!!! I think I even forgot the world kept functioning outside of facebook after 8pm. Pre-babies, we used to sleep until 1 or 2 on weekends and our nights didnt start until 8 or 9, or 7 on an early evening. Now? Thats shut down time!
We had a night time date, in preparation for B's holiday party the following weekend. I needed a practice run closer to home. The party was in downtown LA. . . . why in downtown when the office is so close, I dont know?!?! Its like the party planners needed my blood pressure higher when I arrived or something. . .
We headed out to an old favorite sushi place, about 5 minutes from the house:) I cleaned myself up, wore cute jeans and boots, and even a bit of makeup in honor of the occasion. We had a really nice time. It felt good to be a couple, out to dinner, just us. I had a lot of nervous energy though, without any little people to fuss over and feed. It was a good night though:) We got home, got to bed, and within minutes, E is up crying. He really has a knack for waking up just as we are falling asleep. Nice. . . I got him out of bed, sat on the couch with some milk, and he starts coughing. I hadn;t heard a cough like this one before. It was almost hollow. It seemed to hurt him too:( Of course, I was exhausted, and tried to talk myself out of overreacting and rushing to the ER. I was almost convinced, and he coughed again. With all the junk going around these days, I knew better than to shut out my own intuition - mama really knows best - and we left. B stayed home with N. . . I knew Id need to sleep the next day so one of us needed to get some rest. E cried as I strapped him into the car. Probably because he was so tired and wanted to know why F I was taking him out on the town. All I knew was the last time he cried like that when I strapped him in the carseat was when he was 7 weeks old and couldnt breath because of his acid reflux.
(We didnt know he had any digestive issues. We had taken him to the pedicatrician at least 5 times because he was making a weird noise when he breathed in his sleep in the 2 weeks he had been home - after a 4 week hospital stay, including open heart surgery - HELLO?!?!? and no one diagnosed the acid reflux. ) By the time we were getting him in the car to see the dr. his voice was practically gone and he was starting to change colors. NOT good and VERY SCARY. I sat in the back with E, B drove and we left 7 week old N home with my sister in law who was visiting in town - we were still in Texas. We were heading to the after hours pediatrician, maybe 15 minutes away, but we never made it there. Sitting in the back seat with E, I was horrified. He kept screaming, and the car had always calmed him. . . . all two weeks of his home life anyway. There was a fear in his eyes I didnt recognize and his skin felt balmy. I had B turn into the emergency room, which was literally around the corner from our apartment) I ran him in and told the receptionist he was having a hard time breathing. 2 nurses appeared from nowhere and rushed him off. By now, Id never let ANYONE take my son from me like that, but back then, I trusted nurses far more than myself. His oxygen was down in the 80's, and he had to be transferred back to the hospital where he had his heart surgery. We shared an ambulance ride, and began a 3 day stay at the hospital. The last time my son cried like that in the car seat, my family was torn apart. . . for the third time. Now, at 18 months, that was all I could think about.
As I drove, I debated. . nearby urgent care, or UCLA?? I opted for the urgent care only because it was closer. Our pediatrician told us before that if anything happened, ALWAYS go to UCLA because of their pediatric unit. Urgent care was closed, I began to panic. I called my mother in law, who was (as always) awake, lol. She came with us to UCLA - always UCLA!!! After a few hours of ER time, a happy, cooperative patient, chest xray, flu and rsv tests. . . . the dr. told us E was suffering from reactive airway disease. I can turn into asthma, he can grow out of it. . . here is an inhaler. . . . Thankful and exhausted, we headed home.
We followed up with the pediatrician the following Monday, less than 48 hours since we arrived at the ER. We continued the inhaler for a few more days. NO sleep, NO sleep, NO SLEEP:( We saw the pediatrician for a scheduled appointment a few days ago, and she assured me that his breathing was fine, and that despite matching runny noses, both boys are developing well and are happy, healthy toddlers. She said to expect a runny nose all season. . . really? EWW! That makes it hard to sleep too:(
They each have a wedge pillow, baby vicks and warm humidifier to keep things soft and as comfortable as possible.
Oh, and we went to B's holiday party and had a nice time. We got all dressed up, and hadnt done that in a looooong time!!
Mely's turkey chili
2 lb ground turkey, browned
2 packets chili seasoning
2 32 oz jars of salsa
2 cans chili beans, any flavor
1 32 oz can of kidney beans
crock pot low for 8 hours
*add stewed tomatoes or chopped peppers
Making this for dinner tonight. Its raining, so its a great day for chili! Trying to figure out how to get corn bread in the house without leaving. . hmmmm
I am making this with a couple variations:
chopped 2 onions
only used 1 packet of chili seasoning, and in place of the other, used 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
added 1 can of garbanzo beans (we had it, so i added it in)
looking forward to dinner tonight:)
2 packets chili seasoning
2 32 oz jars of salsa
2 cans chili beans, any flavor
1 32 oz can of kidney beans
crock pot low for 8 hours
*add stewed tomatoes or chopped peppers
Making this for dinner tonight. Its raining, so its a great day for chili! Trying to figure out how to get corn bread in the house without leaving. . hmmmm
I am making this with a couple variations:
chopped 2 onions
only used 1 packet of chili seasoning, and in place of the other, used 1 can of fire roasted tomatoes
added 1 can of garbanzo beans (we had it, so i added it in)
looking forward to dinner tonight:)
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Mely's friends meatloaf
saute the garlic, salt and veggies (i used green peppers, mushrooms and carrots. i would have used an onion, but i was out)
combine veggies,
meat,
1 egg,
1 cup parmesean,
1 cup bread crumbs,
a few squirts of mustard
and worcester sauce
mix together add to loaf pan,
spread ketchup on top cook 350 degrees for 1 hour
*******
i used a pound each of turkey and beef, so i doubled the bread crumbs and cheese. it came out SO good! on this first try, i set the oven to 250 instead of 350 by mistake, so it took too long for the kids to try it for dinner. im looking forward to serving it to them tomorrow!!
b and i enjoyed this for dinner though, with sweet potatos on the side, and it was so great! im still full a couple hours later and have been fighting myself away from the fridge to get more!
combine veggies,
meat,
1 egg,
1 cup parmesean,
1 cup bread crumbs,
a few squirts of mustard
and worcester sauce
mix together add to loaf pan,
spread ketchup on top cook 350 degrees for 1 hour
*******
i used a pound each of turkey and beef, so i doubled the bread crumbs and cheese. it came out SO good! on this first try, i set the oven to 250 instead of 350 by mistake, so it took too long for the kids to try it for dinner. im looking forward to serving it to them tomorrow!!
b and i enjoyed this for dinner though, with sweet potatos on the side, and it was so great! im still full a couple hours later and have been fighting myself away from the fridge to get more!
Monday, November 29, 2010
My kids babysitter and my husbands girlfriend
I got a haircut this weekend. It was very very VERY much needed. It wasnt just a regular haircut though, at least not for me. . . . I saw a *stylist*. It was my first REAL haircut, not a drive through chain haircut, but a good, professional styling. It was SO exciting! A high school friend recommended her stylist to me, and I made an appointment. Ive had this date for 2 weeks. Maybe even a day or so more. . . . I scheduled this pre-moving and pre-thanksgiving. I was actually hoping to have a new 'do' for all of the holidays. Thanksgiving just missed the cut (pun not intended. . ahahaha. . . ha. . ) This lovely woman is only in West LA doing hair on the weekends, and we couldnt make a time until after turkey day, and the move. BUMMER!!!!
Suffice it to say, I was EXCITED!!! I was also, however, clueless. I have never really known what to do with my hair. I got myself a CHI straightener a while back, and loved having it straight. Curls seemed less manageable than 20 minutes with my straightening iron. Fast forward though and I have twins, and 20 minutes wasted on a straightener just isnt worth it. Actually, a lot of the things I used to do seem 'not worth' the time they take now. For the longest time, and even now at times, if I had a 'spare' 20 minutes, I wanted to SLEEP!! I used to shower twice a day - no, Im not gross, I just really enjoy bathing! There was a time where I had 5+ shower gels in my shower and almost HAD to shower multiple times just to get a chance to use all my 'stuff':) Think Bath and Body works Country Apple!!
These, and other things, have taken to the back burner since becoming a mama. I have control issues, and work daily on the fact that I can no longer accomplish most tasks in a single attempt. I struggle with having to stop suddenly to tend to a toddler or two, and at times, a husband. I believe that by nature, I am task oriented. I really enjoy taking something on and completing it, end to end. OCD? Maybe, but its the truth. . . All this being said, I just have a hard time starting things when I dont think I can complete it, or if I am unsure as to when I can be finished. So? I stopped ironing my hair. I get frustrated when the kitchen isnt cleaned up right away. I am nervous when our schedule os off kilter - this one is really pretty justified though, but I am working on it.
It came to my attention that I spent a lot of time being frustrated or planning for any hiccup that might come along. While planning can be good sense, I can get ahead of the crazy curve at times. The bottom line is that we can handle anything, including a napless day. . . sucky as it might be. (i will fight to the death for naps though. . . ) I began to think back to when I was in high school and college, and was a babysitter. I was a rockin babysitter! I had several steady families that always called my first. The first time I sat for on of these families, I put the kids to bed, and the mother called me the next morning. She wanted to know how I got her daughter, 6 or 7 at the time, to let me braid her hair! I didnt really know. . . she just let me do it. Mom was jealous but thrilled for a morning without a tangled mess on her daughters pretty little head:) We played games, watched movies, hid and sought. . it was great. Most nights, I even cleaned up after dinner and got the toys put away. Probably another reason they kept calling me back:) So, other than the obvious differences - the fact that I am the mama now, we are financially, medically, legally, etc, responsible for these kids - what changed? Why couldnt I be my kids babysitter? Be chill about all things, so long as we are SAFE. Being a mama of toddlers should be FUN, right?? Sure, there is stress involved, but come on. . . . it is fun!
I tried it out the other night. I was alone, putting the kids to bed in our new place. I was nervous at first. After all, bedtime in our old place was difficult. We never really childproofed there since we knew we were leaving it soon. There wasnt room for anything, and it just wasnt comfortable. Things are different now, both in our new home and my head. I got the kids bathed, diapered and pajama-ed. We had a little bedtime snack, brushed our teeth and had our milk. Off to bed we went. The kitchen was a mess. The toys were everywhere. Hurricane E and N had blown through. I kept myself in the babysitter mindset. Tried not to think onto the next, next thing, and just kept to the task at hand. Things got mostly cleaned up, and I watched a movie. The kids got up, thankfully, one after the other, within an hour of being out to bed. I grabbed them, finished off their milk and back to bed they went, and back to the movie I went.
What does all this have to do with my haircut? Well, aside from the fact that my hair was cut hours before this hopping evening-in, it made me feel pretty:) I spent 2 glorious hours in a stylists chair. I picked a hairstyle from a magazine and watched this brilliant artist create it on my head from a picture. She brought me coffee and a cookie - FAB! I left feeling like a million bucks and had walked in looking like not so much. . . The chill attitude and cute hair cut reminded me more of my babysitting days. Back when I slept til 1 on the weekends, or days off from school, lol. When I showered as much as I wanted, spent however long on hair, changing outfits, talking on the phone, whatever. Some of these days coincided with being my husbands girlfriend. Back then, I had time and more importantly TOOK the time to cutify myself before we would go out. A far cry from the tossed up ponytail Ive been sporting for the last many many months. . .18+ actually. We have been married almost 6 years, and together for nearly 11. Id say thats pretty impressive, especially when you toss in two moves across the country, 15 months of bedrest and 18 month old twin boys. Ya. . . definitely impressive.
As Oprah says, Ive put myself back on the list. Ive began my medical maintenance again(dentist, physical, the normal stuff), and am getting back my cute self. Ive taken in 2 hours of hair therapy and that has reached the deepest part of my mind and soul. SOOOO terrific!!!
As much as I know I need to be my kids mother and my husbands wife, its also important to relax and be my kids babysitter and my husbands girlfriend:)
Suffice it to say, I was EXCITED!!! I was also, however, clueless. I have never really known what to do with my hair. I got myself a CHI straightener a while back, and loved having it straight. Curls seemed less manageable than 20 minutes with my straightening iron. Fast forward though and I have twins, and 20 minutes wasted on a straightener just isnt worth it. Actually, a lot of the things I used to do seem 'not worth' the time they take now. For the longest time, and even now at times, if I had a 'spare' 20 minutes, I wanted to SLEEP!! I used to shower twice a day - no, Im not gross, I just really enjoy bathing! There was a time where I had 5+ shower gels in my shower and almost HAD to shower multiple times just to get a chance to use all my 'stuff':) Think Bath and Body works Country Apple!!
These, and other things, have taken to the back burner since becoming a mama. I have control issues, and work daily on the fact that I can no longer accomplish most tasks in a single attempt. I struggle with having to stop suddenly to tend to a toddler or two, and at times, a husband. I believe that by nature, I am task oriented. I really enjoy taking something on and completing it, end to end. OCD? Maybe, but its the truth. . . All this being said, I just have a hard time starting things when I dont think I can complete it, or if I am unsure as to when I can be finished. So? I stopped ironing my hair. I get frustrated when the kitchen isnt cleaned up right away. I am nervous when our schedule os off kilter - this one is really pretty justified though, but I am working on it.
It came to my attention that I spent a lot of time being frustrated or planning for any hiccup that might come along. While planning can be good sense, I can get ahead of the crazy curve at times. The bottom line is that we can handle anything, including a napless day. . . sucky as it might be. (i will fight to the death for naps though. . . ) I began to think back to when I was in high school and college, and was a babysitter. I was a rockin babysitter! I had several steady families that always called my first. The first time I sat for on of these families, I put the kids to bed, and the mother called me the next morning. She wanted to know how I got her daughter, 6 or 7 at the time, to let me braid her hair! I didnt really know. . . she just let me do it. Mom was jealous but thrilled for a morning without a tangled mess on her daughters pretty little head:) We played games, watched movies, hid and sought. . it was great. Most nights, I even cleaned up after dinner and got the toys put away. Probably another reason they kept calling me back:) So, other than the obvious differences - the fact that I am the mama now, we are financially, medically, legally, etc, responsible for these kids - what changed? Why couldnt I be my kids babysitter? Be chill about all things, so long as we are SAFE. Being a mama of toddlers should be FUN, right?? Sure, there is stress involved, but come on. . . . it is fun!
I tried it out the other night. I was alone, putting the kids to bed in our new place. I was nervous at first. After all, bedtime in our old place was difficult. We never really childproofed there since we knew we were leaving it soon. There wasnt room for anything, and it just wasnt comfortable. Things are different now, both in our new home and my head. I got the kids bathed, diapered and pajama-ed. We had a little bedtime snack, brushed our teeth and had our milk. Off to bed we went. The kitchen was a mess. The toys were everywhere. Hurricane E and N had blown through. I kept myself in the babysitter mindset. Tried not to think onto the next, next thing, and just kept to the task at hand. Things got mostly cleaned up, and I watched a movie. The kids got up, thankfully, one after the other, within an hour of being out to bed. I grabbed them, finished off their milk and back to bed they went, and back to the movie I went.
What does all this have to do with my haircut? Well, aside from the fact that my hair was cut hours before this hopping evening-in, it made me feel pretty:) I spent 2 glorious hours in a stylists chair. I picked a hairstyle from a magazine and watched this brilliant artist create it on my head from a picture. She brought me coffee and a cookie - FAB! I left feeling like a million bucks and had walked in looking like not so much. . . The chill attitude and cute hair cut reminded me more of my babysitting days. Back when I slept til 1 on the weekends, or days off from school, lol. When I showered as much as I wanted, spent however long on hair, changing outfits, talking on the phone, whatever. Some of these days coincided with being my husbands girlfriend. Back then, I had time and more importantly TOOK the time to cutify myself before we would go out. A far cry from the tossed up ponytail Ive been sporting for the last many many months. . .18+ actually. We have been married almost 6 years, and together for nearly 11. Id say thats pretty impressive, especially when you toss in two moves across the country, 15 months of bedrest and 18 month old twin boys. Ya. . . definitely impressive.
As Oprah says, Ive put myself back on the list. Ive began my medical maintenance again(dentist, physical, the normal stuff), and am getting back my cute self. Ive taken in 2 hours of hair therapy and that has reached the deepest part of my mind and soul. SOOOO terrific!!!
As much as I know I need to be my kids mother and my husbands wife, its also important to relax and be my kids babysitter and my husbands girlfriend:)
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Getting Settled
I swear that at the beginning of this week, I had a ton to say. A mix of excitement, anxiety and STRESS over moving and dealing with the idiots along the way. . . now, we are nearing being settled in our new home. Amazing considering its just been a week today, we have twin toddlers, AND spent the day away from home over Thanksgiving.
The boxes are clearing, and piles for donation are sitting by the door. Its a wonderful blessing to be without storage options. As I've shared before, Im a purger and loooove getting rid of the extra and unwanted. Without a space to set things aside for those 'just in case' occasions, or because its 'good to have', we are being really forced to let go. There might be another piece or two of furniture that we need to get to hold some of the items that really DO hold some value for us, but we are still closer to be than we have been in a long while.
The best part? And it isnt even move related. . . .I got a hair cut today! A real, grown up, NON 'drive-through' hair cut. I sat in a chair for 2 hours. . . 2 glorious, ME centered hours:) As I left my lovely stylist today, I told her she needs to file with my health insurance for the therapy she had just given me:) Im thrilled, to say the least, and even B likes it. I hope he didnt react to my haircut only because he knew thats where I was while he was home with the kids. . .. I think he really likes it though:)
On to unpack? Or watch a movie with some pie. . . hmmmm. . . choices:)
The boxes are clearing, and piles for donation are sitting by the door. Its a wonderful blessing to be without storage options. As I've shared before, Im a purger and loooove getting rid of the extra and unwanted. Without a space to set things aside for those 'just in case' occasions, or because its 'good to have', we are being really forced to let go. There might be another piece or two of furniture that we need to get to hold some of the items that really DO hold some value for us, but we are still closer to be than we have been in a long while.
The best part? And it isnt even move related. . . .I got a hair cut today! A real, grown up, NON 'drive-through' hair cut. I sat in a chair for 2 hours. . . 2 glorious, ME centered hours:) As I left my lovely stylist today, I told her she needs to file with my health insurance for the therapy she had just given me:) Im thrilled, to say the least, and even B likes it. I hope he didnt react to my haircut only because he knew thats where I was while he was home with the kids. . .. I think he really likes it though:)
On to unpack? Or watch a movie with some pie. . . hmmmm. . . choices:)
Friday, November 12, 2010
Banana Raisin Muffins
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=155&src=droid
Gonna try these when we are in the house!
Gonna try these when we are in the house!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Crockpot Creamy Italian Chicken
My friend and her hubby loved this one!
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1021632
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=1021632
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Moving! Food! and Exhaustion. . !!
Some of you know by now, we are moving! Thank goodness! When we moved into our little duplex a year ago, we knew it wouldnt be for longer than the lease term. We quickly outgrew the space and after a long and emotionally draining search, we found a great house to rent nearby! Still a great commute for B, and waaaay more living space for all of us.
Ever since we signed the lease, and really, since we agree to put in our application (the day we saw it!!!) B and I go to bed talking about the house. We are both so excited for the life this house promises us. Now, we are cramped, dont have room for what we've got, and we got rid of a LOT! Its hard to have company, and we really dont very often. We are in a great playgroup and Ive never invited them here because theres just not room for the kids to have friends over, let alone their parents.
I dont like to keep things unnecessarily. Im not sure Ive always been like that, but I definitely havent kept extra stuff for close to 10 years. One night while B and I were dating, I was over at his house, while he still lived at home, and somehow ended up working with my mother in law until 2 in the morning cleaning out closets. throwing things away, and creating piles to be donated. Yet, while I would like to call myself a chronic purger, we still had a lot of extra in our house back in Texas.
Around my 27th birthday, we listed our house for sale. Our pretty 2000 square foot house. The lot we picked, across from a soon-to-be park that would surely prove useful with the family we thought we might raise there. The floor plan we picked. The fire place we moved according to the size of the tv B was going to get (which he got, and sold before moving back to LA) The house we built. Where our friends and family wrote and mailed in prayers that will stay in the house, but with us wherever we go. Funny anecdotes, stories and heartfelt wishes are written on the wooden boards holding up that house. Blessings over bread and wine written in the kitchen above the windows - part of what made us fall in love with the floorplan. We had 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a huuuuuuge yard, a lovely dining room and a kitchen that flowed and that I actually cooked in! We painted and decorated that house with friends. We filled the house with friends, family, love, parties, and STUFF. Its the stuff that drowns us.
The night we decided to list the house, the culmination of 4 years of trying to make Texas 'home', the stuff weighed us down. What will we do with all our stuff?!!? I didnt care. I wanted out. Out of the house we built, out of Texas and back HOME where I knew I fit. I have to say, after 4 years, I gave Texas a good shot. I can still appreciate the financial value of living there, but it was just never right, for me. I went through 4 jobs there, met some wonderful people, and some not so much. But in the end, I just couldnt swing it. I spent the first year going from nervous break down to nervous break down, spending countless nights on the computer looking up cheap one-way tickets for me and the cat to get the hell out of there. I even left the sites up sometimes so B could see how serious I was, or thought I was. Would I have really left him there? I dont know. . . I didnt in any event though. During this time, we saw several marriages fail the test of the strain of relocation. We missed family birthdays, dinners just because, hospital stays. . . we spent thousands rushing home for 'what if' hospital stays - all of which turned into nothing, thank goodness. We also made wonderful friends, and reconnected with old ones just by chance. We had the chance to define ourselves as 'us' without too much familial input - which as well meaning as it can be, has a limited space. We grew up, a little anyway. We saw places we never might have seen otherwise.
We made a decision and the real purging began. We sold and donated a lot of the stuff. Plenty of that ended up in storage because lucky us, our house sold very quickly! Some of the stuff came into our little apartment with us. I got pregnant, placed on bed rest, and more stuff accumulated. E and N were born, we went through hell with hospital stuff, and more house stuff accumulated. Finally, B got a job, at HOME! The question presented itself again. . .what do we do with all our stuff?!?!?! More selling, more donating, and a move back to LA. We spent a few weeks living at the inlaws and paying out the @$$ for animal boarding, and we found a place to put our stuff. . . our family too.
Finally, we are moving to a place that will fit us more appropriately, but we still have extra stuff. Its harder to get rid of it with kids around. Not that the attachment changes, but the time does. Its got to happen, and soon though. The new place, while it has great living space, does not have any extra storage. We thought we might have some of a one car garage, but that proved to not be the case. What do we do with the stuff?!?!!?!? We have a good amount set aside for donation, but there are still things we have been meaning to sell and havent, and other things we have been keeping 'just in case'. Not really an option anymore.
Im really glad to be getting rid of more of the extra. It satisfies my inner purger.
Im really just so excited to get the space back and have life in our house again. Im excited to use my new kitchen! Ive never been excited about cooking before. Ive fallen in love with my crockpot and I cant wait to rekindle things with my kitchen aid mixer!!! I havent used that in about 2 years and thats just sad really. I used my new hand chopped yesterday and my boys ate veggies without even knowing it!! I have that Jessica Seinfeld book, and maybe Ill use it! I did puree AL of their baby food anyway. One of the things Im most excited about is making challah. My husband and I befriended a Jewish family in Dallas, and the wife taught me how to make challah. Like, really make it. For a while, I made it pretty often. It was soooo good, and it was an event when we had fresh challah in the house. We even had Shabbat dinners, with guests!!! After all, we HAD to share the challah:)
I think for a long time I tried to not be excited about food. Its a strange thing. On the one hand, you're not 'supposed' to center your life around food, or constantly think about when you might eat again, or what you might eat. . . but, if you dont, then you might end up eating poorly, or too much, too soon or too late. Theres a happy medium I think we need to find, where we arent so focused on food that its all we can think about, but that we think about it enough that we take good care of our bodies. Like, responsible excitement?? I dont know. . . Im really tired. . . .
A couple months ago, the boys came down with colds and ear infections - horrible!! N had a lingering cough, so we had a lot of interrupted nights of sleep. He was clearly not feeing well, so one if not both of us, would get up with him. Sometimes E too. This is seemingly normal enough, but in my head, if it happens once, its the new normal. We had hardly any sleep for the first 10 months of the boys lives. We hallucinated - literally. Naps were my new addiction, and I didnt have nearly enough access to my drug. The night wakings have continued, and though I want to fight them, and re-sleep train him, now, the poor kid is teething. They are both teething, but it seems N has a harder time lately than E. To N's credit, Ive looked in his mouth, and hes getting molars in a baaaaad way. It looks like hes getting at least 3 of them, and his gums are puffy, swollen and one of them looks like it could pop at any second. I want to just pop it for him so he can move forward! (dont worry, Im tired, but not crazy, and I would never ever do that) Last night specifically, was a bad night. Though we went to bed early, at 930!! we were awakened 5 times by 3am. Once was spurred by our fire alarm! A bit of google research showed that it was likely caused by the cold temperature making the battery voltage low. The heater is on tonight. . .
Pardon the babble, I felt the need to catch up a bit with myself, and I am of course, exhausted.
Ever since we signed the lease, and really, since we agree to put in our application (the day we saw it!!!) B and I go to bed talking about the house. We are both so excited for the life this house promises us. Now, we are cramped, dont have room for what we've got, and we got rid of a LOT! Its hard to have company, and we really dont very often. We are in a great playgroup and Ive never invited them here because theres just not room for the kids to have friends over, let alone their parents.
I dont like to keep things unnecessarily. Im not sure Ive always been like that, but I definitely havent kept extra stuff for close to 10 years. One night while B and I were dating, I was over at his house, while he still lived at home, and somehow ended up working with my mother in law until 2 in the morning cleaning out closets. throwing things away, and creating piles to be donated. Yet, while I would like to call myself a chronic purger, we still had a lot of extra in our house back in Texas.
Around my 27th birthday, we listed our house for sale. Our pretty 2000 square foot house. The lot we picked, across from a soon-to-be park that would surely prove useful with the family we thought we might raise there. The floor plan we picked. The fire place we moved according to the size of the tv B was going to get (which he got, and sold before moving back to LA) The house we built. Where our friends and family wrote and mailed in prayers that will stay in the house, but with us wherever we go. Funny anecdotes, stories and heartfelt wishes are written on the wooden boards holding up that house. Blessings over bread and wine written in the kitchen above the windows - part of what made us fall in love with the floorplan. We had 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a huuuuuuge yard, a lovely dining room and a kitchen that flowed and that I actually cooked in! We painted and decorated that house with friends. We filled the house with friends, family, love, parties, and STUFF. Its the stuff that drowns us.
The night we decided to list the house, the culmination of 4 years of trying to make Texas 'home', the stuff weighed us down. What will we do with all our stuff?!!? I didnt care. I wanted out. Out of the house we built, out of Texas and back HOME where I knew I fit. I have to say, after 4 years, I gave Texas a good shot. I can still appreciate the financial value of living there, but it was just never right, for me. I went through 4 jobs there, met some wonderful people, and some not so much. But in the end, I just couldnt swing it. I spent the first year going from nervous break down to nervous break down, spending countless nights on the computer looking up cheap one-way tickets for me and the cat to get the hell out of there. I even left the sites up sometimes so B could see how serious I was, or thought I was. Would I have really left him there? I dont know. . . I didnt in any event though. During this time, we saw several marriages fail the test of the strain of relocation. We missed family birthdays, dinners just because, hospital stays. . . we spent thousands rushing home for 'what if' hospital stays - all of which turned into nothing, thank goodness. We also made wonderful friends, and reconnected with old ones just by chance. We had the chance to define ourselves as 'us' without too much familial input - which as well meaning as it can be, has a limited space. We grew up, a little anyway. We saw places we never might have seen otherwise.
We made a decision and the real purging began. We sold and donated a lot of the stuff. Plenty of that ended up in storage because lucky us, our house sold very quickly! Some of the stuff came into our little apartment with us. I got pregnant, placed on bed rest, and more stuff accumulated. E and N were born, we went through hell with hospital stuff, and more house stuff accumulated. Finally, B got a job, at HOME! The question presented itself again. . .what do we do with all our stuff?!?!?! More selling, more donating, and a move back to LA. We spent a few weeks living at the inlaws and paying out the @$$ for animal boarding, and we found a place to put our stuff. . . our family too.
Finally, we are moving to a place that will fit us more appropriately, but we still have extra stuff. Its harder to get rid of it with kids around. Not that the attachment changes, but the time does. Its got to happen, and soon though. The new place, while it has great living space, does not have any extra storage. We thought we might have some of a one car garage, but that proved to not be the case. What do we do with the stuff?!?!!?!? We have a good amount set aside for donation, but there are still things we have been meaning to sell and havent, and other things we have been keeping 'just in case'. Not really an option anymore.
Im really glad to be getting rid of more of the extra. It satisfies my inner purger.
Im really just so excited to get the space back and have life in our house again. Im excited to use my new kitchen! Ive never been excited about cooking before. Ive fallen in love with my crockpot and I cant wait to rekindle things with my kitchen aid mixer!!! I havent used that in about 2 years and thats just sad really. I used my new hand chopped yesterday and my boys ate veggies without even knowing it!! I have that Jessica Seinfeld book, and maybe Ill use it! I did puree AL of their baby food anyway. One of the things Im most excited about is making challah. My husband and I befriended a Jewish family in Dallas, and the wife taught me how to make challah. Like, really make it. For a while, I made it pretty often. It was soooo good, and it was an event when we had fresh challah in the house. We even had Shabbat dinners, with guests!!! After all, we HAD to share the challah:)
I think for a long time I tried to not be excited about food. Its a strange thing. On the one hand, you're not 'supposed' to center your life around food, or constantly think about when you might eat again, or what you might eat. . . but, if you dont, then you might end up eating poorly, or too much, too soon or too late. Theres a happy medium I think we need to find, where we arent so focused on food that its all we can think about, but that we think about it enough that we take good care of our bodies. Like, responsible excitement?? I dont know. . . Im really tired. . . .
A couple months ago, the boys came down with colds and ear infections - horrible!! N had a lingering cough, so we had a lot of interrupted nights of sleep. He was clearly not feeing well, so one if not both of us, would get up with him. Sometimes E too. This is seemingly normal enough, but in my head, if it happens once, its the new normal. We had hardly any sleep for the first 10 months of the boys lives. We hallucinated - literally. Naps were my new addiction, and I didnt have nearly enough access to my drug. The night wakings have continued, and though I want to fight them, and re-sleep train him, now, the poor kid is teething. They are both teething, but it seems N has a harder time lately than E. To N's credit, Ive looked in his mouth, and hes getting molars in a baaaaad way. It looks like hes getting at least 3 of them, and his gums are puffy, swollen and one of them looks like it could pop at any second. I want to just pop it for him so he can move forward! (dont worry, Im tired, but not crazy, and I would never ever do that) Last night specifically, was a bad night. Though we went to bed early, at 930!! we were awakened 5 times by 3am. Once was spurred by our fire alarm! A bit of google research showed that it was likely caused by the cold temperature making the battery voltage low. The heater is on tonight. . .
Pardon the babble, I felt the need to catch up a bit with myself, and I am of course, exhausted.
Crockpot Chicken Taco Stew
My friend forwarded me this one, and Im planning to make tomorrow when my mom and sister will be over helping us PACK!
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=280479
notes to come
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=280479
notes to come
Friday, October 29, 2010
Food storage
We never had a good set of tupperware. When we got married, we combined pieces that our mothers had given us when we moved out for college. That was a time when our diets consisted of a lot of sushi, pizza and in n out, and while these are still present staples, we have a new need for food storage.
We went to costco:) My mom has a great set of food storage pieces that has snap on lids and i loooove that. I found something similar at costco and we brought it home! The containers were set out on the counter prior to bedtime, in preparation for sanitizing in the dishwasher. That was the end of that. . . . we have two teething toddlers and N needed some tylenol before bedtime. (yes, we use the generic, non-recalled, kind) As I struggled to get the proper dosage in the dropper and into N's mouth, he somehow knocked the containers on the counter and one of them chipped. They had to go back. If these things couldnt handle a minor knock by a toddler, no way theyd last here.
So, back to costco we went. (they have the easiest exchanges! well, them and bed bath and beyond) I searched the aisle for a better alternative to the cheapie glass containers we returned. All the while feeding crackers, cereal bar and juice/water to the squirmy twosome. On the end cap, I saw it. PYREX! HELLO?!!? Pyrex is good stuff man! Grandma's use pyrex, and not just my kids grandma's, MY grandma! $30 for a set that sells for $45. DONE:) http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-16-piece-No-Leak-Storage-Container/dp/B003UNSN4Y/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1288416033&sr=8-16
I like it because the containers are glass, and they have rubber lids, with heat vents. The whole thing is freezer/oven/microwave/dishwasher safe. Not the the lids though, they can't be used in the oven.
The freezer part will come in handy over the next weeks as once my new hand chopper arrives, we will be chopping and freeing veggies!
We went to costco:) My mom has a great set of food storage pieces that has snap on lids and i loooove that. I found something similar at costco and we brought it home! The containers were set out on the counter prior to bedtime, in preparation for sanitizing in the dishwasher. That was the end of that. . . . we have two teething toddlers and N needed some tylenol before bedtime. (yes, we use the generic, non-recalled, kind) As I struggled to get the proper dosage in the dropper and into N's mouth, he somehow knocked the containers on the counter and one of them chipped. They had to go back. If these things couldnt handle a minor knock by a toddler, no way theyd last here.
So, back to costco we went. (they have the easiest exchanges! well, them and bed bath and beyond) I searched the aisle for a better alternative to the cheapie glass containers we returned. All the while feeding crackers, cereal bar and juice/water to the squirmy twosome. On the end cap, I saw it. PYREX! HELLO?!!? Pyrex is good stuff man! Grandma's use pyrex, and not just my kids grandma's, MY grandma! $30 for a set that sells for $45. DONE:) http://www.amazon.com/Pyrex-16-piece-No-Leak-Storage-Container/dp/B003UNSN4Y/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1288416033&sr=8-16
I like it because the containers are glass, and they have rubber lids, with heat vents. The whole thing is freezer/oven/microwave/dishwasher safe. Not the the lids though, they can't be used in the oven.
The freezer part will come in handy over the next weeks as once my new hand chopper arrives, we will be chopping and freeing veggies!
Italian dressing crock pot chicken
4-6 boneless, skinless Chicken Breast
1 bottleKraft - Free Zesty Italian (Fat Free Dressing)
2 cups water
2 small onions, or 1 large, quartered
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup sliced portabella mushrooms
3 small red potatos
Place chicken on the bottom of the crockpot
pour dressing over the chicken
add water
place onion pieces around perimeter of the crock pot
add other veggies
cover, and set to low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-5
this came out awesome, and the kids ate it up! we did too:)
1 bottleKraft - Free Zesty Italian (Fat Free Dressing)
2 cups water
2 small onions, or 1 large, quartered
1 cup baby carrots
1 cup sliced portabella mushrooms
3 small red potatos
Place chicken on the bottom of the crockpot
pour dressing over the chicken
add water
place onion pieces around perimeter of the crock pot
add other veggies
cover, and set to low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-5
this came out awesome, and the kids ate it up! we did too:)
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Almond butter shake
Once again, thanks to my mom recycles:
http://mymomrecycles.com/almond-butter-banana-shake/#more-509
great way to get SOME nutrition into N. . . picky, teething eater he is!
http://mymomrecycles.com/almond-butter-banana-shake/#more-509
great way to get SOME nutrition into N. . . picky, teething eater he is!
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Preparing veggies!
There are people in this world who are brilliant. My mom recycles is one of them! Check this out:
http://mymomrecycles.com/prep-your-vegetables-ahead-of-time/
Its good enough to keep ingredients on hand that you might use a lot, but this is just awesome! Im looking forward to getting on board with this veggie freezing with my new pampered chef hand chopper, thanks dad!
http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=240&catId=4
http://mymomrecycles.com/prep-your-vegetables-ahead-of-time/
Its good enough to keep ingredients on hand that you might use a lot, but this is just awesome! Im looking forward to getting on board with this veggie freezing with my new pampered chef hand chopper, thanks dad!
http://www.pamperedchef.com/ordering/prod_details.tpc?prodId=240&catId=4
Crock pot Chicken Cacciatore
Thinking of making this tomorrow:
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=180352
(im having trouble adding links for some reason:( )
Looks good, and I have everything exceot the zucchini. . . I can use some other veggie I suppose. We have mushrooms!!
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=180352
(im having trouble adding links for some reason:( )
Looks good, and I have everything exceot the zucchini. . . I can use some other veggie I suppose. We have mushrooms!!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Crock pot chili
We had a crazy busy weekend, and no meal planning. I wanted to get something going today during the kids nap, so I called my friend at mymomrecycles.com and asked for her yummy crock pot chili recipe! I had some for lunch last week when the boys and I popped over by chance. I grabbed the ingredients this morning, put the kids in bed for a nap after lunch and got this going!
Check it out at:
mymomrecycles.com/crock-pot-chili
It came out AWESOME! The house smelled sooooooo good:) We used her suggestion of serving in an acorn squash 'bowl' and it looked beautiful. If I can remember how to post pix on my blog, I surely will:)
Fantastic cold weather recipe!
Check it out at:
mymomrecycles.com/crock-pot-chili
It came out AWESOME! The house smelled sooooooo good:) We used her suggestion of serving in an acorn squash 'bowl' and it looked beautiful. If I can remember how to post pix on my blog, I surely will:)
Fantastic cold weather recipe!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Sunny's Crockpot Brisket
3 pounds of brisket
1 cup water
1 packet Lipton onion soup mix (or other brand)
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
3 Tbs of chili paste (or substitute 1 bottle of chili sauce)
Mix ingredients together. Pour over brisket in crock pot. Slow cook on low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, take sauce and boil for two minutes. Then shred meat with fork and add to boiling sauce. Boil for one minute longer, stirring. Serve on toasted bun.
Helpful hint: If the brown sugar is hard, you can put in plastic container with a piece of bread over it and put in microwave for 30 seconds and it will loosen up the sugar.
this is a recipe from a friend sister in law:) thanks sunny!!!
1 cup water
1 packet Lipton onion soup mix (or other brand)
1/4 cup of packed brown sugar
3 Tbs of chili paste (or substitute 1 bottle of chili sauce)
Mix ingredients together. Pour over brisket in crock pot. Slow cook on low for 8 hours. After 8 hours, take sauce and boil for two minutes. Then shred meat with fork and add to boiling sauce. Boil for one minute longer, stirring. Serve on toasted bun.
Helpful hint: If the brown sugar is hard, you can put in plastic container with a piece of bread over it and put in microwave for 30 seconds and it will loosen up the sugar.
this is a recipe from a friend sister in law:) thanks sunny!!!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Awesome travel booster
Over the summer, we made a fantastic purchase. The munchkin travel booster:
http://www.target.com/s?keywords=munchkin+booster&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&ref=sr_bx_1_1&x=0&y=0
It folds into a bag type size and opens into a seat for your child! This is definitely one for the confident sitter, as it does not have a 5 point harness. There is a section under the seat for holding eating utensils, snacks, diapers, toys, whatever you want! I keep these in my car and have used them a ton of times. They are great for going to a friends house who either doesnt have kids or whos high chairs/boosters are full of their own. Some restaurants dont even have high chairs - gasp! - and these little things save the day there too.
They are small enough to just leave in the car (empty of dirty food containers of course) and to have whenever yo might need them.
I am really thinking of making them my favorite gift to a newish mama. Its just been SOOO handy:)
http://www.target.com/s?keywords=munchkin+booster&searchNodeID=1038576%7C1287991011&ref=sr_bx_1_1&x=0&y=0
It folds into a bag type size and opens into a seat for your child! This is definitely one for the confident sitter, as it does not have a 5 point harness. There is a section under the seat for holding eating utensils, snacks, diapers, toys, whatever you want! I keep these in my car and have used them a ton of times. They are great for going to a friends house who either doesnt have kids or whos high chairs/boosters are full of their own. Some restaurants dont even have high chairs - gasp! - and these little things save the day there too.
They are small enough to just leave in the car (empty of dirty food containers of course) and to have whenever yo might need them.
I am really thinking of making them my favorite gift to a newish mama. Its just been SOOO handy:)
Bruschetta Chicken bake in the crockpot
This recipe was forwarded to me by a friend.
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=41432&src=droid
I havent made it yet because I need to cut up the chicken before cooking, and Im lazy. . . but she said it was awesome!!!
http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=41432&src=droid
I havent made it yet because I need to cut up the chicken before cooking, and Im lazy. . . but she said it was awesome!!!
Chicken marinara on the crockpot
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Place chicken in the crockpot
Pour marinara sauce over the chicken
cook on low for 6-8 hours
about 15 minutes before you want to eat, sprinkle cheese over the chicken and re-cover.
everyone enjoyed this too! we had it with steamed broccoli
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Place chicken in the crockpot
Pour marinara sauce over the chicken
cook on low for 6-8 hours
about 15 minutes before you want to eat, sprinkle cheese over the chicken and re-cover.
everyone enjoyed this too! we had it with steamed broccoli
Mom's cranberry turkey breast in the crockpot
Its a sad thing that I dont cook, because my mom actually can! As can my grandmother. . . there really are a lot of great cookes in my family, all over the place, and I just havent found my own inner chef. Or am I finding her now? hmmm. . . .
1 turkey breast (found next to all the chicken parts. this may be a dumb note, but I didnt know where it was. . )
1/2 cups orange juice (i used 3/4 cups because i was afraid it wasnt enough liquid. my crock pot is rather large though, so you can decide for yourself)
1 container lipton onion soup mix
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
Place turkey breast in crockpot
Mix all ingredients together, and pour over the turkey breast.
cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4
note - I put the turkey breast in the pot, and dumped each individual ingredient over it. my mom told me afterwards that its better to mix and then pour. . . . guess what? It was still super yummy:)
1 turkey breast (found next to all the chicken parts. this may be a dumb note, but I didnt know where it was. . )
1/2 cups orange juice (i used 3/4 cups because i was afraid it wasnt enough liquid. my crock pot is rather large though, so you can decide for yourself)
1 container lipton onion soup mix
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce
Place turkey breast in crockpot
Mix all ingredients together, and pour over the turkey breast.
cook on low for 6-8 hours, or high for 3-4
note - I put the turkey breast in the pot, and dumped each individual ingredient over it. my mom told me afterwards that its better to mix and then pour. . . . guess what? It was still super yummy:)
Stuffed Peppers in the crockpot
As I mentioned in an earlier post, we were frequenters of the Trader Joes heat n eat section. One of our weekly staples, which the kids love also, is their stuffed peppers! Ground turkey, rice, spices - YUM!
I used this recipe, also from mymomrecycles.com, and was VERY pleased with how it came out. I used yellow, orange and red peppers, and it was so pretty! I have pictures and might just post them:)
http://mymomrecycles.com/?s=stuffed+peppers
I used this recipe, also from mymomrecycles.com, and was VERY pleased with how it came out. I used yellow, orange and red peppers, and it was so pretty! I have pictures and might just post them:)
http://mymomrecycles.com/?s=stuffed+peppers
Chicken and dumplings in the crock pot
Pure comfort food! I got this recipe from my friend at mymomrecycles.com
check it out!
http://mymomrecycles.com/chicken-and-dumplings/
I used Trader Joes multigrain pancake mix for the dumplings and whole grain flour.
This recipe is VERY good. Another success that we all enjoyed!! The dumplings were a bit of an issue for me since we got home later than planned from the pharmacy due to another need antibiotic. I had two whiny, crying toddlers stuck in high chairs while I read, measured and rolled dumplings out. SO, I might make this again, when someone is around to amuse the little monsters. VERY good, and plenty of leftovers!
check it out!
http://mymomrecycles.com/chicken-and-dumplings/
I used Trader Joes multigrain pancake mix for the dumplings and whole grain flour.
This recipe is VERY good. Another success that we all enjoyed!! The dumplings were a bit of an issue for me since we got home later than planned from the pharmacy due to another need antibiotic. I had two whiny, crying toddlers stuck in high chairs while I read, measured and rolled dumplings out. SO, I might make this again, when someone is around to amuse the little monsters. VERY good, and plenty of leftovers!
Mushroom Chicken Marinara in the crockpot
8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tsp bottled minced garlic (i used trader joes crushed garlic, also bottled)
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar, 26 oz, spaghetti sauce
place mushrooms, garlic and lemon juice in the slow cooker
place chicken breasts on top
pour spaghetti sauce over the chicken
cook on low for 8 hours
This once turned out GREAT! I believe we had this with sweet potato, and mmmmm mmm MMMM!
1 tsp bottled minced garlic (i used trader joes crushed garlic, also bottled)
1 tbsp lemon juice
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 jar, 26 oz, spaghetti sauce
place mushrooms, garlic and lemon juice in the slow cooker
place chicken breasts on top
pour spaghetti sauce over the chicken
cook on low for 8 hours
This once turned out GREAT! I believe we had this with sweet potato, and mmmmm mmm MMMM!
Broccoli soup mix chicken in the crockpot
• 2 pounds chicken tenders or boneless chicken breasts cut in strips
• 1 1/4 cups uncooked converted rice
• 1 package Knorr's Cream of Broccoli Soup Mix
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Place rice in a lightly greased slow cooker/Crock Pot. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Top with chicken pieces. Mix together the soup mix and broth. Pour over chicken and rice. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
This one wasnt as good as some of the others, but still a decent meal. You might have better luck with it than I did.
• 1 1/4 cups uncooked converted rice
• 1 package Knorr's Cream of Broccoli Soup Mix
• 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
• pepper, to taste
Preparation:
Place rice in a lightly greased slow cooker/Crock Pot. Sprinkle with parsley and pepper. Top with chicken pieces. Mix together the soup mix and broth. Pour over chicken and rice. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.
This one wasnt as good as some of the others, but still a decent meal. You might have better luck with it than I did.
Salsa chicken in the crockpot
Place 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in your crockpot. Pour a jar of salsa over the chicken and cook on high for 3-4 hours, or low for 7-8 hours.
Use the chicken on tortillas, rice, whatever you like. Add a veggie for a complete meal. (I love those steam in the bag things! Trader Joes also has white and green beans in the fridge section, and you poke the bag a few times and heat for 3-4 minutes - so yummy and VERY low cal:)
This was way too easy, and I loved that:) SO good too!!! Everyone enjoyed:)
Use the chicken on tortillas, rice, whatever you like. Add a veggie for a complete meal. (I love those steam in the bag things! Trader Joes also has white and green beans in the fridge section, and you poke the bag a few times and heat for 3-4 minutes - so yummy and VERY low cal:)
This was way too easy, and I loved that:) SO good too!!! Everyone enjoyed:)
Ground turkey and potatoes in the crockpot
Ground Turkey Crockpot Recipe
Ingredients
o 1 lb ground turkey, browned
o 2 large potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
o 1 small onions, diced
o 2 teaspoons garlic salt
o 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
o 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine (i didnt do this)
o 2 teaspoons steak sauce lea and perrins
o 1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
o 1/2 cup beef broth (i used low sodium chicken broth)
Directions
1. Put potatoes on bottom and sides of crock.
2. Then add turkey, onion, and garlic salt.
3. Then add soup and other wet ingredients.
4. Cook on low for 7-9 hours, or high 4-6 hours.
This recipe was SOOOO yummy! We all enjoyed it, even picky Mr. N!!! It was a bit more work than Id like, being that I needed to brown the turkey meat the night before. I recently read on a friends blog, that she buys ground meat in bulk, browns it, and freezes it!!! That way, when she needs it for a recipe, she just adds it to the crockpot. GENIUS! This fancy lady also buys fresh veggies at the farmers market in bulk, chops them and freezes them for later use too. I keep thinking about doing that, and just need to make myself the time. SO SMART Ms. W!
This recipe was from a twin mama in a group I used to belong to, not my own, lol.
Ingredients
o 1 lb ground turkey, browned
o 2 large potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
o 1 small onions, diced
o 2 teaspoons garlic salt
o 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
o 1 1/2 teaspoons white wine (i didnt do this)
o 2 teaspoons steak sauce lea and perrins
o 1 (10 ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
o 1/2 cup beef broth (i used low sodium chicken broth)
Directions
1. Put potatoes on bottom and sides of crock.
2. Then add turkey, onion, and garlic salt.
3. Then add soup and other wet ingredients.
4. Cook on low for 7-9 hours, or high 4-6 hours.
This recipe was SOOOO yummy! We all enjoyed it, even picky Mr. N!!! It was a bit more work than Id like, being that I needed to brown the turkey meat the night before. I recently read on a friends blog, that she buys ground meat in bulk, browns it, and freezes it!!! That way, when she needs it for a recipe, she just adds it to the crockpot. GENIUS! This fancy lady also buys fresh veggies at the farmers market in bulk, chops them and freezes them for later use too. I keep thinking about doing that, and just need to make myself the time. SO SMART Ms. W!
This recipe was from a twin mama in a group I used to belong to, not my own, lol.
Cooking with twins
I was never a major chef. Ive been good at the pasta and cookies from a log deal for quite some time. Once I got pregnant, I was motivated to do better, but too tired to actually do it. Growing twins is a lot of work! Finally, around 18-19 weeks, I got it together enough to make some crock pot meals. It was cold weather in Texas at the time, and that made it even more appealing - a warm, non-takeout meal waiting for us at home was a great idea! With a few recipes from online, and my foodie sister in law, I was armed to feed us for a the week! I was doing great with it too! And then. . .. I was put on bed rest. There was NO way B would have been able to keep up what I had tried to start, AND manage the whole house, me, and his job on his own. We avoided takeout as much as possible, but cooked a lot of pre-made items to make sure we stayed nourished.
Upon my bed rest release, I was a new mom to twins. Cooking was no where near the top of my list. Both boys started out in the NICU and E, as most of you know, had surgery early on. It was 28 days until our little family was home together. When I wasnt hooked up to the breast pump, I was cleaning, napping or handling some other baby duty. Sleep just wasnt really happening - for like 10 months mind you! That was awful, but another post. . . . The cooking remained scattered and as easy as possible.
We moved back home a year ago, and took up enjoying many of our favorites - In n Out, Trader Joes heat and eat stuff. . . but its time to do better. The boys are nearing 17 months, and I dont weigh what Id like (typed as I had a weak night and an empty ice cream cup sitting next to me - it happens!) I remembered my old buddy the crock pot! Its been a couple of weeks now, and we are bonding nicely:) I plan to post my recipes as they come to me - please note that just because a recipe is posted on my blog, does NOT mean I claim creative rights to it. I get my recipes from online sites, friends, family, etc. I will try to post sites as often as I can. My posting the recipes here is just a means of sharing for my own reference, and if you get use out of them as well, so be it:)
Upon my bed rest release, I was a new mom to twins. Cooking was no where near the top of my list. Both boys started out in the NICU and E, as most of you know, had surgery early on. It was 28 days until our little family was home together. When I wasnt hooked up to the breast pump, I was cleaning, napping or handling some other baby duty. Sleep just wasnt really happening - for like 10 months mind you! That was awful, but another post. . . . The cooking remained scattered and as easy as possible.
We moved back home a year ago, and took up enjoying many of our favorites - In n Out, Trader Joes heat and eat stuff. . . but its time to do better. The boys are nearing 17 months, and I dont weigh what Id like (typed as I had a weak night and an empty ice cream cup sitting next to me - it happens!) I remembered my old buddy the crock pot! Its been a couple of weeks now, and we are bonding nicely:) I plan to post my recipes as they come to me - please note that just because a recipe is posted on my blog, does NOT mean I claim creative rights to it. I get my recipes from online sites, friends, family, etc. I will try to post sites as often as I can. My posting the recipes here is just a means of sharing for my own reference, and if you get use out of them as well, so be it:)
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Meet Mama
I have twins. Therefore, since we left the house for the first time on an excursion other than to see the doctor, my twins and I have been a spectacle. Its like we are a set of freaks wandering the world! For the first 4 months, I was actually terrified to be alone with them. I had fears they would scream and rise up against me in fits of rage while I was alone and that I would be beaten down by these two teeny infants. And then whats worse? Who would give feed them? Who would take care of them? Who would pump their breast milk?!?! One of my boys had acid reflux, so of course, I KNEW no one would remember his medication if they did indeed defeat me, and NO ONE would remember he needs to be up right after eating for 30 minutes. . . .
My husband, B, was thankfully very patient with me. We had a helper, C, who saved me, and my boys actually on several occasions. Sometimes, I just HAD to walk away! In the early months, we lived a few states away from 'home' and had a lot of family visiting. On one occasion, B's cousin, CC(yes its two c's. her name is the same is our helpers), was out to visit us for a few days. She joined us on an excursion to the mall. During our morning routine - whatever THAT was way back then with twin 2 month olds, I shared stories with CC of the millions and gazillions of random people who thought I gave a sh*t about their twin relationships and experiences. I cant tell you how many stories began with, "OH!!! My second cousins girlfriends brother in law is a twin" I also cant tell you how much I fought to hold my tongue and fists back from punching out this stranger stealing my precious moments from me. Didn't they know it took us LITERALLY an HOUR to walk out to the car?!!? That it took meticulous planning to make sure breast milk was pumped JUST before leaving so I had 3 hours til I was back to moo-ing in my stall? I wanted to scream at them to just 'SHUT UPPPP!" But of course, I couldn't yell at the lovely old lady who just wanted to know, "are they twins?!" Uhhh, no. . . . they're just really close in age. . . . ACK!
Its not that the questions and invasions of my day weren't well intentioned, its just that I didn't care. I'm BUSY. I HAVE TWINS!!!
CC is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. She smiled sweetly and rubbed my back, almost telling ME to shut up. . . but in the nicest way possible:) (no sarcasm here, we do ADORE her)
It didn't take long, we were at the mall for less than an hour, it may have even been less than that. And she saw it. CC stopped me and shared that she had counted how many times we had been stopped just walking around the mall. 13 times. THIRTEEN?!?!!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!?How many more mall freaks are waiting to slow our pace? I'm due back at the pump soon! We haven't had lunch! Baby E needs his bottle right this second so he will be done in 15 minutes, so he has 30 minutes of upright time before getting back in the car seat so we avoid a reflux episode and end up the emergency room - again, so we can be home within my 3 hour window so I can get back to the pump, so we have more food for my babies and my breasts don't EXPLODE! We took the cold shoulder route and proceeded to ignore everyone. C, CC, me, and the kids. . . . an entourage just to get through a lunch outing.
We found a quiet seating area, and split up baby duties. However, the double snap n go was like a flashing neon sign that 'i have twins' People leered like we were a zoo attraction. Really? Its JUST two babies. . . . move along now, THANKS. During this feeding time, the 3 of us girls decided it would just be awesome if I could simply react to these mall oglers as I wanted. To the teen mall worker who was too busy texting, chatting up customers or just being lazy, I could punch him in the face (I know, not nice, but its real either. . . ) To the customers holding up the line and paying with a CHECK (?!?!!!??) Id light up my rocket boosted stroller and zoom ahead of her to complete my transaction. To all the random people with their comments; 'oh my, you must have your hands full!' 'look at that! double trouble! haha' (hahahHA my @$$) I got to cinnaBOMB them. I'm not sure what a cinnaBOMB does yet, but I'll let you know as I decide:) Something along the lines of a creamy cinnamon and frosting mess that renders the annoying person stuck and I get to move about my day - I only have TWINS, full hands apparently and a million things to do that are more important to talking to you, random stranger.
Oh, and the mall security can't touch me, because I'm lightening quick and they miss the chaos I cause. Plus, I'm super charming and I have twins. . . right?
My husband, B, was thankfully very patient with me. We had a helper, C, who saved me, and my boys actually on several occasions. Sometimes, I just HAD to walk away! In the early months, we lived a few states away from 'home' and had a lot of family visiting. On one occasion, B's cousin, CC(yes its two c's. her name is the same is our helpers), was out to visit us for a few days. She joined us on an excursion to the mall. During our morning routine - whatever THAT was way back then with twin 2 month olds, I shared stories with CC of the millions and gazillions of random people who thought I gave a sh*t about their twin relationships and experiences. I cant tell you how many stories began with, "OH!!! My second cousins girlfriends brother in law is a twin" I also cant tell you how much I fought to hold my tongue and fists back from punching out this stranger stealing my precious moments from me. Didn't they know it took us LITERALLY an HOUR to walk out to the car?!!? That it took meticulous planning to make sure breast milk was pumped JUST before leaving so I had 3 hours til I was back to moo-ing in my stall? I wanted to scream at them to just 'SHUT UPPPP!" But of course, I couldn't yell at the lovely old lady who just wanted to know, "are they twins?!" Uhhh, no. . . . they're just really close in age. . . . ACK!
Its not that the questions and invasions of my day weren't well intentioned, its just that I didn't care. I'm BUSY. I HAVE TWINS!!!
CC is one of the nicest people you'll ever meet. She smiled sweetly and rubbed my back, almost telling ME to shut up. . . but in the nicest way possible:) (no sarcasm here, we do ADORE her)
It didn't take long, we were at the mall for less than an hour, it may have even been less than that. And she saw it. CC stopped me and shared that she had counted how many times we had been stopped just walking around the mall. 13 times. THIRTEEN?!?!!?!? Are you kidding me?!?!?How many more mall freaks are waiting to slow our pace? I'm due back at the pump soon! We haven't had lunch! Baby E needs his bottle right this second so he will be done in 15 minutes, so he has 30 minutes of upright time before getting back in the car seat so we avoid a reflux episode and end up the emergency room - again, so we can be home within my 3 hour window so I can get back to the pump, so we have more food for my babies and my breasts don't EXPLODE! We took the cold shoulder route and proceeded to ignore everyone. C, CC, me, and the kids. . . . an entourage just to get through a lunch outing.
We found a quiet seating area, and split up baby duties. However, the double snap n go was like a flashing neon sign that 'i have twins' People leered like we were a zoo attraction. Really? Its JUST two babies. . . . move along now, THANKS. During this feeding time, the 3 of us girls decided it would just be awesome if I could simply react to these mall oglers as I wanted. To the teen mall worker who was too busy texting, chatting up customers or just being lazy, I could punch him in the face (I know, not nice, but its real either. . . ) To the customers holding up the line and paying with a CHECK (?!?!!!??) Id light up my rocket boosted stroller and zoom ahead of her to complete my transaction. To all the random people with their comments; 'oh my, you must have your hands full!' 'look at that! double trouble! haha' (hahahHA my @$$) I got to cinnaBOMB them. I'm not sure what a cinnaBOMB does yet, but I'll let you know as I decide:) Something along the lines of a creamy cinnamon and frosting mess that renders the annoying person stuck and I get to move about my day - I only have TWINS, full hands apparently and a million things to do that are more important to talking to you, random stranger.
Oh, and the mall security can't touch me, because I'm lightening quick and they miss the chaos I cause. Plus, I'm super charming and I have twins. . . right?
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