Looney Tunes Final Chapter ~ Recipe Swap

As my final installment of the Looney Tunes Eating Right Kids project, sponsored by Warner Brothers and featured on the Momlogic site, I've been asked to share a recipe. I'm fortunate that my kids (mainly my son) has grown out of his picky eating phase, at just 6. The most requested vegetable for dinner (by both little ones) is green beans. We've come a long way from Chicken Nuggets and Mac N' Cheese and I am delighted to FINALLY be able to make just one meal for dinner. Yes, I made several meals to give everyone something they liked, but we're past that now.

I don't restrict my kids from junk foods. We usually have cookies, brownies, or cupcakes on hand and we are all BIG fans of Ice Cream. I have given my kids hot dogs, mac n' cheese, and even spaghetti for breakfast when requested, and even the occasional treat of cake for breakfast. We're all still here. I know that child hood obesity is a huge problem in our country and think the problem lies with a combination of lack of activity as well as diet. My kids have ALWAYS (since birth) fallen into the 50th percentile for weight in their age categories. I did a lot of reading about healthy nutrition while pregnant the first time around and just couldn't buy into giving my children wheat germ as a sweet substitute for sugar. We don't take vitamins. We get our D the old fashioned way...Milk and Sun. I'm sure if weight was an issue in our house (with the kids) we would look at things differently, but for now we're letting the kids be kids and enjoy the treats we enjoyed as kids...in moderation.

Sometimes I feel intimidated by the Mom's who go out of their way to provide ONLY healthy snacks for their families, but then I realize that it's not the way Hubster or I eat so it would be quite hypocritical for us to impose these standards on the kids. We're just not ready to give up the "good stuff".

Okay, enough rambling. I was in the mood for a new casserole dish a couple months back and my friend Megan shared one of her favs with me. The whole family enjoyed it.

Aloha Chicken and Rice

2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cans (8 oz. each) pineapple tidbits in juice, undrained
1 can (14-1/2 oz.) chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1/2 cup SHAKE 'N BAKE Original Chicken Seasoned Coating Mix
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces


PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix rice, pineapple with juice, broth and green peppers in 13x9-inch baking dish.

MEASURE 1/2 cup coating mix and place in plastic bag; coat chicken strips as directed on package. Place chicken on rice mixture.

BAKE 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

What's your family's favorite recipe? Please share!

I've Been Inspired

That's my inspiration! Isn't it beautiful?

Prior to blogging I tried my hand at beading. I really enjoyed making simple necklaces and anklets for my daughter and other little girls in the neighborhood. By simple I mean single strand with a toggle clasp and a fairy or teddy bear pendant on the necklace. Then I started blogging and witnessed all the awesome beadwork others were doing (and blogging about) and I got a little intimidated and figured I'd just focus on the writing.

An old grade school friend I've reconnected with on Facebook has been posting pics of her lampwork beads which made me a little envious. I'm envious of all the beaders who will be able to use her creations. Then I thought to myself, "Self, why be envious? Why not make something for yourself?" So there you have it. I'm bidding on this piece (so please find something else to bid on, there's several to choose from and new listings are added all the time). I'm not trying to make something to sell. You know me and grapes have a special bond *wink* so this will be something just for me. Something I can work on over the next several weeks and be the envy of all my friends when I sport a one-of-a-kind piece no one (including me) will be able to replicate. I'm so excited!

If you want to see more of Molly's work click here or click the image above.

Thank You Molly for the creative inspiration!

Worst Fears

Ever since I was little I always had a fear of a break-in. I'm not sure when it started, or why, but remember several nights where I would actually "hear" windows being opened. Second story windows, no-less. It would keep me awake. petrified, and watching every shadow on the walls in the hallway. In the early years I would retreat to my parent's room. We were not allowed to get in bed with them and I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to even wake them (although I don't remember for sure). I just remember showing up in their room with my blanket and pillow and curling up on the floor next to the bed and spending the rest of the night there. Might be why I always go with a child who wants to snuggle in the middle of the night or allow them to climb into our bed.

Anyway. At some point I got tired of staying up and convinced myself that if someone WAS going to break in...then they would. It hadn't happened yet and the only one suffering was me. I decided that staying up would not prevent it from happening and decided I was better off just sleeping and taking my chances. The problem was solved! For a long time, anyway.

So now I'm back to my old childhood fear. It's heightened by the fact that I not only have to save myself from these imaginary intruders, I have to save two children as well. It's at it's worst when Hubster is gone, as he was last night. It's not exactly that I feel safer when he's home (although apparently it is), he sleeps like a ROCK and I'm pretty sure I would notify any intruder that I was awake by trying to wake him. Maybe it's that I feel safer knowing there would be two of us to protect the kids? Maybe I think he will stall them long enough for me to put my "escape plan" (yes, I have it all planned out. I've even alerted the neighbors that I will need their help getting the kids off the roof) into motion? I'm not sure. I just know that he went to work at 11:00 pm last night and from the time I tried to lay down, my mind started racing. How can I get both kids out? I put my cell under my pillow because I was sure the home phone would go beep-beep-beep as I dialed 911. Then I thought, "Will they be able to trace the cell number as easily as the home phone should I be unable to speak?" Then I thought of giving the phone to Boog, he'd know what to do. All this played out in my mind as I laid there. It's excruciating what the mind can do.

I had a friend who had her house broken into over the weekend. She was home with her daughter while her Husband and son were out of town. This probably made my fear worse, but in the end was my saving grace. As I ran it through my head, I convinced myself that my worst fear came true for her and it would be way to coincidental for it to happen to me as well. I finally fell asleep around 3am. I awoke to the sound of the front door opening at 5:30am. I jumped up and slowly walked to the window...where I saw Hubster's car in the driveway. Whew! I went back to bed and got another hour of sleep.

What's your worst fear?

Another Girls Night In

The theme was Italian and we Rocked it! The food was fabulous, the wine was plentiful, though some got dumped, and the overall experience was like curling up under a heated blanket on a cold Winter night...COZY!

We started with the wines while preparing our feast. It was my first time with Chianti and while it was drinkable, it lacked the depth I like in my reds and would have been completely drowned out by the flavorful food. I switched to the Twisted Old Vine Zin and don't for a minute regret it. This Zin was bold and balanced and complimented the meal expertly. I might as well also add that the Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio got dumped out by our 2 white wine drinkers. One traded for $3 buck Chuck White Zin and the other (after having too much wine fun at last months event) decided to go for a couple shots (which turned into one) of Crown Royal.

As an appetizer we had Sun-dried tomato Crostini. Slices of baguette brushed with EVOO and topped with Sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, and put under the broiler to "crisp" them up.

For the entree we enjoyed some yummy warm Baked Ziti. Here it is before being put in the oven to melt all the yummy cheese.

We served that with a delicious antipasto salad with romaine, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, Genoa salami, prosciutto and chunks of mozzarella. He it is being prepared by Kathy .

As always, we drank, cooked, drank, ate, and talked. We never left the table once we sat to eat and the evening ended at 10:30. I so look forward to this event each month and enjoy sharing our recipes and wine with you.

Next Month...Mexican.

Stay Tuned!

400th Post ~ Do I talk too much?

I didn't realize until I started this post that it is my 400th post.

Yay!

Celebrate!

Now let's move on.

Do I talk too much? Kind of an ironic topic since it's my 400th post to ask that but...do I? The reason I ask is that at work last night I was given a project to track down 6 of these discontinued water-proof bottles. I had a list of stores that were showing in the system as having 1 and I was to get 6 transferred in from other stores. One manager gave me the project as he was walking out the door. Another manager stressed the importance of getting it done before I left, and yet another manager kinda laughed claiming that there were only 16 left in the company and there was no way I would get 6. Was that a challenge? To me it was.

I found a store with 2, called them and got them to transfer them. Found another store with 2 and got those transferred. I then looked for one more store with 2 thinking I could be done. I found the store and called. They actually had one but it had an expiration on it of 2/07. It's a waterproof bottle. Nothing in it. We're not sure why it would have an expiration but I told him to just hold on to it and I would call back if we wanted it (besides he only had one and I wanted to get 2). As I looked through the rest of the stores, no one had more than one so I started to call. I found my fifth but then ran into a road block. ALL the other stores were closed for the night. Not wanting to leave this project for someone else, but having no choice, I made a detailed list of the stores that showed having one and tracked down their phone numbers so the morning person could just make phone calls and not have to track down the info from the computer. So when the store manager (who thankfully is also a friend) called to say "How hard was it to track those down?", I told him.

"I've got 5 being shipped and found a sixth that for some reason was expired but that they are willing to ship if he wants it. The rest of the stores were closed for the day so I also made a list of all stores that show having them and have written down their phone numbers so whoever wants to find the sixth in the morning will just have to make the calls."

To which he replied, "Wow. That's not even why I called." I said, "Didn't you just ask me how hard was it track those down?" He said "Yes, but I wasn't expecting such a long answer." "Okay" I said "I found 5." He laughed and said "Do you like tomatoes?" I said "yes". He said, "We got a ton from our neighbor so swing by on your way home and pick some up." I told him I'd come by today.

I thought I was being thorough. What do you think? Besides, I was at work. Who expects their boss to call about tomatoes?

On another subject...

Tomorrow is Girl's night Out. Skip the diet supplement because you won't want to miss this Italian Feast. I won't spill all the beans, you'll have to wait for Saturday for that. I can tell you that my grocery list is for Sundried Tomato Crostini. Yum. I'm also going to see if I can track down a Norton from Horton. You won't want to miss it.

Funny Video of Kids Flossing/Blogging

This is funny.

At least to me.

One of the things I like to do least for the kids is to floss their teeth. Trying to get them to sit still so as not to rip the floss through their gums proves to be quite challenging at times. When we received a free package of kids floss to try out (and review for compensation), I was very excited. In order to show you what a difference this makes in my life, I shot a little video (or rather, let the kids use the camera on my laptop for their mirror). The kids are actually begging me to let them floss. Any parent who is still flossing their pre-school or elementary aged kids should check this out.

Note: For some reason, whenever Puddin Pop gets in front of my laptop she thinks she's blogging. Just listen to her at the end.

The Dog's Getting Spoiled in Her Old Age

I'm not sure what I was thinking.

Last week Puddin Pop was in the pantry and found Ashley's (the dog) collar. She pretty much stays in the house or the back yard so she doesn't regularly wear it. I would have sworn she didn't have one anymore but...there it was. Of course the thought of taking Ashley for a walk was all PP could think about. Hmmm. I know we have a retractable leash somewhere, but Boog used to set traps with it so I'm pretty sure it's been confiscated. When I put something up so the kids can't mess with it, I usually forget where it is. We searched around and finally found a leash that used to be Blu's (a dog we had before the kids came)and decided it would work.

Now, every morning, and every afternoon, Ashley accompanies us to the bus stop. Boog takes her in the morning and PP gets to walk her home and the opposite happens in the afternoon. The kids think this is the coolest thing. Seeing the joy in the faces of the other bus riders and hearing them chatter about the "cute doggie" from the bus, made it even more special for the kids. We've now designated a spot for our dog supplies to be able to find them each morning in the hectic before school rush.

You Want to Get Rid of What?

Hubster and I were just talking about ways we could save some extra money. We finally got his blackberry transferred to his company's account and switched my cell phone to a single line which will save us close to $100 each month. The company was reimbursing us but he was never good at turning in the expense reports so it would be 3-4 months before we would see the money. Now it will never have to be paid (by us). We have our insurance at the lowest we can get it and the only other place we could possibly save would be through or cable/internet/home phone service. I'm all for finding a company that can do the bundle for less. I am NOT for the suggestion he made about getting rid of the digital cable. The digital cable I can actually do without. The DVR is NON-NEGOTIABLE. He seriously wants me to give up the DVR. Uh...NO! All the new shows are starting, American Idol will be back in January, and there is no way I'm giving up the DVR. If I had never had it, I may not miss it, but I DO have it and it won't be going anywhere. It's not convenient for me to watch shows at 8 o'clock. I watch them after everyone goes to bed. It's my me time.

Sorry Hon. You'll have to cut costs somewhere else

Lose Your Ugly

We all have it...or lots of it. Maybe it's something from a dear relative or friend that we keep hidden away just so we can bring it out when they come for a visit. Maybe it's something that has sentimental value and we just can't bare to get rid of it. Maybe it should have been gone a long time ago but we just haven't found the time to dispose of it...Now is the time!

What is IT? You ask. It's the UGLY things we keep around for no good reason. Now LG is hosting a contest where just by uploading a video or picture of your UGLY items on the

LG Bliss Facebook Fan Page you can be entered to win a NEW LG Bliss phone. Yep. Read that right. Picture of ugly= chance for free phone or (second prize) $50.

It can be ANYTHING. An ugly sweater, piece of art, vehicle, old electronics. It can even be examples of ugly behavior like wine snobbery (that one's for you, Randy). Whatever it is, take a picture or make a video of it and enter the contest!

So gather it up and drop it off (virtually) on LG's facebook page. You'll feel better and you could potentially win a new phone.

There will be 5 grand prize winners of a new Bliss phone and 50 second place ($50) winners. Only one entry allowed per FB account.

And here's MY Ugly...



The playroom after a house full of kids have finished playing...and before they began to pick it up.

Guiding Light~ The End

I started watching Soap Operas when I was very small, probably around the age of 5. Everyone in my family watched all the CBS soaps and it was always the topic of conversation when we got together. Since most of them were on while I was in school, GL became the first soap I got addicted to. I've had periods of time (years) where I haven't had time to watched, but what they say is true...you can always get right back into it.

I haven't watched soaps since I was on maternity leave with Boog, so it's been 6 years, but when I heard that the show was going off the air, I HAD to see the final episodes. I still don't have time during the day, but thanks to our trusty DVR, I was able to record this final week. Each night after everyone went to bed, I would watch all my old favorites come back to town. With a wedding (that turned into 2) and a death, several old characters came back to say their final good byes.

As I watched the very last episode last night, I not only remembered all the old story lines but also thought about all the people I used to enjoy this show with...that are no longer with us. My mother and grandmother were die-hard fans and would have been very sad to see this show end. It, however, outlasted both of them.

It's been a very reflective couple of months for me. We (my husband and I) have had several family deaths and just Wednesday one of our neighbors passed away. It makes me want to hold my kids close and cherish all of my relationships. I'm reaching out to family and friends to let them know how much they mean to me. Life is short and I think it is important to not lose sight of how we got to where we are and all the relationships that have helped mold us into the people we are today.

Eating Right Kids, Part 4

We're still talking about ways to get our kids eating right. We've discussed snack time, packing healthy lunches and how healthy shouldn't be a dirty word. As part of the WB word of mouth team this week's question is...

How do you navigate the grocery store with your kids?

Don't forget: Momlogic’s nutrition expert, Haylie Pomroy is answering questions about nutrition. Send her your questions to eatingright@wb.com. She will post answers starting this week.

I'll admit that I've had my challenges taking 2 kids to the grocery store. No one wants to get in the cart (unless I'm at the store with the car on the front of the cart, which I am very poor at maneuvering). They either want to walk or stand on the side. I've occasionally had one (or both) run completely to different aisles forcing me to run after them and then have a serious discussion about proper behavior, courtesy to others, and consequences of bad behavior. It took some brainstorming, and research to see what other Mom were doing. I know it should be easy in comparison with Parents of 5 or 6 children.

I always have a list (written) and give each child 3-5 items to remember. They are under the belief that there are too many things for mommy to remember so I REALLY need their help. Before we leave I will rattle off this list and ask them what they can remember. One might say, "bread,milk, ketchup and bananas" and the other will chime in with "rice, grapes, and cereal." I'll call off a few items and we'll practice memorizing our items all the way to the store. When we get there each child is responsible to get their items when we get to each aisle. I've found by making them think of specific items, they are less likely to ask for other stuff because they are afraid of forgetting their important items. It keeps them close by and thinking of something other than running around and causing havoc.

How do YOU navigate the store with the kids?

Don't forget, each comment on any of the Eating Right Kids Posts gets you a chance in the drawing for a Looney Tunes Eating Right Gift Basket. The basket is filled with healthy options and valued at $100.

Other posts to comment on:

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3

Lunch with a Friend

It happens to all of us. We start a blog, we either define ourselves into a certain niche from the start or we fall into one that seems to make sense once the creative juices get flowing...or we see a pattern of followers and commenters. This blog was started as a personal blog. Wine at Five? represents the time of day I like to pour my first glass. As I continued along my blogging path I seemed to attract a lot of wine lovers. Fine by me. I started to talk more about wine and my selections, and picked up some more frequent followers. There are a few individuals (who you can see on my commenters list) that comment on every post, and in turn I try to do the same. We have built relationships beyond commenters and frequently send messages through e-mail and are Facebook friends. 95% of my FB friends are actual people I have met, gone to school with or previously worked with, just a few are those I respect enough throughout the blogging community to open my full life to (or as much as one does on FB).

Today I had the opportunity to meet one of these people face-to-face. He happened to be in town, with his wife, on a little vacation and we met for lunch. It was a delightful time. Having someone who gets the whole "I blog" thing was nice and the conversation never lagged. We talked about blogging, marketing strategies, families, wine, places to eat and whatever else came up. His wife was sweet (and quiet) and I would have really enjoyed sharing a nice dinner and some wine with both of them rather than lunch as they headed back to NY...maybe next time.

Who have you met? Would you be up for meeting one of your "blog" friends?

Oh. He also gave me a "company" t-shirt and you can bet I'm going to wear that. Go visit Joeshico at Why Wine Blog. He gives great insight into all types of wines and is an all around really nice guy!

Thank You Joe and Shirley for taking time out of your vacation to meet up. Really sorry I'm so directionally challenged!

Bridge and Beyond Project ~ Getting Involved

I'm always searching for new ways to give back and help others out. I make my yearly donations to the MS society and St. Jude. I would give (monetarily) so much more...if we had it. Instead, I participate in events such as Relay for Life and the Alzheimer's walk and depend on friends and relatives to help to raise money for these worthy causes. I'm always looking for ways to help out, doing whatever I can to help others and feeling lucky for the situation we are in. We have plenty of food. Hubster has a full time job and I have a part time job. The kids are healthy, we have a home, and we have plenty of clothes for each season.

Others are not as fortunate.

I've been fortunate to meet some wonderful people since I started blogging and one of them is Sandy from Travelling Suitcase. She takes us all on each trip she's taken, tells us the good and bad of each trip and shares beautiful pictures that make us feel like we were there with her. It's truly a lot of fun...but she does more than travel.

Bridge and Beyond Project is Sandy's way of giving back. She is very concerned with the amount of homeless people in her community (and everywhere) and has set up a site to help the homeless men living under a bridge in central Ohio. She has set specific goals on hats, mittens and scarves for these men and with the weather in Ohio getting cold early this year, she needs our help.

If you knit or know someone who does, please visit Bridge and Beyond Project and shoot Sandy an e-mail letting her know you'd like to help out. I told her I had some baby and Children's hats that I made on my Nifty Knitter and she said she could use those as well. They also try to help out women and children that are cared for at a free clinic in her area. The point being, I am no fancy knitter, but anything we can do is appreciated and used.

Easy Sausage Square Recipe

Thanks to my friend Heather in one of my Mom's groups, we are all hooked on these yummy sausage squares. Another friend of mine posted on Facebook yesterday that she was making turtle brownies for a tailgate today and needed something else to bring. I suggested sausage squares and knew immediately that they would be stuck in my head until I made some. Off to the store I went. I thought about making them as an after school snack, but the weather warmed and we had ice cream in the freezer that I knew would be the snack of choice.

This morning the ingredients were calling me out of bed and I knew I would have a warm tasty breakfast ready when everyone else got up. These are great for a snack or a meal. Really good for get togethers and they re-heat pretty well too.

You will need:

1 pound of ground sausage (hot or mild)

1 8 oz package of cream cheese

2 packages (tubes) of crescent rolls

Brown and drain sausage and add to a bowl with the cream cheese. Mix thoroughly until cream cheese is completely mixed in.

Roll out one package of crescent rolls into a 9x13 (lightly greased) baking dish. Pinch together all perforations and press flat pinching up the sides.

Put sausage and cream cheese mixture on top and spread evenly to cover.

Lay second package of crescent rolls on top and again pinch together perforations and tuck down on the sides.

Bake according to crescent roll directions. Mine usually says 375 and I bake for 20 minutes (until top is golden brown).

Allow to cool, cut and serve.

These would be good with a side of eggs for breakfast but since my kids don't do scrambled eggs, we had ours with some grapes.

(first roll of crescent's layed out in pan with perforations pinched)

(sausage and cream cheese mix, the white chunks are what you DON'T want to see)



(golden brown, just out of the oven)

Eating Right Kids, Part 3 and a Great Giveaway

Continuing on with the Looney Tunes Eating Right Kids project, this weeks question is...

How do you ensure your kids are eating healthy at school. What are some of your kids favorite snacks?

My oldest is in first grade so we aren't currently having any issues with food choices. I pack his lunch so I know exactly what he is eating. It blows my mind that schools now have vending machines filled with sugary snacks and sodas. I don't think these have any place in our schools. I'm not opposed to my kids having anything that they offer, I just don't think they belong in our schools.

I'm pretty fortunate that my kids like healthy snacks. Don't get me wrong, they love the "junk" we occasionally purchase too, but that's why it's occasionally that we buy it. We have a snack box. A 3 drawer, free standing unit that I put snacks in for the kids to grab whenever they want. It always has fruit, pretzels, popcorn, crackers and pudding cups and then whatever other snacks we may pick up. We also always have celery, carrots, grapes and cheese in the fridge that the kids can help themselves to. My son's favorite snacks include cheese and crackers with grapes, and carrots and pretzels dipped in ranch.

What are your kids favorites?

Warner Brothers is giving one lucky reader this Gift basket fillet with Looney Tunes Goodies. All you have to do is engage in a little conversation right here. I will take all comments on the Eating Right Kids posts and use Random.org to pick a winner after week 5. So tell my how you get your kids to eat right and give me some ideas on more healthy options (and make sure to leave a way to contact you).

Looney Tunes Eating Right Kids Gift Basket

Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Safeway, Inc. have teamed up to create a better-for-you line of food products for children, uniting flavor and nutrition with the iconic Looney Tunes characters. The Eating Right Kids food line featuring Bugs Bunny, Marvin the Martian, Daffy Duck and others offers more than 60 items across 18 categories including breakfast foods, produce, portable meals, dairy, snacks, beverages and frozen entrees - making it easy for moms to spot healthier food and beverage items for their kids that taste great.


Items in the basket include:
Looney Tunes Golden Collection Volume 1
Tweety T-shirt from Junk Food
Looney Tunes plush item
Looney Tunes stationary or home good
Eating Right Kids “green” shopping bag from Safeway
Eating Right Kids post card
Eating Right Kids Products (non perishable) in a branded lunch box
Canned Ravioli with Daffy or Microbowl with Tweety
Tri-color Wheat Rotini with Sylvester and Tweety
Apple juice with Taz
Chewy Bar with Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner

Please note: If an item listed in the giveaway prize is not available, it will be replaced it with a similar item of equal value.

Don't forget to check out Momlogic for more ideas ideas on getting kids to eat right and see what recipes Haylie Pomroy is cooking up. You can also submit questions for Haylie at eatingright@wb.com.

Other posts to comment on for more chances to win...

Week 1~ Packing Healthy Lunches

Week 2~ Teaching kids about healthy choices

Ellen on Idol

Oh my Gawsh.

This is flippin' exciting.

Like a sale on women shoes are to a shopaholic, or fine wine is to a sommelier, American Idol is my guilty pleasure...with wine. While I was sorry to hear of Paula's departure I am thrilled to hear that Ellen DeGeneres will be filling her spot. Ellen will bring the same compassion, better stated, will dance just as much, and will be a hoot dealing with Simon. She's been a fan since the beginning and had several of the contestants on her show so she knows how it works. I haven't heard yet if she will be in the early judging but think those episodes will be even more entertaining with her in the mix.


"We're all delighted to have Ellen join our ninth season of American Idol," said executive producer Cecile Frot-Coutaz. "Beyond her incredible sense of humor and love of music, she brings with her an immense warmth and compassion that is almost palpable. She is one of America's foremost entertainers, and we cannot wait to have her join our team."

What are your thoughts...if you're a fan?

Wordless Wednesday~ First Day of School

Who's the Boss?

I may get in trouble for this but I'm re-posting this from a blog I had on the today platform. I enjoyed the works I shared over there and will try to share some here.

(January 2009)

Dear Puddin Pop,

Yes. I am the boss of you.

I know you were super tired tonight at bed time, and didn’t really mean what you said but, yes, I am the boss of you.

When you spoke those words, “You not the boss of me”, part of me wanted to laugh, part of me wanted to cry. I knew immediately that you had heard those words from your brother, who was probably saying them all day to his older, bossy friend, but I was still surprised. Part of me was sad that, at two, you would be so upset with me and want to push me away. Part of me was so proud that you were standing up for yourself, even if it was against me.

I love you more than anything and only want the best for you. It is my job to make sure you get everything you need…including sleep. My heart aches that you had to go to sleep so upset with me. I’m sorry for telling you that you would need to make your own breakfast in the morning since you think you are the boss of you (even though this didn’t seem to phase you at all). I will, of course, make your breakfast in the morning. I will also do my best to make sure that you are provided with the skills and knowledge to someday actually be the boss of you.

For now it will be my job. Not one I take lightly.

Sweet dreams,
Mommy

Back to the Grind

Today is the first day of school. It seems like as soon as school starts our lives become busier. Getting one ready for school, making sure backpacks are packed, getting dinner together to make sure it's ready at a decent time so bath and bedtime can fall into place. Extracurricular activities, homework and then start getting ready for the next day. I'm glad I took some time to just enjoy my little boy before I sent him off to first grade.

I'm back!

Currently looking for more charities to spotlight and learn more about. If you have one that you think needs more recognition, e-mail me or comment here.

Outraged!

I'm a little envious of those with walk in tubs right now as I could just lay in one, head submerged, for a long time today. As a kid I always enjoyed the quiet of being under water. When we would go to the pool, I would just sit (or float) under water until I needed air, come up for air, and go back under. It really was an extremely peaceful experience. My tub will not allow this and I could really use it. Let me tell you why...

Have you heard about the man (stranger) who repeatedly slapped a 2 year old at Wal-Mart? The toddler was crying and the man told the mother to shut her up or he would. The mother didn't get her child to stop crying so the man approached and slapped the child, at least 4 times. He is now in jail. No one knows at this point how he got close enough to the child to do this and some are blaming the mother.

My headache is being caused by posters in different forums about this incident. Some think the mother is to blame for allowing her 2 year old to cry at a store. This is ridiculous. Others are going off on tangents about Columbine, gang shootings and other tragic events claiming it's all lack of discipline in today's youth. While I agree that some parents could do a better job in controlling their children (and I don't think that should be the debate here) We're talking about a 2 year old who was crying. Kids cry. Sure the mother could have taken her child and left the store, but I don't think she should have to. And it's Wal-mart. Aren't those stores pretty big? Was the man following them? Did he happen to need the same things in the same aisles? Could he not have been a little more understanding and shopped a different section?

I made a personal decision 6 years ago to NOT shop at Wal-mart (no offense to those that do). My first born was a couple months old and Hubster had to return something. He loves Wal-mart. While he was standing in the long return line at 9 o'clock on a Friday evening, Boogie and I were just strolling through the store. I witnessed so many parents physically "disciplining" their own children in a manner that made me ill that I had to leave before I slapped one (parent...not child). It was then that I decided that Wal-mart was not the place for me. While I'm out outraged that this event took place, the fact that it happened at Wal-mart does not shock me at all and just reinforces my decision not to shop there.

So, anyone got a big tub they want to share?

Wordless Wednesday ~ Ferry Ride

Eating Right Kids, Part 2

As a member of WB's Word of mouth team on the Looney Tunes/Safeway Eating Right Kids project, I will be participating, along with Momlogic and other bloggers, in a series of posts on getting kids to eat healthier. I will share what I do, and link to other posts with more tips and suggestions.

Looney Tunes Eating Right Kids

Overview of Looney Tunes Eating Right Kids Program:
Warner Bros. Consumer Products and Safeway, Inc. have teamed up to create a better-for-you line of food products for children, uniting flavor and nutrition with the iconic Looney Tunes characters. The line includes categories such as breakfast foods, portable meals, dairy, snacks and beverages. Each product will feature such world-renowned Looney Tunes characters as Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Taz, Sylvester, Wile E. Coyote, Roadrunner, Marvin the Martian and Daffy Duck, who serve as ‘Mother’s Helper,’ making it easy for moms to spot better-for-you food and beverage items for their kids that taste great.


Statistics on Childhood Obesity:

Obesity is a growing problem among our children nationwide, which, if not addressed, can lead to severe health issues in adulthood. As parents, teaching healthy eating habits and educating our children on how to choose to eat healthy is one of the best habits you can instill in your kids.

o According to a 2009 study, almost 1 in 5 American 4-year-olds is obese – that’s more than half a million 4-year-olds.
o The number of overweight and obese children (10 to 17 years old) is at or above 30 percent in 30 states.
o Research has also shown that overweight and obese children generally go on to become obese adults, with all the chronic, weight-related health issues that involves, such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure.

About Warner Bros. / Safeway program:
Warner Bros. Consumer Products has partnered exclusively with Safeway to offer better eating choices for kids: the Eating Right Kids food and beverage line that features the beloved Looney Tunes characters.
o The line is an offshoot of Safeway’s Eating Right line for adults. Warner Bros. Consumer Products’ and Safeway’s Eating Right Kids initiative was highlighted by the Federal Trade Commission for its ability to have a positive impact on childhood obesity.
o The Eating Right Kids Food Line featuring the Looney Tunes Characters offer more than 60 items across 18 categories including breakfast foods, produce, portable meals, dairy, snacks, beverages and frozen entrees. The line is available at more than 1700 Safeway locations throughout the U.S. and Canada.
o The Eating Right Kids line featuring the Looney Tunes Characters available at Safeway stores has been formulated to standards based on the most recent dietary recommendations and regulations from several federal and state agencies.

Momlogic.com:
Looney Tunes Eat Right Kids Program is featured on Momlogic.com starting August 24th and will feature an Eating Right blog from Haylie Pomroy to showcase healthy recipes, expert tips and the Looney Tunes Eating Right product recommendation to help moms save prep time when creating healthy menus and school lunches.

This weeks topic:

How do you teach your kids about healthy eating choices? What works best for your family?

We talk to the kids about what foods make a body strong, what gives them energy to run and play, and what gives them instant energy, but then causes them to "crash" (like candy). I do not prohibit my kids from eating junk food, but it comes in moderation.

Starting out as a picky eater, my son (age 6) is trying new things each day. I do not force him to eat anything he doesn't like, and I think this helps in getting him to at least try new things. We keep plenty of fruit on hand for snack times and keep them where the kids can help themselves. I also usually have carrots and ranch on hand for my son.

We take seasonal trips to local orchards for strawberry and blueberry picking, making it a group event. We meet up with other Mom's and kids and have a picnic after our work is done. The kids love picking their own fruit and I believe it makes it even more enjoyable for them to eat.

For me the most important thing is to be flexible, creative, and never give up on preparing new and exciting combinations for the kids to enjoy. Hubster is a very picky eater, but over time has realized he likes things he swore he didn't...for more than 30 years. If I want my kids to eat fish and the first recipe doesn't work, I look for other recipes and keep trying until we find something that works. We have salmon patties quite often and Puddin Pop refused to eat them until one night when I had her make them with me. Now we always make them together and she always eats 2 or 3. I love to eat and try new things and fortunately my daughter (age 3) is pretty much the same. Sometimes I will make her something that she doesn't think looks good. Take that same meal and heat it up the following day for myself for lunch...she'll ask for a bite and run off with my plate. I now anticipate this and will heat up stuff for her and pretend it's for me.

What do you do? What challenges have you faced?

Haylie Pomroy will be answering nutrition questions over at Momlogic so go and get your questions in.

Other posts on this subject:

Table for Five

Southern Girl Reviews

No Time Mommy