Is yogurt good for our kids?

Being that yogurt is one of the few foods I am sure my kid will eat, I have been shoveling it into his mouth thinking what a great, healthy choice it is. That is until I started checking some common foods we eat for high fructose corn syrup and saw that it is in the yogurt. Are you kidding me??? Not only is it in the yogurt, but it is the 5th ingredient out of 14. You know the rule...the ingredients are listed in order of the amount of product used.

As I mentioned in my last post, I am not going to put my kid on a zero sugar diet, but for heaven's sake!!! They're pumping high fructose corn syrup(HFCS) into our yogurt? Why didn't I just hand him a can of coke for breakfast?

Studies have shown that HFCS leads to obesity and type 2 diabetes, and could even be responsible for resisting the protein, leptin, which helps us to naturally control our appetite. While research on autism and ADHD may not have the necessary funding, parents are doing their own research and seeing the far reaching effects of removing this crud from their child's diet. My goal is simply to be more concious about which foods it has crept into that we are eating on a regular basis and try to minimize eating those foods. HFCS is finding it's way into more and more regular foods as it is cheaper than table sugar and a good preservative.

We can't give up yogurt. Of course, it is a good source of calcium, and some days, all my kid will eat, so I found an alternative to the regular stuff. I just bought some organic yogurt called YoBaby (also comes in YoKids). No HCFS and less regular sugar too. Yes, it is more than the 40 cent cups I was buying. In fact, they are only 4 oz. compared to the regular 6 oz. cups, and cost about $3 for 6, but I feel much better about feeding this to my baby being that he eats it so much. Here you can get coupons from the Stonyfield company and here is a link to couponmom for .75 cents of any brand of yogurt, milk, and cheese.

Here is some more info. on high fructose corn syrup. The first is is very imformative on the debate on the dangers of HCFS, and the second is all about being organic, so ya know it's going to be extreme, but very educational:

http://blogs.consumerreports.org/health/2008/10/high-fructose-c.html
http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_6210.cfm

Louder Than Words: A good read for any mom.

My sis-in-law recommended this book and it was well worth the read. I do not have any personal experiences with autism, but it was a great mind opener towards this fast growing disorder. According to Dr. Jerry J. Kartzinel (book introduction) one in every seventy boys is affected by Autism, and this number seems to be rising. As a mother I feel it is important to be aware of anything that could affect my child or family in one way or another.

Of course, Mccarthy is informative in a comical way. If you can get past the drunken sailor's dirty mouth, you too might appreciate the information she gives on her journey through autism with her child, along with some hilarious appearances by the Mormon missionaries.

The biggest thing I took from the book is to always question, question, question. We rely on doctors to know all the answers, but as the mama, we are responsible to make decisions for our children. So much is unknown about autism. There is no sense in living in fear, avoiding every immunization, and putting our children on strict diets. Although, I do believe we should make these decisions more informatively, prayerfully, and personally for each child without completely relying on what a doctor or even the government has to say.

It is important to not "bandage" the problems our bodies are having and simply rely on medications. We too often do not give our bodies (or our children's bodies) the respect they deserve. If we can just figure out why our body is reacting poorly and rely on medications to the minimum, we'd all be a lot better off.

The best exercises for abs

My mid-section is just screaming, "hey you, stranger, ask my owner how far along she is," ugh. So, that just happens to be what's been on my mind lately. I do a decent job of getting in about 30 min of cardio each day, but I could definitely step up my strength and target training. I'm really not looking to be able to bounce a quarter off my abs, just flattened out a bit to avoid the constant 4 months pregnant look.

I came across a gadget I had bought about 7 years ago called the ab roller or ab wheel, something like that (pictured above). It is very inexpensive (I think I paid like $10 for it) and easy to store in my little home. Yesterday I decided to pull it out for a test run. Today I can barely bend over to lift my child. The first roll out, I literally felt my muscles rip open. I actually sat up and waited to make sure I wasn't bleeding through my belly button, before continuing with 20 more rolls.

This morning I thought, "it must be doing something if I feel it this much," but also wondered if it really is as effective and safe as I'm hoping it is, so off to research I went.

It was not easy searching through the muck of articles trying to sell the ab wheel and others trying to knock it to sell a different ab machine, but I did find multiple articles that seemed to be unbiased. They were unanimous in saying the ab wheel can be a great ab workout, but primarily for already conditioned athletes. They claimed that an inexperienced and unfit person will most likely cause a muscle tear (oh crap) and/or back pain.

There were also some positive articles on the ab wheel stating the dangers, but also encouraging by assuring anyone can do it as long as they learn proper technique and not push themselves to hard. I'm a bit stubborn and want to see if I can get results from this wheel of pain, so I found a YouTube video demonstrating proper use. And, here's an advanced video just for the heck of it because this half-naked, grunting, man made me giggle.

If you want to stick with the good ole exercises not requiring an ab wheel or much of any other equipment, here are the best ab exercises according to About.com: Sports Medicine:

Abdominal Exercise Guidelines Perform several (3-5) abdominal exercises 3-5 times a week. Start with exercises and repetitions that are comfortable for your fitness level and as you improve increase the number of repetitions. You do not need to do all the exercises; simply select those that work well for you and vary your routine over the months.
Bicycle Crunch Exercise
Captain's Chair Exercise
Ab Crunch on an Exercise Ball
Vertical Leg Crunch
Long Arm Crunch
Reverse Crunch
Plank (Hover) Exercise
Traditional (Basic) Abdominal Crunch
Half Curl
Crossover Crunch
Seated Oblique Twists with Medicine Ball
Oblique Crunch
Alternating Supermans
V-Sit Exercise

Wish me luck! My plan is to do these while I'm rolling around on the ground during play time with my little one. I figure I'm already on the ground, may as well do a few reps of something!

other sources:

http://www.howtobefit.com/worst-ab-exercises.htm
http://www.helium.com/items/838214-assessing-the-efficiency-of-ab-wheels

Shabby Apple coupon codes!!!!

It's not often that one can use the words modest and sexy together to describe a clothing line, but those are exactly the two adjectives I have for Shabby Apple dresses.

Shabby Apple (http://www.shabbyapple.com/) is an online dress boutique providing women's dresses, little girls dresses, maternity dresses, and fashion accessories. If you haven't seen their merchandise before you just have to check them out. The days of showing up to church in matching attire with your neighbor will be so over! And, guess what? I have a 15 % off coupon code for you!!!!

wondermomenvy15off

Just type it into the coupon box at checkout and you will receive 15% off any purchase! The code expires July 31st so stock up!

My faves (for the moment) are below, but there are loads more, so click your way on over to see them all.

Lois Lane

That massive collar can also be flipped up. Can you say flaming temptress?

...and are those tulip sleeves to die for??? I say, yes.

Nantucket
Little Black Must Have.

16 Candles

I don't just love this dress because it also happens to be my all-time favorite movie.

Green with Envy

I think they should leave a warning with this adorable maternity number. I fear that cute little bow sitting atop your preggers belly will make it impossible for strangers not to manhandle your baby incubator. Honestly, can you blame them??

How to choose a perfect watermelon.

I do not want stand in the produce section one more time, knocking on watermelons, without any idea of what I'm listening for. It is just not summer until I have spent an afternoon chomping on a deliciously sweet watermelon, and nothing is more disappointing then cutting in to one that is not perfectly ripe and delicious.

So, to keep this from ever happening to me (or you) ever again, Here are 7 steps to picking your perfect watermelon:

1. Thump it. If the watermelon sounds hollow, it's ripe.

2. Look at the color on the top. The watermelon is ripe when there is little contrast between the stripes.

3. Look at the color on the bottom. A green watermelon will have a white bottom; a ripe melon will have a cream- or yellow-colored bottom.

4. Press on it. You don't want soft spots.

5. You want it to be symmetrical, no matter what the shape.

6. Scratch the surface with your fingernail. A greenish-white color beneath is what you are looking for.

7. Heavy is good. Watermelons are nearly 90 percent water, so you want it to feel heavy for its size. (I wish I could be judged like a watermelon. Aren't we like 90 % water, too?)

...and some Gee Whiz: a watermelon does not continue to ripen (like most other fruit) once it has been picked. So, don't buy one expecting it to ripen up within a few days, just follow the steps and buy it ripe!

sources:
Hubpages
The Old Farmer's Almanac

How to make ice cream cake (with pictures)

I love ice cream cake! What I don't love is paying way too much for one, and then barely having enough to serve our (slightly larger than normal) families. If you feel like me, than this recipe is for you! Not to mention, you'll impress the pants off your relatives when you show up with homemade ice cream cake!

Yes, you are bound to get a little messy in the process, but one taste of your divine dairy treat and you'll be sure to do it all over again!

What you'll need:

2 half gallons of ice cream (preferably in the rectangle box containers)
1 9x13 cake
Large container of cool whip
Box of chocolate pudding (optional)

To begin, decide on your flavor concoction, whatever you think the fam will like. In this example, I used a classic white cake with chocolate ice cream. I've also tried chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream & white cake and peppermint ice cream and devil's food cake.

Bake the cake and allow it to cool completely.

Once the cake has cooled, lay out a large sheet of wax paper on the table. Completely open the containers of ice cream. Use a hot knife, slice through the middle of the ice cream. Just make two even layers with the first container of ice cream, then use about half of the 2nd container to fill in the 9 x 13 shape.
Arrange the ice cream slices on the wax paper.
( I know, this part doesn't look pretty)

Then set the cake on top of the ice cream.

As you can see, my cake split when I was moving it. Don't be too worried about this, once you frost it, it'll look just great.

Here's the somewhat tricky part. If someone is nearby ask them to help ya out, if not...just be quick. Set a cookie sheet (or whatever you will be serving the cake on) on top of the cake, now hold on to the wax paper and flip the cake and ice cream over.

Here's the flipped product. Take the wax paper off and smooth the ice cream as even as you can get it over the cake.

Put the wax paper back on and stick it in the freezer for at least 3 hours. (I usually do this part the evening before and leave it all night)

Now for the frosting. I like to use a container of cool whip with one box of chocolate pudding; mix the two together and add about 3/4 cup milk, or until it is to a mousse-like consistency. Then spread the entire mixture over the cake and freeze for another 2-3 hours (without the wax paper this time).

Some amateur decorating and you're done! Yummers!

Nestle Cookie Dough Recall

Whatever you do, DO NOT shovel this into your pie hole raw, in fact, just throw it out all together. This is probably the only time you'll ever hear me say something so crazy, because I absolutely believe cookie dough should never be cooked in the first place, but there's been a recall for e.coli...so be safe.

Dad's Day Scrap Page

Yea! I was able to get it uploaded! (I forgot to save it in Jpeg format) Here's an idea of what I did with one of the scrap pages below. Quite easy and time friendly. It has a few mistakes right now, but once I get it looking just how I want it I plan to have it mounted and I'll place it on a cute stand. Also thinking about exchanging the picture with a newborn baby and Dad pic.

Anywho, just an idea!

Free Digital Scrapbooking Pages & Software!!

Ok, the hook-ups of the century go to The Blog Train Blog and Paint.net, and if you are not familiar with them, allow me to introduce you.

Once upon a time I handmade an entire scrapbook for my darling missionary/husband. It took many painful hours and made a pretty dent in my fake Gucci pocket book. Now, we have this beautiful invention called digital scrapbooking. It is darling and I don't need a load of expensive thingamajiggers to make one page.

I have been interested in this for quite some time, but did not want to dish out $100+ dollars for image editing or scrapbooking software. This is where the hook-ups of the century come in. Let me walk you through this.

The Blog Train Blog is an amazing blog with absolutely free digital designs, a ton of them!! Each month, a load of designers submit one design to go with the monthly theme, this month, "My Favorite Guy" for Father's Day. They all have matching pieces to use and arrange as you please. Here are just a few of my faves from this month:

If you already have photoshop or other image editing software, you're set! Download all the designs you love and have fun. If you don't have any software and don't want to spend your benjamins on it, then you can download this FREE software at getpaint.net!

Now, I am a complete beginner at using this type of software and digital scrapbooking. So, if you are too this article might help a bit. Also, paint.net has a help tool along the top with tutorials. The main trick you need to learn for scrapbooking is how the layers work.

You can do loads with these two free resources! Just create your project and upload it to your photo printing store of choice. Printing is the only cost you'll have!

So, for Father's Day you can put a card together with these awesome designs, put some pictures on it, and add a quote or two. Or, make a scrap page with pictures and memories from the kids, and have it mounted for Dad to set on his desk or display at home on a stand. (I made a cute one for my husband if I can just get it to upload to blogger you can all see it! Wish me luck:))

Thanks to The Blog Train Blog and the designers for their talents and generosity!!!!

Kohl's Online Shopping Codes

Thanks to my Screaming Deals email from PYP, I bring you these super codes that expire today!!

LAST DAY!!! Kohls.com Codes & Deals **30% Off**
Codes: *can combine % off and shipping code*

Extra 30% off with Kohls Charge FATHER30 - valid 06/11/09-6/17/09

Free Shipping with Kohls Charge MVC8847 - exp 06/17/09

Free shipping on $75. No code required thru 6/17/09.

My Favorite Father's Day Quotes

I have spoken in church 3 times on Father's Day during my short 25 years, so I have gathered some Father's Day quotes along the way that I just love. These would be great to put on a handmade card from the kids or any other little project that can use some wording.

Tomorrow I'll have some amazing *FREE* project ideas to get your hands on!

“Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!” -Lydia M. Child

“The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother.” -David O. McKay

“Sometimes the poorest man leaves his children the richest inheritance.” -Ruth E. Renkel

“Until you have a son of your own . . . you will never know the joy, the love beyond feeling that resonates in the heart of a father as he looks upon his son. You will never know the sense of honor that makes a man want to be more than he is and to pass something good and hopeful into the hands of his son. And you will never know the heartbreak of the fathers who are haunted by the personal demons that keep them from being the men they want their sons to be.”-Kent Nerburn

“Father! - to God himself we cannot give a holier name.” -William Wordsworth

“Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.”-Elizabeth Stone

“A righteous father protects his children with his time and presence in their social, educational, and spiritual activities and responsibilities. Tender expressions of love and affection toward children are as much the responsibility of the father as the mother. Tell your children you love them. “- President Howard W. Hunter

"I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father's protection." - Sigmund Freud

"Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad." - Anne Geddes

"A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be."
- Unknown

"My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." - Clarence Budington Kelland

"My father taught me to work; he did not teach me to love it." - Abraham Lincoln

Easy Father's Day Gift Idea

Now that we have made it through National Man Day, you know what is right around the corner, Father's Day! Dad's have it so dang easy for Mother's day! All my husband has to do is hand me something he forged my child's signature on, and I will tear up like Miss America being crowned.

I have really been searching for a decent idea for Father's Day. One that does not require loads of my time. I love those Dads, but let's be honest, if I put in 15 hours of work for a special photo book for one of our moms it's all worth it the second they open it up, cry through the entire thing, then go around showing it to every stranger they make contact with. But, I can't seem to get that reaction from the dads in my life, so I'd like to stick with something thoughtful, but time friendly. So, for them? I'm going to follow the old adage, "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

I saw this lovely idea on Good Things Utah. A little twist on the classic "shirt and tie" gift, a shirt and tie cake! I love surprising people, so this is right up my alley. He'll never see it coming, nor will he be able to guess what's inside. Just don't let him shake the box;)

All you need is:

• a cake, brownie, rice crispie treat or any of dad's fave treats that you can frost.
• colorful icing
• some white paper
• shirt box
• parchment paper to keep the cake from sticking to the packaging.

Go here to see the entire project and even watch a video with complete instruction. It would also be great fun to buy a shirt and tie as a gift, decorate the cake as such, and then give him the actual shirt and tie after the cake surprise.

Have fun with this, and drop in again this week for more Father's Day Gift Ideas!

National Man Day

Is everyone aware that it is National Man Day? I just returned from the founders' facebook page, and I haven't stopped giggling yet. They have set this day aside for men to be men. Their fan page is complete with manly thoughts, pictures, and videos.

So, surpise your manly man on this commemorative day with some manly activities and ways to make him feel extra manly!

Some ideas:

• Have him grill up a humongo steak and eat it with his bare hands.
• Mow the lawn with his shirt off.
• Enter him in a Rugby match.
• Ask him to move a landscaping rock from one side of the yard to the other.
• Let him blow something up. (firecrackers + watermelon=happy manly man)
• Watch the entire series of Rambo flicks.
• Liken him to Chuck Norris in as many ways as possible throughout the day.
• Take him paint balling.
• Tell him he looks hot when he grows his facial hair out.
• Let him hang out in his underwear without complaint by you.
• Lay out power tools and ask him to make you something.
• Have him throw the ball around with his boy.
• Encourage him to leave the toilet seat up for a change.
• Finally, if you're pregnant, stand in the kitchen barefoot and make him dinner.

Ha, Ha! Oh, Man Day, Hil-arious! Enjoy your day men, and enjoy making your man feel manly, ladies!

How to do an easy french tip pedicure at home.

It's time for the piggies to come out in all their glory. If they're not sandal ready, and that extra beauty care cash for your spa pedicure is now strapped around your baby's bottom, I have a simple, inexpensive solution for you: an at home pedi. I have been doing this for a couple years now and I always get compliments and people asking me where I get my toes done. It only takes about 30 minutes and really makes me feel pretty afterwards.

The Hardware:

Step 1: Prep your feet by taking the Ped-Egg to 'em. I got one of these as a B-day gift this year and it has become a must-have for removing calluses and rough areas. It costs less than $10 and it is much safer than the callus shavers, as they take off larger chunks (gross, that's the only word I can think of) of skin, which causes the callus to return twice as fast as a protective response.

Step 2: Remove old nail polish and a treat yourself to soak in a foot spa, if you have one, but a tub or sink will work just fine too. Add any foot salt or soaks you may have floating around from gifts.

Step 3: Trim, file, and apply a thick lotion or sugar scrub. Seriously, I love getting pampering gifts for feet and such. This is a perfect way to get use of them. I am currently using a Bath & Body aromatherapy sugar scrub. Towel off and get ready for the fun part.

Step 4: Paint a strip of "french white tip" polish (I use N.Y.C. #134A. It's about $1 in most stores) on each nail. I try to follow the natural curve of the nail. Don't be too stressed about it looking absolutely perfect. The beauty of it being on your toes is no one can actually see your minor mistakes. If you make any big messups just have a cutip handy to stick in remover and run along the natural line clearing away any flaws. Let it dry for just a moment and then go back over them once or even twice more. You don't want it thick, but the whiter the tip the better it looks. Let dry for a few minutes.

Step 5: Now apply a natural pink color (I use Maybelline "sheer satin slip" #35) to the upper part of the nail. Don't go over the white area. It acts as somewhat of a barrier, so you can quite easily avoid it. Let dry a few minutes.

Step 6: Apply a good anti-chip, clear coat (I use Maybelline "express finish base and top coat"). You don't want to skip on this part after putting in the work for pedicured toes. I can usually keep my toes looking nice and fresh for 3-4 weeks, along with little touchups on the white tips occassionally.

Step 7: Slip on some peek-a-boo heels or strappy wedges and tell your man to take you and your pretty piggies out on the town!

Super Deals Placed Right in Your Inbox

Have you visited Pinching Your Pennies before? Besides the money they save me on my grocery bill, their screaming deals emails have become my fave! Recent screaming deals I have cashed in on include:

Children's place fleece sweaters for 84 cents.
Children's place shoes, sweater vests, & hoody for $4.24 each.
Carter's PJs from Kohls for $4.
Toddler T-shirts from Kohl's for under $2.

...and a very close call with a 4 person tent from Target for $35, but I was not quick enough on the draw!

You do have to be speedy to get some of these fantastic deals. I have lost items right out of my shopping bag, leaving me to feel violated, but with an increased determination to get 'em next time.

Sign up and see what comes your way! (The sign up box will flash on the screen just as you enter) I have saved a bundle shopping this way and filling up on last season's clothes for my toddler.

I Love Lime Ricki Swimwear!

Looking for an adorable, slimming, and modest swimsuit? Lime Ricki swimwear has just about made my summer (now if only Utah would act like the desert it is and stop dumping rain on me). I came across their site through this link on modest swimwear, which was very helpful because it not only gave me a list of sites, but also coupon codes to use with my purchase. I originally began looking at Modbe, also great looking suits, with the problem that they were out of just about any size applicable to my non-barbie like body. This was not the case with Lime Ricki. I fell in love with the suit “Lizzie” (2 piece pictured above), and did not have my heart broken by seeing the leftover sizes. They seemed to be in stock of nearly all sizes XS-XL, with some XXLs, and a blog to update you on expected arrivals of any suits and sizes that may be diminishing.

I don’t believe I have felt comfortable in a swimsuit since about the age of 4. That would be shortly before I developed the 2 ladies on my chest, that would be referred to as a dream by any A sized cups, but what I would refer to as somewhat a nuisance. The tankini keeps my lovely lady lumps just where they need to be without danger of accidental exposing, while also not leaving me to feel like a member of a women’s water polo team. The particular suit I chose has ruching along the sides (or the scrunchy look for those like me who before this suit had never heard the word) which is very slimming, along with the extra long tankini. They also have a great selection of one pieces (my fave “Ava” above) and skirts.

What is this going to cost me, you might ask. My order of tankini and bottom + shipping came to about $64. I used the Jenswim09 code offered by the modest swimwear site. For the quality of suit plus great, comfortable fit, it was well worth my little splurge on this summer gem.

Kelty Child Carrier Review

Exercise on your mind this summer? I've never felt my thighs burn with such intensity as I did last Saturday lugging my 16 month old up a daunting hill in one of these badboys. Did I mention he's pushing 30 lbs.? Exercise is what I wanted and that is just what I got.

Last year we invested in this creature, a Beanstalk. While it looked enticing, had decent reviews, and wasn't so bad with a 16 lb. infant. This year, we found the structure was unbearable with the baby man giant we are raising now. The weight pressed down on my shoulders and left me with ferocious back pain. The shade cover couldn't even be pulled over his head because he is too tall.

So, with much more research and review reading, we went with the:

Transit Carrier TC 3.0 Child Carrier - In Your Choice of Colors

Here are the pros:

• Weight is centered evenly on my back. I'm still sweating my trash off and my legs are on fire, but I don't feel pain in my back and shoulders.

• Very high shade cover.

• Plenty of pockets for snacks, diapers, water, and hostess cakes for regaining energy.

• Little mirror on arm strap to easily look at your child to see that he is not choking on his hostess cake.

• It comes with a zip off diaper bag and changing pad.

• 40 lb. weight limit. He has about 10 more lbs. and then he's going to have to carry himself up the hill.

• Lots of adjustments for a comfortable fit for you and baby.

Cons:

• This model doesn't have a frame so you aren't able to sit it on the ground while putting your child in. It takes 2 people to get him/her in, unless you don't have a baby man giant, in that case you may be able to do it on your own. Kelty makes framed carriers for slightly more.


• My little boy quickly saw where I was pulling the water bottle out of the side and from then on could easily pull it out and chuck it into the dirt and down the mountain.

If you're ready for some outdoor fun/torture with your baby man giant, this pack is for you. I'm sure it works well with those petite babies too;)

I really enjoy our nature time. My little guy is perfectly happy, and after all my sweat and tears, I reach that beautiful viewpoint and it makes it all worth it.

Summer Movie Clubhouse

My Sis-in-law informed me about these kids movies at Cinemark Theatres. Go here and scroll down to click on your state and closest theatre, then you can print a list of the upcoming shows. They are once a week and all summer long. Super cheap and super fun for the little ones. So sneak some snacks into your largest handbag and head on in for almost free entertainment! ;) Kidding, I'd never encourage you to break theatre rules!

Cafe Rio Pork Salad Copycat Recipe

This salad is abosultely delish and well worth the time of making it. I found it here on this super recipe blog. It's great for groups or just for the little fam because the leftovers will be just as yummy the next day. I've made it once with the pork and two other times with grilled chicken. It's one of those recipes I'm happier to cook and stay in, then go out and be served. It may seem difficult with the multiple parts of the recipe, but it really is quite simple, especially with the chicken. I just have the hub grill it up while I cook the rice, beans, and blend the dressing. Give it a go!

Tortillas ( I've tried the uncooked kind from Wal-Mart and some from a local taqueria. Both were very good and made it more authentic.)
Cheese
Cafe Rio Rice (Below)
Cafe Rio Black Beans (Below)
Cafe Rio Sweet Pork (Below)
Lettuce (NOT iceberg, use leafy green or Romaine)
Diced tomato, onion, and cilantro (pico de gallo)
Guacamole (optional)
Sour cream
Tortilla Strips (can be found by the produce section at Smith's)
Parmesan cheese
Cafe Rio Cilantro Ranch (Below)

SWEET PORK:
2 pounds pork
3 cans Coke (NOT diet)
1/4 c. brown sugar
dash garlic salt
1/4 c. water
1 can sliced green chilies
3/4 can RED enchilada sauce (I used Old El Paso brand, medium spiciness)
1 c. brown sugar

Put the pork in a heavy duty Ziploc bag to marinade. Add about a can and a half of coke and about 1/4 c. of brown sugar. Marinade for a few hours or overnight.Drain marinade and put pork, 1/2 can of coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high for about 3-4 hours (or until it shreds easily, but don't let it get TOO dry). Remove pork from crock pot and drain any liquid left in the pot. Shred pork.

In a food processor or blender, blend 1/2 can Coke, chilies, enchilada sauce and remaining brown sugar (about a cup, you can add a little more or less to taste..). If it looks too thick, add more Coke little by little.

Put shredded pork and sauce in crock pot and cook on low for 2 hours. That's it!

CILANTRO-LIME RICE:
1 c. uncooked rice
1 tsp. butter or margarine
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
1 can (15 oz) chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tsp. sugar
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro

In a saucepan combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. lime, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes, until rice is tender. Remove from heat. In a small bowl combine lime juice, sugar and cilantro. Pour over hot cooked rice and mix in as you fluff the rice.

BLACK BEANS:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/3 c. tomato juice
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

In a nonstick skillet, cook garlic and cumin in olive oil over medium heat until you can smell it. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt. Continually stir until heated through. Just before serving stir in the cilantro.

CILANTRO RANCH:
1 packet TRADITIONAL Hidden Valley Ranch mix (not BUTTERMILK)
1 c. mayonnaise
1 c. buttermilk
2 tomatillos, remove husk, diced
1/2 bunch of fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic
juice of 1 lime
1 jalapeno (we like it SPICY so we kept the seeds in it, if you like it mild, just remove the seeds)Mix all ingredients together in the blender. That's it!

To read or not to read?

The debate: Can infants actually learn to read? Is it healthy/normal to have the expectation that your child learn as a 2 year old or even younger? Do they even have the mental capacity for reading and memorizing?

These are my questions as my little guy is coming up on 16 months. I'm blessed to be a stay-at-home mom, and I really want to make the most of our days. We already have a time set aside for me to read to him, but I'm wondering if I could be doing more to give him a headstart. Without sounding too much like a crazy, I question if now is the time I can work on teaching him letters, helping him to say and memorize states and capitals, etc. Ok, I just re-read that...I do sound like a crazy. Well, here's my research. You'll have to decide for yourself.

Judith Hudson, a developmental psychologist for babycenter.com:

"Children usually don't start reading before the age of 5 or 6, and for good reason. Researchers believe that until that age, most children have not yet formed certain neural connections that allow them to decode printed letters and then mentally combine them to make words. A few children are able to read earlier, but most of them just pick it up; they don't learn through direct instruction."

"Your Baby Can Read Program" Ever seen these commercials on T.V.? In direct opposition to Ms. Hudson, this is what the creator, Dr. Bob Titzer, believes:

"In the first years of a child’s life, tens of thousands of synaptic connections are made each second in the brain, opening the door for increased learning capacity. The most natural time to learn any aspect of language is during the infant and toddler years. There is a “natural window of opportunity” for learning language where it is easier for children to learn to understand and speak our language at a high level. During this window of opportunity, between the ages of 3 months and 5 years, they can also learn the written word naturally and easily.

Dr. Titzer has developed a new method of teaching reading that could change how and when our children learn to read. Normally, children don’t start learning to read until age 5 or 6 years old, but the natural window of opportunity begins to close around age 4 – BEFORE THEY ENTER KINDERGARTEN!"

My first reaction was, why not? It's worth a try now, and I'm sure it could be very useful in kindergarten later. That was until I found that the program is $199.95! From what I can tell the program is a simple routine of: show a word, show a picture of the word, and do an action or some type of activity with the word. For example: show the word COW, show a picture of a cow, then sing "Old Mcdonald had a Farm," while using a cow as your animal.

Now that you've heard the arguments. Here is a clip from the Today show of a 17-month old girl impressing the pants off Ann with her reading skills.

Wowsers, this is a conundrum! After searching through a few other child development sites I found no opinion of infants reading, other than the fact that it is wonderful to read to them, beginning with newborns. While I'm not quite ready to shell out 200 benjamins for a reading program, I have felt inspired to spend even more time reading to my child, pointing out objects in nature, and just finding fun learning opportunities throughout our day. Most importantly, to invest my time wisely in my child, helping him to gain knowledge in all things.

Elder Russell M. Ballard (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) has said, "If a child lives with parents for eigtheen or nineteen years, that span is only one-fourth of a parent's life. And the most formative time of all, early years in a child's life, represent less than one-tenth of a parent's normal life. It is crucial to focus on our children for the short time we have them with us and to seek, with the help of the Lord, to teach them all we can before they leave our homes."

It's amazing how short of a time we really have to be their sole teachers before they head out into the world! We must show them what is important to us while they are young no matter what it is, reading, gospel topics, honesty, etc.

Here is a blog I came across with great reading and teaching advice for children. Check it out, especially if you have reading-aged children!

P.S. I'd love to hear any other opinions on this matter. My mind is not quite made up!