Huppie Mama

Comfort & Harmony™ mombo™ Deluxe Pillow ~ Review & Giveaway

2012-01-18T22:31:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

The Comfort & Harmony™ mombo™ Deluxe Pillow is the first two-sided nursing pillow with a vibrating feature. The Firm2Soft™ two-sided construction is uniquely designed to offer distinct benefits on each side. The firm side offers enhanced back support during nursing and just the right elevation for baby. The soft side creates the perfect environment for baby to relax.

Breastfeeding Bryce (4 months) using the mombo

This nursing pillow is so much more versatile than other pillows on the market. It is thicker and firmer. The rounded, plush side is great for placing babies in a variety of positions. The smooth side sits flat on either a hard surface, piece of furniture (with close supervision), or mommy's lap while nursing. The vibrating feature is very relaxing/soothing for little ones to nap after being fed.

Bryce lounging in his mombo at 2 months

Bryce at 3 months cuddling on the mombo with his sister Lydia

Bryce doing tummy time in the mombo at 3 months

Bryce relaxing in the mombo at 4 months

My son Bryce really loves tummy time. I like to place a blanket on the floor, the mombo on top, and position him on his belly. It's a great way for him to strengthen all his neck muscles and work on his head control.

BUY IT! The Comfort & Harmony™ mombo™ Deluxe Pillow in the Taggies™ Fashion is sold exclusively at Babies R Us and retails for $49.99

WIN IT! This giveaway is for a Comfort & Harmony™ mombo™ Deluxe Pillow in the Taggies™ Fashion with colorful, silky tags in all the right places for little hands to touch and explore soothes and comforts baby. Superior plush fabrics and unique detailed appliqués offer a sweet and cozy environment.
a Rafflecopter giveaway* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Amy's Review ~ Gluten-Free Organic Sandwich Rounds

2012-01-12T14:07:00.002-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Amy's, the nation's top-selling brand of natural and organic convenience foods, is pleased to announce a new product for the gluten-free community: Organic Sandwich Rounds. Made with rice flour, these light and thin sandwich rounds are perfect with Veggie Burgers or your favorite sandwich fillings (SRP $6.95/8 rounds). Soy free, dairy free and gluten free. *Allergen alert: This product contains sunflower seeds.

Here are a few of the things that I love about these sandwich rounds:
1. Each box contains 8 rounds. They can be used to make open-face sandwiches (or pair two together for a regular sandwich).
2. We eat with our eyes first. Visually, these looked moist and had a toasty appearance. They are larger than the other sandwich rounds I have seen on the market.
3. The sandwich rounds had a nice earthy flavor to them. Great for a variety of sandwiches!
4. They are gluten-free, soy-free, and dairy-free. When I initially saw the box, I thought "Is it relevant that bread is dairy free?" but then I purchased some pre-made pizza crust recently and saw that it was made with cheese, so it is important to check to see what's in your bread before making any assumptions.
5. These can be stored in the freezer, removing one at a time when you are ready to eat it.
6. They're organic!

I decided to experiment with these sandwich rounds by making my own breakfast sandwich. I do not do fast food, so this was a nice alternative to those high-fat, high-calorie sandwiches you can grab at a drive-thru. I made mine an open-face sandwich with a sausage patty, scrambled egg, and sharp cheddar cheese. Delicious!

To learn more about Amy's delicious options for all different diets (e.g. vegetarian, dairy-free, gluten-free, soy-free, vegan), visit the Amy's website and Facebook page.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Farm Fresh Food & Fun

2012-01-09T21:29:00.000-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

While the rest of the country is freezing their butts off, we actually get a month or two of really beautiful weather in South Florida. That's when I like to get off my butt and do something really fun outdoors. This past weekend, we went to some of our favorite places: Bedner's and the Girl's Strawberry Patch. They are about 40 minutes north of us, but so worth the drive.

Bedner's is both a you-pick farm and farmer's market. They had beautiful tomatoes and peppers to pick. Lydia had a fun time looking for the right color peppers and tomatoes (we told her not to pick the green ones, just the red - she did a pretty good job). Bryce enjoyed resting in Richard's Ergo. After picking our fresh fruits/veggies, we enjoyed some delicious BBQ. Lydia liked the brisket and corn on the cob. I liked the baked beans and collard greens. Richard liked it all!

Then we went to the Girl's Strawberry Patch. I've posted about it before - it's this crazy place behind a somewhat run-down looking strip plaza. The front is an old-time candy store and ice cream parlor. Behind it, though, is this huge hydroponic you-pick with animals (donkeys, tortoises, rabbits, geese), statues, trees, antique cars, and all sorts of stuff! We picked some awesome strawberries and green beans...and shared some delicious birthday cake-flavored ice cream.

Lydia picking strawberries

I made some scrumptious menu items with our fresh produce. Here are just a few!

From-scratch vanilla cupcakes, whipped cream, and strawberries

Caprese salad with freshly-made pesto

Whole wheat crepe with strawberries and chocolate ganache

You have to know where you came from to know where you're going...

2012-01-02T18:56:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

My sister and I often have debates about parenting. She comes from the perspective of a nurse, former preschool teacher, and stepmother. I come from the perspective of special education teacher and mother of two. I decided today to try to find something in my old LiveJournal, and I came across this entry. It's from June 10th, 2008...sounds exactly like something my sister would write today (and, ironically, she's the same age I was then). Here goes:

While I am not yet a parent, I have contributed to the development of more children than most people who are parents, so I feel somewhat fit to have opinions on the matter. I've also coached/counseled many parent over the last 10 years. So...I'll actually start by saying that I agree with something my sister said. She was at Babies R Us buying a shower gift for one of her close friends. She talked to me about the experience and made a really good point...everyone spends SO MUCH MONEY on baby things: furniture, clothing, toys, etc. but how many of thoe parents spend that kind of time and effort on their children when they're not babies? When they're toddlers, elementary-age, middle/high school-age? I was given formula. Do I think my mom was selfish for this or made a poor decision? Not at all. Research suggests that women who breastfeed have children with higher IQs. My IQ doesn't need to be any higher...all that would do is separate me more from the rest of the population. Perhaps women who breastfeed are also women who have intelligent husbands who earn a good living for the family, allowing the women to have the luxury of staying at home, spending countless hours breastfeeding? To accurately evaluate this, you'd have to have two identical groups and a very large sample size. In addition, I have had students who were mentally handicapped whose mothers did breastfeed, so I just don't see this research as being significant. As Richard says, correlation does not necessarily imply causation.

What I think IS important, that people don't consider from the moment the child is born...is shaping appropriate behaviors. Things are "cute" when a child is little...a little reaching for mommy's hair and pulling, putting inappropriate things in his/her mouth, etc. Boundaries should be set, I believe, early on. Maybe this is my "teacher perspective" - something my mom is always accusing me of having. But I have a co-worker whose baby, by about 4 months, was accurately using multiple manual signs to make requests, evidenced by the baby's satisfaction when her requested wants/needs were met. How great is that? To teach communication at 4 months of age? I began saying words, that my mom thinks were meaningful, at just a few months old. At one, I was putting two words together to create phrases (my famous "me make-up.") Did breastfeeding help me to do this? No. I guess I can almost say my mom's appropriate reinforcement of my behaviors is what helped.

I remember when we had the big hurricane here almost 3 yrs ago, I was with Kayla and Kyra and they were bored to tears with no electricity...and I got out paper and markers and we made silly paper hats and I entertained them for a long time with that...something so simple. THAT is what parenting is all about. It's about time, creativity, encouragement, introduction of skills at a young age, and reinforcement of desirable behaviors. I have thought a lot about this because:
1. I have two pregnant co-workers I am close to.
2. Two of my friends growing up are now mothers.
3. I feel the pressure of a biological clock ticking.
4. I am trying to figure out what to do with my life...do I want children? My own? Adopted? Richard isn't too thrilled with the adoption idea...but damn...I don't know if I want his grandmother's genetics mixed with my crazy family's genetics! ;)
5. With my new business, I need to start thinking more about these things because I want the family involvement portion to play a role in the therapy sessions. I know that I really encourage time and attention and development of appropriate behaviors with my students' families and I would continue to do so with my private business. It's just a lot to think about...and the idea of burning out on the baby decisions is scary. I'd want to make sure I have lots of stamina before embarking on that kind of journey.

Funny, right?? The saying goes "Money changes everything" but I think it's really time that changes everything.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Nursing in Public

2011-12-28T16:21:00.002-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

(belated) Wordless Wednesday ~ My boy

2011-12-15T07:54:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Wordless Wednesday ~ 1st Ornament on the Tree

2011-12-07T16:59:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Baking with Kids ~ Almond Cookies

2011-12-03T10:53:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
I love getting Lydia in the kitchen with me to cook. Last Friday, we decided to bake almond cookies together first thing in the morning. I hope that one day she shares my love of cooking and baking. Here's our recipe - this is a great one for the holidays!

Almond Cookies

(makes 40 small cookies)

Ingredients

2 sticks (1 cup) of butter, softened

2/3 cup powdered sugar (plus extra for dusting)

1 cup coarsely-ground almonds

2 1/2 cup unbleached flour

1 t vanilla extract

1 t almond extract

pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer, cream together butter and powdered sugar until well-combined and fluffy.

In a small food processor, coarsely grind almonds.

Add vanilla and almond extracts to the butter sugar mixture and continue to mix.

Add nuts into the butter and sugar mixture and continue to mix.

Add flour to the mixture and continue to mix until combined.

Stir by hand to make sure everything is mixed together well.

Then lick the spatula clean?!

Using a small one-tablespoon scoop, make 40 scoops of cookie dough, evenly-spaced on a silicon baking sheet or greased cookie sheet. Use your fingers to flatten the cookies gently so they will cook evenly.

Bake about 15 - 18 minutes until they are firm and slightly golden along the edges of the cookie. Place on a cooling rack to cool.

Using a fine mesh sifter, dust with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Hartstrings Review ~ Beautiful Holiday Outfits

2011-11-27T17:27:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
MomSelect offered members the chance to visit a local Hartstrings store to purchase holiday outfits for their children. I jumped on the opportunity to get beautiful new clothes for Lydia and Bryce. We decided to go to the mall as a family today. Little did I know that they were having a huge sale!

Front of the Hartstrings store in Sunrise, FL

As you can see in the sign in the photograph, "Take an Additional 25% off the Entire Store" and to my surprise, all of the holiday items were already 50% off. The customer service associate kindly informed us of the sale and asked if we had any questions.

Wall of holiday clothing

They had a great selection of holiday outfits for boys and girls! We started by shopping for Lydia. She wears a size 2T/24 months, and they had lots of styles to choose from in that size. I picked out one outfit and Richard picked out another. We had Lydia choose which one she liked more.

Possible outfits for Lydia

Even though Bryce is only 10 weeks old, he is already in a size 6 months. Here were the two possible outfits for him.

Possible outfits for Bryce

We selected our outfits and brought them to the cashier to pay.

Check out our receipt below for two beautiful holiday outfits for the kids with all of the special weekend sales!

Cost: $52.95 Savings $85.05

So which outfits did we choose?? Here they are!

These outfits are perfect living in Florida. Lydia's dress is made of a sweater material, but it's short-sleeved, so it won't be too warm. It would pair nicely with an off-white cardigan. We also purchased a coordinating red bow to style her hair. Bryce's outfit is long sleeves and pants, but made of lightweight materials so it's not too warm either. They had other options like corduroy pants and heavier sweaters for colder weather. Unlike most other pants for children under a year of age, Bryce's khakis have a real button and zipper, along with the elastic strips on each side to cinch the waist.

I always thought Hartstrings was out of our price range, but now I know that they have amazing sales that make the clothing affordable regardless of budget. I was impressed by the wide selection of items and the friendly staff members. Overall, this was a very successful shopping trip!

To learn more about Harstrings, visit their website to find a retail location near you. You can also check out their Facebook page and twitter for more up-to-date information and great offers.

*I received these products free as part of a promotional program with Hartstrings and MomSelect. The opinions expressed are honest.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

2011-11-22T13:10:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
After reading through a number of recipes, I decided just to create my own Pumpkin Whoopie Pie. They were delicious! I used fresh pumpkin puree that I made by just cutting the pumpkin into several segments, coating in olive oil, and roasting at 425 degrees until tender. Then I put it through a food processor. This freezes really well so you can take out whatever portion you need for baking yummy fall goodies.

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Ingredients

For the cookie:

1 cup of pureed pumpkin

1 stick of butter, softened

1 cup of light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 t vanilla extract

1 2/3 cup unbleached flour

1 t baking powder

1 t baking soda

1 t salt

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t nutmeg, freshly grated

1/2 t ground cloves

1/2 t ground ginger

For the filling:

4 oz cream cheese

1/2 stick of butter, softened

1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1/2 t vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silpat.

2. To make the cookies: combine 1 stick softened butter and brown sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add the 2 eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. Slowly add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix well. Using a 3 tablespoon scoop, make 10 mounds of batter on each cookie sheet. Bake 12 - 14 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a cookie rack to cool.

3. To make the filling: combine all ingredients in a mixer and beat until well-combined, light, and fluffy. Chill until ready to fill cookies.

4. When the cookies have chilled, place the filling in a piping bag (I used a zipper bag and cut the tip). Pipe the filling on to 10 of the cookies and top with a second cookie. Serve or chill until ready to serve.

Makes 10 whoopie pies.

A Trip to the Farm!

2011-11-19T21:14:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
The weather was nice this morning, so I decided we'd take a trip to the teaching farm at Tradewinds Park. They have pony rides, a nice playground, and a guided farm tour. This is Lydia getting ready for her first pony ride!

And here's the video:

Then we went on a guided farm tour. Lydia was so excited to see the sheep and goats!

So toward the end of the guided tour, Lydia decided to do her own thing. She started clucking and moving her arms like a chicken while chasing the rooster. I probably should've stopped her sooner than I did, but it was too hysterical! I couldn't stop laughing.

Wordless Wednesday ~ My big 2-month old boy!

2011-11-16T14:01:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon When You Take the North "Poll"

2011-11-10T20:57:00.001-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Melissa & Doug want you to tell them which of their educational toys you think is the best! Just click on the image below to place your vote in the North "Poll!" You'll get a Melissa & Doug 25% Off Coupon** to use at MelissaAndDoug.com just for voting!

I Know If You Breastfed

2011-11-10T10:55:00.000-05:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
I can always tell if someone either breastfed or bottle-fed breastmilk, formula fed, or never had a baby. It's very simple; that person will ask the question "Is he hungry again?"

When Lydia was born, I didn't fully understand how breastfeeding worked. No one I saw regularly breastfed. I didn't ask a whole lot of questions before giving birth because I felt like breastfeeding was a natural process, and I would just figure it out. Breastfeeding is just using your breast to feed your baby, right? Well, fortunately, I did just figure out the dynamics of it quickly with Lydia. She latched on instantly from day 1 - She was a breastfeeding champ! What I didn't fully understand or know at first was the concept of 'feeding' on demand. I used to leave my daughter alone once or twice a week with my husband starting at around 6 weeks without a bottle of milk for an hour or two at a time. Sometimes he'd look like a crazy man when I would get home from the gym or store because Lydia would cry half the time I was gone. I didn't understand why he couldn't find some way to soothe her while I was gone.

When Lydia was around 2 or 3 months old, my formula-feeding friends and pediatrician said I needed to start scheduling feedings. Without any real knowledge of all the differences between true breastfeeding (I am not including bottle-feeding breastmilk because that, to me, is more like formula-feeding) and formula-feeding, I thought that this idea of spacing out her feedings made sense and would probably help her to be a better sleeper and would fill her up better. But then I realized that wouldn't work. When she cried, she wanted her mommy time. Was she hungry? I don't know. Was she eating too often? Didn't seem to be. Was she getting enough nutrition? She was gaining weight and appeared to be healthy. Did she just want to cuddle and feel safe? Isn't that my main job as a mother? To protect my child and make her feel safe?

People who formula-feed will often say things like "It doesn't really matter long-term" or "I've known breastfed babies who still get sick a lot" or "I was formula-fed and I'm just fine" or "My kid is really smart and he was formula-fed" or "There are so many other ways for parents to bond with their babies." Those may be true but are completely irrelevant to me. I can list endless research-based reasons why breastfeeding is beneficial...but it's not about higher IQ or better immunity or all the nutritional benefits. I don't need to be sold through logic. I do it for one reason: it just feels right.

So "Is he hungry again?" I don't know. "Is he actually eating right now?" Sometimes yes, sometimes no. "Didn't you just feed him?" Don't know if I 'fed' him but I put him to my breast, yes. "Is he eating too much?" Well, he's really big and healthy, so does it matter? Most of all, he's happy and protected and knows he's loved because he gets all of that natural skin-to-skin time with mommy.

Going Dairy-Free...and a new Brownie Recipe!

2011-10-31T16:10:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
Bryce unfortunately has bad eczema and baby acne (along with a mucous-y sound in his chest after feedings sometimes), so it was recommended that I cut the dairy out of my diet while breastfeeding. Apparently there's a protein in dairy products that babies are often sensitive to. While I do not think I could give up dairy for a year (although I'd probably be down to 125 lbs in no time!), I'm willing to try maybe a month to see if it makes a difference. In doing so, I have had to give up some of my favorite foods - cheese, ice cream, and baked goods. I searched for a brownie recipe using coconut oil, cocoa powder, and dairy-free dark chocolate. I found a recipe and modified it accordingly. I think this would actually make a great chocolate chip muffin recipe because of the texture. It also maintains a bit of that coconut flavor, which was quite yummy! So, if you are lactose intolerant or giving up milk-based products for your little one while breastfeeding, try this recipe.

Ingredients
1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
2 large cage-free eggs
2/3 cup coconut oil
3 Tablespoons of cocoa powder
2 oz dairy-free dark chocolate chunks (I used Dove)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Use coconut oil to grease an 8" x 8" baking pan. In a mixer on low speed, cream the sugar, eggs, and coconut oil.

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl.

In small batches, add the sifted ingredients into the mixer to combine. Add chocolate chunks.

Pour this mixture into the greased pan. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

Makes 9 brownies (as long as you don't eat all the batter with a spoon before it goes into the pan!)

Please visit my new blog!

2011-10-27T06:42:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
I do a lot of thinking when I am up at 3:30 am breastfeeding my son. A few days ago, I realized that this blog has become less focused as Lydia has gotten a bit older and I have focused more on toddler-friendly activities. So what did I decide to do? Make a toddler-friendly blog. This blog allows me to take all my early education ideas, projects, recipes, etc. and share them with everyone as I teach them to Lydia.

Please visit Busy Lil' Hands when you have an opportunity to do so. Thanks!

Our Upcycled Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-20T10:49:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Inspired by a contest hosted by Green Toys, Lydia and I created an Upcycled Pumpkin Patch!

Because Green Toys are made of recycled milk jugs, they are hosting a contest where participants must convert milk jugs into pumpkins. We began by pouring orange craft paint into a 1/2 gallon milk jug. Lydia had to shake, shake, shake to distribute it all.

The next day, we looked around the house for more orange items to turn into pumpkins. We found a small lotion container, a tray from sausages, a basketball, and a food basket. I cut out all different shapes to glue to our "pumpkins." Lydia did the gluing.

With such beautiful fall weather this morning, we gathered all the "pumpkins" (and one real pumpkin) and brought them into the backyard. I happen to have a cantaloupe vine growing that looks like a pumpkin vine...although any big leafy plant would do. We placed all of our pumpkins near the vine so that it looks like a pumpkin patch!

And that's our upcycled pumpkin patch!

I even got inspired to make one more silly "pumpkin" with a slice of pretend cheese... So much fun!

After, I thought it was only appropriate to watch It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

Rainy Day? Create a Recipe - Creamy Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

2011-10-19T15:46:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Creamy Butternut Squash & Apple Soup

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash

1 Granny Smith apple

1 medium red onion

4 strips of bacon

1 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 - 2 cups of water

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 t ground ginger

1/2 t ground coriander

1/2 t cumin

1/4 t cinnamon

1/4 t turmeric

1/4 t freshly ground nutmeg

Sour cream (one T per serving)

Salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

Begin by cooking your bacon in a Dutch oven.

While cooking, peel and dice the squash, apple, and onion.

When the bacon is completely cooked, remove from pot and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat (it will remain in the pot). Add 1 tablespoon of butter along with the diced squash, apple, and onion and all of the spices.

Sautee on a low heat about 10 mins. Add water (1/2 cup at a time) and broth, and simmer covered for 20 minutes.

Using a stick blender, puree. Add the heavy cream and stir. Run the mixture through a sieve to remove any lumps/fibers. Top with a dollop of sour cream and crumbled bacon.

The great thing about this recipe is that we now have butternut squash seeds to plant in our garden and the skin from the fruits/veggies to compost!

Wordless Wednesday

2011-10-12T09:33:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Every Birth Has a Story

2011-10-12T09:07:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.
I think everyone I have ever encountered in real life or cyber world knows how horribly disappointing my labor/delivery was with Lydia. I have been reminded many times over that it's not about the journey -- it's about the end result. The end result is that I had a beautiful, healthy, happy baby girl and I was pretty much back to my old self in less than a week. However, if the end result was all that life was about things would be a lot different.

"Oh, yes, the past can hurt. But the way I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it." - Rafiki, The Lion King

I chose the latter.

Everyone knows about my desire to have a VBAC. I chose a supportive midwife who has had 2 VBACs and is very well-known within my community. At around 5:30 am on Friday, September 16th, I started feeling some contractions that finally felt like the "real" thing. It's hard to remember from one birth to the next the difference between the real contractions and false contractions, but once they come on, you know. That entire day I felt contractions - anywhere from 10 - 15 minutes apart. I tried to go to bed that evening, but woke up around 1 am with what felt like more serious, close-together contractions. I called my midwife, packed up the car, and went to the hospital. I probably didn't need to go that early, but they seemed so much more powerful than the earlier contractions, I figured better safe than sorry.

As soon as I arrived, I got my meds for the Group B Strep, which I responded well to. My midwife arrived around 3 am and told me I was only 3 cm dilated. I was definitely hoping for more than that. She wanted to break my water, but I was not ready for that. That was step 1 in my unsuccessful labor/delivery last time, so I got really anxious just thinking about it. My midwife left me to labor on my own for the next 5 hours. The contractions got more regular, about 4 - 5 minutes apart. She went to check me again, and after all that, I was still only dilated 3 cm. Now, here's where the tough love needed to come in. Because I labored for over 24 hours at this point and progressed very minimally, I had to do something or I was really risking a c-section. Apparently I have some sort of uterine dysfunction. My babies are very high and just don't come down without some sort of intervention. All the contractions were not good for my c-section incision, so I had to allow her to break my water. I was petrified, but I had to extend my faith a bit to trust that this was what was best and would allow me to deliver vaginally.

Instantly, the contractions came on MUCH harder and MUCH faster. Remember now, I haven't slept in over 24 hours and had been contracted for almost 30 hours, so I started to just feel so weak and so tired. I asked for some pain meds, and I was given something that made me sleepy, but at least then I could kinda relax between contractions. I remember that I would stop breathing because I would get so relaxed, and Richard would have to remind me to breathe. But that only lasted about an hour before it wore off. Because of my Group B Strep, it was not safe for my midwife to examine me too often, so I had no idea at this point if I had progressed at all. Out of fear that I'd be too tired and weak to push, I asked for an epidural. The anesthesiologist came in and was somewhat rude. He asked me why the heck I'd want to have a VBAC over just scheduling another c-section. When I told him that it was safer for me and baby, he laughed at me. I was NOT about to have this debate at that time. I had to sit exceptionally still while contracting (and I am not a quite/calm laborer - I scream, punch things, bite things, kick, squeeze, etc.). Apparently the epidural went in perfectly the first time. Only one problem...same problem as last time...you're supposed to go numb. Well, again, I didn't go numb. I felt my legs, I felt all the contractions, I felt the stupid catheter go in, etc. Little did I know that I was already 8 cm dilated (which I learned after getting the epidural) or I wouldn't have even asked for it! (Yes, I know, shoulda, coulda, woulda).

At any rate, I quickly moved along to 10 cm and I was ready to start pushing. I pushed for just about an hour, making my total labor/delivery 32 hours. As with Lydia, everyone thought I'd have an average size baby (maybe 7 1/2 lbs). Well, after all my pushing (which, wow, is that a challenge - it required more strength and endurance than I ever thought I had), I delivered a very healthy and big 8 lb 15 oz baby! No one would have guessed it - I only gained 25 lbs, but as everyone told me, I was all belly.

This experience helped me to reconnect with what I was experiencing when I gave in to having a c-section last time. Perhaps I even forgave myself for not trying harder. But this time, each time I started to doubt myself, thinking I should just give up because I apparently just can't deliver vaginally, my midwife and Richard gave me the courage to keep going. They told me they could see the head. My midwife grabbed the tray with instruments to signal he was coming, she put on a special gown, she called in another nurse, etc. All of these were signs to me that I was doing a good job. My midwife stretched and massaged and did everything she could to help me have the birth I wanted for my family. For that, I am eternally grateful. I can only hope that my career allows me to have a similar impact on the lives of others. It's really quite amazing! Having a standard hospital birth may not be ideal or perfect. I still had to deal with all the postpartum hospital BS, but the guidance and support I received while laboring and delivering was unbelievable.

I love my babies, Lydia Marie and Bryce Cody Wells. They have stolen my heart forever!

Tommee Tippee Review ~ Closer to Nature Bottle & Explora Truly Spill-Proof Drink Cup

2011-10-08T08:52:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

After blogging about the new Tommee Tippee The Day Baby Was Born web application, I contacted the company to see if I could review some of their other products. I was quickly sent a closer to nature 5 oz feeding bottle for my newborn boy Bryce and a set of two explora truly spill proof drink cups for my 2-year old daughter Lydia.

The uniquely-designed nipple on the closer to nature bottle was created to mimic the natural feel of breastfeeding. It has a wider nipple for better latching and is BPA and phthalate-free.

When Lydia was about 7 months old, I returned to work full-time for 2 months. She had never used a bottle before, but obviously I had to pump while at work and send a bottle with her babysitter. Unfortunately, I didn't know about the Tommee Tippee line of products, and I had a hard time finding a bottle that was appropriate for a child who had only been breastfed until that point. Because the creators of this bottle thought about children who are exclusively breastfed, they designed a product that is perfect for moms who have to go back to work or who need the occasional babysitter, but still pump so that their children can be fed breastmilk. These bottles are available in 5 oz and 9 oz sizes and nipples are available in slow, medium, and fast flow. From my experiences, I recommend using a slow flow nipple on a smaller bottle with all breastfed babies, regardless of age.

The explora cups come in 5 different stages to safely and comfortably transition children from a bottle/breast to a cup. The truly spill-proof drink cups we were sent are Stage 5, for children 24m+.

Lydia has a tendency to take her cups and pour her drink from one cup into another. Quite often, this ends up making a puddle on the floor or a sticky juice mess on our table. Well, when we handed Lydia this cup by Tommee Tippee, she tipped it over...she shook it...she tried every way possible to pour out her drink into another cup. As they say - this cup is truly spill-proof. Lydia was unable to get even a drip of the water to come out of her cup. This means the cup is great for throwing in a diaper bag because you don't have to worry about a big wet mess later on when the juice spills out everywhere. We have gone through so many toddler cups that leak everywhere, we are so happy to have found this product. Another great feature is that they are so easy to clean up. Some toddler cups have 3 - 4 pieces that have to be washed separately. With this cup, you just take the top off and throw both pieces in the dishwasher.

BUY IT! The closer to nature bottles come in different stages: 0m+, 3m+, and 6m+. A single 5 oz bottle can be purchased for $8.99 and a 3-pack is just $19.99. A 2-pack of the explora truly spill-proof drink cups is just $8.99. They are now available at your local Babies R Us.

For more information, visit the Tommee Tippee website, Facebook page and Twitter.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Guidecraft Educator Review #3 ~ Universal Book Display & Storage

2011-10-01T08:13:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

This month, the Guidecraft Educators are reviewing the Universal Book Display & Storage. This two-sided bookcase has storage space for standard-sized board books, paperback books, and hardcover books on one side and storage space for big books on he other side. What I love most about this book storage is that it is not just a traditional bookcase where you just see the binding of the books. This book storage allows you to display the entire cover of the book, which is a great way to entice early learners! They love to look at the colorful illustrations on the front of each book.

The Universal Book Display & Storage is constructed of sturdy birch ply wood and weighs 40 pounds. It took approximately a half-hour to assemble. This book storage goes very nicely with the Guidecraft Nordic Rocker I reviewed in August. Here are some pictures of our library.

I like to change the books in my children's library each month based on the season/holiday or a given theme. This month's theme is Fall/Halloween. I was able to display 22 books. Next to the book storage, I placed two bins of themed items to explore before, during and after reading. One bin has synthetic fall leaves and wiggly creatures (plastic bugs and spiders). The other bin has some Halloween plush characters, like a wizard, witch, and frog. Because of the neutral design and color, I am able to 'dress up' the book display & storage to go with the theme as well. We are going to add some spider webs later.

BUY IT! You can purchase this well-designed, two-sided Guidecraft Universal Book Display & Storage for your home or classroom library for just $200.

WIN IT! What's great about this Guidecraft Educator group is that each month, one of us will be hosting a giveaway of the product that we have all reviewed. Visit Mommy PR for a chance to win a Universal Book Display & Storage for your child. This contest is open to the US and Canada.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Amy's Review ~ NEW Gluten-Free Shortbread Cookies

2011-09-28T08:21:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Working with children who have disabilities for over 10 years now, I am familiar with many different types of diets. The most commonly prescribed dietary recommendation for children with autism is gluten-free. Gluten is a protein found in wheat products, and many individuals have a gluten allergy or sensitivity. Even just five years ago, gluten-free options were very limited and parents had to make most of their children's snacks from scratch.

Now that people are beginning to recognize the benefits of cutting back on the gluten in their diets, high-quality, gluten-free snacks are becoming more available. We are already familiar with Amy's delicious vegetarian and vegan frozen items. The same quality and flavor can now be found in their tasty new gluten-free shortbread cookies, made with all-natural ingredients, including almond flour. These cookies are also egg-free and peanut-free, but do contain dairy.

At just $4.99 per box, they are much less expensive than baking from scratch and equally as delicious. The only hard part is eating just one serving at a time! I was given the opportunity to sample all three varieties: Classic Shortbread, Almond, and Chocolate Chip. My favorite were the Chocolate Chip cookies. These cookies make a great snack for children or adults, individuals with a gluten allergy or those of us who just love yummy cookies! The texture of all three varieties is light and somewhat crumbly, so be sure to place them in lidded containers not zipper bags if they are going into lunch bags.

BUY IT! Visit the Amy's website and Facebook page to learn all about Amy's delicious products, including the new gluten-free cookies.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

My Loves

2011-09-22T08:08:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Bryce Cody Wells born 9/17/2011 @1:24 pm. He weighed 8 lbs 15 oz, 21.5 inches long.

Lydia loves her new baby brother

I'm the tortoise

2011-09-16T19:33:00.001-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Slow and steady wins the race? Slowly laboring at home all day....

Song Memories

2011-09-13T11:20:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

As I am attempting to wait patiently for baby Bryce's arrival, I have been thinking a lot about other times in my life that led me to new and exciting adventures. I thought about how I identify with these times, besides just reflecting back or maybe looking at photos. I was in the car a week or two ago with my sister, and the Dave Matthews Band song "Crash Into Me" came on. This is not one of my favorite songs, as I have never been a huge Dave Matthews fan, but it is probably one of my most vivid, amazing song memories.

I moved to Gainesville and started at UF fall 1997. The University suggests that freshman move into dorms a week before classes start to adjust to campus life, learn where everything is located, and participate in silly social events. Coming from a household with parents who were somewhat over-protective, I definitely lived a life where I was used to having to ask permission for everything and frequently being denied that permission. But this was a new life, where I was free to come and go as I pleased, stay out as late as I wanted, leave my "home" for any reason. I remember leaving my dorm one day and just roaming around campus. I recall wearing black corduroy pants, a grey tank top, and this necklace I had with a metal nut on it. Oh, and my Converse One Stars. So 1997. As I was returning to my dorm, I saw two guys sitting on the steps to the entrance of a neighboring dorm. They were playing acoustic guitar together. I sat in front of them just to listen, and they played "Crash Into Me." They played a bunch of songs, but this is the one that stands out in my mind. That memory is just beautiful. It embodies all that I felt at that time - freedom, responsibility, promise, hope...knowing that the world was mine. I just had to find my place in it.

**********************************************************************

Richard and I got married April 30, 2005 in the Keys. The day before our wedding, a bunch of us headed down to our hotel (Lime Tree Bay in Islamorada) and hung out for the day. That night, we ate at this horrid seafood restaurant ("Got a bad clam") and went to Holiday Isle afterwards. They have an outdoor tiki bar area with some live music and a DJ. It was so nice to have all of our friends, new and old, together in one place to celebrate our marriage. Richard and I bought special outfits just for the night. Mine was an aqua tube top and white denim capris. I remember Richard and our friend Josh dancing to The Killers "Mr. Brightside" like a bunch of idiots, but it had me and my friend Mindy cracking up! This song always makes me smile for that reason.

So what are your song memories? I hope everyone has really special memories like these, and when you hear the songs, they just make you smile!

Reading Kingdom blogger

2011-09-09T08:49:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

I was just offered a new opportunity to blog about special education at The Reading Kingdom blog. Here's my first post. I wanted to provide my new readers with some background information and an introduction to my career. Please tell me what you think. I would love some feedback!

Natural Teething Necklace for Mom & Baby Review/Giveaway #2 ~ Ends 9/13

2011-09-07T17:55:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

When Lydia was about 8 months old, I hosted a review/giveaway for a Creative Addiction natural stone teething necklace. Andrea of Creative Addiction has since created some great new designs and has asked me to host a new review/giveaway ~ Of course I said YES!

Natural stone teething necklace

The new style I am reviewing features small turquoise-like natural stones. Instead of one large stone, this necklace contains 13 small stones. Andrea at Creative Addiction said that she created this design because her 7-month old loves teething on the individual beads. Because it is made of natural stone, it is safe for babies (not a choking hazard). This is a great alternative to all of those store-bought plastic teethers. Because the beads are on a nylon-type cord, you can tie the top part tighter for a shorter necklace or leave it as is for a longer necklace to pair with all different types of outfits. Fashionable for mommy and functional for baby! Lydia enjoys wearing it to play dress up, but I definitely look forward to my son using it as a teething necklace when he is ready.

Lydia "modeling" the necklace with her Dora bracelet (and very goofy 'cheese' smile).

BUY IT! You can purchase a teething necklace or many other beautiful jewelry pieces at Andrea's etsy shop, Creative Addiction. Followers of my blog receive 15% off their orders for the next week.

WIN IT! You can win your own natural stone teething necklace just like the one above.

Mandatory entry: VISIT the Creative Addiction etsy page and let me know one item you would love to have!

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:
1. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.
2. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
3. Become a public follower of Momma Maven.
4. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.

(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each.)

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 9/13 at 10:00 pm. Winner will be chosen using random.org. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck!

Congratulations to our winner, Tina!

* I received the aforementioned products for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Guidecraft Review ~ Moon & Stars See, Store, & Take-Along

2011-09-03T19:37:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

As you may have seen in previous posts, instead of creating a baby nursery for our new one on the way, I decided to make it more like a toddler classroom. We never used a crib with Lydia, so why get one for baby #2? I like bold, primary colors, so we decided to go with an outer space themed room. We painted the room a beautiful bright blue and looked for coordinating pieces that captured the space theme. Fortunately, Guidecraft makes some beautiful bold-colored, outer space themed furniture.

Guidecraft sent me the Moon & Stars See, Store, & Take-Along to review for free!

We purchased the Moon & Stars Stack Shelves on Amazon for just $72 + Free Shipping.

This is how the room looks with the two shelving units and other themed items.

The Moon & Stars See, Store, and Take-Along is very simple to assemble. It took less than 30 minutes. It is on wheels, so it can easily be moved to different locations throughout the house. It comes with 6 large, lidded bins that are clear so you can see the contents easily, but are highlighted by the three bold, primary colors to coordinate with the shelves. Each bin can hold toys containing multiple pieces, like a set of blocks, a tea set, small vehicles, etc. The bins have handles so they can be moved to different areas of the house or taken on road trips. The top shelf does not contain bins, so you can stack larger items. I placed our puzzle rack on that shelf along with a large drum filled with instruments and two other toys.

In order to organize our toys even further, I photographed the contents of each bin, cropped the photos, named each photo, and printed a label to place on the front of each bin. The bottom row of bins contains our Mega Bloks, Guidecraft Sand Blocks, Crystal Bead Blocks, & Rainbow Blocks (all three fit in one bin), and a Birthday Cake Play Set.

BUY IT! Along with the Moon & Stars See, Store, & Take-Along, Guidecraft makes several other colorful, coordinating Moon & Star items, such as a Table & Chair Set, Toybox, and Media Carousel. Each piece is well-crafted and great for a child's bedroom, playroom, or classroom.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Guidecraft Educator Review #2 ~ Eco-friendly Manipulatives

2011-09-02T06:28:00.000-04:00

Imagine my surprise and amazement when all of these beautiful eco-friendly Guidecraft manipulatives arrived at my front door! These toys represent all that my blog is about - "green" products for young children. Some of the most notable features are: minimal packaging used to contain the toys, they are made from eco-friendly rubberwood, colored with low VOC aniline dyes, and contain distinct shapes and colors. Each toy comes with an activity guide with multiple activities. At just $25 - $30 each, these toys are a great investment for parents who want their children to learn through fun, colorful, and engaging activities. All seven toys state Ages 2+ because the pieces are large (not choking hazards), but the skill sets required to appropriately manipulate the toys and understand the cognitive concepts vary greatly. This also makes them great "green" toys - they can be used for years, not just one particular stage of development.

Lydia is just 2, so I decided to open up the 3 toys that I thought would be most appropriate for her developmentally: Gradient Sorter, One to Four Sorter, and Shape and Color Sorter. She was so excited to see each toy, she completed each one multiple times, asking for "more" each time we finished.

Here's Lydia completing the One to Four Sorter independently:

Here's Lydia completing the Gradient Sorter independently:

These toys are appropriate for older children as well. Here's my 10-year old niece Kayla using the Fraction Cups to solve math problems that require her to add fractions:

Here are a few suggestions I have for teaching children to use these toys:

~Place all of the manipulatives in a small basket or surface to the left of the board/base. Because we read from left-to-right, this is a good way to prepare children to work in that direction.

~Refer to the activity guide for suggestions beyond just completing each activity independently.

~Feel free to modify activities based on your child's interests and developmental abilities.

~Toys such as these are great for incorporating language. Instead of having your child complete each activity, have your child take each activity apart. Here are some examples. For younger children, you may ask "Can you take out the green triangle and put it in the basket?" or "Can you hand me the red heart?" For older children, you may ask "Can I have a shape that has 4 sides, but is not a diamond?"

~Frustration often leads to learning. We frequently intervene as soon as our children look frustrated with a situation, but then they may not learn to manipulate each piece properly. Allow your child to explore 'wrong' answers to figure out where each piece really goes independently.
~To make things more challenging, place multiple puzzles in one bin together. Your child will have to sort the pieces and then complete each individual puzzle.

BUY IT! You can purchase any of the Eco-Friendly Guidecraft Manipulatives for just $25 - 30 each.

WIN IT! What's great about this Guidecraft Educator group is that each month, one of us will be hosting a giveaway of the product that we have all reviewed. Visit Teach Preschool for a chance to win a set of Eco-Friendly Guidecraft Manipulatives for a special child in your life! This contest is open to the US and Canada.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

The ABCs of Teaching Preschoolers ~ L is for Library

2011-09-01T08:36:00.000-04:00

by Carrie Wells, Ed.D.

Introduction by Deborah Stewart, M.Ed. of Teach Preschool:
This post is to celebrate the 20,000 members who have joined Teach Preschool on Facebook and the wonderful bloggers who share their amazing ideas and insights each day. As a special thank you to each of you who care for and educate our youngest learners, the bloggers and I have put together "The ABC's of Teaching Preschoolers". Be sure to visit my fellow bloggers and check out the fun and insightful tips they have prepared especially for you.

The letter I chose is 'L' for 'Library'. A library, whether in your home or classroom, is so much more than just a collection of random books thrown on a shelf. An early learning library should inspire children to want to explore stories, ask questions, manipulate items, and use their imaginations.

Here are some suggested supplies/materials to start your classroom or home library for your young learners:

A variety of books: Books can be organized by theme, a child's interests, or a certain sound you are focusing on teaching. I suggest including pop-up books, books with sounds, paperback, board books, hardcover books, books with stickers, books on tape/CD, big books, etc. I am expecting baby #2 in just 3 weeks, so all of the books in my daughter's library are about babies and big sisters.

Themed objects: If you choose books with a particular theme, put together a basket of items that go with that theme. This allows the child(ren) to explore the same topic in a variety of ways! I put a basket full of baby dolls next to the library for Lydia to play with while looking at books.

Manipulative toys: Included within a library can be felt storyboards, alphabet puzzles, magnetic letters, letter/word games, puppets, dress-up clothes, and other literacy-related items. These objects allow young children to practice early literacy skills beyond just looking at books.

Photo albums: This is a great way to personalize a library. Include pictures of your child(ren), family members, favorite toys, animals, transportation, etc. Anything that can stimulate interest and conversation. The children can also use personal photos to make their own books that can be placed in the library.

Seating options: Children should be able to sit comfortably while engaging in literacy activities. Your library may include area rugs, table/chairs, bean bags, rockers, pillows, blankets, and any other comfy seating options for little ones.

Organization: It's important to keep items within the library well-organized and easily-accessible. You want children to be able to reach everything to explore objects and books independently. It helps to label containers with pictures or words and to have a variety of colorful bins/baskets for easy clean-up.

Writing area: After reading books and looking at pictures, children may want to draw pictures and write their own stories. Place paper and age-appropriate writing utensils in an area that is accessible to the child(ren). I like the Crayola Pip-Squeaks for ages 2 to 4.

Whether you are building a library for your preschool-age child at home or your students at school, remember to personalize the books, activities, toys, and decor. Young children love seeing their favorite books in the library, their artwork posted, and their favorite toys within reach!

Wordless Wednesday: Turning 2 (Day 30 of 30)

2011-08-31T06:57:00.000-04:00

36 weeks 6 days (Day 29 of 30)

2011-08-30T22:00:00.000-04:00

Had my 37 week check-up today. No weight gain since last visit, so I'm at 22 lbs. Blood pressure is good, I am measuring properly, no swelling/adema. I saw a different midwife who I really liked and she said my cervix is softening and she could feel where baby's head is.

Only issue...I have a different strain of Group B Strep this time than last time, and it requires me to take penicillin. Yeah, I am allergic to penicillin. Slight issue, but hopefully we'll come up with a good solution! She said that if I leave it untreated, the baby could spend 7 - 10 days in the hospital on antibiotics, which would not be good. I am really glad they didn't just try to convince me to have a c-section at that point. I am so determined to have a safe, healthy, vaginal birth. My midwife consulted with one of the doctors before speaking with me today. They asked what type of reaction I had to penicillin as a child, and I said a rash and diarrhea. If that is all, they should still be able to give it to me, and I'll just deal with the symptoms. Much rather feel a little under the weather and pull through than risk baby being ill. I'm supposed to call back tomorrow to discuss this further.

My Motherboard, My Self (Day 28 of 30)

2011-08-30T07:38:00.000-04:00

I have learned that having a computer in the repair shop is like having a friend in the hospital. You just keep your fingers crossed hoping you'll hear a positive outcome. Well, yesterday, I learned that my computer can be saved! It seems like all the files survived their crash to the ground, I now have a MUCH bigger hard drive and a newer operating system. I will have to re-install a few programs, like Microsoft Office and Adobe Photoshop, but no big deal there. I get to pick it up in just a few hours! Yay :-)

A Labor of Love (Day 27 of 30)

2011-08-28T21:30:00.000-04:00

I started another blog briefly a while back just for my recipes. I would include some quick fixes and some "labor of love" recipes. Today, I was inspired by an episode of a Bobby Flay show to make some S'mores...from scratch. Graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate ganache to pour over. I wanted to do an all-natural graham cracker. I found a recipe and tweaked it some to my liking. After making them, I tweaked them a bit more. Here's the recipe:

Whole Wheat Honey Graham Crackers
1 cup + 2 T whole wheat flour
¼ cup raw sugar + 1 T extra for sprinkling
½ t baking powder
¼ t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1/4 t cinnamon
2 T raw honey
2 T water
1 t quality vanilla extract
½ stick organic butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Melt stick of butter in a pan on the stove. Set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Add the liquids: honey, water, vanilla, and melted butter.
5. Stir well until a nice ball of dough is formed.
6. Cut two pieces of Parchment paper the size of the cookie sheet.
7. Lay one piece of parchment paper on the cookie sheet.
8. Place the ball of dough on the parchment paper.
9. Lay the other piece of parchment paper on top of the ball of dough. Squish dough down a little with your fist.
10. Use the rolling pin to roll the dough between the pieces of parchment paper. Roll until the dough is about 1/4 “ thick.
11. Remove the top piece of parchment paper. Cut rolled dough into 2 inch squares, or cut shapes with cookie cutters, being sure to separate the shapes from the surrounding dough a little.
12. Puncture small holes in the top with a fork and sprinkle with remaining sugar.
13. Bake in oven for 18 minutes.
14. Turn oven off, but leave crackers in the oven to get crisp.
15. Remove from oven after 30 minutes.
16. Eat immediately or store in an air-tight container.

Recipe makes about 10 2” x 2” graham crackers

Then I found a recipe for homemade marshmallows that did not contain corn syrup. I thought I completely messed up my marshmallows because I poured the liquid into the egg whites when it was still pretty warm, but i just kept mixing them in my mixer, and they came out perfect. This picture shows right when I poured the marshmallow into the pan to set up. I altered the recipe a bit to make them vanilla marshmallows. Yum!

Homemade Vanilla Marshmallows
1 ½ T powdered gelatin
1 cup cold water
1 cup sugar
1 egg white
1 t vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted, plus more for dusting pan and marshmallows
Butter, for greasing pan

1. In a small saucepan soak the gelatin in the cold water. After the gelatin has softened, approximately 10 minutes, add the regular sugar and then gently dissolve over low heat, approximately 8 minutes. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla extract, and allow to cool to room temperature.
2. In a mixer, beat the egg white until stiff peaks, and then fold in the sifted confectioners' sugar. 3. While the mixer is on low, slowly pour in the cooled gelatin mixture. Increase the speed and beat until white and thick. The volume should double in size and should form between soft and firm peaks.
4. Line an 8 by 8-inch baking dish with high sides with foil, grease slightly with butter, and coat with confectioners' sugar. Alternatively, you can use a baking sheet, but the marshmallows will not be as tall. Pour marshmallow mixture in and top with more sifted confectioners' sugar. Leave out overnight or for at least 3 hours to set. The marshmallow should be light and spongy when set.
5. Loosen marshmallow from edges of tray and invert onto a large cutting board. Peel off foil and use a large knife to cut the marshmallows into cubes. Dredge each piece in confectioners' sugar.

For the chocolate part of the s'mores, I made a ganache with organic heavy whipping cream and bittersweet chocolate. I will have to assemble another one tomorrow and photograph the completed version. It was definitely quite yummy! Love cooking for my family.

Family Time (Day 26 of 30)

2011-08-27T21:15:00.000-04:00

Spent a nice day with the family today. Jamie came over along with my parents. We just hung out and talked a bunch. Lydia had a lot of fun playing with everyone! She even enjoy playing with Poppa's harmonica. My little dancer and musician!

We all went to Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza for dinner. I tried something new - the pizza with sausage, meatballs, and ricotta with hot peppers on the side. Yum! I feel almost like Bryce (that seems to be "Baba"'s official name now) was with us tonight because he was wiggling around so much. Nice to see our little family beginning to grow.

The Cheese Course & The Urban Farmer (Day 25 of 30)

2011-08-26T21:50:00.000-04:00

First off, just realized that today's post is pretty much the midpoint between when I started these 30 days and my due date. That's pretty awesome!

Tonight Richard, Lydia, and I went to the new Cheese Course in Coral Springs for a free fruit and cheese pairing class. The Cheese Course features hundreds of cheeses, accompaniments (e.g. pestos, honey, fruits, nuts, etc.), bread, and wine. They have a menu with sandwiches, salads, and platters. You can eat there or just take cheese and other items to go. The event itself wasn't quite what I expected, but I did get to try some yummy things. Here are the two appetizers they served:
~An aged gouda with freshly-made mango jam a mint puree on a water cracker. I love aged gouda, and this paired nicely. It brought out the milder, sweeter flavors, but in a balanced way.
~Buffalo mozzarella with locally-grown roasted yellow squash/zucchini, onions, tomatoes, fresh oregano, basil, balsamic reduction, and olive oil.

After trying the different items, the local farmer and chef spoke to us (there were about 20 people in attendance). The local farmer began a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm in her own yard. She explained the program she helps to run, where you can purchase weekly share of her produce along with other locally-grown/raised produce and meat. It's called The Urban Farmer. She's the mother of a two-year old daughter who inspired her to create this farm and buying club. Whenever I hear people speak about local farming, I find it to be very inspirational. I definitely want to look through the website and lean more about the products/services offered. It just makes me want to never eat another processed food again. She was talking about how much better nutrient-rich food tastes, and it is so true. I love the farm-to-table movement and the idea of "slow food" rather than "fast food." I've said it before - I want Lydia to know where her food comes from, how it is grown, how food is prepared, etc. I hope she enjoys cooking (and eating) like I do!

Oh, and the chef who prepared the food works at Daniel Boulud's restaurant in West Palm. That was pretty cool! May have to check it out one day.

I got "Sad Mac"ed (Day 24 of 30)

2011-08-26T21:32:00.000-04:00

No better way to say it than this (my Facebook status update from earlier):

New 500 GB hard drive + attempt at retrieving my files + updated OS = $235. Moral of the story? Don't do airplane with your daughter when you are 36 weeks pregnant and have a MacBook on your lap :-(

Product Review ~ Perfect Foods Bar

2011-08-25T13:33:00.000-04:00

Normally, when I think of a protein bar or energy bar, I think of something people who exercise frequently must eat to benefit from their work-outs (even though they are not very tasty or natural). Perfect Foods Bars are very different. They are delicious and good for you! Click here to read more about the creation of these whole foods bars, started by a family passionate about good health and nutrition.

I sampled 4 of the 5 flavors: Peanut Butter, Almond Butter, Cranberry Crunch Lite, and Fruit & Nut. My favorite was the Almond Butter, but all of the flavors were delicious. They tasted like yummy, chewy cookies. These are great for on-the-go breakfasts as a source of energy and protein or snacks for road trips (or, of course, before/after a good work-out).

Health & Nutrition Facts for each bar:

Between 199 and 309 calories
Between 10 grams and 18 grams of protein
Made of organic nuts and honey
Free of preservatives, soy, refined sugar, and gluten
Contains other essential nutrients, such as Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Phosphorus, Niacin, and Copper
Good source of fiber to aid in digestion
High in Omega-3s

BUY IT! Perfect Foods Bars can be purchased through their website or any of these retailers. A box of 8 bars is just $19.50 - $21.50, depending upon the flavor.

You can 'like' Perfect Foods Bar on Facebook or 'follow' on Twitter to keep up with the latest news and information.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Eco-Friendly Choices (Day 23 of 30)

2011-08-24T23:28:00.000-04:00

Let me begin by saying...the 4-week countdown is ON!

So last night, I participated in a Healthy Child, Healthy World and Seventh Generation twitter party. We talked about eco-friendly choices, and it made me really think about how many eco-friendly choices I have made, especially since giving birth to Lydia:

Breastfeeding
Cloth diapering
Reusable shopping bags
Recycling pretty much everything I can
Donating unneeded goods to charities
Composting
Gardening using seeds from my kitchen
Reused tire mulch under our playground set
Greener household cleaning products
Organic food choices
Using reusable bottles for water and a Brita pitcher instead of buying water bottles
Some eco-friendly toys for Lydia
Conserving energy as much as possible
Not using excessive quantities of gas - just driving when I need to
Refusing plasticware, bags, packaging in restaurants as often as possible
Reusing containers, butting back on zipper bags

I'm sure I'm forgetting several, but it feels good to confidently make these choices. Being more eco-conscious is a way of life. It makes you think about each decision you make, how it affects your life, the lives of your children, and the future generations.

Being a self-taught blogger (Day 22 of 30)

2011-08-23T22:36:00.000-04:00

I see all these "courses" available to learn to blog, tweet, etc. I kinda feel like that defeats the purpose. I mean, I get that some people want to make truly profitable careers out of social media, but I do it for fun. I have learned how to win lots of cool prizes on twitter, obviously, and that does help offset the cost of groceries and entertainment. I also just enjoy engaging in social media - Facebook and Twitter.

In addition to learning how to navigate Twitter/Facebook well, recently I've figured out some HTML stuff. I decided to add a slideshow to my blog, so today I deleted some of the pictures I had in my right column, uploaded pictures to Photobucket, and inserted the HTML into a gadget. Well, when I previewed it, the slideshow was too large and completely off-center. So I messed around with the HTML to make it smaller and centered. It was a simple fix, but probably something I couldn't have figured out a few months ago. I also figured out how to link a button to something other than the original designated site so I could add someone's button to my blog, but a particular page within that person's blog. I think all that made sense...

At any rate, I'm still learning. I'm still finding new opportunities to host reviews and giveaways. I really enjoy writing reviews for toys, educational products, and eco-friendly products. When I am passionate about something, then I am passionate about the writing portion as well!

Short and sweet! (Day 21 of 30)

2011-08-23T00:02:00.001-04:00

I can't wait to give Lydia her best friend <3

One month away! (Day 20 of 30)

2011-08-21T18:56:00.000-04:00

Somehow I'm only one month away from our due date and my baby boy being born. I feel prepared, but I also don't feel impatient. It seems like it was just January 11th. I had an appointment with an oral surgeon to get my wisdom teeth pulled. Richard and I "chanced" things on Christmas, so I figured before discussing pain killers and tooth extraction, I should take a pregnancy test. Sure enough, came back positive! I put the test in a gift bag, and pretty much bounced around the house endlessly. Well, until Richard came home. I had Lydia give Richard the bag with the test. He looked somewhat shocked at first, but then get all mushy and was so happy! We told my parents, who were not as thrilled at first. My mom tends to be an overly cautious individual, so she was concerned that I wasn't ready to be pregnant again. I knew everything would be great!

Today we cleaned and organized our house pretty thoroughly. I tend to make little piles around the house of random stuff - bills, coupons, work-related papers, product samples, etc. Sometimes I put the little piles in boxes. Well, today I sorted "stuff" from 4 or 5 of these piles/boxes. Felt good to organize, purge, and find things to donate. Then we organized the garage some. The house will never be "perfect," but it definitely looks a lot better now!

With one month to go, I completed my hospital registration. It will go out in tomorrow's mail. We toured the hospital several weeks ago, and although a hospital birth is not ideal for me, I think the experience will be what we make of it.

Just one more month...

Oops...I skipped a day. Time to be thankful! (Day 19 of 30)

2011-08-21T18:45:00.000-04:00

This entry is to make up for not writing yesterday. I'm not sure how I completely forgot to post, but, it happens! Maybe I'll make this a "thankful" post. Here are some of the things that I am so thankful to have:
1. Richard, the world's most amazing husband, even though I tend to give him a hard time.
2. A beautiful, healthy, happy, loving daughter. Lydia is my world, my heart.
3. A very healthy pregnancy - with a baby boy who seems to be developing perfectly.
4. A mother, father, and sister who love me endlessly, even if they have a strange way of showing it sometimes. Whenever I need them, they are always there for me. I hope I am able to do the same for them.
5. Friends - I don't need a million of them, but I definitely appreciate the friends who have stuck by me over the years.
6. A nice house. It's not a mansion, it doesn't have the most modern kitchen or high-end furniture, but it is just enough for a family of four to live comfortably.
7. Enough income to live a nice life.
8. My education - I am glad that I have been able to find a passion and make a career out of it that allows me to contribute positively to my community.
9. Food. I am so very thankful for food.
10. Electricity, especially during the summer in Florida.

Twitter Prizes! (Day 18 of 30)

2011-08-20T00:10:00.000-04:00

I've been really into twitter parties recently, so I've kept a log of what I've won. Figured I'd share it with my readers. Twitter parties are such a wonderful way to try exciting new products you may not have the opportunity (or even interest) to try in the first place. I've been introduced to so many new things that I would definitely purchase in the future!

One Coconut Water (3 cases)

Organic Valley for a year ($520 value)

Dozen smoothies from HAPPYFAMILY

Almond Butter Prize Package

$25 Macy’s Gift Card

$25 Target Gift Card

Basket #1 from Creativity4Kids

Barney Butter–12 small packets (through Facebook)

$10 Starbucks Gift Card

Two Madame Alexander Dolls

Beach Safety Kit from VCA

Peace Love Mom shirt

Starbucks giftcard

Organic dog ear wipes

1 lb of jellybeans

Playskool heroes prize package

12 pints of Ben & Jerry’s

Green chat prize

Fine Cooking prize – Grilling magazine

Disney Princess castle and Ariel doll

Best Pals grand prize

Udderly smooth basket

Kim & Scott’s Pretzel coupon

$85 shopping spree to All Locally Made

2011-2012 Planner in Chocolate

Pair of Squeaker Shoes

Imagine Toys product for review

Prize #5 from The Tender Filet

HAPPYBABY shirt and water bottle

Cheese Club Kit – Bertolli® Tasting Certificate, Bottle Bertolli® Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Monthly shipment of artisanal cheeses for three months

50 business cards

Case of Beanitos

Thermos Lunch Kit

SparkParks Playground Prize pack

Melissa & Doug Farm train set & freight train

Leapfrog Let’s Go To School DVD

Weleda Mother/Baby Kit

$100 from Simply OJ

One month supply of Best Oats

A lot of my friends have asked about Twitter Parties since I began participating in them. Here's a brief overview of what they are all about. But basically, if you want to figure twitter out, you just need to register and start tweeting! It's definitely a trial/error process to figure out how it all works.

Next step for me: find a way to host my own twitter party!

Tommee Tippee Web App Review ~ The Day Baby Was Born

2011-08-19T08:32:00.000-04:00

When I reflect back on the day Lydia was born, I tend to have negative feelings regarding the doctors, nurses, and hospital in general. I do regret some of the decisions that were made for and by me, as I do not believe they were the best decisions that could have been made. However, if you play life by the end results, then the result was a healthy, beautiful baby girl and a mom who was pretty much back to herself within just 5 or 6 days. I just wish that I was more confident and the medical staff was more supportive.

As I've written before, I will be attempting a VBAC with this pregnancy (due date is just 33 days away - time flew by!) Regardless of what happens the day baby #2 is born, the experience on the whole has been so different. Baby #1 - Girl; Baby #2 - Boy. I gained about twice as much weight with Lydia as I have this time. I was a pescatarian with my first pregnancy, and now I eat meat. I have a midwife and not an OB/GYN this time. So many changes, all of which I think show just how much I have learned in the last two years.

In my desire to have a more natural labor and delivery, listening to my body and following what it says to do, I daydream of the amazing day when my son will be born. I also enjoy writing about how I hope things will be, so when I learned of this web app The Day Baby Was Born by Tommee Tippee, I was very excited! Here's what I did to register:

1. I logged in for free using my Facebook account.
2. I answered a few simple questions about myself (name, zip code, etc.)
3. Then it began to ask me questions about Baby #2. I specified my due date and the gender, and I was able to upload a photo from my ultrasound (luckily I have a few 3D images).
4. An account was created, and I am now able to create a free storybook about the birth of my son!

This was such a simple registration process and this web app allows me to put so much information all in one place, including:

Online pregnancy announcement (with my friend's Facebook comments)
A weekly pregnancy journal
Online birth announcement
News & Facts from the day baby is born
Your personal story ~ I think this is the most important part of this website. Every birth is different, every family is different, and every baby is different. Sharing personal birth stories is a great way to reconnect with your own feelings and connect with other family members and friends.
A letter to baby ~ Richard and I both wrote one for Lydia, and I still get misty-eyed re-reading them. I think it's a really awesome thing to do before baby is born!
Photos ~ I am such a photo-freak! Perfect feature for me!

I try to maintain an actual baby book for Lydia and I have started one for this baby, but sometimes it's hard to remember to add new photos, fill out information, etc. so I lose track of exact numbers like dates and measurements. Having access to an online account that allows me to input this information as soon as I acquire it will make things so much easier! After completing the book, you are able to download it to print and share it with friends on Facebook. This app was so user-friendly, as it really walks you through each step of your personalized The Day Baby Was Born book. I highly recommend it to pregnant women and new mommies (and daddies, of course!)

*I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Tommee Tippee blogging contest for a chance to get a gift pack worth $50. For more information on how you can participate, click here.

I'm Just Pooped! (Day 17 of 30)

2011-08-19T00:19:00.000-04:00

Sometimes, mommies need to forgive themselves for not being able to do it all. I worked all day today, I'm physically and mentally drained, and I just spent about an hour and a half trying to get my screaming/crying toddler to sleep. This isn't the entry I planned to write tonight, but I must allow myself to just breathe, get a nice drink of water, and go to bed. Goodnight, everyone!

Imagine Toys Review ~ Pretend & Play Birthday Set

2011-08-17T20:50:00.000-04:00

I just learned of a great website, Imagine Toys. They carry toys for children birth through 11+ years. Toys are organized into categories, age groups, price range, and brand so parents can really explore all of the different types of toys they carry.

I was so excited to receive the Pretend & Play Birthday Set in the mail to review, just in time for Lydia's birthday! Birthdays only come once a year, but with this pretend play set, your child can pretend it's his birthday every day of the year. The set comes with everything pictured below:

48 Pieces include:

A birthday crown
5 numbered candles
3 nesting presents
5 slices of cake
5 plates
Pretend camera
Wipe off crayons and more!

I think people often disregard the value of imaginative play in learning early, fundamental skills that are building blocks to learning more advanced skills. This pretend play set targets so many of those skills! Here are just a few of the variety of skills children can learn while playing with this great set from Learning Resources:

~Social skills - With 5 slices of cake, 5 plates, and just one birthday crown, children are required to take turns to play with this set imaginatively. One child can be the 'birthday kid' while the others are guests at the party. Children can also play different roles, like the invitation maker, cake baker, cake slicer, and gift giver. Role playing is such an important part of a child's development.

~Early math skills - Some of the early math skills targeted in this set include number identification, counting, and one-to-one correspondence (understanding that each guest receives one slice of cake, one plate, and one invitation). The nesting gifts also work on teaching size concepts.

~Fine Motor development - Fine motor skills are those that require use of your hands. Children can work on placing the candles in the cakes, similar to placing pegs in a peg board. They can work on placing each lid on the corresponding gift before arranging by size. Adjusting the crown to the proper size and taking pictures with the camera also require the child to use both hands together.

~Language skills - Most importantly, pretend play allows children to practice their language skills. Parents can provide their children with directions to play with each piece in new ways. Here are some examples:

"Put the candle in the cake and put the cake on the plate."
"Take a picture of daddy wearing the birthday crown."
"Show me what you do with the birthday candles."

Children can also work on their own spontaneous language as they explore each piece in this set and use it to make up pretend games with parents and friends. Here's a video clip of Lydia (age 2) and Daddy playing together. The recommended age for this toy is 3+, but with supervision, I think this set is appropriate for children who are 2 years of age. As you can see in this clip, children naturally work on imaginative and imitative play, expressive/receptive language skills, motor skills, and social skills when playing with the Pretend & Play Birthday Set.

Even though this toy has a lot of pieces, they all fit together into a small container for easy clean up!

BUY IT! Interested in owning a Pretend & Play Birthday Set for your child? It's on sale now at Imagine Toys for just $19.99.

Imagine Toys offers many other wonderful pretend play sets, like a Standing Puppet Theater by Alex, Lil' Shopper Play Set by Earlyears, and the Ice Cream Social play set, which is on sale now for just $9.97.

You can also 'like' Imagine Toys on Facebook and 'follow' Imagine Toys on Twitter, where they host fun Twitter parties with great giveaways.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

A Boy's Bedroom (Day 16 of 30)

2011-08-17T08:31:00.000-04:00

Since we bed-shared with Lydia past the crib stage, we figured there would be no point in designing a nursery for our baby boy. Instead, we decided to make a toddler room that doubles as a learning room for Lydia. I noticed that I had a lot of primary-colored items around the house (mostly from my teaching career), so I thought about what type of theme would go with primary colors. Then it hit me: Outerspace! I think I design rooms in a way that is similar to how actual designers do it - I started with a wall color and then found accessories to go with it. Here are images of the things that I put together:

This is the wall color from the Buzz Lightyear Collection - Star Command Blue

Moon lamp from IKEA

Rocket Lamp from Target

Large space rug from Amazon

Kidcraft table/chairs from BuyBuyBaby

These are the last two pieces I would like to purchase for the room. I think it will definitely be complete after we get these:

Guidecraft Star & Moon Shelves

Armoire

What do you think? What theme do you have in your child's room? Did you put it together piece by piece? Does your child like his/her bedroom?

The "What Ifs" (Day 15 of 30)

2011-08-16T23:12:00.000-04:00

If I am calculating things correctly, I believe I have hit the midpoint of my 30 days of posting thing. YAY to me! I really don't have too much to say today. I had a midwife appointment today. If any of you ever read my post about my first labor/delivery, you'd see that it pretty much sucked! In retrospect, it sucks even more. This time around, I have a great midwife who is supportive of VBACs, so I feel great about being given the opportunity to try things again the 'right' way.

But today I decided to open the "What If" box... What if things don't go according to my birth plan? What if I need another c-section? And...for what reasons would I 'need' one? The main reason for having another c-section would be if I didn't go into labor by 41 weeks. With a VBAC, they cannot induce, so I'd automatically have to schedule a c-section for my safety and the safety of my child. There's also a very slight risk of uterine rupture, but that doesn't scare me. I want to do everything the natural way - I am not allowed to have Pitocin or any related drugs, which is a definite plus. They encourage moms not to even go to the hospital until contractions are 5 mins apart (my last dr. said 8 mins apart). I told my midwife that I do not under any circumstances want an epidural. I want to experience all that my body has to offer me. I want to get into the most ideal position, I want to push when my body encourages me to push, I want to get so caught up in the moment that even though it is painful, it is also magical. I hope it can be all that I dream it can be!

The "What Ifs" can still be scary, though...

Parenting and Our Children's Emotions (Day 14 of 30)

2011-08-15T17:25:00.000-04:00

Now that my daughter is approaching two, I notice her experiencing more of a range of emotions. She's happy, sad, frustrated, disappointed, goofy/silly, etc. I've also noticed myself anticipating her emotions and responding accordingly. Sometimes this is awesome because she gets me so excited with her happiness, but sometimes it's hard because I feel her sadness.

Lydia loves our pets, but at the beginning of the summer, we had to put down my oldest (and her favorite) cat. While I was sad because I had to part with her, I was more sad because Lydia was losing her favorite cat. Obviously Lydia has long forgotten about her (as this was about 8 weeks ago), but the hardest part of losing Emmy was experiencing Lydia's loss.

Emmy's last day with us

Well, today was another loss for Lydia, even if she doesn't fully understand it. Lydia fell in love with her cousins Kayla and Kyra this summer. She'd wake up in the morning and say "Kay" and "Ky," hoping they'd be at our house that day. We went on vacation together at the beginning of the summer and she wanted to do everything with them. We went out to dinner to say 'goodbye' to them last night - they come down during the summer and every other Winter Break, but they live in Ohio the rest of the year - but I decided that wasn't enough. So today, we spent the day together. Lydia, Kayla, Kyra, and I went to Young at Art Children's Museum. We all had a genuinely great time! The museum focuses on recycling, so there are lots of different areas set up throughout with different projects kids can make using recycled materials. The girls made some nice projects, and I had fun making a few, too. Here are some pictures:

Making a recycled craft

Making Japanese kites

Digging for artifacts

Mr. Potato Head

Making recycled puppets

Leaving the museum

Out to lunch Mexican-style

We went out for lunch after, and everyone enjoyed their food. I hope Lydia remembers her cousins and looks forward to seeing them this Christmas. I'm glad that she had big girls this summer to spend time with and look up to. I never had cousins when I was little (I just had my mom, dad, younger sister, one grandma, and one great aunt), so it's nice to watch her enjoy their company so much. We'll have to frame some photos of them together this summer and hang them in her room :-) I think she will like that.

Our Big Sister Birthday Party (Day 13 of 30)

2011-08-14T22:32:00.000-04:00

Lydia had a beautiful early 2nd big sister birthday party yesterday! This was a double celebration...actually, triple! Lydia's 2nd birthday, becoming a big sister, and the soon-to-be birth of her baby brother. How exciting! We had the party at our community swimming pool. Lots of friends and our family showed up. We did a sandwich bar with salads, dips/chips, veggies, fruit, etc. She had a great time swimming, and she received some beautiful gifts. Overall, the perfect 2nd birthday party! Here are some of the pictures:

Lydia's friend Kahlan with her mommy Lauren

My big swimming girl!

Lydia's friend Brandon

Birthday Cake

Lydia's cousin Kayla

Lydia with her cousin Kyra

Big Sis shirt for winter time!

Simple Mathematics (Day 12 of 30)

2011-08-13T22:20:00.001-04:00

They say love multiplies, not divides. I look forward to watching the love in my family grow exponentially. Pretty amazing to think about!

Featured Teacher (Day 11 of 30)

2011-08-12T22:51:00.000-04:00

I'm really trying to boost my at-home career and my blog by reviewing educational toys and materials. I definitely got a wonderful start when Guidecraft invited me to be an Educator Blogger. When I first started my blog Spring 2010, I also did a guest post for The Big Toy Book.

I noticed this past week that Melissa & Doug posted a status on their Facebook page asking teachers to describe how one of their toys can be used as a teaching tool. One teacher will be featured each month in a newsletter they will be starting soon. I'll wait until the first newsletter comes out to share my idea with you -- Because I was chosen as their first Featured Teacher! This is a very exciting opportunity and makes me feel really good about my 'basket of tricks' - using toys as tools to teach children language skills. I love Melissa & Doug toys because they are so classic looking, developmentally-appropriate for many stages, and allow children to use their imaginations. Because I was chosen as a featured teacher, I got to pick $25 in products from their website. I chose to get the Farm Train Set and an extra freight train. I know Lydia played with trains at her preschool, so I think she will like this. Great gender-neutral toy, too.

Farm Train Set from Melissa & Doug


Lydia playing with the train set at her preschool, April 2011.

I'll share the link to the first newsletter with my readers when it comes out!

Marriage and Compromise (Day 10 of 30)

2011-08-11T22:48:00.000-04:00

Obviously, a big part of marriage is compromise. Sometimes couples are really good at this, sometimes not. Richard and I, historically, have only really fought about one thing: his love of sports, specifically football, the Miami Dolphins. Each year I get anxious as football season approaches. I know it will cause unnecessary battles (and I blame myself for my impatience). But it really isn't the football that's the problem...it's the checking other scores, checking Fantasy Football, reading all the articles before/after, checking the ESPN app, etc. Plus, I'm not a fan of having to plan my Sundays around football. I grew up in a house where my father probably couldn't name one player, team, position, or any other football anything. I knew nothing of sports and how crazed people got until I went to UF - total culture shock for me!!

At the beginning of each football season, I tell myself I'll be kinder and more patient because my husband deserves it, but I'm not always so good at sticking to that. Well, this year, I want to make it work for our family. Two children, one grumpy wife, and one football-crazed husband won't work, but maybe something WILL work. Here's what I proposed:

1. Richard can watch all Sunday Dolphin games.
2. Richard can read all the articles, Fantasy Football stuff, check other scores, etc. during the Dolphin game.
3. He can go out to watch 2 games at World of Beer or some other sports bar (with a two drink limit).
4. He can trade Dolphins games for Gator games if he prefers.
5. He can clap loudly during a Dolphins game watched at home IF Lydia and her brother are both awake.

-HOWEVER-

6. No endless hours searching Sun-Sentinel.com for articles.
7. No checking scores constantly.
8. No Fantasy Football all the time.
9. No non-Dolphin games (without exchanging for Dolphins games).
10. Monday games = questionable

I want to learn to be patient and accepting of the whole sports thing, but I know it will be a struggle having a baby right at the start of football season, so I hope this all works out well. I also hope that if we find something better to do as a family on Sunday, that comes first. I guess we'll see how everything goes, but I am glad that some guidelines were agreed upon before football season begins!

Revisiting My 1st Pregnancy (Day 9 of 30)

2011-08-10T08:04:00.000-04:00

I woke up this morning with that "Okay, I'm starting to have enough of this" thing. Today is 34 weeks. Just 6 left (hopefully). My grumpiness (sore back, cramping, overall unmotivated/lethargic feeling) reminded me of a blog post I wrote about being pregnant the first time around. I was probably right around 34 weeks that time, too. I've definitely handled things much better this pregnancy. For the most part, I've really embraced and enjoyed my experiences. I've learned so much about my body since the last pregnancy, and I think I have put all that knowledge to good use. So, if you want a good laugh from Carrie (July 17, 2009), here it is:

I've tried to remain very positive throughout my whole pregnancy, especially these last few weeks, but after just tripping over my comforter and falling to the ground in my own bedroom, it's time to bitch a little bit. I think if I just get these thoughts off my chest, I'll feel better. Let's try!

Some people say that pregnancy is the most beautiful thing they've ever experienced. Those people are either a.) lying or b.) masochists. Here are all the things they DON'T tell you before you get knocked up:

1. morning sickness - nothing morning about it. it's all day, everyday, for several months.
2. it doesn't matter if your boobs are real or fake - they become saggy messes either way.
3. back/rib pain - my back hurts most of every day, especially while i was working full-time. massages were great temporary fixes, but basically, it just hurts.
4. stretch marks - doesn't matter if you never had them before, you're going to get them now. the cocoa butter may help a drip, but not all that much. they just look bad.
5. lack of coordination - i just can't do the things that i want to do, like stand up and put pants on or shave my legs well. never thought about what a luxury those were.
6. (omitting this one)
7. acne - i haven't had this many zits and blackheads since high school. horrible. plus, it's not like you can really treat it. i have some all-natural stuff, but it doesn't help all that much.
8. farting - yeah, nothing you can do about that.
9. false peeing/accidentally peeing - sometimes i feel like i have to pee, then nothing comes out. on two occasions, i actually started to accidentally pee in my pants without even realizing that i had to go at all.
10. baby wiggling - this sometimes gets annoying now that she's so big and I feel it so frequently.
11. advice - every single person alive wants to give you pregnancy advice. most of it sucks.
12. maternity clothing - it's just not cute or well-made.
13. thicker/frizzier hair - my hair does not shed AT ALL, so even though it's cut/thinned, it is still so thick and unmanageable. i always groom my hair well, so this is very annoying.
14. being fat - i know this sounds silly, but i've always been slender to average. thighs rubbing together, more cellulite...im just not used to this, so it's uncomfortable.
15. restricted diet - sometimes i just want a bite of sushi or a tuna melt. maybe just a sip of Sam Adams or a mimosa?
16. answering the same questions over and over again...how many weeks along? the sex? the name? I've been pregnant for 10 years, its a hermaphrodite, and its name is Satan. (sorry, baby, mommy does really love you, i promise!!)
17. sleeping - i know this gets much worse, but i just can't sleep comfortably anymore. pretty much i've just given up on sleep already.

Okay, so now that I got all that out...here are some really nice things about pregnancy:
1. The excitement of each ultrasound. It is very exciting!
2. Finding out the sex - again, definitely exciting.
3. People letting you get away with things in stores. Like, they'll actually hold doors for you and let you go down an aisle before them.
4. The first few months of baby kicking and moving around. It's very cute, and sometimes cute towards the end, too.
5. Putting together a registry. I really enjoyed picking everything out.
6. Having a baby shower is better than almost any other event (except my wedding - that was just an amazing weekend!!)
7. Designing the nursery - Love it!
8. Gaining the support of those around you. Being pregnant definitely shows you who is really there for you and who is not so supportive. This is a good lesson to learn.
9. The oooo's and ahhhh's. The attention is nice at first.
10. Sharing something beautiful with your husband.
11. Pregnancy allows you to dream a lot more. I have so many fantasies about being a mom. Some may be realistic, some probably aren't, but the dreaming part is fun!!

I think that's about all I can think about. I do actually feel much better now. Maybe venting every so often is good - I just don't want to be a negative, pessimistic person anymore!! :-) :-) :-)

And when I'm not "Huppie Mama" (Day 8 of 30)

2011-08-10T07:39:00.000-04:00

I'm director of a nonprofit organization for children with moderate to severe disabilities. Last summer, we won a grant through Chase Community Giving for $20,000. This year, of the 200 grants they gave out in last summer's competition, they chose about a dozen organizations to focus on, and we were one of them. They created a video of Abi's Place to promote what they have done and spread the word about our organization.

Language Development (Day 7 of 30)

2011-08-08T22:21:00.000-04:00

Every night I bathe with Lydia. A lot of times we sing together, play with her bath toys, write in bath foam or with bath markers. It's a nice bonding experience for us. I think she enjoys it as much as I do. Today she picks up a washcloth and the following occurs:

Lydia: Mama, what's this?
Me: A washcloth
Lydia: Hm, butt

She then proceeds to scoop a bunch of bubbles on to the washcloth and scrub her bottom with it. I know this doesn't sound very significant, but lately we're having conversational exchanges. She asks questions, I answer, she responds, I respond.

At one point, maybe around 6 months ago, I was slightly concerned about her language development. She began talking and signing single words around 8 months of age. She was doing great then! Lots of single words. She continued to learn individual words slowly for a while...with somewhat poor articulation. But her receptive language grew tremendously. At around 18 months, she heard me talking to her dad about not being able to locate a specific bathing suit. I saw her go in her bedroom, open a drawer, pull it out, and bring it to me. I thought that was pretty amazing! I wasn't even certain she knew the word bathing suit, much less which one I wanted and where to find it.

Lately, her expressive language has really grown. Today she wanted something out of the fridge, which I was holding open and started to close. She goes "No no no! That door!" so that I would keep it open. She went in, pulled out what she wanted and said "Cheese!" It's usually very clear what she wants and when. That makes for a happy child and happy parents.

I think with infants and toddlers, people often judge intelligence by a child's language and motor skills. It's what is most obvious. My daughter is quite shy around less familiar adults. In fact, her uncle on my husband's side (who sees her maybe 5 times a year even though he lives nearby...and really has no idea of how to interact with her) said she was "weird" the other day and voiced concerns about her language development. It's that "stranger danger" thing that he knows little to nothing about. Get her around her "Mamaw" and "Pawpaw" (my parents) and she's plenty talkative. But beyond just the obvious walking/talking, there are so many other hidden skills.

I sat down today with some brand-new Guidecraft toysthat I will be reviewing next month. I wanted to see what Lydia thought of them. The toys are ages 2+ and require a lot of manipulating (puzzles, sorting by shape, size, color, etc.). Lydia picked up how to complete these manipulative toy/puzzles almost instantly. Not only that, she wanted to do them several times over with minimal assistance. Amazing how she was able to logically reason through manipulating these pieces and figure out how to arrange in size order and by shape. Even though I am pretty aware of developmental stages, I have a feeling she was able to do things beyond her age. I would have to check a developmental profile, though, to be certain.

Sometimes, it's hard to separate what I know educationally and what my mother instincts tell me. This is true with both my child and other people's children. It's hard not to say "Wow, that child may need some assistance in (this) area" when I see a friend's child months behind developmentally. But then I guess I think about Richard's brother thinking Lydia is behind in her language... and realize that when I am around others, I am only able to get a snapshot into that child's life. And beyond that, with others knowing my area of expertise and what I do professionally, if they don't ask me questions, clearly they are just not concerned.

At the end of the day, I am exceptionally proud of the girl my daughter is already growing into. I am amazed each day at all that she is able to do and all that I know she will do one day!

Falling in Love (Day 6 of 30)

2011-08-07T22:31:00.000-04:00

I am one of those rare people who gets to fall in love again everyday. Not like in 50 First Dates. Well, I don't know...maybe it is kinda like that. My husband has a zillion quirky behaviors that drive me insane. Snoring, passing gas, watching sports more than I care to watch, repeating the same line from a song 100 times over, picking his nose, scratching his butt... You get the idea.

But there's also something so incredibly amazing about him. Something I can't really describe. It's so far beyond just a sense of security or stability or love. I am IN LOVE everyday. I fall in love watching him play with my daughter. I fall in love watching him randomly bring me a cup of water because he knows I'm thirsty. I fall in love with him when he puts my feet on his lap and rubs them. I fall in love with him when he comes to bed at night. I fall in love with him when he licks his plate clean after I cook him dinner. I fall in love with him when he accomplishes something important at work. I fall in love with him when I see him speak in front of an audience. I fall in love with him when it's just the two of us in a restaurant together. I fall in love with him in the car, on the couch, in the kitchen...Hell, in the bathroom.

It saddens me to think that some people may never experience this, because I think it's one of the few benefits to being humans (besides the whole being able to communicate, get dressed, have sex for pleasure, think rationally, live in homes, etc.). I hope my daughter and my son learn from us. I hope they learn how to love purely and be loved thoroughly and completely. I hope they learn to give themselves honestly and expect and respect the same in return. To make sacrifices, but only because they love endlessly. All I can do is lead by example and remember to love my wonderful husband the same way.

I am still so in love with you.

April 30th, 2005

Labor and Delivery (Day 5 of 30)

2011-08-06T20:29:00.001-04:00

I've been daydreaming about my labor and delivery all day. I hope it will be amazing. I can do it naturally. I will do it naturally. I will embrace every moment of it by relaxing and trusting my body, something I don't think I was capable of doing or even understanding the last time. So excited to experience all that it can be as we bring our son into the world...

Biting My Tongue, Clenching My Fists (Day 4 of 30)

2011-08-05T22:29:00.000-04:00

So yesterday I spoke about motherhood and social media. Today, I will describe something that happened a few months back. A new mom who I work with invited me to join a mom group on Facebook. I was hesitant, but decided to join in. I noticed there were a lot of moms who were very unlike me: hiring nannies, allowing their children to cry-it-out at a very young age, formula-feeding, giving solid foods at or before 4 months, etc. At first I ignored their posts, but then I began to get confused...hiring a sleep trainer? a night nurse? So I started to ask questions and make comments. Then it happened...I couldn't bear to bite my tongue (clench my fists) any longer. A mom was talking about how her child "needed" pre-digested formula. Apparently it has a very off-putting odor/flavor, so this mother was asking how to make it more tolerable for her child. The suggestions included adding either SPLENDA or VANILLA EXTRACT! So basically, a chemical artificial sweetener or 70-proof alcohol. Great ideas! I expressed my opinions (including facts about infants from reliable resources) and my responses were NOT well-received. I guess it was probably mostly mommy guilt (or just plain ignorance), but I was kicked out of the group. I think I said some other things that weren't well-received either, but I can't even remember now. However, getting kicked out helped me because I formed my own group called Responsive Parenting, and I invited people who I wanted to be there. People whose knowledge, experiences, and opinions are actually valuable to me.

Last week, a woman I know wrote a FB status update about her daughter and formula. It was a logical update/question. Some of her friends responded by weaning off formula at a very young age (7 months) and replacing it with cow's milk. Then, to make it taste better, they added Strawberry Quik. Some people also suggested that it's okay to wean off formula if a child is eating a lot of finger foods. I voiced my opinion/knowledge a few times, but then I just stopped.

At the end of the day, I can't control (or even suggest) how people should raise their children. All I can do is be the best mother I can be to my children... and hope when it's time for them to make friends, they choose wisely!

Social Media and Mommyhood (Day 3 of 30)

2011-08-04T22:24:00.000-04:00

This topic will probably need a part 2...or 3. In fact, just thinking of all that I can write in this one entry is overwhelming! I'll start with something funny. Check out The Mompetition if you haven't already. It's freaking hilarious! The videos are so accurate.

So from an outsider's perspective, my sister often comments about how mothers' Facebook posts are always about their children. Who pooped in the potty today? Who cried all night long? Who said their first words? Took their first steps? Breastfed the longest? Yes, us proud mommies use social media to talk about (boast about, perhaps?) our children's accomplishments sometimes. Sometimes we also look for support from other moms (although the advice we get is often mixed, and I generally go with my gut anyway regardless of advice). Sometimes we just want to vent because, well, who doesn't want to vent sometimes? Facebook and Twitter have basically been taken over by working moms, work-at-home moms, and stay-at-home moms who want to connect with each other. In fact, many mothers are able to use social media tools to earn a living. There are mom boutiques on Facebook, mompreneurs on Twitter, and mommy bloggers reviewing every family-friendly product/service on the market! I'm fortunate enough to help support my family by teaching online graduate classes through the University of Phoenix and work online on directorial duties for Abi's Place. This blog has also helped to establish my "Huppie Mama" identity, allowing me to become a Guidecraft Educator, which I think is just awesome! This opportunity allows me to review educational products that I can either keep or donate to Abi's Place.

This brings me to Twitter. I started using Twitter about a year and a half ago. I kinda understood what it was all about, but it seemed like something I didn't have the patience for. About 2 months ago, I saw one of my "liked" organizations/businesses on Facebook would be hosting a Twitter party. I participated and won a prize - summer supply of ONE Coconut Water. This seemed pretty easy. A few weeks later, I tried again, and won a year's worth of products from Organic Valley. From that point forward, I have been mapping out each week's Twitter Parties, recording what prizes I've won, who I contacted, when the prize arrives, etc. I've won everything from food to toys to magazines. I now have all of Lydia's gifts for her upcoming 2nd birthday (dolls, Disney castle, toys, arts & craft supplies, etc.) and probably almost all of her Christmas gifts (whatever is leftover from her birthday gifts). Pretty amazing what a few Twitter parties...well, perhaps more than a few...can save you monetarily!

So, that's the intro to my take on Social Media and Mommyhood. Next entry may have to be about getting kicked out of a Facebook group called Mamarama...ha ha ha!

Pregnancy and Weight Gain (Day 2 of 30)

2011-08-03T12:56:00.000-04:00

Day 2 of my 30 posts: Pregnancy and Weight Gain. Last pregnancy, I gained 47 pounds. For my not-so-in-shape body, that was too much! I had horrible back pains starting around 18 weeks. I had difficulty breathing during the 3rd trimester. I was eating a lot of unhealthy foods, like French fries, potato chips, etc. I was also a pescatarian, so I didn't eat any meat. I chose to eliminate some foods that I probably could've eaten in moderation, like canned tuna and other fish. Basically, in an attempt to do what I thought was right with my diet, I was making poor choices. In the end, I was healthy (with the exception of an Iron deficiency I took supplements for), and Lydia was a nice healthy weight, so it wasn't so bad...or was it? The one thing I sacrificed was my self-esteem. In some ways, permanently. I didn't feel healthy or happy weighing so much, but beyond that I had tons of stretch marks that I still have to this day. It was only after I hit 30+ lbs that they really started. They are on my sides and straight down the middle of my abdomen. Also across my upper thighs. They make me very self-conscious, but what I've learned more than anything else, is that they were avoidable! It angers me to some extent now, but not much I can do about it now other than learn from my mistakes from my first pregnancy.

So what's different this pregnancy? Well, a million things, but in terms of my diet, I have made so many changes! I started eating meat last fall. In small portions at first, but now I will eat meat as an entree. I try to shop the perimeter of stores, avoiding almost all processed foods (with the exception of maybe one box of crackers, canned beans, brown rice, and some boxes of pasta). Everything else is fresh fruit, veggies, dairy, protein, and some bakery items. I get the staples, like the canned beans and pasta, at Publix and the proteins/dairy at Whole Foods usually. Around this time last pregnancy, I was at 30+ pounds. This time, I've gained 16 pounds living a much healthier lifestyle. The great thing is that I am also cooking better for my family, especially since I started doing a weekly meal planner each weekend. It saves us money, too, because I only buy what I need at the grocery store - much less waste.

Creativity and Child Development (Day 1 of 30)

2011-08-02T13:52:00.000-04:00

I decided I would try to write 30 consecutive meaningful and diverse blog posts in 30 days. So, this one will be Day 1! My goal is to really determine the direction in which my blog is heading...even if that direction is a bit scattered. I hope I'm up for the challenge.

Since Lydia was about a year old, she's been really into Arts & Crafts. I started to think about how her artwork as evolved over the past year, how she has explored different media and materials, how her grasp has improved, etc. I thought I'd arrange some of her creations in chronological order to compare them.

Lydia's first marker drawing at 14 months

Lydia's first painting at 17 months

Lydia's first 'food' collage at 18 months

At 21 months, Lydia painted a picture for daddy for Father's Day - First time painting on a canvas surface.

Lydia's 1st set of finger paints at 22 months. She was hesitant at first, but then dove right in!

At 22 months, this is the first drawing Lydia identified as being something. She said this was Daisy (our dog). You can see where she has drawn the head, body, and legs.

Lydia made these at 22 months. I applied the glue to each piece, but Lydia placed the pieces where they went. She had a model to refer to for the owl, but we talked about where different parts of the face go as she pointed to them on herself and on me.

I think it's pretty fascinating to look back on how her pencil/paint strokes have changed, her interest in creating a variety of projects has expanded, and her desire to work with different textures has increased. I hope she always enjoys being creative and expressing herself through artwork!

Guidecraft Educator Review #1 ~ Nordic Rocker (100th post Celebration!)

2011-08-01T21:22:00.000-04:00

This is my 100th post - A time for celebration by doing something extra special ~ Introducing my readers to an amazing group of bloggers I am so excited to be a part of, the Guidecraft Educators, each of whom I know will bring a different perspective to reviews of products we have been generously given. As co-director of a nonprofit organization for children with disabilities and mother of a toddler, my reviews will focus on how each product can be used with children with special needs and/or toddler and preschool-age children.

The first product we are reviewing is the Guidecraft Nordic Rocker.

This is a wonderful seating option for children with special needs. Some children have difficulty with sensory integration. Simply put, they are unable to organize all of the information their bodies are receiving. The interesting thing about our sensory system is that we actually have seven components, even though we only really learn about five senses.

Five commonly-taught senses:
1. Tactile (touch)
2. Sight
3. Sound
4. Taste
5. Olfactory (smell)

Our two other senses:
6. Proprioceptive (being aware of where our bodies are spatially)
7. Vestibular (movement)

There are a number of sensory-related activities you can try with a child - some may be calming, some may be alerting. Some may help a child to concentrate better, while some may be distracting. The great thing about the Guidecraft Nordic Rocker is that it allows children who crave vestibular input (movement) to move while still being seated safely. However, unlike most rockers, the Nordic rockers have flat bases (not curved bases). This allows for some rocking movement, but stops the child from tipping the chair over or rocking excessively.

Fabian (left) and Ryan (right) are enjoying circle time at school. They are able to move to the music while safely seated in their Guidecraft Nordic Rockers.

These are great for large group activities when some children are sitting on the floor or small group activities when children are sitting at a table. The birch ply wood construction can accommodate children of different heights and weights, as well as different physical abilities and limitations.

In addition to being used as a seating option for children with special needs, these are great in a reading area at home or in the classroom setting. The chairs are comfortable, colorful, and great for relaxing with a good book. Overall, this is a wonderful product for special education classrooms, general education classrooms, and children's bedrooms or play rooms.

BUY IT! You can purchase a Guidecraft Nordic Rocker for just $70.

WIN IT! What's great about this Guidecraft Educator group is that each month, one of us will be hosting a giveaway of the product that we have all reviewed. Visit Katie's {Little Ones} Learning Lounge for a chance to win a Guidecraft Nordic Rocker for a special child in your life! This contest is open to the US and Canada.

* I received the aforementioned product for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

My little carnivore ~ Grilled steak tacos!

2011-07-28T17:01:00.000-04:00

As my readers know, I was a pescatarian for over 4 years. Recently, I started eating meat. I was never a fan of steak, but I think it's because I rarely had it prepared properly. Here's my take on some grilled steak tacos. These came out delicious! Here's the evidence:

Grilled Steak Tacos (serves 2)

Ingredients:

6 flour tortillas

1 to 1 1/2 lb flat iron steak

4 garlic cloves, crushed

olive oil

good chile powder (I used ancho)

1 red onion

1/2 red pepper

1/2 green pepper

salt/pepper

lettuce

tomatoes

guacamole (I make mine with avocado, lime, red onion, salt/pepper, cilantro)

sour cream

shredded cheddar cheese

lime wedges

Directions:

Combine 4 cloves of crushed garlic, ancho chile powder, salt, pepper, and enough olive oil to make a paste. Rub paste all over steak and marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, you can prepare all of the other components. Slice red onion, red pepper, and green pepper (thick slices). Shred the lettuce and dice the tomatoes. Prepare the guacamole.

When steak is ready to cook, place diagonally on grill. After about 2-3 minutes, rotate steak 180 degrees. Do the same for the other side to get nice grill marks - Cook until medium. Simultaneously grill the onions and peppers until tender. Place flour tortillas on the grill until they get light grill marks and are warmed through.

When the steak is cooked, place on a cutting surface for about 5 - 10 mins. Slice it thinly against the grain. Place steak slices in a tortilla, and top with grilled onions/peppers, cheese, guacamole, sour cream, tomato, and lettuce.

Backyard finds

2011-07-24T09:53:00.000-04:00

I would like to share some photos I took yesterday of new things in my backyard! Watermelon growing, Lydia creeping through the garden, and cool green caterpillars eating my tomato plants.

Is this a doggy playhouse or a kiddie playhouse?? Maybe both :-)

Barney Butter Almond Butter Review & Giveaway ~ Ends 8/3

2011-07-20T20:34:00.000-04:00

I was fortunate enough to win TWO samples of Barney Butter: the first was at a Twitter Party about healthy snacking, and the second was on the Barney Butter Facebook wall for tagging a picture of their products at my local Whole Foods. Now, I was a bit skeptical at first because I have tried other almond butters and I was not thoroughly impressed. However, Barney Butter Almond Butter is exceptionally delicious! It's also a healthy alternative to peanut butter. It is an all natural, peanut-free, gluten-free product. Here are the facts when compared to peanut butter:

As soon as I opened my package, I tried it and immediately looked at their website to feel inspired to create my own almond butter cookie recipe. They also have recipes for entrees, snacks, and other desserts, including gluten-free and dairy-free options.

Here's what I came up with today based on one of the recipes on the website ~ They are so yummy!

Barney Butter Almond Butter & Raspberry Jam Cookies

Recipe makes about 20 small sandwich cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup Crunchy Barney Butter

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/3 cup raspberry jam

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Cream the butter, almond butter, and sugars together in an electric mixer until well-blended. Add the egg and vanilla until combined. Slowly mix the flour mixture in with the butter mixture. Divide the batter in half. Make 20 cookies that are one tablespoon each. Press all the cookies flat with your fingers so they are about 1/3 inch thick. Follow the same steps to make the second half of the cookies, only cut a small circle in the middle of each one. I used a cake-decorating tip to make the perfect-sized circles. Place all cookies in the oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack. Spread about a 1/2 t of jam on the complete cookie and place a cookie with a hole on top (to make a window to see the jam). Enjoy!

BUY IT! Use promo code Almond20 to receive 20% off your order of Barney Butter.

WIN IT! You can win a box of Barney Butter Almond Butter squeeze packs, great for lunchboxes and quick snacks on the go!

Mandatory entry: LIKE the Barney Butter Facebook page and post on the wall "I was sent by Huppie Mama to win some Barney Butter Almond Butter!" Leave a comment below letting me know you posted.

For additional entries - leave one comment per entry:

1. 'Like' Huppie Mama on Facebook.

2. Follow Huppie Mama on Twitter.
3. Become a public follower of Huppie Mama.

(*If you are already a follower of my blog, twitter, or Facebook, leave a comment telling me that - one for each)

Be sure to include your email address with each entry so that I know how to find you. This giveaway ends on 8/3 at 10:00 pm. If you are the winner, you will have 48 hours to respond before I choose another winner. Good luck!

* I received the aforementioned products for free to review. The opinions expressed are honest and provided without monetary compensation.

Congratulations, Betsy, winner of my Barney Butter giveaway - random.org picked comment #3!

So, I baked bread...Now what?

2011-07-19T13:09:00.000-04:00

Saturday I baked two loaves of honey white bread. I think they came out great for my first real attempt at making bread! But then... What do you do with two loaves of bread? We had some with Nutella, some with cheese, and some with butter. That was maybe 2/3 of one loaf. What to do the next day (or days 3 and 4)? Here's what I came up with for bread once it starts to get a bit stale.

Day 2 Recipe - Monte Cristo

Ingredients for 4 sandwiches:

8 slices of bread

8 slices turkey breast

8 slices ham

8 slices cheddar cheese

2 eggs

2 tablespoons butter

a few tablespoons of heavy cream

pinch of granulated sugar

powdered sugar for dusting

raspberry jam (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375. Place butter in large pan (that can be placed in the oven) to melt. Mix together eggs, heavy cream, and granulated sugar. Assemble each sandwich with 2 slices of turkey, 2 slices of ham, and 2 slices of cheese (make sure the cheese is closest to the bread on both sides). Dip entire sandwich in egg-cream mixture, and place sandwich in large pan. Repeat to assemble all 4 sandwiches. Cook sandwiches on both sides until lightly browned. Place entire pan in the oven so sandwiches cook through (just a few minutes). Cut sandwiches in half, dust with powdered sugar, and serve with raspberry jam for dipping. Delicious!

Day 4 Recipe - Grilled Vegetable Panzanella

Ingredients for 2 servings:

1 ball quality mozzarella cheese

1 zucchini

3 tomatoes (each about the size of a baseball)

1/2 large red onion

4 - 6 thick slices of stale bread

1/2 cup olive oil

6 cloves of garlic, crushed

about a dozen of your favorite olives, pitted

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

salt

pepper

fresh basil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cube bread. Mix together 1/4 cup olive oil, 3 cloves of crushed garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss croutons in the mixture and spread out on a baking sheet. Place in the oven until toasted and crunchy (toss once mid-cooking). Cut zucchini, tomatoes, and red onion into large chunks and toss with remaining olive oil, remaining garlic, salt, and pepper. Place vegetables on a grill pan. Cook until both sides have nice grill marks. Cube mozzarella cheese. Cut olives in half. Toss together bread, cheese, olives, grilled vegetables, and torn fresh basil. Toss with balsamic vinegar (and additional olive oil if needed).

Two simple and delicious ideas for stale bread. Now it may be time for me to experiment with some other bread recipes.

Planning Meals

2011-07-17T09:42:00.000-04:00

I hate wasting food. This is one of my biggest pet peeves, especially when I spend good money on it. I also don't want to get bored with the foods that I prepare, so I decided this week to plan out 7 meals (and 2 desserts). I may eat them as lunch or dinners, but at least I have an idea of what ingredients I need (not just impulsively want). I tried to combine different proteins, veggies, fruits, and grains. I looked through cookbooks to get inspired to cook a variety of dishes.

Tonight I am going to Ruby Tuesday for my mom's belated birthday, but starting tomorrow morning, I am going to attempt to avoid eating in restaurants for one week. I think this will save us money but also ensure that we are making good dietary choices. If I find this to be successful, I will probably structure 2 meals a day. This week, we spent a little over $100 at Whole Foods, and we were able to purchase all of the fresh produce and proteins needed to prepare the meals I planned. (Although last week we spent over $200 at Publix, but that was mainly because we were missing a lot of staples, including paper towels, toilet paper, and other household products.) So here's the list:

Seven-Day Meal Planner

Queso flameado with flour tortillas and guacamole

Monte Cristos with raspberry jam and a salad

Chicken Paillard with arugula and grape tomato salad, crostini with tapenade

Blackened snapper with pineapple salsa and cold orzo salad

Chicken cordon bleu with mashed potatoes and roasted broccoli

Turkey vindaloo with chana masala and brown rice

Pasta Bolognese (w/pork and turkey) with grilled caprese salad

Desserts:

Lemon cheesecake

Oatmeal cookies (from dough we prepared earlier in the week)

I hope my family truly enjoys the food that we prepare together. Lydia loves looking in the pots, pans, bowls, and cutting board. Richard has been really into preparing high-quality food lately, like nice steaks on the grill. Properly nourishing my family is so important, and I think we can find success in planning meals ahead of time.

Baking Bread

2011-07-16T11:34:00.000-04:00

Several years ago, I said that I was going to try to bake my own breads. I baked one, it wasn't too good, and I quickly gave up. Last Black Friday, I got a Kitchenaid Mixer, and a few months ago, I got a bread hook from CSN Stores. I was watching Barefoot Contessa about a week ago on the Food Network, and she made what looked like a really simple recipe for Honey White Bread. Since I've been eating more sandwiches recently, I decided I would try it out! Here are my step-by-step photos of my first real bread-making experience:

This was after adding the yeast, warm water, warm milk, honey, egg yolks, sugar, and 3 cups of flour. This was kneaded in the mixer for 5 minutes on a low speed.

I added an additional 2 1/2 cups of flour and kneaded in the mixer for 8 minutes at a medium speed. I removed it and placed on a floured butcher's block. Then I kneaded it by hand for 1 more minute.

Now the dough is ready to rise!

The dough has risen the first time for one hour.

The dough has risen for an additional hour in the bread pans. Ready for the oven!

40 minutes later and out of the oven.

Perfect Honey White Bread!

Summer Vacation in Sanibel

2011-07-13T16:48:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, we went to Sanibel. I hadn't been in several years, so it was a nice little getaway. Richard, Lydia, and I went with Jamie, Mike, Kayla, and Kyra. Lydia loves being with her older cousins! The first day of our trip, we drove to Arcadia, FL and visited the Peace River Campgrounds. This area is known for it's fossil-hunting. We went in the river, sifted through the sand/mud, and found lots of little shark's teeth and bones. For the most part, everyone had a great time! Lydia loved splashing in the calm shallow water.

We spent a lot of time at the beach in Sanibel. Lydia and Kayla enjoyed digging in the sand together and playing along the shore. I enjoyed wearing a bathing suit and not caring if I looked like a beached whale. I was 29 weeks pregnant and feeling great!

Of course, vacations are all about the food, too. We visited our favorite restaurant in Captiva, The Bubble Room. How can you resist delicious cakes like these?? So yummy!

My favorite picture from the trip is one of Lydia and Richard. They are so in love with each other! <3

Quick Pics

2011-06-16T17:11:00.000-04:00

I went to take my awful glucose test the other day (even though I fought to not have to take it), and I asked if I could do a two-minute ultrasound as a gift to Richard while he was out of town. Not only did I get an ultrasound, but I got some 3D images...AND, baby was super-cooperative. Here's a picture of Lydia's 3D image on the left at 27 weeks and 5 days, baby boy's 3D image on the right at 25 weeks 6 days. I think baby boy looks somewhat more like me than Lydia does, but we'll see when he's born who he looks more like! Oh, and at 25 weeks 6 days, I had officially gained 11 lbs. Doing well :-)

Backyard Makeover - Almost Complete! (Part 2)

2011-06-16T15:41:00.000-04:00

More progress has been made on the backyard. We're definitely almost finished. Just need to fill in patches of grass, and I want to get Lydia a nice playhouse for outside. Here are some more photos of our progress:

Playground is complete. It was actually more of a challenge to build than I initially anticipated. We surrounded the play area with rubber recycled tire mulch, which is supposed to last 10+ years.

Veggies and herbs are continuing to grow nicely.

This is our "tropical" garden area.

This is our "Asian-inspired" garden area. I think both these areas will look much better when everything starts to grow in nicely.

Lydia really loves her new playground, especially the swing. The funny thing is, that was actually a swing we got when she was about 5 months old and hung from a tree, but it was not nearly as fun then as it is now, hanging from her playground area. I'm so happy she's happy! If this isn't pure toddler bliss, then I don't know what is.

Backyard Makeover - Almost complete!

2011-06-04T20:50:00.000-04:00

Normally our backyard is pretty much a huge play area for our 4 dogs with a small veggie/herb garden. With baby #2 on the way and my desire to be a work-at-home mom for the next year, we decided it was time to do a complete backyard makeover! We started by cutting down two large trees that took up a lot of space:

Then we paved a larger portion of the yard:

We added a canopy and a chair/table set for 6 people, great for barbecues and other outdoor meals as a family:

We fixed up our veggie and herb garden:

We began planting some tropical plants/flowers (we need to add a few more, but this was a good start). I guess Lydia got kinda pooped out...

Then we assembled a nice playground area for Lydia. She already loves it, and we haven't even completed the swing portion:

Today Richard rented a stump grinder and removed the two large stumps. Tomorrow we will finish leveling the ground, plant more flowers/plants, and use mulch to cover the area under the playground. I would also like to buy Lydia a playhouse for outdoors and a kiddy pool. This should be such a great area for her this summer (and next school year)...and hopefully one day her little brother will play with her, too!

More pictures to come as we complete this project!

21 Weeks tomorrow

2011-05-10T21:35:00.000-04:00

I am 21 weeks tomorrow. I had a great appt. with my midwife today. I learned that I can be up to a week past my due date and still have a VBAC. I also learned that I can move around while in labor - stand, walk, go on a ball, sit up, etc. That's so awesome to hear! She encouraged me to labor at home as long as possible, which is very encouraging. I know Lydia can be in the room, too, but it just depends on how she is behaving. I have gained 7 lbs, so I am doing great with my weight. I think I had probably gained 10+ by this point last time. My appetite is definitely starting to increase, so I need to make sure I'm doing everything in moderation. I'm really feeling great - awesome pregnancy so far, and it's already more than half over!!

It's a boy!

2011-05-06T07:10:00.000-04:00

I knew yesterday would change my life forever in many ways. Obviously, whether or not I knew baby was a boy, it is a boy, but having that knowledge is pretty amazing. I'm going to be the mother of one girl and one boy. I get to experience raising a woman and raising a man. That's pretty incredible. There are so many things to think about, from circumcisions to a boy's bedroom...fostering a positive relationship between my son and daughter to playing sports...being "fair" to both children to embarking on a new breastfeeding relationship with a boy. In a way, it will be kinda like becoming a mom for the first time all over. This is definitely an exciting challenge...but a challenge for sure. I hope I can raise a man who can one day be independent, be a father, be respectful of women, etc. Just so many things to think about!! Perhaps I'll start by planning out his bedroom and buying some baby clothes. Those are the easy things :-)

Picking Tomatoes

2011-04-25T16:01:00.000-04:00

I just want to share some photos from a week and a half ago. We picked tomatoes at Bedner's farm and lots of different fruits/veggies at the Girl's Strawberry Patch.

17 week photos

2011-04-12T20:58:00.000-04:00

I decided it was finally time to take some baby belly pictures. Lydia decided to join in, too! I'm really enjoying being pregnant right now. I started working full-time for the next two months and I'm teaching a University of Phoenix course - saving up while I can! The harder I work now, the more time I can take off later on. So, here's my belly:

Updates on My Family

2011-04-05T19:21:00.000-04:00

Being a mother is amazing. I'm reminded of this every single day. Today, Lydia has been pointing to my belly, saying "ba ba", and kissing it repeatedly. She's 19 months old now, and while we talk about the baby coming a lot, I am not sure what she actually understands. She's so good with my friends' babies. She wants to hug them and kiss them and bring them toys and food. So very sweet!

So I had my 16-week midwife appointment today. Baby's heartbeat was 153 bpm. At my first visit, I was 140, second visit, I was 138, and today I was 141. She said that looked good. I told her that I'm really trying to watch what I eat so I don't gain too much weight, and she said that was a really good idea. I asked her if there are any exercises I should be practicing, and she said she'll show me when we get closer. She reminded me to eat lean proteins and try to keep my carb intake low.

One month until we find out the sex! So exciting!

A Mother's Song

2011-03-30T08:04:00.000-04:00

This poem is read by Jennifer Garner on the Disney Channel. While it's being read, cartoon clips of mommies and babies are being shown (from Dumbo, Bambie, etc.). Anyway, I think it's a really sweet poem, and I didn't want to forget about it, so I thought posting it on here would be a good way to 'keep' it. Please enjoy:

A Mother's Song
a Traditional Lullaby

My heart is like a fountain true
That flows and flows with love to you.
As chirps the lark unto the tree
...So chirps my pretty babe to me.

There's not a rose where'er I seek,
As comely as my baby's cheek.
There's not a comb of honey-bee,
So full of sweets as babe to me.

There's not a star that shines on high,
Is brighter than my baby's eye.
There's not a boat upon the sea,
Can dance as baby does to me.

No silk was ever spun so fine
As is the hair of baby mine.
My baby smells more sweet to me
Than smells in spring the elder tree.

A little fish swims in the well,
So in my heart does baby dwell.
A little flower blows on the tree,
My baby is the flower to me.

The Queen has sceptre, crown and ball,
You are my sceptre, crown and all.
For all her robes of royal silk,
More fair your skin, as white as milk.

Ten thousand parks where deer do run,
Ten thousand roses in the sun,
Ten thousand pearls beneath the sea,
My babe more precious is to me.

The Florida Keys

2011-03-26T08:44:00.000-04:00

The Florida Keys and Sanibel are probably the two best reasons to live in South Florida. Six years ago, Richard and I got married in the Keys (Islamorada, specifically). We dressed casually, ate casually, and only invited about a dozen people. It was an amazing weekend with close friends and family! Then we took our honeymoon in Sanibel on the west coast of Florida. While the Keys are kinda low-budget and chill...Sanibel is a bit more high-end, but still equally as relaxing and beautiful. Both areas have amazing restaurants, fun stores to visit, and beaches. I haven't been to Sanibel in several years, but we go to the Keys two to three times a year, even if it's just a day trip. Last Saturday, we went for the day.

Some highlights: my sister caught a starfish and Lydia tried to eat it, we had a delicious meal at our favorite restaurant down there (Lazy Days), we saw dolphins at Hawk's Cay (a really nice resort), went swimming, visited Anne's Beach, and watched the sunset. It was a beautiful day outdoors with my family! I love creating such awesome memories.

Spring is here!

2011-03-09T10:10:00.000-05:00

Unfortunately, this was a very short-lived winter in Florida. I love the cooler weather - 50s every day would be lovely. I was just thinking about how I bought Lydia lots of cute sweaters/hoodies back in November thinking it would be colder, and she never even got a chance to wear them. I guess I should be thankful as so many other states experienced blizzards recently...while this past weekend we got to go to the beach. Lydia showed off her new bathing suit from Grandma Barbara. It's so cute!

Have I mentioned how much Lydia loves playgrounds recently?? This beach had a playground, and she had a blast going down the slides and on the swing. With the warm(er) weather coming and baby #2 on the way, I think it's time for us to invest swing sets for kids for our backyard. I would want to get something durable that can grow with our family, but is still appropriate for little ones, and obviously reasonably-priced. In Florida, I feel like it's hard to get a wooden set because there is so much moisture in the air and metal gets so hot in the sun, so I would probably lean toward plastic. I'd also love to purchase an outdoor playhouse. Anyone have any suggestions?

Hydroponic Strawberry Pickin' and an Intro to ANDI

2011-01-17T16:29:00.000-05:00

While the rest of the country experiences snow days, winter coats, and lots of hot chocolate, we get to do some strawberry picking! We went two weekends ago to a place in Coconut Creek that grows strawberries, greens, tomatoes, peppers, and other fruits, veggies, and herbs. Here are a few pictures!

This year, Lydia was able to help us pick some. We just had to show her which strawberries were ready to be picked...oh, and stop her from eating all of them before we paid :-) We went home and baked a chocolate cake, layered with buttercream and strawberries. It came out a bit too sweet for me, but still yummy!

Last week was my 3rd of 4 meetings for the Whole Foods Ambassador Club. This month, they launched their Health Starts Here program. The program is based on 4 pillars:

1. Eat whole, unprocessed food.

2. Eat a colorful variety of plants.

3. Eat healthy fats.

4. Eat nutrient dense food.

For me, the most interesting pillar is actually the 4th one. Basically, our bodies want to eat. We want to feel full...but why fill our bodies with foods that we can't actually use? In order to help customers to choose foods that are more nutrient-dense, they created the ANDI (aggregate nutrient density index) scoring system. There are large signs throughout the store displaying the top 10 most nutrient-dense foods in each department.

I decided that I do not eat enough leafy greens (besides just lettuce and spinach). The speaker from Whole Foods who taught us about the Health Starts Here program suggested adding one new nutrient-rich food to your diet weekly. Two weeks ago, I tried Swiss Chard. I made homemade whole wheat pasta with some bacon, onion, garlic, pecorino romano, and swiss chard. It was delicious!

A few days ago, I made a kale and cannelini bean soup. Also very yummy!

I also want to add that I tried one of the most delicious cheeses EVER recently!! It's a triple cream from Cowgirl Creamery. So delicious served room temperature with some crusty bread.

So my new years resolution? Continue to enjoy, appreciate, and cook delicious, healthy food.

Ecostore USA Product Review

2011-01-16T10:12:00.000-05:00

When Ecostore USA asked me to do a product review, I gladly responded YES! They had a brief form to fill out, allowing you to request what type of products you would like to review. I chose the Laundry Liquid and Baby Body Wash. When Lydia was just a few months old, she started getting very dry, red skin, especially in the folds of her skin (behind her knees and elbows). The pediatrician told me she had eczema, so from that point forward we have made a genuine effort to use only eco-friendly products free of dyes and chemicals. We also use cloth diapers, so I need to find detergents that work well with our diapers.

The Ecostore USA Laundry Liquid has a strong, but pleasant, eucalyptus scent. It is a super-concentrated, clear, plant-based detergent. A small amount goes a long way with a regular load of laundry, although I do suggest using double the suggested quantity when washing cloth diapers to remove all odors/residue.

The Baby Body Wash has a mild lavender scent. It is also plant-based. While it does not make a lot of lather as a product with synthetic chemicals may create, it works well to clean baby's skin without making it dry, and it leaves the skin smelling beautiful. As with the detergent, a small amount on a washcloth goes a long way.

Compared to other eco-friendly home/baby products, the products at Ecostore USA are reasonably priced. In fact, if you order $25 worth of products through their website, shipping is free! Ecostore USA is a great option for parents who really care about limiting the toxins in their children's surroundings.

Check out their Facebook page or follow them on Twitter for more information!

My Family's Breakfast

2010-12-12T09:41:00.000-05:00

In the spirit of incorporating meat back into my diet, I want to share today's breakfast!

Whole Wheat Biscuit with Cage-Free Eggs, Raw Milk Sharp Cheddar Cheese, and Sage Pork Sausage

Here's the recipe for the Whole Wheat Biscuits - just omit the sugar. The Raw Milk Sharp Cheddar is from Organic Valley. The sausage was from the meat case at Whole Foods. The eggs are cage-free Eggland's Best. Definitely better than a McD's sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit!

And, yes, I accidentally broke my yolk right at the end...