BuffaloMommies

Menu Monday-WHO Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:41:00 +0000

I think the hardest part of any diet (for me) is having to cut back on carbs. I don't know if it is because I am Italian or just a foodie in general but I love bread. Spread with butter, dipped in oil, with nutella, to scrape up sauce...no matter how you slice or serve it-it is good. A few weeks ago I posted a favorite recipe of mine for easy homemade artisan bread. Here is another great recipe for everyday sandwich bread I originally got from this post over at SouleMama. This is a bread maker recipe but she does have an oven version too.

WHO Bread (Wheat, Honey, Oat)
(makes 1.5 lb loaf, set to 'basic' with medium crust)

1 1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons honey (I used Raw Honey and it worked great!)
2 tablespoons butter @ room temperature (I have also used Earth Balance Natural Spread)
1 tsp salt
3 cups of flour (I've also used all white, all wheat, or a mix all with success)
1/2 cup rolled oats (quick oats was what I had)
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (one package)

Follow the directions with your machine and voila! Yummy-home made bread without all the extra additives.

See It Again Saturday

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 16:02:00 +0000

This "See it Again" blog post from March of 2009, has some great advice about giving your little ones chores around the house. While 18 months might seem young, children at this age can accomplish many basic tasks on their own. Keep reading for more ideas: Preschoolers and Chores.

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:23:00 +0000

What kind of delicious foods are you looking forward to this spring/summer? You can participate in Wordless Wednesday HERE and HERE.

Guilt Free Granola

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

I am a huge fan of granola. I love it in yogurt, over fruit, in peanut butter sandwiches, and on ice cream. What I don't love is how the ones you buy at the store are usually loaded with high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, or artificial sweeteners and ingredients.

One evening, after an unsuccessful search at the store for something decent that didn't cost an arm and a leg, I scoured the web determined to find a healthy recipe I could make at home. I found the winner "Guilt Free Granola" at the Tasty Plan blog. This recipe is so easy to make with simple ingredients and delicious results. The only change I made was to omit the almonds (because I didn't have any) and increase the oats to three cups to compensate. This one is a keeper!

Ingredients:
-3 cups of old fashioned rolled oats
-½ cup orange juice
-½ cup maple syrup
-1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-1 teaspoon almond extract
-½ teaspoon cinnamon

Additional optional ingredients:
Dried fruits
Nuts or seeds

1. Preheat your oven to 250 degrees.
2. Mix oats, orange juice and maple syrup in a large bowl.
3. Add the extracts and cinnamon.
4. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes, or until crisp.

If adding dried fruits, Tasty Plan recommends incorporating them into the granola after it has cooked, and then baking for five more minutes.

More Stove Cleaning Magic!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:58:00 +0000

You've all undoubtedly seen the tutorial about cleaning your stove grates with ammonia. If not, check out this fantastic link: Cleaning Stove Burners & Grates Using Ammonia. It REALLY is like magic. No more scrubbing, swearing, or trying 2000 different cleaning chemicals to try and get that sticky grease off your grates. You pour ammonia into the bag, insert your grates, wait 12 hours and easily wipe off the scum. On BuffaloMommies several of us joked how we wish we could fit our entire stove into a plastic bag with ammonia so we could get them clean. Well guess what girls...I came up with a solution!!!

No...I did not find a bag large enough to fit my stove. I've got something much easier. This is how dirty my stove was:

I tried Barkeepers Friend, Windex, and even a Magic Eraser sponge to try and scrub that stuff off. Nothing was working. So....I poured a little bit of ammonia in the recessed areas (less than 1/4 cup) and then....covered both burner areas with PRESS AND SEAL wrap! Look at this:

(yes-my grates are dirty again, don't worry, they've been cleaned since this photo) But I put the press and seal wrap over the two burner areas, pressed it to the stove and then put the grates over as an extra seal. Then I let them sit over night. Check this out:

And again...when I took the press and seal off, I just rubbed a little green scrubby pad over the stove. In some areas I used a paper towel only. No real effort or applied pressure at all, anywhere! So simple and easy. Go try it!

February Is Cultural Awareness Month!

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:25:00 +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!

Parenting Laws

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:18:00 +0000

1. The later you stay up, the earlier your child will wake up the next morning.

2. For a child to become clean, something else must become dirty.

3. Toys multiply to fill any space available.

4. The longer it takes you to make a meal, the less your child will like it.

5. Yours is always the only child who doesn't behave.

6. If the shoe fits...it's expensive.

7. The surest way to get something done is to tell a child not to do it.

8. The gooier the food, the more likely it is to end up on the carpet.

9. Backing the car out fo the driveway causes your child to have to go to the bathroom.

10. The more challenging the child, the more rewarding it is to be a parent...sometimes.

(what other "laws" exist in your home?)

Homemade Artisan Bread

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Here is a super easy recipe to make fancy-schmancy artisan bread at home using only a few simple ingredients. When I made up this loaf, I was thinking of a rosemary olive oil bread that Wegmans makes. Try this recipe once and you'll be hooked!

Recipe for Homemade Artisan Bread
(adapted from Make and Takes)
makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
3/4 tablespoon granulated yeast
3/4 tablespoon sea salt
2 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose white flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose wheat flour
cornmeal for baking stone (optional)

(optional ingredients)
about 1/4 cup sunflower seeds plus some for top
2 cloves of garlic chopped into chunks
1-2 tsp fresh or dried rosemary

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, add the flour, yeast, and salt. (if using the optional ingredients, also add the sunflower seeds, rosemary & garlic)
2. Pour in the water and stir a few minutes until combined.
3. Cover the bowl with foil or greased plastic wrap for 2-5 hours.
4. Cover the dough with flour and form it into a ball.
5. Lay the dough onto a baking stone sprinkled with cornmeal or a baking sheet with a baking mat.
6. Let the dough rest for about a half an hour.
7. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees and add a small pan filled with 1 cup of water on a lower rack for a water bath.
8. With a sharp knife, slash three lines or a tic-tac-toe board pattern into the top of the dough. This helps let out some steam while baking. If you don’t slash it the bread will most likely make its own tear during cooking.
9. If you are using sunflower seeds, sprinkle on top. I gave them a little pat to make sure they were sticking.
10. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
11. Place your baked bread on a baking rack to cool.
12. Slice and enjoy!

Spread with nutella, jelly, or butter. Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:53:00 +0000

What kind of wacky things have your kids done today? You can participate in Wordless Wednesday HERE and HERE.

Healthy Cookie Dough Dip

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 15:06:00 +0000

Yes, you read that right, I said healthy! Last Friday I was meeting up with some ladies for a My So Called Life marathon and we were all going to bring an appetizer. One of the girls has a bunch of dietary restrictions so I was looking for something that everyone would enjoy that she could also eat. I did a search for cookie dough dip and stumbled across a few with a special ingredient that all pointed to this recipe. What is the special super secret ingredient that makes cookie dough dip healthy? Chickpeas! Hang on, don't go... You really have to give it a try. I was skeptical at first so I had to make a "trial" version. It was so good! I was nice and shared with my kids but I totally could have eaten the whole bowl myself.

Cookie Dough Dip

1 1/4 cup chickpeas
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy milk (or any other kind of milk)
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter (or other nut butter)
3 to 4 heaping tbsp flour*
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 to 1/2 cup mini or reg. chocolate chips (could use dairy free)

Put everything other than the chocolate chips in a food processor and food-process until as smooth as possible. You don't want lumps of chickpea in your dip. Once it's completely smooth, stir in the chocolate chips. Serve at room temperature but keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Serve with graham crackers, graham cracker sticks, or eat with spoon!

*You can omit the flour. I made a version with the flour and one with out, the one with the flour gives a little bit of a thicker texture. The taste stays the same whether you use it or not.

When I took it to the get-together everyone was eating the dip and no one once questioned what the ingredients were. When I shared what it was made of, no one could believe it. The other great part is you could totally adapt this to suit your needs. It can be made Vegan, nut safe (by using Sunbutter) or extra rich by using ingredients like whole or almond milk or cashew butter. For the second version I took to the party, I sprinkled some chocolate chips and toffee bits on top to make it more decorative. Have fun playing with it!

Getting By With a Little Help From Our Friends

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

That means you! BuffaloMommies has several leadership positions open. We are in need of a Hospitality, Finance, and Fundraising Manager. We are also looking for a motivated mama to lead our Biggest Lose-her contest. Not sure how much you can commit? Start off on one of our committees. All of these positions look great on a resume! Check out our Help Wanted forum and consider applying. It's a lot of fun and you are providing a great service to your community.

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 BuffaloMommies! 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/240179/GyPx36Mvzfms to view the enormous array of flower bulbs, and spring into Flower Power and BuffaloMommies' 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.

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.

What I Needed

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Last December, I found out that my husband and I were going to be parents. I remember having a dream of us in a hospital room; I was holding a little bundle in a fuzzy pink blanket. Two weeks later I held my breath as I waited for my pregnancy test to reveal the answer that I was already pretty sure of. My husband, Ryan, anxiously paced the living room. After what felt like an eternity, I walked to the sink, picked up the test and started to cry. I was in fact as I had expected, pregnant. Ryan and I embraced each other in excitement –and fear. I looked up and told him, “It’s a girl. I’m certain of it.” From that moment on, I was absolutely positive that I was carrying a little baby girl in my tummy. Every old wives’ tale you could think of was also supporting my “girl” prediction. I craved nothing but sweets, I had awful morning sickness, I was carrying high, I didn’t have much of an appetite, and I had gained no weight for the longest time. I worked at a children’s clothing store at the time and I even went as far as to buy some cute girl outfits for my future daughter. Ryan and I had even picked out her name, Lyla. All the while I was in cloud nine, day dreaming about all of the great things I could do with her and teach her. I’ve got a cosmetology license and have always been into doing hair and make-up and girlish things. I couldn’t wait to braid her hair, go to dance recitals, and stay up late talking about boys in her teenage years.

Apparently I did not get the same memo that everyone else did, because I seemed to be the only person who believed I was having a girl. My mother-in-law continued to make comments about how thrilled she was to be having her first grandson. One day after a long rant to my husband about how frustrated she was making me, he asked me, “What will you do if it’s a boy?” I laughed at him. I couldn’t be having a boy. My mom had two girls, my sister had a girl. All I knew was girls. Girls, girls, girls. “What would I do with a boy?” I cringed at what had just come out of my mouth. Then I cringed because it was true…What would I do with a boy? I think the rejection of the thought of a little boy came from the stereotypes that I’d grown up around. I associated boys with guns, hunting, camouflage, fighting, fishing, and cars. I started to sob uncontrollably. I don’t know if it was the hormones or the absolute fear of what kind of a mother I would be to a boy that made me so upset, but Ryan had stirred up a lot of doubt I had in myself.

For a few more weeks I waited on pins and needles for the big ultra-sound, all the while trying to stay strong in my belief of a baby girl. I guess I thought if wished hard enough I’d get what I wanted. Finally the big day arrived. As I sat in the waiting room trying to hold down my breakfast I felt this overwhelming sense that I had better prepare myself for the news that I didn’t want to hear. During the ultra-sound I said almost nothing, anxiously awaiting confirmation of the sex of my baby. Then she flashed a huge grin and said, “This is his penis! It’s a boy!” I remained silent and squeezed my husband’s hand hard. He got a bit misty eyed but tried to hold back his excitement so as not to upset me further. It took every ounce of willpower I had to not burst out into an inconsolable cry. I let one tear drop roll down my right cheek and my dreams of a little girl rolled away with it.

I didn’t talk to anyone for a few days. I knew I’d be barraged with a load of “I knew it!” and “I told you so”. Also, I was secretly freaking out about how I would parent a little boy. I had so much internal dialogue happening. What could we possibly have in common? How will he ever get to know who I really am as a person? What are we going to do together for fun? I hate trucks and cars. I’m not good at making sound effects. I don’t like guns and weapons or violence. I hate potty humor. He’s going to think I’m not fun.

A few short months later and after 45 hours of induced labor resulting in a c section, I became the mom to a very healthy, very beautiful, 7 pound baby boy, Leeland. At the moment that I first held him in my arms, every fear, every anxiety that I was feeling melted away. It took looking into his big blue eyes for me to realize that every baby is different. Every baby develops their own personality and interests. When I looked at him, I didn’t see a rowdy or dirty little ruffian. I saw my son, a tiny ray of light with a million possibilities. As I watch him grow now at five months old, he is the sweetest little guy. He loves the television show “Yo Gabba Gabba” and anything soft and cuddly. He clings to his elephant blankie no matter where he goes.

Everything he does is magical. I could not imagine my life any differently. I am so glad to be in his world and I love watching him develop his own little personality. I may not have gotten what I wanted, but I definitely got what I needed. He is teaching me so much.

Written by Lindsey Doeberling of BuffaloMommies.com

Homemade Playdough Recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

A new year, time for new play dough! This is by far the best recipe I have tried. It is from the blog: Counting Coconuts.

Ingredients:
-1 cup Flour
-1/2 cup Salt
-1 tablespoon Cream of Tartar or lemon juice
-1 tablespoon Cooking Oil
-1 cup Water

Directions:
1. In a medium sized bowl, combine all the dry ingredients and mix well. Add wet ingredients to bowl and mix well.

2. Add contents to a large pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until it forms a ball.

3. The dough is ready when the mixture pulls away from the pan and when the wet parts begin to look dry.

4. Turn the dough onto your countertop and knead it until smooth. It will be very hot so be careful!

The original recipe says to add food coloring, glitter, extracts, etc. AFTER the dough has cooled. She says that the color and scents won't "take" as well when the dough is hot/very warm. I like to half the recipe and add the food coloring while the ingredients are in the pot because the colors blend better. I then add the glitter and/or scents after the dough has cooled.

Store dough in a Ziploc container or bag in the refrigerator. It will last months. It's time to throw away the dough when it starts to look dry and crusty or when it gets very sticky and gooey. What you want it a nice, smooth, elastic consistency.

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

Make Ahead Baked French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

This is a "healthier" version of a recipe from The Pioneer Woman Cooks. If you are looking to make something more decadent, replace ingredients with white bread, whole milk, and cream instead of the substitutions I made. Also, if you are looking to make this the same day just refrigerate for several hours before baking. This is the perfect recipe to make when you want something special but don't have a lot of time to prepare in the morning because you can make it ahead of time the night before. This is my go to breakfast for holidays.

Baked French Toast

Ingredients:
1 loaf whole wheat french bread
2 cups milk (I used 2%)
1/2 cup 1/2 & 1/2
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. vanilla

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick cold butter, cut into pieces

Directions:
1. Grease a 9x13 pan with butter. Tear the bread into bite-size chunks or cut into cubes and place evenly in the pan.

2. Mix together the eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Pour evenly over the bread. Cover tightly and store in the fridge over night.

3. In a medium bowl mix together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until it all looks nice and crumbly like small pebbles. Place in a ziploc bag and put in fridge for the morning.

4. When ready to bake, take pan and baggie out of fridge. Remove wrap and evenly sprinkle the crumb mixture over the top. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees (or 45 minutes if you like it more soft and pudding-like).

5. Top with butter and syrup. Enjoy!

Adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Friday the 13th!

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Are you superstitious? How do you feel about black cats crossing your path? Here is a list of some common superstitions. What others do you believe in?

-Friday the thirteenth is an unlucky day
-An apple a day keeps the doctor away
-A four-leaf clover is good luck
-If you walk under a ladder, you will have bad luck
-If a black cat crosses your path you will have bad luck
-Breaking a mirror will bring you seven years bad luck
-Step on a crack, break your mother's back
-If you blow out all of the candles on your birthday cake with one breath you will get your wish
-An itchy palm means money will come your way
-Crossing your fingers helps to avoid bad luck and helps a wish come true
-Finding a penny heads up is good luck, tails up is bad luck

The Birthday Calculator

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

Here's a fun little time waster: The Birthday Calculator. Punch in your birthday for fun statistics and astrological information about the day you were born. I was born in May. Here are some interesting things I learned:

-I was born on a Friday
-My age is the equivalent of a dog that is 4.94481409001957 years old. (I'm still chasing cats!)
-The moon's phase on the day I was born was waxing gibbous.
-My fortune cookie reads: Don't forget, you are always on our minds.

Check this out and tell us, what is something neat you learned about your birthday?

Fun Favor Idea

noreply@blogger.com (Joanne) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:00:00 +0000

During the holidays I was looking for some inexpensive stocking stuffers when I came up with the idea to make personalized hand sanitizers for the members of my family. Bath & Body Works has those cute little scented ones for about $1.50 but I wanted to make something more personal & fun. Although Christmas is over, this is something that can easily be done for birthday party favors or as an extra little gift for someone like a teacher, neighbor, or friend.

Supplies:
-hand sanitizer bottles
-scissors
-brushes for glue
-modge podge glue
-images for bottle
-stickers, glitter, embellishments (optional)

At the dollar store I was able to find hand sanitizers in mini packs of 2 for $1.00. I could have also bought a full sized hand sanitizer for the same price but I wanted to make something small for purses or pockets. Next I looked online for images pertaining to each person I was making a sanitizer for. You could also cut images from magazines, cards, or draw pictures yourself. Funny family photographs will also do the trick. You want to make sure the images are sized to fit on the front of your bottles.

Start by peeling the label from the front of the bottles. Mine came right off without any residue being left behind but if there is some adhesive left, a little nail polish remover or goof off on a cotton ball should wipe it off.

Brush modge podge onto the back of your image and stick it to the front of your bottle. With a small brush, paint modge podge onto the front of the image, spreading the glue in one direction only. It's ok if you go slightly beyond the edge of your image but any more can be wiped up with a damp cloth or paper towel.

Let the modge podge dry and then add another coat of glue painting in the opposite direction. When that dries you can embellish your sanitizer with stickers on the caps, a ribbon around the neck of the bottle or any other idea you can come up with. I just left mine plain.

These were a big hit! Everyone got a chuckle out of the images I chose for them and who couldn't use more sanitizer?

Biggest Loser is coming to BuffaloMommies!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Alli) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:13:00 +0000

Are your pants feeling a little snug from all the delicious holiday treats? Does the hustle and bustle of the season have you relying on the $1.00 menu for dinner? We hear you! You've asked for it and here it is...

BuffaloMommies 2012 Biggest Loser

WHEN: The contest will start February 3rd and run 12 weeks to April 27th.
HOW: Sign-ups & payment are January 16th-27th.
COST: $3.00 fee ($1 of the proceeds will benefit BuffaloMommies and the rest go to the winner of the competition!)

Come gain support, inspiration, and motivation in a private forum with other mommies looking to lose weight, shape up, and make healthy eating decisions. Log in to our website to see the official rules and procedures of participation!

*If you have any health conditions, please get the okay from your physician before participating in our contest. Successful weight loss can only be achieved with proper diet and exercise. We absolutely discourage any form of weight loss medication!*

*In order to participate, members should be at least five pounds over their minimum healthy weight range.*

*Moms less than 6 weeks post-partum as of February 2nd are ineligible for the contest. Pregnant moms are not eligible in the contest for health reasons. If you become pregnant during this competition, you would not be able to continue the contest.*

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to PM your site admins or any member of the management team. We are also looking for a member to be our Biggest Loser forum moderator - check out the "Help Wanted" forum for more information!

This Week With the Mommies

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

We chat online in a private forum — discussing everything from the best photographers to the worst temper tantrums and all that lies between — and meet up regularly at member-driven events around town. Whether it's a late-night commiseration about a crying baby (there are 4 a.m. posts to prove it) or a Moms' Night Out, BuffaloMommies provides what our members need, when and how they need it.

Click here to go directly to our calendar, and stay up-to-date on all of our events scheduled for this week.

Staying Healthy This Winter

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

A runny nose, coughing, an aching body, and choking phlegm are just a few of the unattractive and uncomfortable symptoms related to the common cold and flu. During the chilly winter months, we find ourselves spending the majority of our time indoors, making it quite easy to send and receive those unwanted cold and flu cooties. Both the common cold and the flu are extremely contagious. Many of these germs are spread by hand-to-hand contact and are also airborne. It seems as though we are destined for some sort of sniffle each year. However, we have control to a certain extent! Give it your best shot this winter and beyond to avoid those pesky cold and flu critter invasions. Here are the top 10 tips for staying healthy during cold and flu season:

Sleep eight hours a night. Yes, lack of sleep can affect the immune system. While we sleep, our immune system releases proteins called cytokines. Cytokines are necessary for fighting infection.
Get stress levels under control. Stress can decrease immune system function. Research has found that cortisol and catecholamines, hormones that are released during times of stress, can turn down the effects of the immune system. The following link provides more info on the effects of stress: http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2007/Januar ... res_01.htm.
Yoga, deep breathing, meditation, exercise, and getting yourself into the present moment are all ways to cope with stress.
Get outdoors every day. Spending too much time indoors, especially around people, can increase your chances of contracting those cold and flu cooties! In addition, getting sunlight for 15 minutes every day can improve your mood and Vitamin D levels.
Exercise! Indoors or outdoors, exercise has repeatedly been shown to strengthen not only our bodies but also our immune systems. For detailed information regarding exercise and immunity, check out this link: http://my.clevelandclinic.org/disorders ... ystem.aspx.
To review guidelines on physical activity, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s website: http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/eve ... index.html.
Wash your hands!
Consume a balanced and nutritionally dense diet. Proper nutrition goes a long way! There is no better way to receive vitamins and minerals than through fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains. For the dairy lovers and meat eaters out there, choose the leanest options available. Vitamins and minerals provide our cells with the building blocks it needs to fight off disease! Excess sugar and fat can create a systemic inflammatory response, making it more difficult for our bodies to fight off disease and illness.
Hydrate! Water can flush toxins from the body and carry much-needed nutrients to our body’s cells and tissues. The dry winter months can cause insensible hydration losses that we are typically not aware of. In addition, mild dehydration can make you feel drained and more susceptible to the dreaded "C": constipation.
Rinse the nasal passages! A practice that many refer to as nasal flushing is a safe and effective way to clean out the nasal passages. During cold-weather months, the respiratory tract creates more mucus in an attempt to warm and moisten our airways. When that mucus spends too much time inside the body, germs can linger and proliferate. By flushing the mucus from your nose, you are removing some of those unwanted infestations. For more information, check out http://www.neilmed.com/usa/index.php.
Avoid the inevitable. It may be best to avoid situations where you know you will encounter individuals with the cold or flu. In many instances, this is not possible, or perhaps you are unaware of someone's pending illness. Nonetheless, take precautions by strengthening your own immune system and washing your hands postvisit. Also, remember to avoid putting your hands near your face until a thorough washing occurs.
Keep your living spaces clean and tidy. Keyboards, doorknobs, countertops, and fruits and vegetables can all be hosts and carriers of bacteria and viruses. Disinfect often!

For more tips regarding nutritional supplements and vitamins to complement the tips mentioned above, consult your health care provider.

And remember, an apple a day just may keep the doctor away! Best to you and your family for a safe and healthy holiday!

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

To Die For Blueberry Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

I am not a morning person at all. When my daughter screams, "Mommy!" in the morning, all I want to do is hide under the covers for a few more minutes. So usually, I am not in the mood to make a huge breakfast, either. I like something that is good and quick.

Lately, Virginia has been on a blueberry kick. She loves her some blueberry waffles. When I was at the grocery store, I grabbed some fresh blueberries for her. Well, don't you know, my silly goose turned up her nose at the blueberries. I don't like to waste food, so I decided to make blueberry muffins. I usually use the store-bought muffin packs, but I ran across this To Die for Blueberry Muffin recipe on AllRecipes and decided to give it a shot.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups, or line with muffin liners. I always like to put two liners in one muffin spot. Like my mother, I tell my family that the one that gets the double liner is going to have a lucky day. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder.

Measure 1 cup of vegetable oil; add egg and enough milk to fill the cup. Mix this with flour mixture.

Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups to the top, and sprinkle with crumb-topping mixture.

To make crumb topping: Mix 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven or until done.

Post originally submitted by Kathy (absolutelykathy) to the CentralPiedmontMommies blog on Sept. 8, 2011.

This Week With the Mommies

noreply@blogger.com (The Mommies Network) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000