New Parent

Here's a great site you should check out, mamasitas. It's loaded with helpful info. from financial fopauxs with children (I have fallen vicitim to a few of these) to the low down on "baby making" while the bun is baking. Awwww, free and helpful. I heart you internet!

Helping our children deal with separation anxiety.

My sweet little boy will be 18 months in August and for me this means one major thing: I will actually get to pay attention in church for the first time since the little man starting crawling. For those not familiar with the LDS church, 18 months is the magical age we parents get to ship the wee ones into nursery so they can run around like maniacs, while we enjoy some spiritual upliftment! Oh, blessed nursery leaders! I think you've earned an automatic spot into heaven:)

Being that I've nearly become inactive since the walking stage;) the thought of sending him to nursery feels like the freedom of being 21 again and driving to Vegas on a school night just because ya can. Unfortunately, the likelihood of him looking like the boy above when I try to leave is pretty good. I incubated him for nine months and now he's with me 24 hours a day! Can you really blame him? He does great with grandmas and typically does just fine with other family members, but strangers and new environments...not so much.

So, in preparation for the blessed event, here are some tips on helping our kids deal with separation, new faces, and new places:

First, let's remember the bonding that has taken place with our children is a beautiful thing . Since the beginning of their life, you have answered each giggle, cry, squirm, and grunt with comfort and love. It is only natural that being away from you now can cause them (and you) some anxiety. Try not to let them see your frustration with this problem, and of course, never scold your child for not wanting to be separated from you.

• Talk with them in advance about where they are going and what you'll be doing. In the case of nursery, on the drive over let them know they will be going to play and you will be going to classes. Reassure them that you will come get them once your classes are over. They may not be able converse with you at a young age, but your reassuring tones and routine will help acclimate them to the situation.
  
  
• NEVER sneak away from your child. It's important to remember that young children may not know you still exist when you are out of sight. Each time you leave them anywhere, even if they are comfortable like at a grandparent's house, make certain you say goodbye and show them that you are leaving. Then, when you return, make a big deal that you are back. If you do this from the start, they can gain confidence that you will always return.
  
  
• Use games during play that help them understand the concepts that goodbye is not forever and you still exist when they can't see you. Peek-a-boo and Hide-and-go-seek are great for this.
  
  
• If the person they will be staying with is new (like the case of nursery) introduce your child two or three times before leaving them. They have a greater shot at being comfortable with the teacher or babysitter if they can sense you are comfortable around them. So, going into to nursery for a few weeks in advance is a great idea.
  
  
• Let them take something they are familiar with, like a blanket, favorite toy, or stuffed animal. This can be difficult, especially in the nursery situation, when there are other toddlers around who may want to take the item. It's worth a try though if your child is still having a difficult time after a few visits.
  
  
• Follow a good routine when dropping your child off. Sing a familiar song with them, play a quick game, give kisses and hugs, or whatever makes your little one happy. Don't let this get too lengthy and prolong you from leaving, and always keep it cheerful and bright.
  
  
• Arrange play dates with other children from the nursery. The more faces your child is familiar with, the more comfortable he or she will be.
  
  
• If possible, have a teacher show them a toy or just sit with them as you are saying goodbye. Don't immediately return if your child starts to scream. It's heart-wrenching, I know, but hold back as long as you think the teacher can handle it. They will quickly learn they only need to cry until you return. Dr. Watkins states that, "In many cases, it stops within 3-4 minutes after the parent leaves." So, if you need to, look at your watch for at least 4 minutes before running to their rescue:)

Keep in mind that while the bonding you have created is very healthy, it is also healthy and necessary for your little one to feel safe and comfortable without you. They need to develop their social abilities and it's vital for you to have time for yourself, other children, and time alone with your spouse. It is a good idea to schedule babysitters regularly from the age of 6 months, even if you are a stay-at-home mom. If just for short time periods, it will do you and baby tremendous amounts of good.

Sources:

Oregon State

Healthyplace.com

Eco-Friendly Cleaning Products Giveaway!!!! *EXPIRED*

What better way to start the week than with a giveaway? Eco Store USA(http://www.ecostoreusa.com/) is an extension of a 20 year old company (http://www.ecostore.co.nz/ ) that makes plant and mineral based Household Cleaning, Baby and Personal Care products that contain No Nasty Chemicals(tm).

I have been trying out their products for the past while and they are just what I'm looking for. The citrus disinfectant spray has got to be my fave. It packs the punch of a harsh chemical cleaner, while being much safer for my family. It has become my must-have, counter, floor, wall, doorknob, toilet, high chair, anywhere cleaner.

As has much of the world, I am becoming more and more aware of the damage done by nasty chemicals and unnatural substances used in our homes. Check out the list of chemicals Eco Store avoids using in their products and why. I feel so much better about using Eco Store's products as they are healthier for my family and oh so GREEN:) I just know the Earth is going to love me back even more!

Well, you are already seeing what a super company Eco Store USA is, and to go along with their great values they are offering a $25 gift certificate to the winner of this giveaway. We'll keep it nice and easy! Two steps:

• Leave me a comment telling me which area of the house you hate to clean the most.
  
• Become one of my followers.

The winner will be announced on Tuesday, August 4th. I'll be using random.org to choose the lucky gal.

Drop by their blog and sign up for the newsletter. They give plenty of great advice on being ecofriendly, and have some pretty sweet giveaways. They're also on Twitter and Facebook to keep you extra connected with the most up to date Eco Store news!

And, come on, show me some love by taking my button;)

Pass Along Button

Hey Friends!

My pass along button is now up and running! Look to your right and be sure to take me with ya!

Thanks a million!

Blog Award!!

It's my first!! A huge thank you to my lovely blogging buddy, Linda @ Oh So Pretty. She has introduced me to countless beautiful and handy places on the web. I'm still a newbie, but it has been a blast to find fellow mom bloggers in the blogging sphere!

The rules to receiving this award are to: Accept the award, post it on your blog together with the name of the person who has granted the award, and his or her blog link. Pass the award to several other blogs that you’ve newly discovered. Remember to contact the bloggers to let them know they have been chosen for this award.

And the awards go to....

Dotty Dot Dot Backgrounds

Fantastic Find

Shabby Creations

"Cents"able Momma

Simple Super Mom

Check out these "Envy Worthy" blogs! I love em!

Garage Sales Tracker

Hey, all you garage salers! Do you love to make one mom's junk your treasures? It seems even with all the online sales and technology, there is still is no better way to find amazing steals than a good garage sale.

Well, I have just the site for you: Garage Sales Tracker (garagesalestracker.com). On this site you can find or list your local garage sale. Their blog is full of garage saler tips, and they just implemented the largest Flea market, Consignment Store, and Thrift Store directory to pair with their new iPhone application to track all of the sales within your area. Sa-weet! How handy is that?

If you're planning your own garage sale, jump on soon! Your listing is free for a limited time!

Give those car seat and high chair covers a wash!

I went on a wild cleaning spree yesterday and decided my weak attempts at wiping down the car seat and high chair covers would just not do. I threw the two in the wash on a cold, gentle, cycle, and they both came out wonderfully clean. I was nervous they might lost their shape or fall apart in some way, but I had no problems. I just layed them in the sun to dry. Hurray! I feel like a new woman!

Oh, and did you notice my new button!! Dotty Dot Designs made it for me and I think it's just lovely! I'm having a few technical difficulties at the moment, but hopefully I'll have the kinks worked out in a few hours and you can take it with ya!

Thoughts on motherhood.

I just adore this little poem. One day I plan to do something special with it, like craft something up for a nursery wall with a picture like so, of me with my sweet baby. It speaks so much in 4 short lines. Oh, how I love to be a mother.

You are the trip I did not take;
You are the pearls I cannot buy;
You are my blue italian lake;
You are my piece of foreign sky.

Anne Campbell

Free Family Fun

Looking for fun, free, family activities? I know I always am. Any big vaca plans are out of the picture this summer for us, so we have stayed busy exploring local spots, mostly for free! It has been more fun than we could have imagined, and without the stress of packing, unpacking, and skipping naps for a week straight.

My advice for finding the free fun in your area? Check your city, surrounding cities, and state websites for their events calendars. In my nook of the woods, here in Utah, we have been able to enjoy a nature center, kid's museum, farmer's market, car and train museum, Air Force Base museum, water park, movies in the park, concerts, & minor league baseball games, all for FREE!!

I have also found a local website that posts events for Utah, ClickUgo.com. Search around and see if you can find one for your state, that way you can find all the info. in one place.

You might be surprised with how much free fun you can have if you start searching and get creative!

How to find that hole in your air mattress.

I really wanted to label this, "How to find a hole in your #$*& air mattress," because I have definitily used an explitive, for the past week, when referring to this specific air mattress (ok, most of the time it was freaking or flipping...I'm such a nanny).

Our mattress looks something like the one pictured above. A doubled up queen size. When we bought the thing for a camping trip, it showed a picture on the box similiar to this, making me believe that not only would we sleep better on this mattress than our real one, but that I would get a rockin body from sleeping on it, and that we would have countless romantic moments, like so, while frolicking on it.

In comes actual camping trip:

Baby fell asleep and we lie him gently on the comfy mattress.
We go in to sleep around 11:30.
Baby wakes up from us trying to get on the already deflating mattress.
I stand and rock baby in the freezing cold.
I try to lie down with sleeping baby in my arms, only to roll into the center on top of my husband.
Baby is now awake again.
Repeat rocking in freezing cold.
Try to lie baby on makeshift bed on ground.
Baby not having it.
Me rocking and very cold.

Husbnad snoring.
Me kicking the mattress to stop husband from snoring.
Baby screaming while I try to lie down again.
Husband rolling on top of us.
Me standing, rocking, crying, cold.
Somewhere around 5am I am able to lie baby in makeshift bed.
I try to lie on #$%& mattress and large husband rolls on top of me again (not the fun frolicking way either).
I get ticked and let all of the air out of the mattress. Then lie on the hard ground until light comes.

You get the point...worst camping night of my life! I am especially bugged because we spent $43 on the thing and are not able to return it. So, I set out to finding the flippin hole.

First, you're going to need to find some patience. Don't expect to find the hole right away. There are a couple of ways to find it:

I chose to blow it up and throw it into my parents above ground pool. I sat on top and dunked as much of the mattress under water as I could while I scooted my way around watching for any bubbles. I then flipped the mattress over and did the same. I was just about to give up when I saw a steady stream of bubbles.

Once I pulled it out of the water to dry, I stuck my hand over the hole to see if I could feel or hear the leak (since I had already tried finding it that way). My hand was still wet, and I was able to easily feel the air coming out. Granted, I already knew where the hole was, but I think this could have worked too. This way, I would have just kept my hand wet while waving it slowly over each part of the mattress.

I also read about a way to fill a spray bottle with water and a bit of dish soap. Have someone sit on the mattress, and then spray it little by little and watch for bubbles. I tried this for a moment, but quickly lost patience. Also, the top part of my mattress is microfiber, so I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get the soapiness off.

Well, since it's camping season, I hope this might help someone. No reason to get rid of the thing if you can put a little work in and fix the problem. I patched it up with patch kit that came with it, but a little rubber cement and duck tape will work just the same.

Homemade Oreos

Say hello to deliciousness.

I took these to our 4th of July BBQ. Homemade oreos are the perfect treat to always have on hand for pot lucks and get togethers. We seem to always be running late, so I like taking a dessert so I don't have to return home with a bowl full of salad that will sit lonely and growing in the back of my fridge until I get pregnant and go through the nesting stage again.

*****

It's easy to dye the frosting to match your holiday, shower, or any other color themed party, so they truly work for anything, and trust me, you will not be taking any leftovers home.

******

These are the only items you need to keep on hand to make the oreos (I typically double this recipe):

1 box devil's food cake

3/4 cup shortening

2 eggs

1 tub of cream cheese frosting (I like the Betty Crocker brand best)

*****

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Stir dry cake mix, shortening, and eggs until well moistened. Drop small spoon sized balls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for about 9 minutes.

*They may not look completely done when you pull them out, but you really don't want to overcook them at all. I let the cookies sit on the hot sheet, out of the oven, for about 5 more minutes.

Once the cookies have completely cooled, frost and stick together.

*****

There is also a homemade frosting recipe I have made a couple of times, but I seem to like the tub frosting so much that it's not worth the extra mess to me. Although, my husband would rather I make the real stuff each time. You be the judge!

******

Cream together:

8 oz. cream cheese

2 2/3 powder sugar

1/2 cube softened butter

1 tsp. vanilla

*This makes enough for a double batch of cookies.

Dirt Devil Kone

I'm quite certain I've never made a wiser purchase. Say hello to the Dirt Devil Kone. I'm telling you, this sleek little thing in a variety of fabulous colors will change your life. I was so sick of crunching cheerios and graham crackers under my feet, so I began my search for the perfect hand-held vac. It has been worth every penny. It is always charged and ready to use, and how adorable, it illuminates (this was an added bonus I didn't even notice before the purchase). It sits out on my kitchen counter and looks like some sweet decor instead of a yucky vacuum.

Now, after each meal, we have a simple and quick routine: vacuum floor, vacuum kid, vacuum highchair. All is clean and beautiful! I can even use it in the car! Not that I need to because I vowed I would never allow my child to eat in the car;) Ha, Ha, I love those stupid ideas I had before actually having a kid. My car looks like a Cheerio factory at times. Who ever thought a vacuum could make me this happy?

The scoop on mosquito repellent

I have been rather confused over how I am supposed to protect my baby from mosquitos, and more importantly, West Nile Virus. I keep hearing DEET-free for kids, but then I also hear DEET is necessary to protect against West Nile?!! So, before soaking my kid in pesticides, I did a little research. Here's what I found:

You do want a product with DEET, even for your children, to protect best against West Nile Virus. The key is to buy one with a concentration of only 10% or less. This concentration will not offer hours and hours of protection, so you should reapply every 2-3 hours, possibly even every hour if the concentration is under 5%.

Yes, DEET is a pesticide, so you certainly want to take precautions when using it on yourself and the kids.

• DO NOT use repellent (especially DEET) on babies under 2 months.


• Help your children wash their hands directly after being sprayed to avoid any ingestion of the spray.


• Don't spray directly on the face. First spray it into your hands, then spread it on the face.


• Don't spray under clothing.


• Wash clothes sprayed with repellent before they are worn again.


• Finally, remember everything in moderation. Keep the kids out of the buggy areas as much as possible and use the repellent only when needed.
  

Good luck out there! Hope everyone is enjoying their summers!

Sources:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/24/earlyshow/health/main625964.shtml

http://pediatrics.about.com/cs/weeklyquestion/a/deet_children.htm

Praise for Women and Mothers

Need some uplifting words for one of those "I'm not cut out for this" days? Me too, today in fact, so I give you 2 amazing messages all about women and our divine role as mothers by 1 amazing man, Elder M. Russell Ballard.

Daughters of God
"There is no role in life more essential and more eternal than that of motherhood."
Teach the Children

Take a deep breath, find 20 minutes for yourself, and think of only the positive things you are accomplishing each day. Keep up the good work moms and wives! This job is not easy!

A Thousand Splendid Suns

I realize I might be behind on the times and you all may have read this like 2 years ago, but I seem to wait until a book is handed to me before I read it. This was handed to me by my sister and I finished it within 3 days. My husband is so glad I'm done with it. I was either ignoring him and reading it, or talking about it.

A Thousand Splendid Suns was beautifully written to give an eye opening view into the world of Afghan women. Every time I read something like this, I feel I am just a little better off and more appreciative of my circumstances and blessings. Honestly, it was heartbreaking at times to read, but it's good for me to see outside my little haven within the United States.

If you're in need of a summer read, find a copy and get cracken today! As for me, on to The Kite Runner. This other book written by Hosseini is supposedly from an Afghan man's perspective. I'll let ya know what I think.

Free Fisher Price Geotrax DVD!!!

Lucky for our boys, they get a free DVD too! Chels from Fantastic Find alerted me so that my little man will not have to watch a princess DVD! Thanks Chels!

Click here to get your free GeoTrax DVD. I've already ordered mine and there didn't seem to be any problem with ordering one of each of the free DVDs. It's just the same as the princess one...change the country in the top right corner and press continue. Easy Peezy!!

sweet little bracelet giveaway at Oh So Prettty Jewelry Studio

Linda, from Oh So Pretty Jewelry Studio, is giving away this delicate little bracelet. Drop by and sign up to be a follower of hers and there's a good chance it could be yours! Linda is an up and coming mom blogger and she has a following of 9 at the moment, so as she said, "your odds of winning are super fabulous!" The winner will be announced on Friday, so be quick!

Free Fisher Price Princess DVD!

What a steal! I came across a lovely fellow mommy blogger who shared this info. Honestly it took less than 60 seconds to send for, so don't be worried about having to go through page after page of crud to finally give up. Just click here, change the country in the top right corner, click continue, and you'll have to fill in the regular info. like address, name, etc. and presto, thats it!

I can't wait for it to get here! My little boy will be in princess heaven:) ha ha!

Huggies sunscreen

I pretty much smother my boy in sunscreen every morning now. It's quite likely we'll end up baking in the sun during part of the day. So, here's my recommendation for sunscreen. First of all, nothing is quicker and easier than the spray, second, Huggies=safe for babies, and third but certainly not least because this is my favorite part, it smells sooooo good. I was first spraying him in a different brand, but then he smelled like sunscreen all day, now he smells like blue melon splash all day, mmmmm.

I couldn't find any online coupons for the sunscreen, although I got one from the Huggies mailer a few weeks ago, but here's an online coupon for Huggies swim diapers. Heaven knows we'll use plenty of those in the next few months!

Hope everyone enjoyed their 4th of July! I know I did!

Quick and Easy Cheesy Garlic Biscuits!

...mmmmmm, the perfect addition to your summer bbq or picnic. They only take 15 minutes to make with minimal mess and ingredients. It doesn't matter how many of these I make for our get togethers, they are always gone lickity split. I found it here at the Betty Crocker site with lots of yummy recipes for use with Bisquick. If I have a box of Bisquick on hand, I can always find something to whip up last minute. Drop by here for a bisquick coupon and more!

2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 ounces)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1. Heat oven to 450ºF.

2. Stir Bisquick mix, milk and cheese until soft dough forms. Drop dough by 9 spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Stir together butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft) No changes.

How to grill corn on the cob

We had such a tasty, easy meal last night, I just had to share! I knew it was possible to cook corn on the grill, but had never found out how, so that was my research yesterday afternoon. I found tons of great advice and recipes for grilling corn on the cob. These are the instructions I used and it turned out de-licious! I seriously felt like George's girlfriend after her Risotto! The rest of our meal consisted of grilled chicken that I had marinated with Lawry's herb and garlic (honestly, I can never go wrong with that stuff), and a little romaine lettuce with ceaser dressing. AWWWW....I love summer days!!!

If the ears have many layers of husk on them, peel off the first few only, leaving a few layers for protection.

Soak the whole cobs in a pot of cold water for 15 minutes. Be sure the ears are completely covered with water. This will provide extra moisture for cooking and will steam the corn kernels inside the husks.

While the corn is soaking, preheat the grill to a medium temperature (350 degrees F).

After soaking, remove the corn from the water and shake off any excess water.
Begin by pulling the husks of the corn back (but do not completely remove them). Remove and discard only the silk.

Brush the kernels with olive oil. Before you re-wrap the corn in the husks, add a little garlic, chopped onion, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. For an international twist, try using herbs such as basil, cilantro, or oregano. ( I used garlic salt and pepper)

Then reposition the husks back over the kernels and tie each ear with a piece of loose husk or twine.

Place the prepared ears of corn on a medium heat grill, rotating the corn as needed to keep it from getting charred too much on one side. After a couple of turns, place the corn husk on an indirect heat (moved to the side of the grill) or on the top shelf of your grill, and close the cover.


Allow the corn to slowly continue cooking for another 15 minutes. You will know it is done when you press a kernel and it shoots out it’s sweet liquid. Don’t overcook the corn or it will become mushy. You know when you’ve gone too far if the corn cob flexes easily in your hands.

Remove the corn from the grill. Be careful and wear oven mitts as the corn will be very hot!
Grasping one end with a oven mitt or dish towel, peel the husks and silk from the top down (like a banana). They should all come off in one piece. Ashes will get on the corn, but this is ok. If the corn is too hot to handle, do this part in the sink under warm running water.

Serve with butter and enjoy!