BaltimoreMommies

February Is Cultural Awareness Month!

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:19:00 +0000

February is Cultural Awareness Month at The Mommies Network, and we're thinking globally! Share a love for foreign language and different cultures with your child in our Multicultural Mommies forum on our National Chapter. Each week, we'll feature several languages and cultural tidbits. You may also participate and strengthen your language lingo in a special webinar. Additionally, our sponsor will provide information on how you can continue your language-learning experience after the month is over.

According to Associated Content, brain research shows that children are at an optimal age for language learning. Although language study is effective at any age, some studies suggest that the human brain is more open to learning a foreign language from birth to preadolescence. Fortunately, researchers have not found an age in which the language window closes completely, especially in the areas of grammar and vocabulary.

Take advantage of this opportunity to think globally, and join us as we learn about foreign languages and different ways of life during Cultural Awareness Month at TMN!

Tip of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Blog Editor) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Do you have a water table that gets stashed away over the winter months? Well, clean off those cobwebs and get ready for some indoor fun! Buy a few bags of feed corn or bulk beans, pour them into the water table, and watch your little ones explore.

Baltimore Mommies and Kids Create

noreply@blogger.com (Blog Editor) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Feed the Birds Play Date

Baltimore Mommies has loads of fun activities scheduled each week on the calendar. Area play dates are a great way to meet new moms and engage your kiddos in stimulating activities. Stacy, one of our fantastic North Area moms, organized a play date at her house in January for kids to create bird feed for the birds. If you would like to try doing this activity at home, follow these simple steps.

Supplies:

Cookie cutters

Stale bread (make sure it is not too soft)

Peanut Butter

Plastic knives for spreading

A few straws

Yarn

Scissors

Bird seed

A box or big plate to put the bird seed in

Step 1:

Have the kids press the cookie cutter into the bread.

Step 2:

Spread the bread on both sides with peanut butter.

Step 3:

Press the peanut buttered bread into the seed on both sides.

Step 4:

Push the straw through the bread to make a hole for the yarn.

Step 5:

Cut a piece of yarn and loop it through.

Step 6:

Allow ingredients to harden for a day or two, then hang from the trees and bushes in your yard and watch the birds enjoy their feast!

Foodie Friday: Super Bowl Menu Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:57:00 +0000

Here are some of our favorite game-day foods (these can all be prepared a day ahead, which will make things even easier).

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
With Bleu Cheese Coleslaw

Ingredients
Deli-style buns
Boneless chicken breasts
Frank's RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce
1 (16-ounce) package shredded coleslaw mix
1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

The night before the big game, prepare your coleslaw.

Toss together the coleslaw mix and onion in a bowl. In a saucepan, mix the vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. When sugar has dissolved, pour over the slaw mix and onion. Toss to coat, and let stand 15 minutes.
Drain the slaw mix in a colander, and return to the bowl. Toss with mayonnaise, sour cream, and blue cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill overnight for the best results, but if you forget, you’ll be fine as long as it has at least 1 hour in the refrigerator before serving.

On game day, coat your chicken breasts with a generous coating of wing sauce, and then grill until done. Place your piping hot chicken on your bun, top with coleslaw and bun top, and enjoy! This coleslaw is also awesome on hot dogs and hamburgers!

Chicken Stew
This one is great for cold game days. Make it ahead, and put it in a Crock-Pot for game day to keep it warm.

Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 large onion, chopped
1 small bag of peeled baby carrots
1 12-ounce container of fresh sliced mushrooms
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 can of corn
1 can of chopped chiles (in the Mexican food section of a grocery store)
3/4 cup uncooked rice
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the chicken by removing the giblets and neck pieces.
Place the chicken in a stockpot with just enough water to cover the chicken, then add the garlic.
Cook covered on medium-low on the stove for 2 1/2 hours.
Remove the chicken and garlic from the stockpot with a strainer, leaving the stock in the pot.
Add chopped onion, carrots, and mushrooms to the stock, and cover and cook an additional 30 minutes.
While the vegetables are cooking, remove the meat from the chicken.
When the chicken is picked and shredded, add to the stock.
Add Cajun seasoning, rice, chiles, and corn.
Cover and cook an additional 20 minutes.
Serve with corn bread or saltines.

Beer Cheese Dip
2 blocks of cream cheese, softened
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 packet of Ranch dressing
1/2 can of beer of your choosing

Mix all the ingredients together. Refrigerate overnight, and serve with Fritos Scoops.

I hope you enjoy the recipes and the excitement of game day as much as we do!

Post submitted by Jill from The Mommies Network's Content Team

Making and Keeping Friends at Different Stages of Life

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Friendships are often one of the most enjoyable and fulfilling parts of our lives. Not only do they provide us with company to engage in enjoyable activities, but they enrich our lives through shared meaning. Support systems have been linked to higher levels of happiness and improved overall health. While some friendships may only last for certain periods of time, others extend over a lifetime, and most of us recognize these relationships as some of the most important we will have. Even for people who generally feel they don't have trouble making friends, there are stages in life when this task may seem more difficult, leaving us feeling lonely or doubting our abilities to connect to others. If this feels like it is true for you, or you've noticed that this might be the case for your child, here are some ideas that might help in this process.

Children
With all the exciting activities that occur at this age, children may feel overwhelmed with the task of fitting in with their peers. Although you want their education to come first, making friends is most likely to be at the top of their agenda, and is also important to their development. Here are a few ways you can help your children establish relationships with their peers:

1. Teach your child important social skills that are essential to establishing and maintaining friendships such as sharing, listening, following rules, and playing fair. Allow your child to participate in events and activities that enable them to practice and implement these social skills. You can reinforce positive social interactions through verbal praise and, if this is something that is a real challenge for your child, through a structured reward system.

2. Provide opportunities for your child to play and socialize with other children their age such as play dates, sleepovers, car pooling, and extra-curricular activities. They should interact with their peers from school and in your neighborhood.

3. Read books with your children that teaches them about friendships and social skills.

4. It isn't uncommon for children to be timid or anxious about making friends. Be attentive to any red flags that your child may display that could indicate he or she is having trouble such as throwing tantrums, withdrawal from you more than is normal for them, or other changes in behavior or emotions.

Teenagers
During the teenage years, your son or daughter will encounter many possibilities to make friends such as participating in athletics, attending school events, and participating in extracurricular school activities. This is also a time when 'fitting in' and feeling connected to peers seems the most important to them, so not feeling part of a group or connected to people can feel especially difficult during these years. Here are some ways to help your teen navigate their social world:

1. Let your teen see how you interact with your friends. Because they are entering the young adult phase, it is important for them to see examples of mature, adult interactions. This can also help your teen better understand how positive friendships in adulthood look. If they are willing to go, take your teen to lunch with you and a friend.

2. Encourage your teen to partake in social activities that would enable him or her to meet other teens. This can include going to the movies, attending a dance, or eating dinner with a group of their peers. You can use your home as a 'safe' location for teens to hang out, yet still have adult supervision, by giving them a private area or room to spend time.

3. Talk to your teen about the meaning and importance of friendships. Discuss what makes someone a "good friend" and how to resolve conflicts and/or manage meaningful friendships they may have with others.

4. Monitor how your teen interacts with their friends. If you feel he or she is in an unhealthy relationship with one of their peers, attempt to provide guidance.

Post college-graduates
The college years provide young adults with numerous opportunities to meet new people as well as gain unique experiences. However, upon graduating, many people find it difficult or overwhelming with having to "start over" and meet new people, especially when relocating to a new town or city. Here are some ways that might help you connect to others after college:

1. Get involved in your local community. Join clubs, teams, or other extra-curricular and/or service based groups that allow you to meet and interact with others on a weekly basis. Working with others to reach a common goal is a great way to connect, and takes some of the pressure off this process, as you already share a common interest.

2. Invite people to engage in some sort of activity such as going to lunch, getting coffee or a drink, or hanging out at your place.

3. If you're shy or lacking in confidence, don't be discouraged because these feelings are not uncommon. Talk to someone else who has dealt with this stage of life, too.

Adulthood
As we enter adulthood, we often feel settled into patterns of making and maintaining friendships. However, many people feel dissatisfied with their outlets for social connection or the number of people to whom they truly feel close. When we are set in our ways, we can lack imagination regarding ways and places to connect to others. Here are some ideas about how to connect to new friends as adults:

1. Attend functions in your community that cater to something you are interested in but may not have tried before. This enables you to interact with people who you will begin to see on a regular basis. This could be joining a local charity with regular volunteer hours, or taking classes at a community center.

2. Join a group that involves doing something you enjoy yet keeps you active such as a yoga class or a golf club. This allows you to meet people with common interests, providing conversation starters that help take the pressure off the anxiety provoking introduction and connection process.

3. Invite family over for dinner. You can consider choosing members you feel most close or comfortable with or those who you want to get to know better, and set a theme for a dinner party. If you are in a relationship, consider having favorite members of both yours and your partner's family over together. This can deepen pre-existing relationships and lead to more regular family events and connections.

If you find your child or yourself having a little more difficulty making friends than you would like, speaking with a psychologist may help identify barriers and provide ideas for help moving past them.

Written by: Lepage Associates Solution-Based Psychological and Psychiatric Services, 5842 Fayetteville Road, Suite 106, Durham, NC 27713 www.lepageassociates.com

Mommy Monday: Handling Unwanted Advice

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:39:00 +0000

“Help! I’m getting so frustrated with the endless stream of advice I get from my mother-in-law and brother! No matter what I do, I’m doing it wrong. I love them both, but how do I get them to stop dispensing all this unwanted advice?”

Just as your baby is an important part of your life, he is also important to others. People who care about your baby are bonded to you and your child in a special way that invites their counsel. Knowing this may give you a reason to handle the interference gently, in a way that leaves everyone’s feelings intact. Regardless of the advice, it is your baby, and in the end, you will raise your child the way that you think best.

So it’s rarely worth creating a war over a well-meaning person’s comments. You can respond to unwanted advice in a variety of ways:

Listen first

It’s natural to be defensive if you feel that someone is judging you; but chances are you are not being criticized; rather, the other person is sharing what they feel to be valuable insight. Try to listen - you may just learn something valuable. Disregard If you know that there is no convincing the other person to change her mind, simply smile, nod, and make a non-committal response, such as, “Interesting!” Then go about your own business...your way.

Agree

You might find one part of the advice that you agree with. If you can, provide wholehearted agreement on that topic. Pick your battles If your mother-in-law insists that baby wear a hat on your walk to the park, go ahead and pop one on his head. This won’t have any long-term effects except that of placating her. However, don’t capitulate on issues that are important to you or the health or well-being of your child. Steer clear of the topic if your brother is pressuring you to let your baby cry to sleep, but you would never do that, then don’t complain to him about your baby getting you up five times the night before. If he brings up the topic, then distraction is definitely in order, such as, “Would you like a cup of coffee?”

Educate yourself

Knowledge is power; protect yourself and your sanity by reading up on your parenting choices. Rely on the confidence that you are doing your best for your baby. Educate the other person If your “teacher” is imparting information that you know to be outdated or wrong, share what you’ve learned on the topic. You may be able to open the other person’s mind. Refer to a study, book, or report that you have read. Quote a doctor Many people accept a point of view if a professional has validated it. If your own pediatrician agrees with your position, say, “My doctor said to wait until she’s at least six months before starting solids.” If your own doctor doesn’t back your view on that issue, then refer to another doctor - perhaps the author of a baby care book.

Be vague

You can avoid confrontation with an elusive response. For example, if your sister asks if you’ve started potty training yet (but you are many months away from even starting the process), you can answer with, “We’re moving in that direction.”

Ask for advice!

Your friendly counselor is possibly an expert on a few issues that you can agree on. Search out these points and invite guidance. She’ll be happy that she is helping you, and you’ll be happy you have a way to avoid a showdown about topics that you don’t agree on.

Memorize a standard response

Here’s a comment that can be said in response to almost any piece of advice: “This may not be the right way for you, but it’s the right way for me.”

Be honest

Try being honest about your feelings. Pick a time free of distractions and choose your words carefully, such as, “I know how much you love Harry, and I’m glad you spend so much time with him. I know you think you’re helping me when you give me advice about this, but I’m comfortable with my own approach, and I’d really appreciate if you’d understand that.”

Find a mediator

If the situation is putting a strain on your relationship with the advice-giver, you may want to ask another person to step in for you. Search out like-minded friends Join a support group or on-line club with people who share your parenting philosophies. Talking with others who are raising their babies in a way that is similar to your own can give you the strength to face people who don’t understand your viewpoints.

Originally posted by The Mommies Network

Photo by David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Do You Have Flower Power?

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Are you looking for some curb appeal? Do you need to beautify your backyard? Spring planting season may be a few months away, but there's no better time than now to grow with BaltimoreMommies! We've partnered with Flower Power to bring you a fabulous fundraiser to help you plan the garden of your dreams.

Flower Power sells quality flower bulbs with a 100 percent money-back guarantee. Gorgeous geraniums, tantalizing tiger lilies, and beautiful begonias are just a few of the many bulbs available and ready to be shipped to your door. This fundraiser runs Jan. 22–March 20, 2012, and your bulbs will arrive in April and May, just in time for beautiful summer blooms.

So save some gas and the trip to your local nursery or big-box store, and plan your perfect garden from the comfort of your computer. Visit http://www.flowerpowerfundraising.com/i/t/240177/0Qns064NE1q9 to view the enormous array of flower bulbs, and spring into Flower Power and BaltimoreMommies' fabulous fundraiser!

Special bonus: Spend $40 or more to receive a free bag of 10 Twilight gladiolus, a $10 value.

Grow with us!

Profits made through our fundraising link go toward our chapter's operating expenses.

Foodie Friday: Not So Philly Cheesesteak

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 17:25:00 +0000

I call this the not so Philly Cheese steak because there is no Velveeta or Cheez Whiz in it. That is also why the color is off, it's not your monitor. I have been craving cheese steaks for a few days and when I went to the grocery store yesterday there was a worker there handing out coupons for $1 off of cheese and cheese products. She had a ton and kept handing them out, I ended up with 10 eight ounce bags of shredded cheese (different varieties but all Kraft) for .25 cents each and cream cheese bricks that ended up being 9 cents each. So cheese steaks it was. I figured a cheese sauce with a roux was my best bet. Veggies meat were a no brainier. This is an easy peasy, lemon squeezy dish. (Diva says that. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy.) The girls and I shared the goodness pictured above, then Diva had another half. BTW- is it one word? or two words? Cheese steak?

Makes 4-6 sandwiches.

2 bell peppers- sliced into strips
1 medium onion- sliced into strips
1 pkg mushrooms sliced (8 ounces)
3-4 tablespoons of butter or olive oil
3/4-1 pound or sliced rib eye (you can use thin sliced round, sirloin or strip)
2 cloves of garlic minced
kosher salt
fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional but flavorful)

Cheese Sauce

2 tablespoons butter
1 clove garlic minced
2 ounces cream cheese
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar

2 cups milk

fine ground white pepper

Steak rolls

When slicing the vegetables watch out for little girls who love raw onions (ewww) and she tried the mushrooms, just two pieces. She loves cooked peppers, not raw.

Prep the vegetables...

Slice the meat and mince the garlic. I seasoned the meat with the dry spices. Set them aside while you make the cheese sauce.

Melt the butter in a sauce pan on medium heat. Once the butter gets foamy add the garlic and let it cook until fragrant.

Sprinkle the flour into the pan and cook it until the flour no longer smells raw but nutty.

This is just a basic roux. Season with white pepper, and salt if you're adding salt.

Add about 1/2 cup milk. Whisk so there are no lumps of flour.

Whisk in the cream cheese until melted. Add remaining milk.

Whisk in shredded cheese a little at a time making sure it is incorporated and melted after each addition. If the sauce is too thick add a little milk.

You want to take this sauce to the point where it's a bit on the thin side because as it sits it will thicken some more. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

In a frying pan add 1 tablespoon of butter or olive oil. Cook half of the minced garlic until fragrant.

Add the vegetables, season with salt and pepper and cook until tender or crisp/tender.

Set the cooked vegetables aside. Cover to keep warm.

In the same pan heat the remaining butter/oil and cook the garlic until fragrant. Make sure the pan is hot. Add the beef and cook, season with Worcestershire and oyster sauce.

To assemble, place meat and vegetables a steak roll and cover with cheese.

Post provided by the Please Give Peas a Chance Blog.

Reminder: Ring in the New Year With TMN!

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The New Year's parties may have ended, but our sponsorship promotion hasn't! We're still ringing in the New Year at The Mommies Network with an incredible deal that will have you reaching for your noisemakers.

Moms may have the greatest buying power, sharing business experiences and trends with one another. And since women make more than 80 percent of all purchasing decisions and control two thirds of the nation’s disposable income, targeting this group benefits your company. Resolve to reach this influenial portion of the population by taking advantage of this limited-time promotion.

With all new/renewed sponsorship agreements, your business will receive a complimentary blog feature (advertorial to include logo/product image and 500 words). Prepaid agreements receive a 5 percent discount and a complimentary two months on one sponsorship listing. Sponsors also receive 20 percent off event sponsorships. Offer expires Jan. 31, 2012.

The end of the month is just around the corner, so what are you waiting for? Celebrate with TMN by taking advantage of this amazing deal.

For more details on how your business can ring in the New Year with moms across the nation, please contact Jessica Van Dyke at Jessica.VanDyke@TheMommiesNetwork.org.

TMN Weigh-In Challenge News

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Hello, and Happy New Year to everyone!

My name is Karen Skidmore, and I am the owner of Completely Fit, a personal training and fitness company located in Mount Airy, Md. I am a team leader for one of the groups in The Mommies Network Weigh-In Challenge.

All my team members have started off strong and are working very hard to accomplish their goals. They were asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire about their current nutritional and fitness habits, and answer questions about what changes they wanted to create. Based on that information, I have helped each person come up with a detailed action plan that will not only help to accomplish her goals, but more importantly, help to improve her lifestyle.

If you are looking to make a change in your life but are not a part of the Weigh-In Challenge, you too can do it with just a few small changes at a time.

If your nutrition is off track, start by taking away one unhealthy food once a week and replacing it with a healthy food.

If your exercise routine is off track, start by finding something you really enjoy doing — walking, biking, or swimming — and adding 10 minutes of that exercise to your day. Before you know it, exercise will have become a daily routine.

Be sure to track your results, as we do much better when we can see our progress.

I am very excited to be a part of this group and team, and I look forward to reporting our successes back to you each month. — Karen Skidmore, Completely Fit

Mommy Monday Perspective: Life as a Homeschool Mom

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 10:38:00 +0000

If I were to meet you on the street today, I would introduce myself as Heather, a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom of my daughters who are six and three. You would ask me my thoughts on the public school system and about my choice to keep them home, then about my method of teaching, and the curriculum I use. I would smile and say all the right things. I would tell you just how much I love it, how passionate I am about being their teacher, and how confident I am that this is the right choice for my family.

But that wouldn't really be the truth. You see, more often than not I have no idea what I am doing. I second guess every decision. Homeschooling was never something I imagined myself doing, so I wonder how I got to this point, and what I was thinking. And some days I allow myself to dream about that big yellow bus pulling up in front of my house and taking my children away for the next six hours.

I love my girls dearly, of course. But the days are long, and the weeks are hectic. And I rarely get a few minutes to think, let alone have a conversation with another adult. We have days that we wake up early, get dressed and into our school room right away. And then we have others where I realize we are still in our pajamas at noon and I haven't even opened a workbook, or answered a single question. Guilt and fear are par for the course in motherhood, but in my life they are exacerbated by being primarily responsible for my children's education.

I believe that right now they learn so much through play, and have a natural curiosity to explore the world around them. But secretly, I worry that I am not smart enough to teach them all they need to know. I question whether my methods really are the best. And I'm afraid that I am doing them a huge disservice by not exposing them to a more structured learning environment. As I start asking myself questions, I become riddled with the fear that while homeschooling is what I want for my girls, I might not be cut out for it.

But then...something miraculous happens. My youngest daughter will count to twenty, correctly read the letters off a sign as we pass by, and ask for her mountain of books at bedtime. My oldest daughter will flawlessly name the planets, sound out letters, and proudly find Italy on the world map. They will ask for more rhyming games, and sight words. They will demand just one more sheet of school work. They will run to their dad when he walks through the door, eager to tell them what they learned about that day. And they will beg to have school on Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays.

And in those moments, I realize that something is working! So a more accurate representation of the truth is that I am a stay-at-home/homeschooling mom of two. It is harder than I expected it to be. I don't know if I am making the right choices all the time. But my children are learning! And they are loving it!! And that hunger for knowledge is exactly what I wanted to instill in them all along.

On BaltimoreMommies, we have a Homeschooling board for moms to discuss curriculum and adventures. Moms can also find a local resource at the Baltimore Home School Community Center with more info here.

written by Heather from UnionCountyMommies
photos by FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Foodie Friday: Freezer Cooking Meal Swap

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 11:19:00 +0000

{guest post}

I do not like to cook, but like most people, I like to eat. I also want to provide nutritional, low-cost and delicious meals for my family. For me, the hardest part of getting a meal together is the actual planning of each meal. I would often find myself frustrated and tired at the end of the day, with nothing planned for dinner. So, I would call my husband and ask him to stop on his way home and pick up fast food, or we would order pizza, or we would load up into the car and go out to eat. We would spend too much money, we weren’t eating healthy foods and we were cranky.

I commiserated with a girlfriend about my plight over lunch one day and she was excited to tell me about something she heard about at a meeting for busy moms – freezer cooking. My first thought was “Oh gross.” I thought of meat with freezer burn, mushy vegetables and an unhappy, hungry family. She said she had this great book and it had wonderful recipes and great tips for how to freeze the food properly. Then she told me the meal I was eating was from the book. I dropped my fork and asked her for the book. She handed me what I now consider my freezer cooking Bible “30 Day Gourmet’s Big Book of Freezer Cooking.” (https://www.facebook.com/30DayGourmetFreezerCooking)

That very day my friend and I decided to do a cooking swap. We looked through the book and each chose four recipes that we liked, so that between us we had eight recipes. We decided to make enough for each of us to have two of each meal, so that at the end we would have sixteen individual meals each. It is so easy to make different portion sizes with this book because they do the math for you.

Here is what you need to do a freezer swap of your own:

Step One
Find a friend or friends with similar eating habits as your family.

Step Two
Look at recipes and decide ahead of time what each person will make. It is important to talk about what each person will make ahead of time so you do not end up with too many of the same meal. Part of the reason for doing a freezer swap is to get variety in your meals.

Sample of Freezer friendly recipes
Breakfast - http://lifeasmom.com/2010/08/freezer-fr ... cipes.html
Lunch - http://www.momsbudget.com/freezercookin ... ideas.html
Dinner - http://www.freezerdinner.com/

Step Three
Decide when and how you will swap meals. Some people like to get together and do the cooking together. We decided to cook in our own homes and bring all the food together.

Step Four
Decide how you will divide the meals. Do you want to divide the food as the meals are cooked? Do you want to divide the meals once you are all together? You also need to determine what kinds of containers you will use to store the meals once they are in the freezer. I have a vacuum sealer and prefer to use it to preserve my meals before storing them, but it is not necessary to do so.

Step Five
Once you have made all the important decisions, it is time to shop for your ingredients. Check your store fliers for sales to get the best deals. Or, if you are like me, stock up on meats and other staples as they go on sale and pick your recipes based on what you already have in your home.

Step Six
Get together. Whether you have decided to prep and cook your meals individually or as a group, you need to swap meals. Have a sample of your meals for each participant to taste. Share your recipes and be sure to include the cooking instructions for each meal. Have a drink, talk and relax. You got a lot accomplished!

Post submitted by Melissa from TriangleMommies.com

Mommy Monday: Moms' 6 biggest sleep mistakes, and how to fix them

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:52:00 +0000

You are how you sleep. It's the one-third of your life that most affects the two others. Of course, when your kids are young and you need lots of energy to get through the day, getting a good night's rest can be challenging.

If you're not sleeping well, you're not alone:

Two-thirds of women report symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights a week.

The average woman over age 30 sleeps only six hours and 41 minutes a night. No doubt, moms of babies or toddlers are lucky to get that much!

As a mom, some of the very things you do in the name of good parenting can compromise your sleep. Here are some common mistakes moms make, and how to fix them so you can sleep like a baby, or, even better, like a well-rested adult. (Parenting.com: Guaranteed ways to get decent rest.)

Mistake: Trying to get everything done after the kids go to bed "As soon as my daughters are tucked in at eight, I clean, iron, pay the bills, and so on," says Mercedes Gray, a mom of three in Ontario, California. Instead of winding down before her own bedtime, she speeds up. By 11 p.m., Gray says, "I'm so keyed up that it takes me a while to fall asleep."

A better approach: Don't use all of your free time to multitask. Just as your child needs a bedtime routine that settles her down for the night, so do you. "Thirty to sixty minutes before your bedtime, begin to do things that relax you," says Clete Kushida, M.D., director of the Stanford University Center for Human Sleep Research. "Take a bath, read quietly, watch a favorite show, whatever works. If possible, minimize your exposure to bright light during this time. Follow a similar pattern every night and your body gets conditioned to expect that it's time for bed, so you'll fall asleep more easily." If you have a snack, try small portions of low-fat carbs, such as toast with a little jam or cereal with milk. Want a drink? Chamomile tea and honey are both natural sedatives. Just don't eat a big meal within three hours of going to bed. Digesting a large amount of food has been shown to make you less sleepy.

Mistake: Staying in your child's room until he falls asleep Your child will become dependent on you to nod off. And when he awakens in the middle of the night (as everyone does), he won't be able to fall back to sleep on his own. Not only will you not get enough sleep, but it'll also be fragmented, and not very restorative. (Parenting.com: How to keep your preschooler out of your bed. )

A better approach: Pave the way for your child to sleep in his own room by himself. "Stick to a specific bedtime," says Dr. Kushida. "Tell him that if he needs to use the bathroom or get a drink of water, he should do it beforehand. Follow a soothing routine -- perhaps a bath and reading together -- then say good night and leave." Naturally, your child isn't going to like this at first. When my son, Liam, was a toddler, we got into the habit of playing a tape of kids' songs to lull him to sleep. The problem? If he woke up during the night, the music wouldn't be on, and he'd yell "Tape!" in a blood-curdling scream. My husband or I would run to play the tape, bleary-eyed from the interrupted sleep. So we decided to cut him off cold turkey, which involved two horrible nights of Liam crying himself to sleep. We felt like the worst parents in the world. By the third night, though, he grumbled a little and started to snooze in about five minutes. So stay firm. Your child will eventually adapt to your new routine and everyone will catch more zzz's.

Mistake: Sleeping late on the weekends when your husband can watch the kids Of course it's tempting, and you deserve the break. But sleep regularity is just as important as sleep quantity, says Amy Wolfson, Ph.D., author of "The Woman's Book of Sleep." "If you've been sleep-deprived all week, getting a little extra on the weekends may be beneficial. But don't overdo it, or you'll throw off your sleep/wake cycle and Monday morning will be brutal."

A better approach: By all means, take your husband up on the offer. Just don't sleep in longer than one hour, which is enough to make you feel refreshed. Consider doing something else with the extra time -- take a walk with a friend or read the Sunday paper uninterrupted.

Mistake: Not exercising at all or exercising too close to bedtime Physical activity can help you nod off more easily and improve the quality of your sleep. How? No one knows for sure, but there are theories: It may help regulate your body's circadian rhythms. Or, because exercise raises body temperature during the day, your body may try to lower its temperature at night, which makes you drowsy. Or perhaps exercise cuts down on anxiety and other problems that may interfere with sleep. Exercising close to your bedtime, though, can make you too wired and your body too warm to sleep. (Parenting.com: Making fitness fun. )

A better approach: Be active during the day if possible, but not within two to three hours of bedtime. In a recent study, women who worked out first thing in the morning reaped the most sleep benefits. If you take your child to preschool every day and you don't have to rush to work, wear workout clothes and exercise right after. Aim for 30 to 60 minutes per day of aerobic activity. Even a brisk 10-minute walk three times a day helps. To fit exercise into her busy day, Lynn Lombard of Akron, New York, turned her basement -- where she keeps exercise equipment -- into a playroom for her 4-year-old. "That's the only place in the house where Amanda's allowed to paint or use Play-Dough, so she loves being down there, and I get to work out in peace." She also started planning dinners in advance, so she has more time to work out.

Mistake: Napping when your baby naps This classic advice applies only when you're getting up every few hours at night to feed your newborn. Once he's a few months old and sleeping longer -- and especially if he's sleeping through the night and you are, too-- you don't need to nap much. Babies should get about 15 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period. You need about eight. If you snooze for three hours during the day, you may have trouble sleeping at night.

A better approach: If you're tired, take a catnap at about the same time every day. Ten to 20 minutes will help you feel refreshed for another couple of hours. Doze much longer than that and you can wake up feeling groggy and worse than you did before.

Mistake: Ignoring your health issues You'd never miss a well-baby checkup, but when was your last physical? Many treatable conditions interfere with a good night's sleep, including PMS, asthma, restless leg syndrome and bladder problems. (Going to the bathroom once in the middle of the night is normal; going three or four times is not.) About 50 percent of people who have chronic insomnia have an underlying psychiatric issue, such as anxiety disorder or depression. (Parenting.com: Why you shouldn't lie to your doctor. )

A better approach: See your doctor if you think any health concerns are affecting your sleep. All of the problems mentioned above can be helped with medication and lifestyle changes. Says Nancy Collop, M.D., spokeswoman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "You don't have to suffer."

Originally posted by The Mommies Network
photos provided by Danilo Rizzuti/Freedigitalimages.net

Foodie Friday: Mini Salsa Meatloaves

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:29:00 +0000

Mini Salsa Meatloaves

This is a super-fast meal that your kids will love.

You'll need...

2 large egg whites
1/3 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chipotle salsa, divided
1/4 cup ketchup, divided
1 pound ground beef, extra lean
Cooking spray
Green beans, steamed

To make...

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Combine egg whites in a large bowl, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in oats, 1/2 cup salsa, and 2 tablespoons ketchup. Add beef; mix well by hand. Divide beef mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into an oval-shaped loaf. Coat a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray. Place loaves on prepared pan.

3. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until done.

4. Combine remaining 2 tablespoons salsa and remaining 2 tablespoons ketchup in a small bowl; spread mixture evenly over loaves.

5. Serve with green beans.

ENJOY!

Nutrition-
190 calories. 6g fat. 10.9g carb

Recipe submitted by Becka (MomTo4) from SaratogaCountyMommies

Mommy Monday: Clutter Busting in the New Year

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:16:00 +0000

Let's face it, where there are kids clutter is sure to follow. Kids are natural born hoarders whose rooms are notorious for being a cluttered mess. At times you may have even wondered if a tornado just ripped through there or if perhaps the place was possibly burglarized while you were loading the dryer. One never knows. As much as you'd like to, you will never completely eliminate the clutter. But, there are a few things that you can do to get it under control and make life much easier for everyone. Avoid the impulse to tackle this project all on your own, instead use this as an opportunity to teach your child responsibility and the basics of organization. The time you invest now will pay huge dividends in the long run.

Step One: Clear The Clutter!
The very first step towards bringing calm and order to the chaos is getting rid of the clutter. Start by sorting through everything in the room and remove as much as possible that doesn't NEED to be there starting with the floor. Well...you do NEED the floor, but you get what I mean.
I find that using three large bags or boxes marked donate, trash, and keepers works well for making quick work of this step. Just grab the item and toss it right into it's new home. Yeah, we can see a floor again!

Step Two: Stow The Stuff
Now that you've cleared the clutter, step two involves organizing and storing what's left using kid friendly storage items such as bins, bookshelves, clear containers, cubbies, hooks, etc. Every item will need a place to call "home." The key here is finding an easy system that's right for your child and will motivate them to be and stay organized.
If you find that even after the big purge your child still has too many toys and books or you just want to limit the amount of stuff in your child's room in general, rotate them. Just pop a few of them into a box and stash them away. After about a month or so, pull them down and trade them out. Rinse and repeat. They'll get a real hoot out of re-discovering their "new" old toys.

Step Three: Maintain Order (No, really)
Ok, so now that the hard part of clearing the clutter and stowing the stuff is out of the way, it's time to set some simple ground rules to help make staying tidy and organized a part of each day. In addition to the usual "put it away when you're done," I find that having a "Morning Pick-up
Routine" and an "Evening Pick-up Routine" really helps us a lot.
This will help them to stay ahead of any messes that would have otherwise accumulated during the week making it one large project to tackle over the weekend. That's no fun! Speaking of "staying ahead of messes," here's a tip inside of a tip. Set up a "Donation Station" in a place where everyone has access. Whatever works best for your family, a hall closet, laundry room, garage, etc. Whenever family members come across something that they no longer want or use, it goes into the "Donation Box." When the box is full, drop it off at your local donation center.
Your family will benefit in 3 ways:
1.) You enjoy a less cluttered home
2.) You help other families
3.) You get a tax deduction (be sure to ask for a receipt)
Everyone's a winner!
Don't worry if your child's bedroom doesn't exactly look like a page torn from the latest Pottery Barn Kids catalog. (A girl can always dream right?) That's not the goal. What's important is that they learn to be responsible for their own things. A valuable lesson that will serve them well for years to come.

Originally posted on The Mommies Network

Happy New Year, BaltimoreMommies!!

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 10:47:00 +0000

It's been a fantastic year at BaltimoreMommies! We have had said our hellos to new members on the board and continued our membership level of 500 moms. We've had new faces on our staff and said goodbye to some amazing volunteers. We celebrate a year of growth and change, much like your little ones. We don't take our moms for granted, we strive to do more for you and your families in the new year and we hope you'll post more, attend more events, and if you find yourself with a little extra time - please do, volunteer for the site. It's very rewarding!!

Happy New Year to you and yours from your volunteer staff at BaltimoreMommies!!!

Foodie Friday: Hot Chocolate Fun

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:31:00 +0000

These treat spoons are fun to make and can make a ho-hum cup of hot cocoa super fun. {Found on Pinterest}. Easy to personalize and use favorite treats.

Or after a morning of sledding (or shoveling the walk), come inside to this fun hot chocolate bar. {Found on Pinterest} Great idea for winter playdates and Mom's Night In gatherings too. (with a favorite adult beverage added)

How about your toppings? Look at this fun way to make stencils to top your cocoa. Or cut your marshmallows into shapes for some fancy foodie fun.

Mommy Monday: Have a Happy New Year Without the Resolutions

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 20:59:00 +0000

Well it is that time again…have you made your New Year’s Resolution? I say, let’s just abandon that tradition all together and be more practical about our goals! My New Year’s Resolutions have been broken so many times that I find I am no longer bothered when I lose my way before February! This year, banish that idea of setting a goal to accomplish sometime over the next 365 days. Usually our goals are too big or too vague and a whole year is much too long for us to stay focused (especially since we have this little distraction called children). This year, let’s meet our goals all year long.

My resolution has always been to lose weight, get fit, be smaller (does this sound familiar to anyone else?). Since I spent all of last year gaining weight (I was pregnant) and most of this year giving all of my attention to my daughter…I still need that resolution. Earlier this year I decided that I could not wait for New Year’s Day to for a resolution to lose weight, get fit, be smaller, be healthier! I had to be proactive! As a nutritionist and a fitness instructor, who would have thought that I would need to find ways to motivate myself to become healthier?

Here is another revelation that I had…children are not automatically conducive to a healthy lifestyle for moms. I ate whatever I could grab with one hand or quickly while she napped, and I did not exercise because I was so wrapped up in her schedule that I gave up having one at all! I am with moms everyday and I know that I am not the only one who forgot about myself and focused solely on my baby. So for both of us, these are the keys we have all heard before but rarely been able to implement into our lives for meeting our goals to lose weight, get fit, and be healthy!

Here is the first one…BEGIN! Don’t wait for some perfect time when you are not busy, don’t have a party to go to, the baby is not fussy, and the planets are aligned. Can you think of a time when you were lounging without a “to do” list, had no one around you tempting you with unhealthy foods, and the baby was in a perfect mood or better yet napping? I didn’t think so. That time will never come. Make a plan to get over the obstacle of the moment and those yet to come. Whatever you do, just begin working toward your goal.

Here is the second one…INCORPORATE exercise and eating healthy into your daily life and needs. Some obvious ways to add exercise to your daily life are to park further away at the store, take the stairs, do squats during commercial breaks, do calf raises while waiting in line. Find ways to incorporate your little one into your goals. Children need to eat healthy, so eat healthy together (baby eats carrots, mom eats carrots). You should also try to eat with your little ones, not only are you teaching them by example but you are also eating more frequently which is good for your metabolism! Try to meet your “mom needs” with exercise and eating well. If you need a Mom’s Night Out or to reconnect with your girl friends, sign up for a class or lesson together or just meet to take a walk on a regular schedule. If you need to be with other moms to share your victories and challenges, join a mom’s group that exercises together before they go out for coffee or encourage your current group to add a date that includes exercise. Be creative and work a little exercise into your day in a way that you enjoy or don’t notice!

Here is the third one…set a REASONABLE and MEASURABLE GOAL! If you want to lose 30 pounds set a goal to lose 5 by the end of January. That is a little over one pound a week which is reasonable and measurable, and you are not setting yourself up for disappointment by having a goal that is too hard to attain. If running a 5K (3.1 miles) is your goal, then set a goal to walk that far at least once a week and create a plan to gradually increase your running on the other 2-3 days a week. Don’t be vague about what you want or when you want to attain it. Make the goal measurable, break it into a small piece, and set a deadline.

Here is the last one…FORGIVE yourself when you stray from your plan. If you go out to eat and abandon your vow to not eat fried foods, forgive yourself and get back to your plan by the next meal. Don’t figure the whole day, weekend, or week is ruined and go on a bad food eating binge. If you bail on your exercise all week because you are busy, jump right back in first chance you get. Don’t feel like you have to exercise three extra times this week because you did not exercise last week. Getting back to your regular schedule is the best way to recover without overdoing it.

I know that these keys to success are basic, and I bet that you all have read these tips before in a magazine. We all possess the keys and knowledge to be healthier moms. Sometimes it is so easy to get caught up in our children, our husband, our house, our job that we forget about

OURSELVES! When we decide to focus on improving ourselves (usually January 1st) it seems like we have to catch up for a whole year. Not this year. This year, I am going to improve myself all year with little goals that I can reach by incorporating them into my life. Hopefully, instead of beating myself up for not keeping my New Years Resolutions, I will be toasting myself for all of my accomplishments! Have a Happy and Healthy New Year!

Originally posted by The Mommies Network
photos provided by freedigitalphotos.net

New Years for the Littles 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 20:27:00 +0000

One of the biggest challenges of celebrating New Year's Eve with kids is that the pinnacle of the party is well past their bedtimes. Well, quite frankly it’s past mine too. But there are plenty of child-friendly (bedtime friendly) options in the Baltimore area to ring in 2012 as a family.

Downtown Baltimore:

We’ve enjoyed ringing in the new year at noon in the past at the Maryland Science Center. They have craft stations to make party hats and noise makers plus you can dance in the new year with Milkshake (doors at 10am/concert at 11:30am). All activities for Midnight Noon are free with paid admission and are free for members. Advance tickets are recommended. More info here.

Port Discovery hosts their annual Noontime New Year. Enjoy this masquerade themed extravaganza with mask making, live music and performances, fairy dust face painting, a magic show, Chinese and Korean dancers, carnival games, live animals, circus-style performances. Toast in the new year with your family in this fun atmosphere!

Columbia, MD area:

Symphony of Lights Festival "Midnight at 7". Families can walk the 1.4 miles through hundreds of animated light displays, enjoying food and music too. Fireworks at 7pm. Registration is $20 (but group discounts). More info here.

Annapolis:

New Year’s Annapolis a family-oriented event including live musical entertainment, two fireworks displays, an early show for families and early-risers and a traditional midnight spectacular to ring in 2011. Admission is free this year (no buttons/badges required).

Schedule of Entertainment:
• 3:00 - 7:30 p.m. Family Friendly Entertainment - "New Year's Around the World" theme.
• 7:30 p.m. Early Bird Fireworks Display
• 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. Party on the Dock with 8 Ohms Band
• 10:00 p.m. - midnight Party on the Dock with Higher Hands Band
• Midnight - Fireworks Spectacular!

Celebrating at home as a family?
Here are some great ideas for fun activities, menu, crafts and games for kids and adults to enjoy:

Family Fun Magazine's New Years Fun
New Years Crafts & Activities

Foodie Friday: Celebrate Peppermint

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 09:18:00 +0000

If there is one taste that really says "holidays" and "winter" to me, it's the taste of peppermint. We've rounded up some great recipes from Pinterest that are great to make with the kids.

The cupcakes above were found here. Look at that whole party - wow, what a great inspiration.

Peppermint mixed in with rice krispie treats here with these Peppermint Rice Krispie Snowballs. They look easy and the presentation is just so cute!

And these combine the taste of shortbread with chocolate and a splash of peppermint. Recipe Girl's Peppermint Chocolate Bark Cookies.

Cloth Diapering Momics

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 21:33:00 +0000

Illustration by Rainey Niklawski from RichmondMommies.com, A3 for The Mommies Network

If you enjoy drawing or designing mom-centered comics of your own, consider contributing to our weekly "Momics" column! Send us an email at blogs@themommiesnetwork.org

Mommy Monday: Traveling with Kids ~ Holiday Edition

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 09:56:00 +0000

Taking a Road Trip with Your Baby or Young Child
originally posted by TriadMommies

To Grandmother’s house we go! And you’ll be in the car for five whole hours - how can you make the trip enjoyable with a baby along? Learn about it There’s no question: Marathon car trips with a baby on board take a good amount of planning and organization. But it can be done - and yes, it can even be fun! Planning the trip In the hustle that precedes a trip, it can be easy to let things happen, instead of make things happen.

Be proactive in making your trip decisions. Contemplating these questions, and coming up with the right answers, can help make your trip more successful:

Does your baby sleep well in the car? If yes, plan your travel time to coincide with a nap or bedtime so your baby can sleep through part of the journey. If not, plan to leave immediately after a nap or upon waking in the morning.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking your baby will behave differently than usual in the car just because it’s a special occasion. Is it necessary to make the trip all at once, or can you break it up with stops along the way? The longer your baby is strapped in the car seat, the more likely he’ll become fussy. Planning a few breaks can keep everyone in a better frame of mind.

When estimating an arrival time, have you factored in plenty of extra time for unplanned surprises? A diaper explosion that requires a complete change of clothes or a baby whose inconsolable crying requires an unexpected 20-minute stop are just two of the things that can easily happen. -Do you have everything you need to make the trip pleasant?

Items like:
~Window shades to protect your baby from the sun and create a darker, nap-inducing atmosphere.
~A cooler for cold drinks; a bottle warmer if needed.
~Plenty of toys that are new or forgotten favorites saved just for the trip.
~Baby-friendly music on tape or CD.
~A rear-view baby mirror to keep on eye on baby (unless a second person will be sitting with your little one)
~Books to read to your baby.

Preparing the car:
Take plenty of time to get the car ready for your trip. If two adults are traveling, consider yourself lucky and arrange for one person to sit in the backseat next to the baby. If you are traveling alone with your little one, you’ll need to be more creative in setting up the car, and you’ll need to plan for more frequent stops along the way.

Here are a few tips for making the car a traveling entertainment center for your baby:
~Use ribbon or yarn and safety pins or tape to hang an array of lightweight toys from the ceiling of the car to hang over your baby. An alternative is to string a line from one side of the car to the other with an array of toys attached by ribbons. Bring along an assortment of new toys that can be exchanged when you stop the car for a rest. Just be sure to use small toys and keep them out of the driver’s line of view.
~Tape brightly colored pictures of toys on the back of the seat that your baby will be facing.
~If no one will be sitting next to your baby and your child is old enough to reach for toys, set up an upside-down box next to the car seat with a shallow box or a tray with ledges on top of it. Fill this with toys that your baby can reach for by himself. You might also shop around for a baby activity center that attaches directly to the car seat.
~If you plan to have someone sitting next to baby, then provide that person with a gigantic box of toys with which to entertain the little one - distraction works wonders to keep a baby happy in the car. One of the best activities for long car rides is book reading. Check your library’s early reading section; it typically features a large collection of baby-pleasing titles in paperback that are easier to tote along than board books.
~Bring along an assortment of snacks and drinks for your older baby who’s regularly eating solids, and remember to bring food for yourself, too. Even if you plan to stop for meals, you may decide to drive on through if your baby is sleeping or content - saving the stops for fussy times.
~Bring books on tape or quiet music for the adults for times when your baby is sleeping. The voice on tape may help keep your baby relaxed, and it will be something you can enjoy. -If you’ll be traveling in the dark, bring along a battery-operated nightlight or flashlight.

Car travel checklist:
~Well-stocked diaper bag
~Baby’s blanket
~Car seat pillow or head support
~Window shades (sun screens)
~Change of clothes for your baby
~Enormous box of toys and books
~Music or books on tape or CDs
~Baby food, snacks, and drinks for your baby
~Sipper cups
~Snacks and drinks for the adults
~Cooler
~Wet washcloths in bags, or moist towelettes
~Empty plastic bags for leftovers and trash
~Bottle warmer
~Cell phone
~Baby’s regular sleep music or white noise (if needed, bring extra batteries)
~First aid kit/prescriptions/medications
~Jumper cables
~Money/wallet/purse/ID -Medical and insurance information/emergency phone numbers
~Baby carrier/sling/stroller

During the journey If you’ve carefully planned your trip and prepared your vehicle, you’ve already started out on the right foot. Now keep these things in mind as you make your way down the road:
~Be flexible. When traveling with a baby, even the best-laid plans can be disrupted. Try to stay relaxed, accept changes, and go with the flow.
~Stop when you need to. Trying to push “just a little farther” with a crying baby in the car can be dangerous, as you’re distracted and nervous. Take the time to stop and calm your baby.
~Put safety first. Make sure that you keep your baby in his car seat. Many nursing mothers breast feed their babies during trips. This can be dangerous in a moving car, even if you are both securely belted: You can’t foresee an accident, and your body could slam forcefully into your baby. Instead, pull over and nurse your baby while he’s still in his car seat. That way, when he falls asleep, you won’t wake him up moving him back into his seat.

On the way home you may be so relieved that you lived through your trip that you sort of forget the other trip ahead of you: the trip home. You’ll need to organize the trip home as well as you did the trip out. A few days in advance, make certain that all your supplies are refilled and ready to go. Think about the best time to leave, and plan accordingly. In addition, think about what you learned on the trip to your destination that might make the trip home even easier. Is there something you wish you would have had but didn’t? Something you felt you could have done differently? Did you find yourself saying, “I wish we would have…”? Now is the time to make any adjustments to your original travel plan so that your trip back home is pleasant and relaxed.

Foodie Friday: {Holiday Edition} Magic Reindeer Food

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:05:00 +0000

This is always a fun little family craft to do.

In a small ziploc bag, mix 1/4 cup oatmeal with a 1/4 cup sugar and add sprinkles for color. (you may add other things like nuts and raisins too)

We like to make ours edible for birds so I leave out the glitter of some recipes and use our cupcake sprinkles instead.

Print out a little poem like this:

"Sprinkle on the lawn at night, the moon will make it sparkly bright.

As Santa's reindeer fly and roam, this will guide them to your home."

You can also find free printable versions of labels/toppers here and here.

If you don't celebrate Christmas, this is a wonderful winter craft to celebrate nature. You can leave it out to feed birds & bunnies. You can print this poem:

""Sprinkle on the lawn at night, the moon will make it sparkly bright.

As Winter's Rabbit hops and roams, this will guide them to your home."

Mommy Monday" Take Good Care of a Mother

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:38:00 +0000

It's funny: during my pregnancy, I took really good care of myself plus got a lot of attention and support from my doctor, husband, and relatives. Even strangers would stop me in the market and remind me to get lots of rest. But now, a year after Allie was born, I feel like I've fallen off of everybody's radar. It's like you're expected to do life - go to the job, do housework, drive around, shop, pay bills, get gas, etc. - just like before, as if the infant you're still super responsible for is not a factor at all. But she's a HUGE factor, of course! I think about her all the time, I'm the person who mainly takes care of her when I'm not at work, I still get up at night and don't sleeep that well, and I feel, honestly, more and more run down. And she's just a year old! Where is this going, and why doesn't anybody seem to notice?!

Wow, you definitely said it there. You're totally right: having a child is absolutely a big deal, and there's no longer the strong network of social support for it - from relatives, friends, and neighbors - that there was in generations past, let alone in the hunter-gatherer groups in which humans evolved. And many fathers have not stepped up to fill the vacuum: the average mother is working away about 20 hours a week more than her partner is, whether or not she's drawing a paycheck. As result, the day-to-day -- minute-to-minute -- activities of caring for a young child usually fall mainly to the mother.

Precious Work

It's precious work, certainly. But like everything in life, it has effects. Over time, everything you pour out, everything you do, adds up. Most mothers report feeling pretty worn out and often frazzled by the end of their baby's first year, and our experience is that actually the deepest slump typically occurs a few years after the baby is born, especially if there's been a second child or another significant stressor (like a move, mom goes back to paid work, or the child has a real challenging temperament).

Inevitable Effects

As a result, studies have shown that having one or more children - especially when there's not much support for her role - increases the chance that a woman will experience physical or mental health problems, including fatigue, depressed mood, anxiety, feeling overwhelmed, Type 2 diabetes, nutritional deficits, or autoimmune illnesses. Lack of support also wears on a relationship, breeding resentments, the sense of being let down, no interest in sex, and lots of quarrels. The bottom-line: many mothers get physically andpsychologically depleted during the early years of parenthood, some to the extent that we have proposed that there can be an actual Depleted Mother Syndrome (DMS).

Impacts on the Family

None of this is good for the mother, to be sure. And it cannot help but spill over onto the children, both in terms of less patience and energy for them as well as the impact on them of problems in their parents' relationship. Plus it naturally affects fathers, too. Researchers have found that fathers who are more involved in the daily life of the family and strong teammates with the mother have better mood, more sense of pride in their competence as a parent, and a closer and more satisfying relationship with their partner. Not bad!

A Crying Shame

Even though the effects of maternal stress and depletion are plainly visible in well-documented research - an affect society as a whole through increased healthcare expenses, lost workforce productivity, and the social costs of divorce - there's been shockingly little attention to the needs of mothers.

You're right: as a mother, you disappeared off the radar of the healthcare system after your final postpartum appointment and whether you had a child became medically irrelevant. At the National Institute of Health or the Centers for Disease Control, there's zero attention to the long-term health and well-being of mothers. Few psychology graduate schools teach anything about how to help women with the unique and chronic stresses of raising a family, or how to help couples with kids be strong teammates while preserving an intimate friendship.

In the culture as a whole, a positive sign is a growing willingness to help with postpartum depression and with the longer-term challenges of bearing and rearing children. Nonetheless, mothers still get routinely told that their weariness, blue mood, and out-of-whack bodies are "just in your head, get over it." There's guilt and shame about not being able to live up to models in the media of the woman who can work full-time, have cute and well-mannered kids, stay trim and fit, and have a shiny clean kitchen sink. With the common lack of support for childrearing at many levels - from fathers, from extended family, and from government policies - many mothers feel torn between giving their children the very best and giving their occupation/career the very best . . . . and few are entirely happy with whatever compromise they end up making.

Adding insult to injury, a lot of this gets internalized within mothers, making them feel weak or guilty about doing "selfish" things for themselves, asking for help, or insisting that others pull their fair share of the weight.

It All Starts with Motivation

It will probably be a long time before much changes at the level of government policies or culture. And in our experience, to be blunt, many fathers do not just wake up one day and see the light on their own. Consequently, it is usually up to the mother to take a big breath, stand up, and assert why it's right and proper for her to get appropriate attention, support, and care. Those good reasons are motivating for her and for others -- and that's where everything starts in life: with our intentions.

So please take a look at the box for our list of ten good reasons to support mothers. They're all based on solid experience, research, and ethical reasoning. There's no special treatment here: if men were the ones having babies, the same list would apply to them. And feel free to add reasons of your own!

In Conclusion

Mothers get stressed and depleted over time through the accumulation of a thousand little things. Therefore, it is through doing little things each day that are good for you that you accumulate a growing pile of positive resources for your health, well-being, strong teamwork, and lasting love.

10 Reasons to Take Good Care of a Mother

These are worth knowing for a mother herself, and for anyone who knows her.

1. She's a person - Every human being deserves a chance to be happy and healthy.

2. Her cupboard was already pretty bare - Before their first pregnancy, most mothers don't consume all the recommended vitamins and minerals. Those shelves need re-stocking.

3. Her body's carried a big load - Taken as a whole, pregnancy, childbirth, nursing, and weaning are the most physically demanding activities most people will ever do. Big outputs require big inputs.

4. She does hard work - Studies show that raising young children is more stressful than most jobs. Any kind of demanding work calls for respite and replenishment.

5. She contributes to others - Mothers get worn out not because they've been eating bon-bons, but because every day, for twenty years or more, they've been making a family for innocent and precious children. Their giving gives them moral standing, a valid claim on society's care.

6. It's good for the children - A mother's well-being affects her children in a thousand ways, shaping the the lifetime course of a human life. The best way to take good care of children is to take good care of mothers.

7. It's good for her partner - A mother is much more able to be even-tempered, affectionate, and loving when her mate is an active co-parent, shares the load fairly, and is just plain nice. It's enlightened self-interest for a mother's partner to take good care of her.

8. It's good for the marriage - Mothers who are well-nurtured and have supportive partners are much more likely to stay happily married than those who do not. Besides the rewards for children and their parents, lasting marriages benefit society in many ways, such as bringing stability to communities, lowering demands on the court system, and fostering respect for family.

9. It helps the economy - Maternal stress and depletion increase the nation's medical costs, and they decrease workforce productivity. They're public health problems, and addressing them would add hundreds of billions of dollars each year to our economy (with related benefits to tax revenues).

10. It's good for society - A culture that values caring for those who are vulnerable, giving, and engaged in long-term wholesome projects (like raising children) - e.g., mothers - will be generally more humane and infused with positive values. And that's good for everyone.

And a bonus reason: Being compassionate, considerate, and generous with a mother feels good in itself. It's also a deep form of spiritual practice to "love your neighbor as yourself" - even the one sitting with you at the dining room table.

Originally posted by The Mommies Network
photos provided by FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Foodie Friday: Loaded Baked Potato Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Senior Editor) — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 09:54:00 +0000

Ingredients

10 to 12 potatoes

1 cup butter

1 cup flour (5 ounces if you are using alternative flours)

6 cups whole milk (or cream or half-and-half)

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper (more if desired)

8 ounces sour cream

2 to 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or more to taste)

As much crumbled bacon as you'd like (the more, the better)

Chives, optional, for garnish

Instructions

1. Bake the potatoes, then scoop out the insides, and coarsely mash them, but not too much, as you want it to be chunky. You can use the skin (and have loaded "smashed" potato soup), but my kiddos don't like it, so I save it for other things.

2. In a stock pot, melt butter, and add the flour. mix, and cook for a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until the butter/flour mixture and milk is homogenized.

3. Add potatoes, salt, pepper, bacon bits, chives, and cheese, reserving some of each of the last three for the topping.

4. You can either cook on the stove top until heated through or put in the Crock-Pot and set it on warm or low, depending on how hot your pot gets.

5. Just before serving, mix in the sour cream.

6. Top with cheese, bacon bits, and chives and enjoy!

Notes: This recipe makes 7 quarts of soup, so if you have a smaller family, you'll need to tweak the recipe. you can add other veggies or ham instead of bacon — basically anything that tastes good on a baked potato. we make it with Namaste flour, which is perfect for a gluten-free option, but you'll need to measure the weight out carefully if you do that. One cup of namaste flour seems to be tons more than regular flour.

When reheating this soup, you'll need to add extra milk to thin it out a little. It's a really creamy, but the finer you mash the potatoes, the less lumpy and creamier it will be.

You can freeze the cooked soup for future use, and thaw it in the fridge or Crock-Pot. You may need to add more milk to it, though.

Submitted by Heather C. (naturebaby of TriadMommies).