Becoming Mumma

Comfort and Party Food : A Simple Baked Mac & Cheese Recipe for EVERY Tummy!

2012-01-29T09:36:00.000-07:00

I love trying new recipes on my family. Here is a very simple baked Mac & Cheese they fell in love with! This is also a great recipe for Superbowl Sunday as it makes a great meal for 4 or a great party side dish!

There are some great tweaks to it too so get cooking!!!!

Homemade Baked Mac & Cheese (with or without Bacon and Crispy Topping!)

Cook 1 1/2 cups of pasta of your choice (we like to switch up the noodles). I tend to leave the salt out of the water as it is just extra salt not needed. You can gage how tender you would like your pasta but we like al dente! Set aside your covered pasta in order to begin the ooey gooey cheese...

Take a large, deep skillet and melt 3 Tbsp. of salted butter; whisk in 2 Tbsp. of flour until blended into the butter. Slowly whisk in 2 cups of milk (you can use skim or 1% to lower your fat content) and whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and starts to bubble. Next, whisk in 2 cups of shredded 2% milk cheddar (reduced fat cheese); stir until cheese is melted evenly. Add your cooked pasta into the cheese mixture and stir until pasta is evenly coated. This is a great time to add cooked bacon (we like Turkey Bacon) or any other interesting meat or veggie (diced ham is great and so are peas, finely chopped broccoli or cauliflower and sweet corn). Remove from heat and serve immediately OR lightly butter a 2 quart casserole dish. Bake prepared pasta at 350 for 25-35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown on top. We also like to bake it with a prepared buttery crumb topping! Just melt 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter (takes about 15 seconds in the microwave) and add Italian Style breadcrumbs until crumbly but still wet. Sprinkle on top, then bake until topping begins to brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5-10 minutes and serve!

Happy eating!!! Your tummies will thank you!

xo D

Get Paid Back in Common Cents...Review YOUR Essentials and SAVE!

2012-01-28T14:49:00.001-07:00

Becoming a "Hockey Mum" is expensive so it is time to start saving!

Tuesday began and ended on Saturday. That was the day I decided to review and rework bills common household bills. It should be common sense to constantly review these services to suit our individual family needs. Companies are making BIG bucks on our lack of it because we are inherently lazy in most cases, or just don't thing we can get a better deal and that it is not worth our time to do the research!

We specifically had to review auto/homeowners insurance, cable, Internet and home phone.

Our family is rare, having a home phone service. We have had the same phone number and service for 9 years and initially it was more of a business service faxing from home. Now that we tend to do everything via Internet, we thought about canceling the phone service altogether and just bundle cable and Internet. Cable television is a "want" and according to pricing, keeping the phone service made sense. We enjoy having these services so we kept them although we toyed with the idea of switching from digital cable to Direct TV.

After being tempted with a deal that sounded amazing through Direct TV, by researching and reviewing service options before committing (with no fees for doing so; unless you consider your time a fee because of how they try to sell you on their "deals that can't be touched by any other company") Cox ended up being a much better deal. Not only were Cox's Internet speeds faster for our needs and pricing was very competitive, they were honest about what they were giving us in our package. The trick is to ask questions and really find out what is being offered and what is needed in terms of what your usage is specifically. Direct TV's Internet partner, Century Link, paled in comparison to what we had in terms of Cox's pricing and speed of service, even with bundling!!! Again it was all about what you need and want to use your services for.

If you were moving into a new residence and needed new services, take your pick as they are very competitive. If you have had existing service and have been pretty happy with the company you are dealing with, stick with them but have them re-evaluate your plan on a yearly basis to see if there are ways you can save!
Beware, Direct TV has an early cancellation fee so if you lock yourself into a 24 month contract so if you sign up, lock in and have to move or cancel, you could be stuck with a debit straight out of your account for up to $500+ dollars!!!

When it comes to home and auto insurance, it is really important to re-evaluate your policies every 2-3 years. Most companies renew every 6 months. There are many things you should review and companies are competitive and willing to save you hundreds of dollars when you switch or bundle policies (if you qualify). I believe it is worth your time to review all of the specific amounts of coverages on both home and auto policies.

There are many things people miss when getting coverage. For example, I was reviewing my homeowners insurance line by line and realized I did not understand certain coverages. All you have to do is ask and most agents would be happy to explain coverages to you. I saw something about exterior coverage for detached structures. When I asked them to explain, I realized I was carrying coverage on sheds and fencing I did not have so I took it off and it lowered my cost. I also noticed I was not getting a pretty hefty discount for having a personal security system and fire sprinklers throughout our home. Little things like this can add up to HUGE savings!!! Also, pushing out the start date of the coverage, for some reason, lowered our bill as well! When it came to the auto insurance, as your cars age or you pay off financing there are coverages that can be lowered or eliminated.

We were with Progressive for a couple of years and it was great. When it came to renewing our coverage, a speeding ticket was acquired so we were expecting a rate hike. I evaluated the policy and found out that the jump in price for the speeding ticket (no other violations or claims!) had increased our pricing $150 for 6 months. I thought the increase was extremely high. Apparently Progressive also takes away a discount in addition to the violation on your record so their pricing jumps astronomically. Being that I still had a month to decide on renewal, I shopped around. I found Esurance (now an Allstate company) offered the best deal for almost exact coverage for about $250 less, even with the violation!!!! Esurance was very surprised how much Progressive jumped with one violation!! There are other factors, of course, to take into consideration so it is up to you to keep up with reviewing your needs, especially if you would like to save some money!! It is always okay to shop around!!!

Shop around, evaluate and review early, get the best deals!!!

Go ahead, save your family money!!!!

Woo Hoo!!!

xo D
P.S. In no way am I endorsed by any company mentioned in the above post. I am simply sharing my experience with saving and thought I would share and maybe help someone else save!

Superbowl Jello! Team Color Fun!

2012-01-23T18:02:00.000-07:00

In lieu of the upcoming Superbowl game between the Pats and the Giants, I thought I would write a post regarding one of my favorite sports team-friendly finger-food ideas!

Our entire family enjoys the playoffs for any sport and a few years ago, I threw a party and found a super-cool way to make football playoffs on television, a tad bit more enjoyable for young and old!

Who doesn't love Jell-o?!!!! (Alright, forget all of you Jell-o haters!)

I was looking for snacks to serve at our Superbowl party at our local grocery store and noticed a display of, what looked like, cupcake molds. Turned out they were Jell-o Jiggler molds and they were in the shape of footballs and football helmets!! Attached was a recipe card and a color chart to use certain flavors of this famous, wiggly favorite mix to create fan favorite team colors!!!

It seems like a great time of year to share this fun chart (although it is super cool to help with color forming for other occasions and molds!) so I have scanned it for your viewing and using pleasure!

Now, to find the molds! You can always check eBay, Amazon or your local grocery snack section. The molds I picked up were a promotion and I have not seen them since.

My children and husband love to eat these super-fun treats and they are quick and easy to make. My children usually help too!!

Happy party throwing and I hope this is something that might be a useful addition to your party!

Cheers! xo D!!!!!

Starting the New Year Off Fashionably Late...and Green! Stuff Those Dates!!

2012-01-19T11:13:00.000-07:00

MMM fresh picked!

Everyone does it! What, you ask? New Years! Resolutions! Goal setting!

Halfway through the first month of 2012 down and I have so much to share! So much but some things simply have to simmer before they are ready!

Resolutions were made...to be broken. Goals/challenges are what I am going to call them.

A copy of the January/February of Whole Living Magazine inspired me to try a "detox".

I am not perfect. I am not close to perfect but I do live a healthy lifestyle, so I was just pushing the envelope a little bit by adding a few more "healthy choices" to my own and my family's lives.

The "New Year, New You" plan is a 21 day challenge...and boy, is it a challenge. I definitely had to modify this challenge as I believe one method does not suit the masses, especially myself and my family. The ideas in this challenge are very doable though, even if you do not follow the exact plan.

I began by making a conscious effort to modifying goals, not complete restriction. 100% restriction does not work for me, it is not realistic!

Weight loss is one of the goals that I did not choose to have but is likely one of the most sought after rewards from this challenge. My main goals are to drink more water and work on cutting down on processed foods, added sugar, dairy, gluten and caffeine.

Already, my intake of processed foods, dairy and caffeine were fairly low. I use non-dairy creamer in my now-decaf coffee, try to start my day with smoothies made dairy free and cut out more sugar and processed "convenience" foods.

So far, non-dairy smoothies means just fruit and fresh juice. I am fortunate enough to have an abundance of oranges right now (living on a citrus grove) and juice almost daily. I have an electric citrus juicer and a knock off bullet to make the smoothies. I simply add frozen fruit to the orange juice and blend! I buy a lot of fruit in season and on sale and if it is not all eaten fresh, I freeze it before it goes bad. I do this with veggies too! One of my favorite smoothies is orange-banana-pineapple and blueberry-pineapple-mango! My children even enjoy the juicing process and drinking the juice and the smoothies too!!!

To minimize dairy, I tried unsweetened almond milk. Admittedly, I was skeptical but I actually love it! I have not tried it in smoothies but it works great with cereal!

Two dairy products I have a hard time getting rid of is yogurt and eggs. For me, eggs are a good dairy and so is low fat plain yogurt. Honey is a wonderful, natural sweetener for the yogurt and you can flavor it yourself with fresh fruit and pure vanilla too!

Adding more veggies to meals was another goal. Experimenting with different grains, like quinoa is another interesting goal.

I went to California right before I was to begin all of these wonderful changes and was super lucky to be able to eat at a "healthy" restaurant daily! I had awesome menu items like a green frittatta, made with rappini, quinoa and sprouts, a polenta dish with grilled tofu and a wonderful marinara sauce. Topping off one of my dinners of vegetarian green tamales was SPINACH LEMONADE. That's right, spinach lemonade was the most awesome, strange thing!!! Now if I could only find a recipe that mocks Hugo's!!!

Other than picking up a virus early on, I have kept up with these positive changes that are now becoming habit. My body knows when it eats too much processed food and reacts terribly as a reminder to keep up the good that my body needs!

Add in some yoga, yogalates and cardio and, with all of the above, I have a recipe for Colorful Stamina and Youthful, Energetic Glow!

Still pushing forward. Of course, as stated above, I have not completely restricted myself from certain items. I do not believe that would be realistic. I am trying to lead by example. I have been making simple lifestyle changes that work for me and I like it! My family seems even more open to experimenting with new foods too!

All in all, I learned some really great new recipes and how to cook some really interesting new food...now is there something that will take away all of the clean up?!

BTW Take a look at the recipe for Pistachio Filled Dates with Toasted Coconut!!!! SOOOOOO GOOOD and so easy to make. CLICK HERE for the recipe.

Cheers!

xoD

Merry Christmast to All, And To All A Good Night!

2011-12-25T23:13:00.000-07:00

Namaste and Merry Christmas!

Sharing the wish that came true again this Christmas for me, for all those reading this blog. I wish for you the healthiest and happiest of holidays shared between my amazing family and friends. Though near and far away, our kin sure know how to share cheer!!!! My babies rocked it out this year and are passed out on my husband after a wicked day of sheer enjoyment!

Much love peeps and I will leave it up to you to pick your Christmas Tune of the Day!! (although I am saying "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas")!

xo D

Sharing Make Ahead Breakfast Casserole! Oh, and Spreading Ludachristmas Cheer!

2011-12-24T15:23:00.000-07:00

Merry Ludachristmas all! For those who watch 30 Rock or listen to hip hop, this is nothing new to you...I happened to come across it on my Pandora Run-D.M.C. station. Ludachristmas is the Christmas tune of the day!

Now let me share! I have thus spent most of the day preparing to host Christmas dinner tomorrow with some friends as our immediate family will not be with us this year.

I am excited and loooove to be organized so I found a recipe in my homemade cookbook that my husband's mother contributed. You can make it the night before for refrigerator storage, then in the morning, pop it in the oven! I added my own little Canadian twist too ;)

Maple Sausage Breakfast Casserole

6 eggs

2 cups of milk

1 tsp. salt (I am going to cut that to 1/2 tsp. of sea salt)

1 tsp. dry mustard

2 slices of white bread (cubed; you can sub with whole grain bread)

1 lb browned and drained maple breakfast sausage

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (preferably 2% milk cheese)

Finely chop cooked sausage and set aside.

Beat eggs, cold milk, salt, and mustard.

Layer bread cubes, sausage and cheese. Pour egg mixture over top. Refrigerate overnight.

Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes in a 9x13 pan or glass casserole dish.

Enjoy!!!!!

Serve with ketchup, maple syrup, bacon on the side, fresh fruit!

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve!!!

xo D

Did you find that Pesky Elf Today? : Holiday Share Day 3 : GETTING IT DONE!

2011-12-23T11:19:00.000-07:00

Guess what I am doing today? Yes, that's right...the Christmas Tune of the day is "Christmas Wrapping" by The Waitresses!!!!!!

Day 3 of Sharing is a couple of videos from our Holiday Home to yours! Enjoy!

Watch out for the Elf!

xo D

Sharing Day 2 : Ill Reindeers and Last Minute Advice For Stocking Stuffing Santas...

2011-12-22T09:19:00.001-07:00

Christmas in Hollis!

So my title is simply lyrics to my tune share. Did you guess the Christmas Tune of the Day is "Christmas in Hollis" by Run-D.M.C! This has to be one of my absolute favorite Christmas songs of all time!!! Weird, I know. No bad words at all and my 2 year old daughter loves the "Jingle Bells" and Hip Hop Christmas Carol Samples!!!

In addition to sharing my Christmas Tune of the Day, I have some last minute stocking stuffer ideas for children of all ages (including husbands)!Listen up Santa!!

I will keep this short and sweet...

Sports Card Packs

Trader Joe's Dark Organic Chocolate Bars (or any chocolate for that matter)

Lindt Chocolate Truffles are pretty awesome

Specialized Tree Ornaments

Mini Snow globes

Smencils (find them at Michaels/Joanne Stores)

Oranges and Nuts (a favorite of my Mum)

Mini Bottles of Booze (please limit this to the adults)

Specialty bottles of beer (sold individually)

Makeup

Gift Cards

Printed Deal Certificates (from Groupon, etc...I bought my son Laser Tag for 2)

A nice pen. Yes, a pen.

Nail Polish

Gourmet Candy Canes (or regular ones)

Licorice

Lollipops

Erasers

Makeup Brushes

Jewelery

Hit the less crowded stores like beauty supply stores (Sally), Dollar Stores, and smaller satellite stores to avoid crowds...Santa ;-)

I may have forgotten a few but you get the idea! Just make sure that if your stockings are hung by a fireplace, if "Santa" fills it with flammable or meltable stuffers he should ultimately move it away from the fireplace.

Have a safe and Merry shopping experience.

The 5 Days of Sharing! : Happy Holiday Gift Ideas and Wham!

2011-12-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

www.itunes.com

The Christmas song of the day is "Last Christmas" by Wham! (the original version, not the chicky version stinking around right now).

This holiday season has brought forth with it another noticeable absence from writing . I decided to stop that with 5 days of sharing.

There has been so much I have wanted to share but I am still apprehensive to share all of the ups, downs, insults, injuries and transitional stress that I would like to so I will keep it real and blog lightly up to Christmas day with my daily shares.

Today's Holiday Share is about protecting your goods. Get your mind out of the gutter. Not those goods, your Christmas goods, specifically, electronics.

All of the spoiled-rotten children and adults out there who may be on Santa's Nice List but can really bring out the naughty sometimes, should be asking for some protective gear this year.

The gear I am talking about are accessories like cases for their iPads, iPods, cell phones and other hand-held (technology).

Protecting your investment is super-important, especially if you are a butter-fingers, like, perhaps, my husband and children. Extended warranties on electronic purchases are also a great idea.

I recently purchased a Nikon camera at Target and made sure to add on the extra 2 year protective coverage because my daughter stuck her finger in the optical zoom when the shutter was open (on my old camera). I have to say I believe I have purchased extended warranties on all of our electronic purchases and used each and every one. Think HDTV's, still cameras, video cameras, MP3 players, tablets and anything else in between.

We had an iPod incident where my children (being fair not to name names) dropped the iPod, screen- down, on the tile floor. Shattered the heck out of the screen, which is glass and cannot really be repaired. Thank goodness for Apple Care because the Apple Store swapped it out.

Before handing it back to the children for another round of " When Angry Birds Hit the Floor" I ordered an OtterBox from Amazon.com(on the recommendation of an Apple Tech) and picked up an extra one for the iPad. These cases are silicone, quite heavy but come with a stand for the iPad and work like armour when mishandled. They also came with added screen protection (highly recommended!). A great investment to protect your investment!

So when you are listening to Wham! on your electronic device of choice and you stumble on the treadmill having visions of George Michael dancing in your head from long, long ago, make sure that when the MP3 player hits the rotating belt and you slide off, your MP3 player is well-protected.

Happy Darkest Day of the Year!

xo D

Welcome December...and The Elf (on the...*$#@) and the Advent Calendars

2011-12-07T13:33:00.000-07:00

Here I am... a disgruntled (Bah humbug!) parent at the start of one of the busiest months of the year. Certainly it is noticeable the I have missed the first week of writing for December so I will do everyone the duty of catching them up on the wonderful insanity that parents and people all over endure with the onset of the famed CHRISTMAS SEASON.

OK. One of the top gifts of the season has to be this bloody Elf (on the Shelf).

I love the Elf. Jack is our Elf. He has been with us for almost 3 seasons now and, not without a name change or two.

Great idea. Freaking brilliant.

Super sweet to look at...but I know many people can agree that "Elf Season" is filled with sleepless nights wondering if the darn Elf "made it back to Santa" and then came back to find a place to spy on the naughty and nice little children lurking in the home the Elf has claimed each year.

A general consensus has told me that most parents are awake each night wondering "where the Elf was". "I will get up, no you get up...", and it goes on and on until the Elf either finds its spot or decides the next day if it was so comfortable it fell asleep there and never made it back to the North Pole last night because it had no nice report to give to Santa the night before...or something like that.

Last year "Jack" was yanked down from his perch by (shall we say) a curious little boy who just wasn't sure he believed. Well, Jack did what Elves do when they are touched and stayed in the North Pole for a while until the boy was truly sorry then made his return after this boy's parents got some well-rested nights!

Caution to those thinking the Elf is a good idea. Even though he is a bit of a "high-maintenance" house guest, he still has a place in our home each year.

Of course we had to add a "fill-your-own" advent calendar into the mix this year.

A simple trip to Ikea produced an adorable, box-filled, number-clad Santa that gives a person the creative freedom to fill with whatever they feel fit for wonder filled December mornings! What a challenge!! Our go-to items to fill seem to be the Hershey's Chocolate Bells (a holiday variation on the Kiss), and organic lollipops. We also plan to add notes so the kids can find hidden small gifts around the house. These little treasures include mini hand sanitizers with holders (makes a great stocking stuffer as well!) perfect for attaching to backpacks (found at Bath and Bodyworks), tree ornaments and fun Christmas lunch snacks like gingerbread cookies.

My Holiday Ode

Welcome December,

The holidays you bring.

The Elf is upon us,

Jingle Bells ring.

We shopped a ton on Black Friday,

But it looks like we have not had our fill.

Santa, please work your magic,

Then, just send me the bill!!

I need some sleep!

And through the holidays, do it with Grace and stay becoming! Wink! Wink!

Ambitious or Nustso : Black Friday Adventures 2011 : Fully Clothed this Year!

2011-11-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

You may think Black Friday shopping is like a Friday the 13th in your mind! Oh the HORROR!

It is hard to believe the Christmas music is blaring and we haven't even hit Thanksgiving yet! Before we know it, all of the last minute shoppers will be crowding the malls on December 23rd, finishing off the daunting task of (cough, cough Bah Humbug!) acquiring the what the crazy early bird shoppers left behind.

Well, I am here to share my second annual, Black Friday shopping advice!

Put an end to candy cane stocking stuffers and whatever else was left in the Target Christmas Corner this holiday season.

Be ambitious!!!! Get your shopping done on Black Friday (if you dare) and before December 20th and you will be adding on massages and pedicures the week before Christmas instead of stress!

I am all for saving money and I highly suggest you evaluate what you need and what you would like to buy before you go. Planning is key. It will save you so much time and hassle!

Start by checking out the newest leaked ads! Many of the major department stores are opening at midnight on Thanksgiving so you can eat your turkey and then head out with your dessert to grab a great spot in the store lines!

Last year I took second position in line at a satellite Sears store (home town store where they usually have limited quantities of what the large stores carry depending on the store; usually limited to appliances other household goods) and saved thousands (yes thousands) of dollars on appliances for the home we were building (they were even able to store my purchases until our home was finished and delivery was very reasonable!).

I got there at 1pm with a thermos of hot mocha and snacks and waited until 3:30am when they gave out special tickets for the items we wanted so that we could go in and they could ring us up in an organized fashion. I got everything I wanted at 4am and was out and on to Target. I also took my iPad and preloaded it with movies and television shows so I could watch on location while waiting.

I printed the ads I was interested, narrowed down to the things we needed for the house and then went for the secondary gift items for the family.

Don't forget to shop online deals as well and Groupon, Living Social, Doozy of a Deal, KGB Deals, Plum District (to name a few) and many other deal sites will be offering Black Friday Deals as well! Another great site for deals is Fat Wallet.

My diddy is that Black Friday is for big purchases. Appliances or electronics (big ticket items) where you are saving hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on.

Little things can be purchased later in the day or after the fact.

Nothing material is worth fighting over. If it is gone, move on. Maybe have a back up item.

Don't forget to pick up something for the local food bank or an unwrapped gift for a child in need and support the troops and their family or your favorite charity. Think of others while you are shopping; those who may have hit hard times this holiday season. Chances are if you are out shopping for Christmas, you are doing okay. If you have your kids along, have them participate in the charitable cause and explain it to them. They will feel great about what they are doing and that they can make a difference...after all, Black Friday is awfully close to Thanksgiving!

So get prepared, have fun, be safe and get it DONE!!!

P.S. I am not, in any way, endorsed by any of the above mentioned companies, although that would be nice! All links are added to this blog by choice to provide my readers with information that could potentially be helpful to their daily experiences ;D

Big KISSES!

Snack or Hors d'oeuvre? You Decide! Recipe : Sinful Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates

2011-11-19T09:42:00.001-07:00

Tis' the season for wonderfully lavish food! Sinful as I like to call this particular little gem of an appetizer!

Here is a quick idea I was given from a family friend who made them while experimenting in the kitchen. There are several recipes and variations on these. I particularly am partial to the Goat Cheese stuffing.

Bacon Wrapped Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates Recipe

Ingredients:

Dates (pitted preferably or you can take the pits out yourself)

Use as many as you would like!

-I used California pitted dates but I also love Medjool dates

Goat Cheese (I bought crumbles)

(Variations - cream cheese, feta cheese, blue cheese)

Bacon (Real, fatty, nasty for you but amazing BACON)

I took the pitted dates and sliced down one side (through the hole) and opened it up.

I used a very small spoon to stuff them with the cheese and then closed the date around it so you are not actually trying to push the cheese into the hole.

Slice the bacon slices in half. Wrap each stuffed date in a half slice of bacon and place on a baking sheet. Some people like to use toothpicks for easy party serving. You can do without as well.

I like to use a small baking stone and place the dates in a small toaster oven or counter top convection oven. You can preheat the oven to 350 degrees for about 30-40 minutes. Keep an eye on them and watch how the bacon cooks. When the bacon is dark and almost crispy it is time to take them out!

I definitely recommend letting them sit for about 5-10 minutes to cool a bit. I burned my mouth because I was so anxious to eat them!

MMMMMMMM SINFUL!

Great for holiday party appetizers or a pre or post dinner treat!!!

xo D

MAJOR Technical Difficulties! BeComing Back Soon!

2011-11-11T14:56:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone!

Shame on me for not posting for a while! Due to some major issues with my computer...yes, blaming the dinosaur who ate my computer, I mean my dinosaur computer that ate my blog!

I am actually writing from another computer so that I can at least update my loyal readers on my blog situation!!!

I am in the process of upgrading our home technology so that I can focus on (not only my family) bringing my stories to life on Becoming Mumma.

Blogging or "sharing", is something I really enjoy, however not being able to deliver my "share" in a visual and creative manner is frustrating and, believe me, I have a lot of things to "share".

Thank you for your patience and I should be back up and running soon with all kinds of TMI, sharing, photos and type-rambling on until I understand my own inner dialogue.
On this day, lest we forget. Please honor your troops today with a moment of silence and reflection.
Thank you Dido. You are missed.

Kids Traveling : Travel Organized, Travel Well...We'll See

2011-10-05T07:24:00.000-07:00

Make sure your child doesn't sneak into a suitcase.

One of the things I am known for around these parts is being organized. I take pride in it and it generally helps with everything, especially travel.

Getting the kids ready for a trip is not much fun when you start 3 or 4 days prior to leaving...it is simply essential to stay organized.

Let's begin with the basics and make it simple.

1. Get every one's ID together. If you are traveling internationally, get all citizenship cards, birth certificates, notarized travel letters and PASSPORTS together and put it all in one place. I like to get an envelope and clearly mark it and fill it with the IDs of all traveling.

2. If the children are old enough to travel with their own seat on a plane (and I mean you are forced to pay for a 2+ year old) your 2+ year old should be able to carry their own backpack. I like to pack each backpack with items the child can entertain themselves with like an iPod, iPad, DS, LeapPad or something similar. My older son likes art so I took him to get a Doodle Book (filled with finish the story drawings). It encourages reading, drawing and simple creativity. A blanket or stuffed toy would be great to put in the backpack. A small pack of washable markers and crayons are great too. A smaller Pillow Pet is also a good idea. A change of clothes is something you may want to sneak in there along with a travel wipes pack and possibly diapers or training pants (how many depends on the duration of air/land travel). I also packed each of the kids a Ziploc bag with snacks for the plane and an empty sippy cup for my younger child (to be filled after going through security).

3. Pack any and all medications you may need. My son has an inhaler and chamber which I add to a gallon Ziploc bag with other medications like stomach antacids for kids and adults, allergy chewables, chewable kids pain reliever/fever reducer and band aids. The less liquid the better when dealing with security.

4. Don't forget to check in early and get your boarding passes printed and add them to the ID you have gathered and packed.

5. Try to avoid taking anything unnecessary that you may be able to borrow, buy, use or rent at your destination. If you are traveling to see family, they may already have clothes for cooler/warmer weather, a stroller, booster seat or other "neccentials" needed for your trip. Less is more when traveling with children.

6. Did I forget something? I usually do but it usually doesn't end up to be too important.

7. Travel safe, travel mindful, travel beautiful. Dress the part. No joke, sweats to the airport may be comfy but you are apt to be at an advantage (for upgrades etc.) if you put a little effort into your trip, if you know what I mean!

8. Get going! Enjoy. Don't stress. If you are organized, at least you can predict that, unlike a child's behavior, which is something else you only hope will be cooperative during travel! You have no idea how many poopy diapers I have changed on a plane or at the airport!!!! Be prepared for anything!!!!

Have a great trip!!!!

xo D

Fall Fun : Trip Planning and things EVERY Traveler Should Know!

2011-09-29T11:58:00.000-07:00

In lieu of "Holiday Season", I felt the need to share some ideas regarding some of the upcoming events many of us participate in every year.

The first is travel. It is definitely the season for traveling and I must say, there are some great deals out there that I must share.

Our family of 4 (5 with the dog!) usually heads up North to visit family in October. We miss the changing seasons and having Canadian family allows us to celebrate the visually stunning Thanksgiving holiday, enjoying every comfort and benefit of Autumn.

Making sure your identification for each family member is in order is key to a smooth trip. If you are planning to travel at all, look at all passports for expiry dates and give yourself 2 months (if possible) for processing. If you are able to drive across the Can/Am border and need to renew your passport, the American government offers passport cards. This is a quick, easy and cheaper way to renew if only DRIVING across the border. If you plan to fly and enter customs, you must have a passport booklet! Also, if you are flying out of the country with children and you are without your spouse/partner you must get a notarized letter signed by the child's parent (not traveling) stating the dates and reason for traveling and that it is authorized by that parent. I have traveled without my husband and always had the letter. I was not asked by a border guard to see that letter in 5 years until last year! They thoroughly checked it and let us through with no problem. BE AWARE.

It is wonderful to travel and take in all of the gifts that the season has to offer. We booked out tickets as soon as we saw Southwest Airlines put out a yearly deal based on mileage. Of course, flying Southwest, we avoid baggage fees and no change fees if something comes up. The sooner you book, the better deal you get. Wednesdays and Thursdays are notorious for airlines to post specials. With no more lap children, deal deal deal!!!

If you are traveling to Canada and you want a better flight price (avoiding extra taxes) fly to a border town and drive across if your destination is not too far. We fly to Detroit or Buffalo which is about 2 hours from our final destination (same as Toronto but you avoid crazy customs at Pearson and about 100 bucks per family member in extra taxes!).

We have also been renting a car with pick up at the airport. Last year I managed to find a spectacular rate as a Costco member.

I tried the same route this year but managed to find a better deal on Priceline.com after naming my own price! I highly suggest starting out with extremely low bids about 3 weeks before your trip and then try again when they send an email to prompt you. Usually they will tell you to try again. Ignore their suggested bids and undercut them. If they reject you again, wait a few more days and see what offers they send you. They sent me "bonus cash" towards my bid. I placed the bid that I thought I would like and they added the "bonus cash" to my daily bid to bump up my bidding rate. I got accepted the first try and saved about 40%. The lowest advertised rate for a mid-sized sedan was $265.00 for a week rental and I ended up with the mid-sized car for $165.00.

I was also told that if you are in the market for a hotel, know the area and don't mind not being able to choose your hotel but choose its rating, naming your own price on the day before or the morning of your trip is a great way to save tons of cash!!

Don't forget your airport parking before you fly out! Many deal sites, particularly Buywithme.com and Groupon tend to have airport parking vouchers you can buy for 50% off or more! Here is the deal we got on Airport Parking Connection and Buywithme!

Another thing many jet-setting families need to take care of is the family pet. Make sure to have all pets caught up on vaccinations and if you are enlisting a friend or family member to take care of your pet, give them a lot of notice. Same goes for booking a kennel. Some kennels need reservations months in advance due to demand during the holiday seasons. Check out places that interest you well in advance. Research what they REQUIRE as far as rules and vaccinations and I highly recommend taking a tour and meeting the people that will be caring for your pet.

Most airlines now allow pets to fly as well but you must read all requirements (weight, season, fees, vaccinations and proof of vaccinations etc.).

Make sure to also prepare your home. Set your thermostat at a comfortable temperature according to approximation of your weather. Give a key to a trusted friend or family member to keep an eye on the house during extended away times. Set your home alarm. Secure all pools and gates as well as entry ways. Put your mail on hold. Secure valuables in a fire safe if you have one. Please let me know if there is anything I forgot!!!!!!

There are plenty of things I could advise regarding traveling with children (on a budget nonetheless!) as well but that is a whole other blog!!!!

The bottom line is when planning your trip, plan ahead. You will save more and get better deals! When you are organized, you will feel great, have less stress and maybe even more time to add in some fall beautifying and shopping before your trip!!!!!!

xo D

Film Buzz : Follow The Forsaken Cast and Crew!

2011-09-24T08:43:00.001-07:00

Me in costume...and yes, there is a corset under there!!

I thought I would share!!!! I am very excited to be a part of this film!
The Forsaken is an Epic Western Drama set in the 1800s in Flagstaff, Arizona. Follow us for more juicy details!!
Watch for updates on the links below! Photos, video blogs, cast and crew! Check it out!!!

The Forsaken Movie on Facebook
The Forsaken Movie on Twitter

xo D

Inspired : Passion and Creativity Make For Near Incomprehensible Energy

2011-09-18T16:18:00.001-07:00

Thank you Greg, Sean, Daniel, Anthony, Alex, Angel, Sean and Michael!

Say WHAT?

Yes, I said it...and I will say it again.

Passion and creativity make for near incomprehensible energy.

This may simply sound like mumbo-jumbo to most but it means something to me.
When I am inspired I can only use what first comes to mind and works for me to vividly pass my experience on to others (and hopefully inspire as well). My descriptive writing may seem a little "hyper-active"...that is just a decaf version of myself (yes, decaf, it doesn't take much for me!), excited about being inspired. If you know me well I am sure you can only imagine the caffeinated version!

I had the privilege to be in the company of people with clear creative visions (visionaries) over the weekend and it was very inspiring. Not only did they convey their visions, there was a calmness and a harmony about the way everyone worked together.

I am proud to have been a part of this film production (my first one in a while). I was comfortable and relaxed, feeling supportive of and being supported by people (most) I had just met in a matter of hours.

There is something about being in a room with people who are genuinely passionate about their work and I believe it drives everyone else in their presence to perform to the best of their ability, bring their "A"game, if you will, without any arrogance or over-confident air.

I met some extraordinary people. Their talent, work ethic and perseverance will not go unrecognized.

When I am inspired I can only use what first comes to mind and works for me to vividly pass my experience on to others (and hopefully inspire as well), so my descriptive writing may seem a little "hyper-active"...that is just a decaf version of myself, excited about being inspired.

Whatever the scale, to me, it was a BIG deal. It was an inspiring experience and I am grateful for it.

Even though I shed a lot of tears, I had a blast working on the film ;)

...and for my "near incomprehensible energy" title, sure, is sounds a little funny, but I have to say that a harmonious room is hard to come by in many cases...and understanding the energy that stayed very constant from beginning to end was pretty cool. The existence of this energy and possibly my lack of experience with it, made it near incomprehensible...OK, maybe the word incomprehensible was for shock value...to make you read this...

You read it, didn't you!

Today, 10 Years Ago, is Still Fresh in My Mind, and I Still Can't Process It

2011-09-11T09:05:00.000-07:00

I was at a routine doctor's appointment on Bloor Street in Downtown Toronto, Canada. In the waiting room, I sat in the waiting room for my 8:30 am appointment, intermittently watching CNN and reading the latest gossip rag. My appointment was late, nothing unusual, CNN had caught my eye again. A large building was on fire. As I continued to watch, read and listen, the events unfolded before my eyes, my heart sank and I began to panic. I had family and friends in NYC...They called me into my appointment. I was removed from the television chaos for a short while and then promptly returned to more information that had me spring into action. By now I was trying to reach my boyfriend in Virgina, close to DC, where there were more threats. I was able to get through and then was cut off and had no communication for hours. His sister worked for the FBI, dangerously close to the Pentagon and who knew if there were more targets.
Heck, us Canadian folks were worried, major buildings were locked down, the CN Tower being one of them. We were getting word of airplanes being grounded and Pearson International was receiving a barrage of planes. I put myself on a list to house any displaced passengers and heard about donating blood so I went to the nearest donation center and did my best to help in a helpless situation.
Eventually, my boyfriend's sister (with the FBI) was accounted for although not much information was shared (even though she knew more than she could say). All of my friends and family were accounted for in NYC. I was able to speak to Brian and his family within the late hours of the day.
You see, I was making one of the biggest decisions of my life, to move to the USA, leave my family and post grad behind to take a chance on life and I had my plane ticket, to fly into Dulles Airport on September 18th, 2001.
I did fly into Dulles. The airports had opened a day or 2 before and people did not want to fly. I boarded a near empty plane. There was so much fear and uneasiness. I arrived at Dulles. The airport seemed empty, eerie. It seemed cold and the air seemed sterile. There were heavily armed agents and dogs walking the seemingly empty halls. I was nervous.
My boyfriend picked me up. There were sobs and tight hugs exchanged that day. Happiness and confusion.
We drove on a quiet highway. We drove by the burning Pentagon on the way to my new home. I could see it burn and smell the burn. Yes, it was still burning 7 days later. One of Brian's friends was a firefighter that went into the Pentagon on a recovery mission. We saw him forever change.
I am still a Canadian in the USA. My Mum still says (she started 9/11/01), you can always come here. It is safe here. I think about it every day. A lot of people thought I was crazy to move when I did. There were no "for sures" in so many ways.
That boyfriend is now my husband of 9 years. We have 2 beautiful children who watch the events unfold on television today, footage from 10 years ago, too fresh to be 10 years ago. They ask "What is THAT? What is happening? Why are all of the people dusty, running, screaming...and why are you crying Mum?"
I still cannot explain it to them.
I vividly experience the smells, colors and sounds from 9/11/01 whenever I think back to that day. The footage is hard to watch and I think I have already seen enough "reliving" this morning.
Again, I cannot explain it.
It is time to go.
My heart is with all who lived, lost and were lost.

Recipe to Chew On : Meat Loaf, Seat-loaf, Double Beat-loaf...I Actually Like Meat Loaf!

2011-09-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite movies was "A Christmas Story" with adorable Ralphie and his brother Randy living a retro-family adventure leading to Christmas Day.
Well, one of my favorite scenes was when Randy is sitting at dinner with his fork standing straight up in his mashed potatoes, picking at his food and chanting about meatloaf (hence my title)...then Mum asks him how the "Little Piggies Eat" and he snorts and sticks his face in the dinner plate and the rest is burned into my mind with images of mums getting their kids to eat meatloaf with a little coaxing and humor.

Well, I was never much for meatloaf. In fact, I disliked it very much. The thought of what it looked like, and simply the name, grossed me out. Many years out of my childhood (well, maybe still not out in my mind ;p), I was re-introduced to Meatloaf at a Pampered Chef party. All in attendance sampled the finished product (which takes only about 20 minutes to make in the microwave if you have the key elements) and it was wonderful (and I don't tend to eat red meat on a regular basis; there is a way to sub ground turkey or chicken too but you have to watch the moisture content). Although I still have not convinced the children to eat more than a bite, one day they will eat, well, real, home-cooked meals.

Here is the recipe for what I call Smokey Chipotle Meat Loaf (PC South-of-the-Border Meat Loaf)
Ingredients:
1/2 of a red onion (finely chopped)
1/2 of a poblano pepper (finely chopped; can sub jalapenos for a spicier twist)
1/2 cup very finely crushed tortilla chips (I like to use multi-grain, and I crush them with a meat tenderizer in a double zip plastic bag(s)
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup hickory barbecue sauce
2 tbsp Chipotle Rub (from Pampered Chef)
1 1/2 lbs of extra lean ground beef
1 egg
1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Directions:
1. Finely chop pepper and onion (I like to use the PC Food Chopper or a "Slap Chop"). Place chips into the resealable bag(s) and crush using a meat tenderizer, then measure a 1/2 cup of the crumbs.
Combine ketchup, BBQ sauce and rub in a bowl; stir until combined. In a (preferably stainless steel) mixing bowl, combine pepper, onion, chip crumbs, 3/4 of the ketchup mixture, beef, eggs and 1 cup of the cheese; mix well.
2. Place meat mixture in the Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker (or you can put it in a deep glass pan or casserole dish; you will have to bake this one instead of microwave it though) and form into a loaf (8.5x4.5"). Microwave, covered, on HIGH 14-17 minutes or until center of meat loaf registers 145F.
Remove baker from microwave. With a basting brush, brush remaining ketchup mixture over meat loaf. Microwave, covered on HIGH 3-5 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160F in the center.
3. Sprinkle remaining cheese over meat loaf; cover and let stand 10 minutes before slicing.

Feeds about 6.

Meat loaf can be baked uncovered for 65-70 minutes. Brush with sauce 15 minutes before end of bake time.

Feeling Autumnized in 109 F Temperatures : Welcome FALL!!

2011-09-08T22:11:00.000-07:00

To help ease the pain of this heat...and yes, I am complaining about it which I said I would never do (growing up in a place that sees almost 8 months of snow!), I thought I would do a little preparation for Fall.

Since we will actually see the seasons change in Ontario, Canada in October, I needed to Autumnize my home now.

We are suffering from a ridiculous heat wave out here in AZ and I thought about waiting until the weather dipped below 100 F...HA, not happening...so I cashed in a day pass from the funny farm and turned an afternoon appointment into a full day of festive Fall shopping.

My first stop was a local outlet mall. I decided to hit Bath and Bodyworks for a Wallflower. I chose Creamy Pumpkin, which is just the right amount of spices and that pumpkiny essence of pie making that the family loves! I also picked up a pocket-bac that smells like apple pie and a Halloween scent called "Bones-Forbidden Apple"...mmmmmm.

My next stop was Starbucks to treat myself to a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Simply decadent and it got me so high I thought I would go Autumn CRAZY!

I proceeded to make a trip to The Children's Place and outfit the children for our Fall Family Photo Shoot. I picked up a bunch of sweet long sleeve layered and waffle shirts for the cooler weather in the North. You couldn't beat the $2.99-5.99 racks!

Fall also means FOOTBALL. Thank you Marshalls for outfitting me in the latest Arizona Cardinals Women's Wear! A super-cute NFL licensed tee for $7.99, AWESOME.

My day wouldn't have been complete without some sweet leopard pumps from Forever 21 (paid for with a leftover gift card from my birthday) and a $39 Dealfind hair makeover with Jeanie at Flict Salon in Chandler, AZ!!!!!! Scalp massage, deep conditioning, color, cut and blowout to refresh my exhausted Mumma butt!!

No, I did not forget about my Hubby...I remembered to pick up his vanilla coffee creamer on the way home for his fresh-ground and brewed love in the morning...come on, there is more to it than that, I just don't wish to share!

Yay Autumn!!!

xo D

Like Flies to Poo, Illness is to School Children!

2011-08-18T18:17:00.000-07:00

My sickies!

Oh the joys of school!

Parents look forward to scuttling their school-agers out the door, coming off of a long summer holiday filled with camps, boredom, unfulfilled attempts at entertainment, vacations and more boredom...and with having to think about what to make for lunch and how to get them TO and FROM school daily, parents, there is no room for illness...RIGHT?!

Being in an area where there is school all year round, we have already been in school for 3 weeks and counting while most of North America is anxiously awaiting Labor Day and their own big send off!

...But what about sick days!? As parents we have so much to think about already without worrying about what to do when your child is ill and has to stay home from school.

I am fortunate enough that I stay home (most of the time) with my children because I have a flexible job so I can keep them home when they are not well. Many of us have to make arrangements or take sick days as well. One thing I have to say about this is I believe that if you have the resources, tap into them. Family is a huge asset when it comes to parents in need. I only wish we had family close by to help but we do not. They are thousands of miles away and we have to do the best we can in the situations that arise. It is understandable that some parents send their children to school when they are obviously ill. Time spent home with a sick child is money lost if you have to take a day off yourself (in most cases)...however, please think about all of the other children the virus could affect (as well as their parents and the teachers)...

This week I kept my son home on Monday due to what I thought was a cold. Tuesday we got up, refreshed and ready and he said he felt much better (and seemed much better). I took him to school and not a few hours later I received a call from the nurse stating he had a fever and a massive headache. I took him home and sure enough, he had the flu. Two days and 6 fevers later, he was feeling wonderful and ready to go back to school Thursday...fast forward to this afternoon and my daughter looks at me with her little doe eyes, confused and lethargic and barfs all over herself. I am also feeling a little queasy and to top it all off, it is just me and the kids until Saturday...duking it out with the flu.

So what do you do. You do what you can to get better and if you and the kiddos feel up to it, you get busy.

Between dosages of fever reduction meds, we decided to do flash cards (of Kindergarten sight words) and bust out a series of dry erase books with some fun games, phonetic practice and number tracing. We also busted out the iPad and found some great free math games and did some fun review! Reading was something we chose to add to our daily activities as well. I had Ry pick his books and then we added them to his reading chart after completion. I am fortunate because my 2 year old enjoys following along and participating with us.

It certainly sounds like we had a lot of things to do but there is always room for other activities. Some suggestions : Play Dough, Lego/blocks, crafts, drawing, coloring, gluing, cutting, calling family/friends, learn a new language, cook together, bake together and of course, rest and hydrate!!!! I would have to associate the return to school and the increased participation in activities with other children may have greatly increased the risk of acquiring a virus.

It is important to also realize that we need to step up and be vigilant about keeping our children protected and have them be an active participant in protecting themselves in the war against viruses. Lets make sure we wash our hands whenever necessary, brush teeth and load up on nutritious foods whenever we can possibly get it into ourselves (and our children).

I found that a new citrus juicer and some oranges and grapefruits have made for a fun activity and nutritious cold buster (or something that might help us feel better). We have been making our own fresh juice on a fairly regular basis. I found that if the kids help, they also enjoy drinking their finished product!

As parents, we can only do so much to keep our children safe and healthy during times when viruses seem to multiply like wet Gremlins. We do our best and that is all we can do.

Keep doing the best you can as we are only human, we are not perfect.

Found Me! Prioritizing Life on a Journey of Self-Discovery

2011-08-06T11:20:00.000-07:00

My manicured Orange Jubilee :) "No matter how subtle".

I believe that clarification is important with regards to my "Lost Mum" post (if not to the readers, to myself).

I am still trying to find me...it is ongoing...a journey of self-discovery, if you will...

I am super fortunate to have a path, even if beaten and filled with forks, pitfalls and other obstacles. I would not be evolving if I did not trudge through and keep on discovering new information about myself and my journey.

For instance...school starting has become a bit of a pitfall. It has been a challenge to get back into the swing of things with another year of Kindergarten starting and trying to encourage my son and work on his confidence again, thus pouring so much more into the focus on him. This focus has created new challenges with my daughter and entertaining her while her big brother is at school all day.

I believe I took a selfish fork at some point on my journey and was slacking in my priority department. Admitting something like this is much easier for me to put on a post than to apologize face to face, although that has been done in a round-about way...

My husband allowed for me to spend more time making "dates" with new friends and getting to know them while blindly looking for answers regarding my true self. I was putting a little bit too much into temporarily looking to others for answers...although I did learn a lot about preferences, joy, comfort level and my uncompromising beliefs :) Thank you Brian, for being so understanding, patient and tolerant.

Like I said, this sense of being lost is better described as a journey of sorts. Reconnecting with the act of prioritizing life's necessities and challenges of "the act of Mutherhood" while trying to balance me time (not in the selfish sense but an allowance of reflection of self) is my focus now.

Not just me, not just figuring out what I am to do when I grow up...it is about what needs to be accomplished daily to balance out my family while avoiding self-neglect or the neglect of others and collective priorities....

So I did the yard work this morning. Clipped the backyard bushes into sheared sculptured greenery (haha, not quite but close), fixed our watering system and got rid of some crab grass...oh, and identified and killed a 4th Black Widow in the backyard as to avoid injury to myself or any other family member. All in a mornings' priority for a juggling superMum...I just couldn't put it off any longer as a part of my journey pertaining to accomplishment, however small.

Keep on clipping away down the beaten path for there is light throughout!

xo D

Happy Birthday Ry! A Day Late but it was OK to Wait

2011-08-04T09:18:00.000-07:00

We had such a busy day, attending your birthday celebration at school, visiting your class, enjoying the shock and surprise on your face when you opened your gifts and having our new neighbors over for cupcakes, MiniMelts and Ice Cream. I am a day late with your letter but here it goes.

Dear Ry,

My Boy. My one and only. Six years ago yesterday you came into this world and made Dad and I the happiest parents on earth! It was a chaotic day. Your Dad flew in that morning from Ottawa and your Baba flew in that morning from London, Canada into PHX.

It was a grand event, captured on DV to view as you grow. You have grown so much already, starting at 6lbs 15oz, currently weighing in at 44.6lbs and you are already 47.75 inches tall when you were born at 19.5 inches.

You arrived a week early (to make sure your Dad could be there for your entrance into the world)...

I was so excited to bring you out into the open! I was also starving as they would not let me eat throughout labor (had an IV) and all I could think about was eating Oreos while I crushed ice chips waiting for you. Once you were out, I forgot all about the Oreos of course (and I believe pizza was my first meal after delivery)!

Even though the closest food to a vegetable you eat is pizza sauce, you are still maintaining a healthy growth path. You are into Halo toys and military play. You are also fascinated by sharks and love to catch Shark Week on Discovery Channel, with your favorite shark being the Hammerhead. You will be entering your second baseball season and carry on your practises with Dad in the backyard and at the park. Baseball is a love that will likely carry on throughout your life along with the love for your little sister Mia! You are an amazing Big Brother and incredible protector.

My Boy. My Boy. I love you so much and cherish you always!

Love, Mum. xo

If You See Me, Let Me Know : Lost Mum Trying to Find Herself!

2011-07-26T17:35:00.000-07:00

Starting a family thousands of miles away from your own family is hard enough let alone making all new friends and creating a little family of your own.

Family and friends become your support and when you lose much of the support you trusted for years, for some people, regaining that feeling of support and security could take months, years or some feel they may never achieve that unless they regain what they HAD.

I chose to move thousands of miles away with my husband and certainly, when we began having children we found it was much more difficult to travel back to the family and friends back home. We needed to set roots for ourselves in one spot.

Ten years later we are still in Arizona, with 2 children and a dog living the North American "dream"...stereotypically of course.

After almost 9 years in one home in a small town outside of Phoenix, I felt, until we had decided to move and it became a reality, we had just started to feel like we had built some solid relationships.

I believe I was very closed off, myself, and had not yet opened myself up to trusting others to become support. Fast forward to our big move almost an hour from our old home and we have already begun to understand the value of having support in our lives.

My husband has been incredibly supportive of the path we have taken together but equally as important, my own journey that seemed to begin sometime just after my son turned 1.

I have felt I was always outgoing and I am one of those people who meets others in the grocery store check out lines. I have been on some "Mom Dates" and have formed some wonderful relationships with other Moms who share in the same values and interests yet, that is exactly what was paining my journey...along the journey of Motherhood itself, I lost ME.

I had invested so much in being a MOM. That was entirely what defined me.

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't trade it for the world. My children and the family dynamic has taught me so much more than I could imagine but in the process, I had stumbled upon tastes of me that had been lost...that had brought me to an incredibly happy place, and before long, would become a fading memory.

I entered an incredible point in time that I designated for ME. It ended up being something called a "Weekly Workout" and the muscle we work is our creative. THE creative. The side I always displayed through art, fashion, design and showing off (acting, if you will), was going to be worked up and out and, little did I realize, laid out for everyone to see.

I made amazing new friends and found that an hour to myself each week was worth so much more than real therapy (and I truly know what that is all about!) It has become a journey of self discovery that I believe people should have, especially parents who feel their entire life has become the next dish, sippy cup and stylish outfit!

I am still on this journey and I get lost sometimes. I thought I was lost but I am finding that I can look inside and find at least one great point that sets me back on a straight path of thought. I have confronted some of my worst fears, pet peeves and quirks and quarks and most of all, I am learning so much more tolerance and acceptance for myself and others who may not be at the same point in their own journey, but will get there eventually. It comes down to feeling safe and trusting others even though it goes against what your mind and body tell you.

I have encountered bumps and tripped many a time, yet I am still here...I am ME. I kind of like me and I would rather not lose myself too much as I know I am a support for others now too. If I am lost, I cannot be there for them or myself.

I will always continue to learn and grow and I am thankful for everyone on this journey with me. You are my teachers and I hope you can learn something from me.

In the meantime....hmmmm, I will be sharing my creative with my immediate, all-surrounding love that is my partner in life and my truly inspiring and incredible babies. Thank you for allowing me to find myself through living and writing. :)

Thank you Paul A. for putting life into perspective. You are truly incredible and I am richer for carrying you with me since 4th Grade. Inspiration is every where.

Stressful Choices : Did I do the Right Thing? First Day of School Reflections

2011-07-25T12:30:00.000-07:00

All of us are faced with choices. On a general level, choices can be about anything from where to take a vacation to what kind of cheese you want on your sandwich to whether you want a regular burial or wish to be cremated. Whatever these choices are in our lives, we do the best we can to make the right choice for us.

I felt like I needed to remind myself, as I have been faced with many choices over the summer that required some serious thinking (with different consequences/outcomes), I made the most informed and best decision for the situation.

The major decision for us this summer was whether to retain our 5 year old son in Kindergarten.

Ahhh, to retain. I really had not heard about, or considered what it meant or how it would impact my child until it came down to the wire and I was faced with making this decision.

Retaining means to "hold back" or repeat a grade. We chose for our son to attend Kindergarten for his first year on the young side of the age requirement. Anyone with kids who have summer birthdays are faced with the "5 by September 1st" cut off. Ry has an August birthday putting him in Kindergarten in the age cutoff but being on the younger side. We decided to put him in even though daycare was a daily struggle (he never wanted to go) but financially, many parents (including us) no longer could bear the financial burden of childcare. Once again, Ry was not a 100% willing participant in attending school and every day felt like he just did not want to be there. To make matters slightly more difficult, we moved to a new school district halfway through the year with a whole new environment and schedule.

The adjustment was difficult and I felt we may not have had a teacher suited to his individual needs as I believe a teacher can make a world of difference.

We finished out the year feeling a little bit more comfortable with the school but it was brought to our attention that Ry was excelling at certain concepts but had fallen behind in others due to the curriculum change and missing nearly a month of school due to district scheduling/breaks. His teacher had recommended we retain him.

At first, my husband was ecstatic. He had been told by other parents that because of Ry's size, age, ability and eligibility in the sports world, he should repeat a grade to "give him an advantage". I was disgusted at this suggestion and could not understand this concept as it seemed to have nothing to do with the point...keeping up with his EDUCATION and not struggling with technical and conceptual scholarly activities.

I was determined to understand this thing called "retaining" and come to terms with a decision that would affect one of the bigger issues in my son's whole life, education.

I asked people for advice, I "Googled" it and tried to weigh every piece of information.

I even met with the principal, guidance counselor and Ry's teacher to find out every little detail I could before committing to the decision.

Don't you know I flip flopped so many times that I waited until the last week before decisions had to be made to make sure I was secure with the choice we would make. (My husband was well informed and supported the decision either way as I tended to fill out all of the paperwork and had time to research and put everything together; that is why I tend to say I and we/us...so he was involved).

Basically what it came down to was weighing the options, seeing both sides of impact on our son and then putting everything together to decide what was best for him in the long run. (factors we considered were report card analysis of concepts and how much he understood, home testing of concepts, maturity level and confidence).

We decided to retain...and looking at his picture on his first day back to Kindergarten is definitely reassurance that we made the right choice. He entered the familiar playground with more confidence than I had ever seen and he had absolutely no complaints or whines about going to school (first time in 3 years!!). He even had a buddy he already knew to "show him around" the playground and introduce his buddy to a familiar environment (which had a grand impact on his confidence). He was also excited that some of the kids who were there last year were on to the next playground and could no longer make him feel uncomfortable (we had a couple of "bully"issues last year).

I am smiling ear to ear and I am confident we made the best choice for my little bud.

If you know you did the best for them, you will feel okay about it. Maybe not right away but when you start seeing your decision in action, you will know...and if it was not the best choice, you will know, and know what to do!

xo D