A Mental Health Day

So I am declaring today a mental health day. I was really not in the mood to blog or do anything most of the day. Actually I scrubbed down my kitchen counters. It was quite therapeutic.

Thursday was not good day. I should have seen it coming when I went to Stop and Shop, made some purchases and then left said purchases at the store. Even though I knew it would be one of THOSE days I didn't see us ending up in the er-but one never does.

With that said. Eliza is fine. I am fine.

On Thursday around 4:00 I started cooking some brown rice and put my honey baked lentils into the oven. I gave Eliza her crayons and took a minute to look something up in one of my recipe books. I heard a small crash followed by crying. I saw that Eliza had fallen off of her little chair onto the kitchen floor. I had heard the fall, but I didn't see the fall. I wasn't sure what she hit or how she landed.

I scooped her up and tried to comfort her. She was worked up and did the cry where her mouth was open but no sound or air came out. You know the one- where you say or think breathe, breathe, breathe until your little one breathes and recovers. Well Eliza didn’t breathe. Instead her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed onto my shoulder. I was already halfway out the door to my neighbors in case I had to call 911. However, as quick as she passed out she started to breathe again (natural reflex) and came through the episode. I brought her back into our condo and sat with her on the couch.

Since I hadn’t seen her fall I was scared she might have hit her head. She has held her breathe when hurt before but always was able to breath before passing out. I called my husband and he said to call the pediatrician. At that point she seemed OK and was crying a little but the pediatrician said I had to go to the er and get a CAT scan done because she had passed out.
Thankfully my MIL came and picked us up and we went to the er. The er doctor, seeing no lumps on her head or any sign of strange behavior, said she didn’t need a CAT scan. This is good because I most likely was going to deny the test anyway. Toddler brains + CAT scan = bad news. If I thought she really needed it I would have had it done, but it was pretty clear she was fine. I was sent home with instructions to monitor her behavior. However, they didn’t exactly explain what I had witnessed.

I was very upset when I got home because I finally had time to decompress and to replay the events in my mind. To say it was scary would be a grave understatement. I knew she was fine but that did not detract from when I had seen with my eyes and felt in my arms. I knew kids sometimes hold their breath and pass out. I have read about it numerous times regarding tantrums and behavior. What I learned after a little research is that in 0.5%-5% of kids this also happens when they are startled or hurt. It is called a breath holding spell.

According to Medline Plus
A breath holding spell is an involuntary pause in breathing, sometimes accompanied by loss of consciousness. It usually occurs in response to an upsetting or surprising situation.

So this is what happened to my little E. It is possible that it could happen again, although I hope it never does. It was very scary and I am glad tomorrow is another day.

Wordless Wednesday

Book Clubs/Magazines for Kids

For some strange reason this morning I started wondering if they make magazines for two year olds. I am always trying to think of ideas for E's birthday present. We REALLY don't need any more toys. I love books, magazines and reading. I also love the idea of something arriving in the mail. I think having a book or magazine arrive regularly for E would be a gift that kept on giving for the whole year.

I googled magazines for two year olds and came up with one called The Tessy and Tab Reading Club. It was cute but it only had one story and at the end were some worksheet like pages. I was looking for something with a little more variety.

Then Doulamama on twitter directed me to another mag called Babybug which I liked even better. It comes nine times a year, is 24 pages and contains stories and poems. You can view a sample mag on the site.

So I hope to order Babybug for Eliza. I think it is a great gift idea for others as well!!

Please let me know if you have your child enrolled in a monthly book club or magazine. I am very curious about other companies providing this service.

The Future Miss Jabba The Hutt

This pregnancy has been a bit the same and a bit different than my last. In the nicest way possible way, this pregnancy is kicking my butt.

The Cramping

The worst symptom I have had with both is cramping. When I am pregnant it seems I get terrible cramps. It is not a fun for anyone, never mind someone who has had miscarriages. It has eased up a lot since week nine but I still have very crampy days. Fortunately, I have finally learned to deal with my pregnancy related anxiety. Never fear- I still have all kinds of anxiety issues left. :0

The Nausea

I thought I was nauseous with Eliza. I now realize I had mild nausea with her. I have been extremely nauseous for weeks. I don't throw up. I just wish I did. At first I was psyched because this is usually a sign things are progressing well. I didn't mind not being able to not make the grocery list without cringing or going to the grocery store and feeling my stomach contract. However, at this point I am still waiting for my feel good second trimester. Things have improved a lot and I can finally see the light.

Dizzy Miss Lizzy

I have bee very dizzy lately. The best was I can describe it is by saying I feel like a pair of googly eyes spinning, twirling and swirling. Last week I was spinning so bad I ended up sick. Eliza thought I was peeing in the toilet. I guess she isn't clear that pee comes from the other end. My blood pressure is fine so I am guessing it is all that blood swirling around my system. Docotr said it is normal. I suspect I am not drinking enough fluids so I am going to up my fluid intake this week and hope for the best.

HUNGER

I was not very hungry with E. I ate an extra snack a day and seemed fine. This time around I am always hungry. But eating makes me sick. And not eating makes me sick. Which is why sometimes even though I am hungry I don't eat enough. After my dizzy episode last week I have been tryng to eat six to eight healthy mini meals each day to keep the beast at bay-but I am just always hungry. So don't be surpirsed when I end up looking like Jabba The Hutt.

Other than that I have been pretty tired-but that could just be from chasing E all day.

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday- Vegan Mac 'n' Cheese

Monday- Pizza with Broccoli and Ricotta, Salad

Tuesday- Vegetarian Three-Bean Chili

Wednesday- Leftover Chili

Thursday- Honey Baked Lentils

Friday- Leftovers

Sat- ??

With Pete working late he doesn't eat dinner at home. That means lots of leftovers and less meals for me to cook. I knew there was an upside to busy season. :)

Random Weekend Thoughts

I decided to join Lori this week and post some random weekend thoughts!

Enjoy!

Missing my morning phone calls with my mom changed my whole week. She is away on a cruise- and I miss her.

Having Pete gone for another Saturday is depressing. Knowing the busy season will be over in about 40 days makes me feel a wee bit better. As does dancing around the house with Eliza to It's a Hard Knock Life!

Having Rose and Alessia (& Mark too) to keep me company when Pete is away makes Pete's busy season tolerable. They have adopted Eliza and I as foster kids- they feed us too. :)

Witnessing Eliza say new words every day is inspiring. She never fails to amaze me.

Spicy lentil tacos for dinner was a great end to the week. Of course I ate at least one taco over the legal limit and suffered the consequences.

Reading Omnivore's Dilemma has been thought provoking. For example, it has made my husband think I talk too much! I also dreamt that I worked at the amazing Polyface Farm in Swoope Virginia!

Seeing Eliza kiss and hug her toys melts my heart. She is turning into my little lover girl. She has learned that kissing an hugging me when I am disappointed in her behavior is a great way to manipulate me.

Have a Great Weekend!

One of our favorites!

One of my favorite toys for E is her play scarves. What I love is that they are so simple and open ended. She loves them as well and will play with them endlessly.

Here she is in action with her scarves.

and if she gets bored she can find creative uses for their container...

She is my shunshine

With Pete working late I have taken over the bedtime routine. This is normally daddy's domain. He has his own set of bedtime rituals he does with E including stories and songs. Pete's routine is lengthy because it is really the main time he spends with Eliza during the work week. My routine is usually much shorter because it is the end to a very long day. Lately since it has been just us girls, I have been taking my time too. I usually end up in bed shortly after Eliza, so I don't know why I was rushing in the first place.

and lately Eliza does the sweetest cutest thing. There are a bunch of different songs I sing while rocking her to sleep. Lately she has had one specific request.

Shunshine

She wants me to sing You are My Sunshine. Except she says it Shunshine. She puts her head on my chest and says shunshine in the sweetest little voice imaginable and suddenly the stress of the day gone. She truly is my little shunshine.

Why don't friends with kids have time?

This is great and I just had to share. People always suggest that staying at home all day must be relaxing. Or they think I must have endless time to do what I want. These are the people who can still go to the bathroom without a tiny head peeping into the toilet bowl saying pee pee or poo poo. I found this at Life is Good. If you haven't checked out Life is Good make sure to pop on over. It is a great read. Click to read article!

Wordless Wednesday

on why i am no longer vegan

I am about to punch blogger in the nose because it ate my post!! So now you are getting the short, short version of why I am no longer vegan.

First, to address the anonymous comment on, "liking me with some meat on my bones". Don't comment anonymously. I thought you were my husband. I had to ask him if he likes me meaty. It turns out he likes me just fine the way I am.

Let me just say i think the state of food in the country is currently a mess. Go to the food store and most of the food doesn't even look like food. I don't even go down the aisles and it is still confusing. Companies lie, labels lie, food that looks like food might be GMO. It is all really very appetising.

and now the jumbled reasons I why I am no longer vegan-in bullet format. but before I list them I do want to say I did not come to this decision lightly. I am not 100% happy now just as i wasn't always 100% happy as a vegan.

• Leg pain. I started getting horrible leg cramps at night. I was up many nights walking around, stretching and trying to relieve my pain. I did a little research and found it was probably from a deficiency.
• Pregnancy. Yes! It is safe to have a vegan pregnancy. However, i did not feel equipped to have a vegan pregnancy. I didn't feel knowledgeable enough and confident in my ability to make sure I was getting everything I needed. It also would have involved me eating unfermented soy-which i don't do. More on that below.
• Short Order Cook. Pete and Eliza are not vegan. So, I was often cooking for them and cooking for me. Guess whose nutritional needs would come in third? Amy's frozen bean burrito anyone? I can't cook two dinners every night. No time. no Money.
• The Great Soy Debate. When it comes to soy I am AGAINST eating unfermented soy. I don't think soy is a healthy- it is certainly not a health food. Unfortunately, it is making its way into lost and lost of food.

So all these jumbled up reasons ended with me adding meat and dairy back into my diet. Am I completely happy? No. I had a choice between soy protein and animal protein and I chose animal. I don't like eating animals. I try to not to eat meat too often. I don't want to eat beef from cows that have lived miserable lives in feces covered pens, being forced to eat corn all the while being pumped full of antibiotics. I won't even get into pigs and chickens. Or farm raised salmon that are now being being fed corn. Fish eating corn. Really? Really? Are we serious? I truly feel like I am in between a rock and a hard place. It would be easy to be ignorant and choose to not care where my food came from or even if it was healthy.

I can only hope the tide is turning. I pray people are educating themselves and choosing healthy options because complacency leads us to a dangerous place. A place where cows and fish are being forced to eat corn. A place where it doesn't matter how our food gets to our plate as long as we have lots of it and we have it fast. When we let other people make decisions about our food they make decisions that benefit themselves and their pocketbooks. They certainly don't care about your family. They definitely don't care about our environment.

So here I am. I am trying to make good decisions, to stay informed and do what is best for my family.

Baby Belly Comparison

I took quite a few pictures of myself when I was pregnant with Eliza. So here is my first baby belly comparison post!

13 weeks with Eliza
13 weeks with baby #2

I was about 20lbs heavier when I became pregnant with Eliza. Looking at these pics makes me see how much being vegan changed my body. I miss the lifestyle a lot and will probably go veg again after baby #2 is born.

I realized after writing my meal plan earlier today that i never wrote about when or why I stopped being vegan. It wasn't an easy decision and there were a lot of factors to consider. I am sure I will post about it eventually-maybe sooner rather than later.

Menu Plan Monday

Sunday- Roast /w/ Veggies in Crock Pot

Monday- Beef Enchiladas

Tuesday- Spaghetti Squash and Chicken Bake /w/ Asparagus

Wednesday- Potato and Cheese Pierogi

Thursday-Beef Soup

Friday- Spiced Lentil Tacos (Vegan)

Saturday- Homemade Pizza & salad

Here is a peek at my menu board from last week. It is hanging in my kitchen where I can't miss it or forget what I making. When I took this pic I didn't notice my husband had added in something yummy on Sunday.

Puzzle- Toddler Style

Eliza and I were playig with her shape puzzle and she did such a good job I wanted to capture it on video. Of course when I called Pete in with the camera she had other toddler puzzle piece plans. It is a bit long...but you'll get the gist in just a few.

Gettin frugal wit it Na na na na na na na nana

A few weeks ago I read an awesome post over at Recycle Your Day on making veggie stock. While I was reading I thought, I am spending enough on organic veggies-I might as well get a second use out of them. So I started saving my scraps in the freezer and on Friday I had my first experience making veggie stock and it was FABULOUS!

I put my veggies in a pot and filled it with water. I also roasted some in the oven to give the stock extra yummy flavor.

It was easy and I ended up with a lot of stock. I put some in the fridge and some in the freezer and now I am set for a while. When I do run out I am sure I will have enough scraps to whip up another batch.
Also, make sure to check out Recycle Your Day for monthly features written bu Jill Nussinow-The Veggie Queen. The latest post was on sprouting beans!

Just in time for Valentine's Day...sex study focuses on working moms

Valentine's Day is tomorrow and many of us will be trying to fit in something romantic with our significant others!  I personally think it's great that it falls on a Saturday this year so the hubs & I can spend more time together than a weekday (even though he will probably be doing homework most of the day).  Just in time for the biggest love day of the year, Working Mother magazine has just published an article revealing some surprising results from a sex survey of readers in its February/March issue.  The survey includes how often working moms have sex (more than you'd think!), whether they find their mates attractive and more.   Here is a summary of some of the more interesting parts...

• Working moms are way more into sex than anyone might think. In fact, the article reveals that while working moms wish they had more sex (and that it took less work to make it happen) sex still really matters to nearly three-quarters of respondents.
  

• More than half of respondents reported having sex at least once a week. Almost a third (29 percent) have sex two or more times a week.
  

• The majority of respondents (63 percent) say they want more sex on a regular basis.
  

• 93 percent remain attracted to their husbands at least some of the time, and only 7 percent confessed to having no attraction at all.
  

• 39 percent of respondents said that when they have sex, they're usually in the mood and totally enjoy it. Whereas 44 percent said they're usually not in the mood...and then totally enjoy it. 
  

• Over 70 percent said that they use adult movies and sex toys, mainly to spice things up in the bedroom. 
  

Need additional motivation for getting busy? Working Mother details four health incentives, including:

* Exercise: By getting pulse rates up and breaking a sweat, sex can act as a mini cardio warm up, making working moms feel less guilty about skipping the gym that morning.

* Pain relief: Orgasm has been found to have an analgesic effect, helping eliminate headaches, aches and pains.

* Stress relief: Being intimate and connected to a loved one causes a chemical release that decreases stress and inflammation.

* Erectile function: A study of men aged 55 to 75 found that those who had intercourse more often were less likely to develop erection problems.

Here's a link to the full story - http://www.workingmother.com/web?service=direct/1/ViewRotatingPortlet/RotatingPortalBlocks/dlinkArticle&sp=S1920&sp=118

Happy Valentines Day!!

I'm Coming Out...

of the first trimester closet!

It has been really hard not to write about being pregnant for the past 10 weeks. However, I just arrived home from my 12 week appointment and I am officially announcing that I am pregnant and due on August 26th!

and here's a glimpse of the little shrimp...


I will write more about the past ten weeks when I get a chance. It has been interesting to say the least.

Just for fun. This clip from I Love Lucy always leaves me teary eyed.

Wordless Wednesday- Almost Wordless

Happy Almost Valentines Day Boo!

The Importance of Play

Someone sent me a link to an article that they thought I might find interesting for the blog. Usually I pass by these e-mails, but this one had to do with the importance of imaginative play in normal development. It caught my attention and I decided to check it out. If you are interested you can locate it here- The Serious Need for Play. It was actually quite interesting and I found myself nodding in agreement as I read the article.

Now I have a bunch of swirling thoughts so I am going to try and make heads or tail of them.

Having spent time as a teacher I have strong views on the importance of academics. However, in my few short years as a teacher I saw the amount of free play in schools drop dramatically. I saw the elimination of recess in some schools. I also saw Kindergarten teachers totally cut play time from their classrooms. Why? Schools are trying to spend more time teaching academics to keep up, make adequate yearly progress, etc. Very sad.

Kids learn through play. I believe that when you don't allow kids adequate time to be kids- to engage in play that is not defined by rules, parents or teachers, they are stunted physically, emotionally, socially and even academically. Yup! If you want kids to do better in school, they need to play more. This means less time spent being endlessly disciplined, less time on repetitive dittos, less time spent completing homework that has been proven ineffective. Instead, let's get our kids out and playing. And while I am on a roll- let's get the adults out of work an playing more too.

As a teacher I felt like the kids came to me to solve every single problem they had with other students. It is like they couldn't work out anything on their own. They needed an adult to tell them what was right and wrong. My answer usually was, "And what do you want me to do?" I know it sounds harsh but I believed they could probably figure it out on their own if they took a minute to think. I truly believe this results from not enough unsupervised play. When adults step in for every little issue, kids don't learn to figure things out on their own. Here's a thought...picking your nose is gross...and you will figure that out when other kids give you weird looks. Seriously, do we need to tell kids it is gross. It is important to share. Really? You need to tell kids it isn't nice to take toys from other kids. My guess is they will figure it out when nobody wants to play with them anymore.

I remember taking a class on play in college. We watched a documentary on preschool in Japan. What I remember most is that the teachers did not step in when the kids were having a conflict. They let the kids work it out themselves. The kids actually engaged in problem solving without the teacher telling them exactly what to do. Imagine that. Here is an interesting article relating to how discipline in America and Japan differ. This article focuses on how kids in Japan work together to work out problems and do not depend on their teachers.

Kids today spend a lot of time in school like settings. When they are out of school they participate in team sports, classes, lesson, etc. My guess is the other time is spent in front of the TV, computer or a video game.

Whatever happened to just letting kids play and making sure nobody was killing each other?

So this is a jumble and while I am not entirely sure play would solve the social issues I witnessed, I do think it is key component for healthy social development.

Menu Plan Monday! and More on My Cheap (Frugal) Life

Here is my menu plan for the week. I hope to include breakfast and lunch in upcoming weeks...but I am not quite that organized yet. Posting helps motivate me to get it done! I shop on Saturdays so I am starting my plan on Saturday- at least for this week. I am also making some granola this week, my own taco seasoning, and some vegetable stock.

Saturday- Curried Carrot Bisque /w/ bread
Sunday-Tacos
Monday- Taco pie /w/ leftovers
Tuesday- Black Bean and Sweet Potato Stew
Wednesday- Chickpeas /w/ rice
Thursday- Leftovers
Friday- Raviolis
Saturday- Homemade Pizzas with Dana and Brian! Happy <3>

I received some great feedback and suggestions after last week's money saving post.

I love Lori's suggestion of making enough for multiple meals and freezing some. Unfortunately, as the picture below shows I have a teeny tiny freezer. BOO! :(

and that isn't Rita's in those containers-although my husband wishes it was. We reused them.

But I do have a ginormous (and messy) pantry! woohoo :)

In response to some questions...

Q. Erin asked, "Do you base your menu on what you want or by what is on sale that week? "

A. I used both along with what I have in the house. I usually first see what I am in the mood to make. Then I look to see what I have in the pantry, freezer, fridge and then check what is on sale. This combination usually determines what we will have for dinner. I almost always have rice, onions, beans, some type of canned tomato (diced, stewed, crushed) and pasta in my pantry.

The free range chicken we buy is $3.99 per lb at the local butcher. It really doesn't go on sale. So we just buy some and freeze it two breasts at a time. I have cut down on the meat I use in my recipes as well as how many recipes per week I make using meat in order to save money. Eating vegetarian meals is cheaper. Including some vegan meals (like curried carrot bisque) stretches our money even further. No dairy, no meat = save big time! A bean chili over rice may not be that exciting but it goes a long, long way.

Q. Andrea asked where I have had luck finding coupons for healthy food.

A. Mainly at manufacturer's websites. I request newsletters and contact companies asking for coupons. I basically beg! :)

Hopefully I will get another post up with all your wonderful money saving tips.

Transitions

We have decided to start transitioning Eliza to her own bed. We do love co sleeping, but we do have a specific reason we are starting this transition now-more on that later this week. We hope to make the transition as smooth as possible for Eliza as we understand she will not sleep in her own bed/ or alone until she is ready. We want to keep bedtime a pleasant experience for everyone.

We currently all sleep on our mattress which is on the floor. We believe this is the safest setup possible. Eliza is a VERY active sleeper and we did not want to risk her falling off the bed (dare I write "fall out AGAIN!"). In order to ease her into her big girl bed we have placed her mattress at the foot of our bed. It is a little lower than ours which makes two separate surfaces. We also put some blankets on the floor on the other side for when (not if) she rolls off. We are going to start placing her in the bed for naps and at bedtime. We are assuming she will probably wake and crawl into bed with his (which is just fine) or one of us will hop down with her to comfort her back to sleep.

We made a really big deal about her bed. She was hopping all over it an playing for quite a while. She helped us to put on the sheet. I placed some blankets and teddy bears there for her. However, we do understand she just might not be ready for this transition. At least the bed will be set-up for when she is ready.

Eliza is sensitive about where she sleeps. She has never slept well in the crib which is why I am opting not to use the toddler bed conversion. It is too high up and not very safe for an active sleeper. Also, her crib is too big to go into our room and I wasn't going to stick her in her room alone in a big girl bed. That would be way to many changes at one. Instead, we are hoping to eventually move her mattress into her bedroom. Maybe! :)

Anyhoo, I will update in a week or so to let everyone know how it is going.

Spreading My Love

I knew you all just couldn't wait to see another video of me in my robe. Unfortunately, I cut myself out of this one. I shot this during our morning reading time. You can tell E is still a lil sleepy. I pause a few tims for E to fill in the words. I enjoy this type of cloze reading- especially with books we read numerous times. The book Farm Friends is very simple and Eliza knows quite a few of the words in the story. Plus- who doesn't love animal sounds?

My Love

I love reading. I have loved reading since I was a wee lass (my current read is based in 18th century Scotland!). I have memories of my dad taking me to the library when I was probably only three or four. I remember the enormous steps leading to the entrance. I remember rows and rows of books at my disposal. Libraries are wonderfully magic places. The books are free and the entertainment is endless.

I actually can't remember a time when I didn't love reading. My biggest role model was my father. He is an avid reader and can almost always be found reading (and/or listening to)a book. I remember when he was reading David Copperfield. I am not sure why I recall this particular title, but I do and I think it shows I was fairly interested in what my dad was doing at an early age. If my dad was doing it, then I was going to do it too. Unfortunately, my mom's love of makeup and accessorizing did not rub off on me! She surely spent as much timing getting pretty as my dad did reading. :)

As a child I always had a book in my hands. If we had indoor recess at school I read. I read during mealtimes- and usually was reprimanded. I read before bed. I read until my arms ached and my eyes were too tired to read another word. And then I read some more.

In 20 or so odd years not much has changed. I still prefer reading over pretty much everything. I read while eating, while riding in the car, at the beach, at the pool, in a box and with a fox, well you know how it goes. I usually spend about two hours a day reading (if not more). I stay up later than I should because I just can't stop. I can frequently be found curled up under the covers with a book light and E sleeping soundly next to me.

In many ways I feel blessed that I find such enjoyment from reading. It is a gift,one I am not quite sure how I acquired. Was it nature, nurture, or a combination of both. My brother grew up in the same house as me but didn't read as much when he was younger; however, I think he reads fairly often now.

Regardless, I want to share this gift with my daughter.

I want my love to share my love.

and for those interested I am currently reading the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

Calling all skinny bitches!

I don't know how many of you are familiar with the book Skinny Bitch, but when I hear that a lot of people are reading a book I will jump right on the bandwagon and read it too (like Twilight). Anyway most people would never know until they start reading that the authors of this book are hard core vegans and want to make you one too. It works pretty well...I still can't believe I am drinking soy milk and eating vegan butter! Anyone who knows my obsession for all things pregnancy wouldn't be surprised that I had to pick up the sequel Skinny Bitch: Bun in the Oven. In case you are wondering, aside from drinking alcohol and smoking (duh)...they say you must stay away from the following when pregnant

• coffee (regular and decaf)
• soda (regular and diet)
• energy drinks
• medicine and antacids
• all white flour products (cookies, cake, donuts, pasta, bread, bagels)
• fried foods
• sugar
• anything with caffeine
• high fructose corn syrup
• sweet n low, nutra sweet, equal, splenda
• aspartame
• simple carbohydrates (candy, white bread, white rice, processed foods)
• milk and milk products (cheese, ice cream)
• deli meat or processed meat (hot dogs, bacon)
• eggs
• red meat, poultry, seafood, pork
• butter

So I am thinking...is there anything left in the world to eat??? They would like you to eat only the following for 40 weeks along with at least 10 ounces of water and gentle exercise everyday

• juice and smoothies (fresh, not packaged)
• fruit & vegetables (fresh, not canned or processed)
• leafy greens, legumes, seeds & nuts, oatmeal, brown rice
• wholegrain bread and muffins
• caffeine free tea
• sea vegetables (kelp, seaweed)
• rice milk or soy milk

Oh yeah, did I mention that everything on this list must be organic?? I am thinking that if this is actually possible, this is going to be the healthiest and also most boring 9 months ever! Did any of you actually eat this healthy when pregnant? I have to admit, I was really looking forward to taco bell and cheese fries the whole time, but maybe I will rethink my plan.

What kind of goodies did everyone eat while pregnant?

Passing along this info....

I am reposting this from Dana's blog. Please take a few minutes to read. Thanks!


My old best friend from high school is one of the strongest people I have ever met. Her name is Jessie. Her and her family have endured soooo much and have felt so much pain and heart ache, especially as of recently.

A few months ago her 21 year old brother died suddenly.
My friend has been married for a few years to a great guy named Garrett. Unfortunately, Garrett has lived with a rare kidney disease since the age of 12 and recently things have gotten worse. Garrett needs a kidney and he needs it now!!! I was watching the local news the other night and a story came on about my friend and her husband; they were pleading for someone to help!! Ya see, as a result of his rare disease he needs a kidney from a living donor. Though I know his request won't appeal to all Garrett and his wife are hoping to attract the attention of one special individual willing to help a complete stranger. All family and friends have been tested, but no one is a match! Garrett and jessie have website called
I Need A Kidney Now and I am hoping you will check it out. I would like to also ask you if possible for a big BIG favor! I ask you to please Please PLEASE post this or Blog about this website on your blog, your website, whatever you can do. Maybe print this article out and post it at your church or at a local school. I know it seems like a lot but so many of you have successful Blogs read
by tons of people and you could really help my friends husband find a match for a new kidney. I beg of you Please do it for me if it's at all possible.
Help spread the word for Garrett and Jessie!
Please Please Please!!!!
And if you do want to help spread the word let me know so I can come by comment and say thanks!!!


the website is www.ineedakidneynow.com


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Absent Minded Mother

Today I ran out to Stop and Shop in freezing weather to pick up some things I needed for dinner. Totally off topic...but has anyone seen the prices for Parmesan cheese? I selected my groceries and completed the self check-out. Then I went to look for my wallet. It was not in my diaper bag. It was in my pocket book. At the house. So I had to leave my groceries at customer service and drive home to get my wallet.

Once my groceries were secured and paid for we loaded ourselves back into the car and headed to the pet store. We checked out the kitties for adoption, looked at the fish and picked up food for the cats and the bird (don't even get me started on theseprices). I then went over to check out.

Guess what?

YUP! No wallet.

I left it in the grocery bag in the car. Oh the fun. I grabbed E and went out to get my wallet politely declining a strange woman's offer to keep Eliza.

We are home now. Maybe it was an omen not to spend any money. Most likely it was just me being an absent minded mother.

I am melting quicker than snow...

Last night I had a mini meltdown...

It was about 7:20 when I got the text saying the hubs wouldn't be home until 8:00. That is thirty minutes later then normal.

I don't know what is was: my hormones, being inside for 72 hours straight, Eliza's frequent meltdowns, the knowledge that this is only the beginning of my husband's busy season.Whatever the reason, I just started crying. I just sat on the rug, stacked blocks with E and cried. and I just kept thinking 13 hours is just too long to be alone every day.

Hubs walked in at eight to find me a blubbering mess. Then I got more upset because I didn't want him to interpret my feelings incorrectly. I don't want him to think I am not happy staying home with Eliza. I am so happy to be home with her. I am just lonely a lot of the time. and you know how men are...problem solvers. He wants to solve my problem and I just don't see an easy solution.

I have a theory. I have shared it with my husband numerous times. I think it is unnatural to be alone, isolated from other humans all day-especially when caring for children. And here we are hidden away in our houses all going crazy. The winter is especially hard for me. I am not joking when I say I am seriously close to talking to inanimate objects.


I feel weak. I feel like I should be able to handle this without going crazy. It really makes me feel inadequate. I know that other moms are doing the same thing without the tears.

So why am I the only one talking to my toaster?

Wordless Wednesday

Our Winter Day

I am planning a Tasty Toddler post for next week focusing on snacks.

I figured I haven't done a schedule post in a while. So here is what a winter day looks like at my house.

7:00 Rise and Shine- I have been feeding Eliza right when she wakes up. I am now trying to push breakfast until eight. From 7:15-8:00 we will be reading together and mommy will drink some coffee.

8:00 Breakfast- Eliza scarfs down her food so breakfast time usually lasts about 15 minutes and then she wants out of her chair.

8:15-9:00 Music and Cleaning- I throw on some music and straighten up downstairs- do my fly routines, start dinner, laundry etc.

10:00- Snack Time!

10:15 -If we have errands this is usually the time we go-maybe twice a week

11:00 Read Books & Play in Eliza's Room/ Sometimes we visit our neighbors

12:00 Lunch

1:00 - 2:30 (3 if i am lucky!) Nap

3:00- Bath (not everyday- she is getting scaly like a lizard!) & Snack

3:30- On some days we let out another neighbor's doggy!

4:00 Play & sometimes a Signing Time Video (so mommy can get dinner together)

5:30- 6:00 - Dinner

7:30 Daddy's Home! Yay!!!!

8:00 Bed Time!

What does E play?
I think we are both tired of her toys. She usually does puzzles, sorts shapes, plays with her house, her letters, stacking toys, etc. She isn't into any arts and crafts yet.

In all honesty most days drag. We have had snow on the ground for weeks. I would love to go outside twice a day for some fresh air. I think Eliza feels the same as me- stir crazy.

Spring can't come soon enough for us.

My Cheap Life

Sometimes people ask me how we can afford to live on one income. My answer is "I don't know"- because I really don't. I live in New Jersey which is known for its high cost of living.
I am not a big shopper. There is nothing that I really want. This aspect of my personality does help when it comes to saving money. Luckily, my husband is not a shopper either. Other than that we have cut out all the little extras we used to enjoy.

Lately, I've been trying to figure out how we can cut back and save more $. I realized we could probably cut back on groceries. However, we buy a lot of organic food (especially produce) because I believe in trying to eat a healthily diet. We also buy grass fed free range meat. In case you hadn't noticed there are rarely coupons for healthy food in your newspaper. However, if you would love some high fructose corn syrup and trans fat in your diet you can probably get it for free with some smart couponing.

I also use certain products (safe products) for myself and Eliza. My husband doesn't seem to mind the toxic products so much and I just haven't been able top turn him on to Tom's toothpaste and deodorant. So while I could probably get a free Crest or Colgate every week with a coupon/store sale combination, I don't use those products. I also won't use toxic products just because they are cheap or free. Eliza and I are now using Dr. Bronner's soaps because they have an excellent rating at the Cosmetic Safety Database. I basically have to suck it up and hope for sales or pay full price for these products.

Sooo, I have been trying to figure out how to find coupons for the products I use and I have had some luck. I have had to find other ways to cut the grocery bill. I have been menu planning since November and it is a huge help. I also have been using less meat and more pasta, rice, beans, lentils etc. We are leftovers people so that is a big help. I love leftovers! We created a grocery budget and I am trying to come in at or under budget.

Here is a glimpse of my menu plans for the week.

Monday Chicken Enchiladas
Tuesday- Broccoli & Cheese Quesadilla
Wednesday- Leftovers
Thursday -Penne Wise Pumpkin Pasta
Friday- Grilled Cheese & Black Bean Soup


How do you save $ on groceries?