Pen-Pal Productions

Fitness Friday: Maintaining a Healthy Routine After Baby

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000

This Fitness Friday is a guest post from a lovely mama who inspires me (Jenn) with her motivation to be healthy. She was awesome enough to write a guest post this week about getting back into a healthy routine post-baby. You can check out her personal blog over at onehealthyapple.blogspot.com

Hi PenPal Productions Readers! My name is Yelena (pronounced Ye-lay-na) and I blog (rather infrequently) at onehealthyapple.blogspot.com. I’m honored to post on this cute corner of the Interwebz and share a bit about how my family keeps up a healthy routine with a very active toddler and a busy schedule, without losing our minds (completely) or ourselves, as many parents do, after welcoming their bundle of joy.

I’m a self-proclaimed health junkie- mostly out of necessity, as I grew up as an overweight kid and teenager. I also saw how unhealthy my grandparents became in their old age and I knew I had to do something (or a lot of things) differently. Luckily, I also married a bona fide health freak and together we ate healthy foods, hiked, worked out, and enjoyed our separate health interests (me: yoga, hubby: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu).

I worked out through my whole 41+ week pregnancy with my little boy and felt great. I was smug and could not figure out how people didn’t make time for health and fitness with kids and ‘those people’ were lazy. And then the shit hit the fan. I had a sweet little boy who never slept, didn’t take a bottle if I was anywhere in smelling distance, and I was tired. So very tired. Now that I’m barely out of the baby stage, I wanted to share some of the things that helped me get back on track right after baby, and what we do now to maintain our health:

Right After Baby:

Give yourself some grace. Yes, I had gained 35 pounds, but I also just gave birth. Once I forgave myself and let go of this guilt, I felt much better.
Start small. Nope, I couldn’t take a whole 75-minute vinyasa flow class, but I could wear the baby and go for walks, so I walked a lot. When that got better, I did quick YouTube workouts, jogged (slowly), or went to the gym for a half hour at a time.
Make healthy options available. I couldn’t cook all the time, but I could buy Greek yogurt, fruit, grains, and lean protein. When I was famished from feeding the baby all the time, I at least had some smart choices.
Communicate. I had to tell my husband that I didn’t feel like myself without exercise. He helped encourage me and took the baby out for a walk if I was doing a home workout or going for a quick jog.
Ask for help. Ask a friend, ask a parent, get a cleaning Groupon. Mental health is as important as physical health.

Life With a Baby/Toddler:

Give yourself another break. Kidlets go through various stages and phases. Sometimes they sleep, sometimes they don’t. Nobody likes a cranky parent, so don’t forget to take care of yourself through those sleepless nights and days. Working out can wait. Your body needs sleep to repair itself, so that’s basically a workout there.
Make some goals. I made a goal to go to the gym 3 times per week once my son was about 6 months old. It was simple and anything on top of that was gravy. Make sure to reevaluate as you get stronger and as your family reaches a new normal. You can surprise yourself as you knock your old goals out of the park.
Reward yourself. It’s hard work! When you reach a milestone (weight, distance, even consecutive hours of sleep), do something nice for yourself. I am more motivated when I have something nice to wear, so a new sports bra or yoga pants keep me going.
Communicate. Now that our schedule is more or less set, my hubby and I sit down each week (it literally takes two minutes) and discuss which days we have work meetings, any other commitments, and preferred workout days. My husband trains 3ish times a week for 3ish hours including his commute, while I typically wake up at 5:50 each morning to get my exercise in. But sometimes I go at night, and it’s nice to plan the week knowing where our obstacles are.
Involve your little ones in fitness. My son loves to ‘do yoga’ with me, we go on family hikes, and we have continued our walks together with the dog. Sometimes he still makes me carry him, and that’s a hell of a workout with a 30+ pound flailing weight.
Ask for help. Make your partner a shopping list, cook dinner together, ask a grandparent to babysit, or get another cleaning Groupon. You can’t do it all and asking for help is not a sign of weakness.

I have to add a disclaimer that I’m not a health professional and none of this is easy. I have lost all of the baby weight and have been maintaining it for about a year now, but sometimes I’m still completely unmotivated and I still eat too much chocolate. I’m only human. Each family works differently, but this is what has worked for us.

Thanks again to Jenn for the opportunity to post!

XOXO,

Yelena

Wordless Wednesday: Halloween Edition!

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000

By Jenn, iPhone 4s

Top 10 Toddler iPad Apps

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000

We are not a technology-free family. More power to those who are but I honestly don’t know how we’d get by without the iPad some days. Or in restaurants. Always in restaurants. My toddler has been using an iPad since he was 5 months, when Grandma downloaded Giggle Gang. And the truth is, I’m not ashamed.

I’m not even ashamed to admit that after our first iPad was shattered in a horrific puddle-dropping accident, we rushed out to buy a new one within 24 hours. It was that important.

I could go on about how we are a technology-driven society, how I grew up with NES and SNES and turned out fantastic, but I’ll save my breath. I’m already aware it’s one of those infamous mommy-guilt hot topics and I don’t care to get involved too heavily in that. I will leave it at this: I don’t believe that technology, in moderation, is bad; it’s not going to ruin my child, and honestly, I’ll be damned if an iPad app didn’t teach my son the entire alphabet. I

So, in celebration of the iPad, I’d like to list my 2 year old’s top ten favorite apps. There’s so many out there to choose from and I’m constantly changing and upgrading them as he masters them. Quite honestly, he amazes me by how much he picks up and he utilizes skills that he learns, like shapes, colors, numbers, and letters, in the outside world as well. Oh, and finding random toddler selfies? Priceless.

1) Originator’s Endless Learning Bundle

These are hands-down my son’s favorite set of apps. Included is Endless ABC’s, Endless 123’s, and Endless Reader.

2) Tiny Hands Super Bundle

Right now we have TinyHands sorting 1 and 2, Lotto 1, and What’s my pair? The super bundle includes ALL of the TinyHands apps, but it’s pricey. So it might be more optimal to pick and choose. However, these are great apps and the super bundle includes all ten of them. So really, at $20, you’re only really paying $2/each for endless, educational entertainment.

3) Writing Wizard

This is a new one for us, and a little above a 2 year old skill level, but basically it teaches kids to write letters and words. My son shows some interest in it which, historically for him, seems to be a precursor to it becoming a favorite down the road so I felt the need to include it on this list.

4) Reading Rainbow

Just do it. Support a good cause.

5) Petting Zoo

This is a weird one. This app, I’m convinced, has no actual point. But my child and his friends are obsessed with it and will literally mess around with it for an entire meal out. So it’s worth noting.

6) Trucks HD

If your kiddo hearts trucks as much as mine, this is a great one. It’s not super educational, though there’s a section that teaches the differences between compost, recyclables, and trash, so that’s kinda neat.

7) KidsDoodle and Drawing Pad

I’ve bundled these two together as our go-to artsy apps. No crayons? No worries! These are basically just painting apps with all the pretty colors. This is a good app for us to play with together on the go because I can draw shapes or faces and ask him what they are. And then he can copy me.

8) Peek-a-Zoo and Peek-a-Zoo HD

Animals FTW!

9) Elmo Calls

Okay, this game is pretty annoying, but it certainly taught my son the art of face timing. I felt it was worth noting for any die-hard Sesame Street fans out there. I believe there are other characters that can “call” your child as w

ell.

10) Flash Apps’ Baby Flash Cards

This one incorporates all that is preschool as far as numbers, colors, shapes, animals, etc. It’s not as fun as other apps, IMO, but my son still enjoys it none-the-less.

Citrus Lane [infant] Box Review: October

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000

We loved this box as much as the toddler box this month. Everything was so cute and, most importantly, age relevant! Tiny man is just starting to grasp objects and show interest in feeling different textures, so we’ve already gotten a lot of use out of this box. I rate this box a 9/10.

The contents included a donut rattle by North American Bear Co. (plus coupon code), a cage bell by Hohner Kids, a soft book by Tiny Love, and two Calendula Baby Care samples by Weleda.

So, the rattle. So cute! It’s a gender neutral, and has a soft texture with a soft rattle noise to go along with it. My almost-three month old loves to feel it, listen to it shake, and attempt to hold on to it. I like it because the noise isn’t too loud or startling, it could easily be taken with us while traveling and be entertaining without annoying everyone around us. And, did I mention it’s super cute?!

The cage bell is a fun one too. It pairs nicely with the maracas that came in my two-year old’s box, and now my children can start a family band. Tiny man hasn’t taken to holding this one so much as he has watching me or big brother make noise with it for him to watch. It’s not something I’d take on an airplane, but it’s fun for home.

We sat down together to look at the Where Do I Live Soft Book this morning. It’s a nice little book full of simple colors, animals, textures and stuff to grab at (or gnaw on if the mood strikes). Tiny man loves the different textures and the crinkly pages. The first page has felt “grass” and he played with it for a few minutes (which is basically hours in infant time). It’s also sturdy; it’s soft and made of cloth but it’s not floppy like other soft books we have which makes page turning so much easier on little, tiny hands.

The Weleda samples included baby shampoo/wash and a diaper cream. Not too much to say about them as we have not yet tried them out, but it’s a company I’m already familiar with and I’ve enjoyed their products in the past. In general, samples aren’t my favorite items to receive, especially one-time-use samples, but I suppose it never hurts to toss them into the diaper bag for emergencies. Plus, they came with a 20% coupon code.

Citrus Lane [toddler] Box Review: October

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000

If my 2 year old could rate this box, he’s give it a million thumbs up. It’s basically everything he loves packaged neatly into one adorable box (including the crinkly packing paper)- cars, maracas, and a dinosaur book! We’re all very pleased with the contents this month. He couldn’t wait for me to take photos to get into the box with the yellow taxi cab and I had to hunt them down this morning for their proper photo ops.

Another small excitement was that box boxes arrived at the same time this month so both kiddos got fun, new stuff to play with. Mostly, this means my oldest won’t steal tiny man’s toys, claim them as his own, and then get upset when he has to share them with baby brother. This month he’s far too distracted with his new favorite wooden cars.

I rate this box a 9/10. The only thing lacking is the fact that I would love a Janod coupon for their store. The only coupon code included in this box is for Chronicle Books.

The contents included two Story City Sets by Janod, two maracitos by Hohner Kids, and a dinosaur board book by Chronicle Books.

First of all, my son is *way* into cars. Big, small, metal, wooden, big wheels, small wheels, even trucks - he doesn’t discriminate. If it has wheels and he can drive it around the house, he’s content. So this box is perfect! The first set is the Taxi Story City Set, and of the two cars included in the box this one is his favorite. He doesn’t care much for the man on the bike because the wheels on his moped don’t move, but he’s sure to carry around his yellow taxi all day and into the evening before nicely tucking it into his bed to go night-night.

The second set is the Police Story City Set. Again, he’s not very into the police man himself, so the police man is effectively left without any transportation. He also ensures the blue car is tucked in safely for bed at night, next to the yellow taxi (and his favorite airplane, boat, and truck…). I actually think these toys are some of his most favorite CL contents ever. And *I* like them because they’re wooden, don’t make noise, and are just generally simple toys that promote imaginative play. Oh, and?! They fit into standard train tracks!! It took my tot all of 5 seconds to figure this out and it was quite the exciting moment for us all.

As anyone with kids will tell you, they like to make noise. One way to do this is by pulling out all of the baking sheets from under the stove and banging them against the tile floor. A better way to do this is through instruments. We already own several maracas of different quality, size, and color so this item wasn’t the most exciting content in the box, but I’m still happy about it because it’s something both my two year old and three month old appreciate. And they’re a nice size, they’re not too big for tiny baby hands to grasp, and not to small for my toddler to a) eat or b) lose interest in. They still make some decent noise, and really, what else matters in the eyes of a two year old boy? Admittedly, he has not played with these since I helped him remove his precious cars from their boxes, but I’ll add them to our music box nonetheless.

Anddd the dinosaur board book. Dinosaurs are great. Mr. Man loves PBS’s Dinosaur Train, so anything dinosaur related is usually a win. This book incorporates dinosaurs AND shapes, so not only do we get to ROAR every time we turn a page, my son gets to point out different shapes (and colors). It’s become a bed time favorite (and thank goodness for that, because sometimes reading the same 3 books every. single. night. can be, well, tiring).

Partial Solar Eclipse

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 21:40:00 +0000

Partial Solar Eclipse, 10/23/2014
Shot with Nikon D5300, Sigma 70-300mm

There was a partial solar eclipse yesterday! That silly stuff makes me excited. I was so happy to remember that I'd saved a pair of cheap eclipse-viewing glasses from a trip to Australia a few years ago (yay for sentimental souvenirs!) I'm thrilled that I was able to capture a decent shot. Actually, I'm pretty thrilled I even remembered to look at the right time. You couldn't actually tell anything was going on without special glasses or a homemade pinhole box, or something of that sort.

Aside from the sun resembling a giant smile, or a mandarin orange as Kristin pointed out to me, I love that you can see a giant sun spot. Upon further investigation, I learned that NASA has these sun spots numbered:

Looks like the one in my picture is 2192. My little ol' camera photographed a sun spot on a star that's 92,960,000 miles away! Technology, people.

Chocolate Oatmeal

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000

Nommmmm.

I've been eating this for breakfast every single day and I can't get enough. It's a bit like Kristin's Oatmeal Made Interesting recipe but instead uses banana and Almond extract. The original recipe is from Chocolate-Covered Katie but I've adapted it a bit in that I don't use any additional sweetener and I've opted for Almond Extract instead of Vanilla (though it's delicious with both).

This recipe is easy-peasy. It doesn't take any longer for me to whip it together and cook on the stove than it was when I was microwaving my oatmeal. And it tastes like it should be the most horrible thing you could put into your body, but it's actually healthy!

Chocolate Oatmeal

1/2 cup rolled oats (I use Red Mill GF)
1- 1 1/2 cups milk* (I use Almond milk)
1 ripe banana
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 tsp Almond Extract *swoon*
pinch of salt

*The original recipe says you can use water here too but I think it tastes significantly worse with water, not to mention the texture somehow becomes all wrong. But, whatever floats your chocolate-covered boat :) You can use as much or as little milk as you prefer to make it the right consistency for you.

Combine the oats and milk. Add banana and mash together with oatmeal. Add cocoa powder, almond extract, and salt. Cook over medium-high until hot. Stir often. Enjoy!

October 2014 Flicker Box

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Thu, 09 Oct 2014 17:15:00 +0000

Yay, it’s Flicker Box day! I was looking forward to the Fall theme, “Leaf Peeping”, this month because I’m always homesick for New England this time of year. And no one does Fall like New England. This box included two good-sized candles, one votive in a glass holder, and a giant floating leaf-shaped candle.

Midnight Owl Candle Co. Autumn Leaves

First and foremost, I love the label design on this jar. I know, I know, don’t judge a book by it’s cover, but I totally do. It’s adorable. This candle is said to have a long burn life and that makes me happy since it’s my favorite scent in the box this month. It will also likely be the last one I burn because I *always* save the best for last. It’s a soy candle with zero toxins or lead (some candles contain lead?!) so as I’m breathing it in I don’t have to have that nagging feeling in the back of my mind wondering just where those delicious fragrances actually come from.

Armadilla Wax Works Orange Cinnamon votive and Leaf Floater

This scent was the most overpowering scent when I first opened the box. Admittedly, orange cinnamon isn’t my *favorite* scent, but it does feel quite Autumn so I will burn it none-the-less. I’m personally thrilled about receiving a votive this month because I just so happened to purchase the cutest candle holder yesterday that is meant for votives. I intentionally held out on purchasing a candle to go into this holder in hopes of Flicker Box sending me something that would work, and I’m so happy about it! The Votive is said to have a 15 hour burn life and the floater should last around 4 hours.

2nd Star On the Right Mulled Cider

I love this scent, though it falls into that “I wish I was smelling *actual* cider that I could be drinking instead of just the scent of one” category. What I like most about this candle is the wooden wick. This is the second box I’ve received with a wooded-wicked candle and I think they’re so unique looking, plus the description says it all, “Wooden wick burns slowly and crackles when lit”. CRACKLES! I also thought they would burn much faster but they don’t. This is another soy candle and boasts about being free of animal or petroleum by-products. The tin itself can also be reused (time to attempt my own candles? Hmm..)

As an added bonus, there was a little bag of candy (Happy Halloween to me!) along with the standard book of matches and a coupon. Happy day! I rate this box an 9/10, only because I don’t love floating candles (I don’t have anything to put it in other than a bowl right now). Otherwise, it’s a great quality box and should last me well into the next month just in time for November’s box.

Mama Bear Monday: Bubbles!

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Mon, 06 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000

My 2 year old loves bubbles. Loves. We used to take turns blowing bubbles for him because he couldn't do it himself yet, but now that he can do it himself the biggest concern is how much he enjoys pouring out the solution all over the floor. No, I don't have any way of fixing that, but what I do have is a darn good bubble recipe! We use it in our bubble blower, but I bet it would be equally awesome with a wand. It makes massive bubbles, and everyone knows the bigger the bubble the better. I'm talking some seriously hardcore bubble-making. So, without further adieu, here it is:

1/2 cup dawn dishwashing liquid
2 cups of water
2 teaspoons of sugar

Viola! Hope your kiddos (or maybe just you?) enjoy :)

Fitness Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Fri, 03 Oct 2014 19:12:00 +0000

Being healthy has become a big part of my life. Well, I suppose it always has been, but I’ve been extra focused after birthing two humans. It’s hard to see the body you’ve known all your life change with pregnancy, but especially reaching a level of acceptance with your postpartum body. It’s just. Not. The same.

I’ve lost most of my pregnancy weight. In fact, if we’re counting (which I am), I only have 5 more pounds to go to reach my goal weight. I’m one of those women that seemingly annoy other women because I drop baby weight quickly. However, that doesn’t mean my body hasn’t changed from my own version of normal. That doesn’t mean that I’m comfortable with the way I look or that I’m ready to settle with ‘good enough’.

I wanted to start Fitness Friday posts because 1) I need the motivation, 2) I like seeing my progress, and 3) I want to share the journey with others. But I’m torn on how to go about doing that.

Originally, I was going to post weekly photos of my progress but I’m not sure I want to do that just yet. While I would love to share my progress, I also don’t believe that women should be comparing themselves to other women- especially when it comes to postpartum bodies. We are all different shapes and sizes and at varying levels of healthy. Honestly, I’m tired of the focus that gets put in this area in general. I don’t want to contribute to that, but at the same time I do want to be more healthy for me, for my husband, and for my boys. One of the hardest parts of being pregnant with a toddler, for me, was the inability to run around with him, to lift him, to chase him, to be physically active with him. I never want to feel that way again, and that’s my biggest motivator to get into shape. That’s the one thing I think about when I don’t think I can push any further.

I’d be lying if I said part of me didn’t care what my actual body looked like, that if I was healthy then that’s all that matters. I wish that’s how it was, but it’s not. Like I said, I don’t want to settle. I know that my belly button will never look the same, and I am okay with that- there’s literally nothing I can do about that. But I also know that I *can* find my abs again, I *can* tone my arms and legs, and I *can* be stronger. And if it’s something I *can* change, and *want* to change, then dammit, I’m going to change it.

I think one of the biggest hurdles for moms is time. Especially in the first months, even year, after giving birth. You’ve got this tiny person (or two, or three) who needs you all. the. time. You’re lacking sleep and sanity. You might be heading back to work or starting as a first time stay at home mom, learning to balance family schedules and meals and naps and diapers. It’s HARD, everyone knows it’s hard, yet everyone tries to pretend they can do it all. And maybe some people can, but I can’t. And if you’re like me, you have to go out of your way to make time for yourself. That might mean anything from a pedicure to going for a drive, alone, or working out.

The bottom line is if deep-down YOU don’t want to work out, you aren’t going to see much progress. If you don’t want to be doing something, you’re not going to give it your best and if you don’t give it your best, you aren’t going to be satisfied with your results because your expectations are too high. If you’re dieting and heading to the gym because you think society is judging your postpartum body, take a step back and think about your priorities. Think about the fact that your body alone kept a human being alive for 10 months. Really, think about it! It’s pretty freakin’ awesome. Everyone needs some sort of motivation. Find yours, and hold on like hell.

So for now, I’m not going to post progress photos. I’m going to take them for my own record and leave it at that. Instead, in the future, I'll just post about what's on my mind, what I'm eating, how I'm exercising, and what's keeping me motivated.

Big Kid Room on a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 10:00:00 +0000

My two year old officially has a big boy room! It’s been in transition for quite some time. He had a pretty sweet toddler car bed for a few months but it felt like it was time for a real bed, with a real mattress. At the same time, I didn’t want to spend a whole lot of money since I plan on buying the boys some *real* furniture after our next move, probably bunk beds with matching dressers and all that jazz (a PBK bedding splurge will probably happen as well, woot!) Anyway, little man needed an upgrade with a small budget and I’m pretty proud of the outcome.

We bought him a trundle bed that was on sale and came pre-assembled, much to my husband’s relief. The wood in no way matches the dresser he already had, but I think we can all live with that for a while. I will say, I had daydreams of sanding and repainting that dresser but then we realized what bad shape it’s truly in when we went to move it and it all but fell apart on us (is this an ikea trend? I have to admit, as much as I love their store and their prices, their furniture does not tend to hold up well in big moves). I’m pretty sure it would not survive a move outside to paint. So in that corner it shall stay until 2016.

I have two Pinterest projects in that room: the ikea spice racks as book shelves, and the photos on the wall I took of Mr. Man’s favorite toys. I painted the unfinished Walmart frames blue and gray, it took all of maybe an hour. The photos themselves are probably my favorite part of the room because, how cute are they!? The original Pinterest post suggests having engineer prints made at Office Depot but, alas, resources are quite limited here and that just wasn’t an option for me. Besides, the frames are adorable and bring some extra color into the room.

His sheets are from Target, dinosaurs, and the adorable monster quilt was handmade by grandma. It’s toddler-bed size but it’s still a great size for the twin bed, as well as for my son himself at bed time. In fact, we don’t even actually utilize the blue comforter yet, he sleeps on top of it, choosing instead to use his three favorite blankets to stay warm instead. This suits everyone fine because technically his bed stays made :)

Oh, and let's not forget the road rug. Every child deserves a road rug. This one happens to also be from Ikea.

All in all I think everything looks adorable. His room is pretty small, so I was pleased to see the twin bed fit just fine. This whole transition took only a few hours total and there have been no meltdowns over any of the changes to date (*knock on wood*), so I think it’s safe to say my son approves.

Tasty Tuesday: Gluten Free Chocolate Marshmallow Cookies

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Tue, 30 Sep 2014 10:00:00 +0000

These are a bit of a spinoff of the Toddler Cookies, though I didn't have that intent when I was making them. Basically, I was craving chocolate cookies but I didn't want the unhealthy aspects. So what's a girl to do? I modified this recipe from it's original version, found here. I had full intentions of incorporating zucchini, but didn't end up doing so. That's not to say, however, it couldn't be done, I just haven't tried it out (I'm sure it's fine).

1 1/2 cup oat or almond flour (I used oat, I'm going to use almond next time)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or almond extract. Or both. I loveeee almond extract)
1 cup GF oats
1 cup mini marshmallows (or regular, both are swell)

Also, feel free to add a cup of whatever else you like- nuts, dried fruits, etc.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Set aside.

Using a mixer, mix brown sugar, applesauce, egg, and vanilla extract. Add previously mixed dry ingredients. Then mix in oats and marshmallows.

Spoon onto a baking sheet (I use an ice cream scoop), spacing cookies 2 inches apart. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until they just barely pass a toothpick test. Let cool and enjoy!

Citrus Lane Box Review: September

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Mon, 29 Sep 2014 10:00:00 +0000

My 2 year old has been receiving Citrus Lane boxes since he was around 3 months old. For the most part, we've been very happy with the contents, though admittedly some months are better than others. Since we're such die-hard CL fans in this house, it was only a matter of time before I signed up my newborn for his very own monthly box. The plan was to cancel the toddler box and move on to Kiwi Crate's recently released Koala Box but I just can't bring myself to do that just yet (so yes, now we subscribe to both).

Today the mailman delivered tiny-man's first CL box. For the most part, it was a decent box, but I always feel a little gypped with less than 5 items. I'm not sure if it's a new *thing* but both boys' boxes seemed a little... light... this month, not the standard 5 items I'm more accustomed to (and I don't count most coupons as an item, usually it's stuff I wasn't planning on buying in the first place). Anyway, all in all, I rate this box a 7/10.

The contents included a long sleeve onesie from Tea Collection (the long sleeves are greatly appreciated as winter approaches!), a "rattle" that isn't actually a rattle, though it's still pretty neat, a sample of Mrs. Meyers dish soap (which also came in my older son's box, so now I have two), and a small bottle of Gripe Water.

First things first, Tea Collection has some pretty quality clothing so that was a plus. Included with the oneside was a coupon for $25 off my first Tea Collection order of $50 or more, and that's exciting because I may actually use said coupon. The onesie itself is a bit plain, but it's super soft and, like a mentioned earlier, it's long sleeved which is always useful when living in the tundra.

The Rainbow "Rattle" by Hape Toys doesn't *actually* rattle. It's more a manipulative-type toy with bright colors. I showed my 2 month old and he gave me some big ol' gummy smiles for a good 15 minutes so I count this toy as a win. I have a few similar toys, probably from previous CL boxes, and they've always been hits in this house. Plus, it's wooden and I like that. It too came with a coupon for 10% off Hapetoys.com.

Mrs. Meyers is a favorite brand of mine. CL has included their samples in the past and, while I do wish they were full size products, a little is better than none at all. I think this is a new scent, Radish, or at least it's one I have not seen before. I now have two of them, so that's neat. Would I prefer toys in my child's box? Yep. Will this do? Sure, why not. Just don't make a habit of it, CL!

Gripe Water. Unfortunately, I recently ordered a giant two-count box of Gripe Water for Mr. Gassy McGee. Otherwise, I'd be pretty pumped about this because it's not super cheap and it's a brand I really like. But hey, I suppose one can never have *too* much Gripe Water.

Product Review: One Love soy candles

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Sat, 27 Sep 2014 10:00:00 +0000

I love subscription boxes. It all started with Citrus Lane, then my husband wanted a box (because he never gets mail) so he subscribed to Dollar Shave Club. Over the last few months, I've become a little obsessed with candles. There's just something about having a lit candle hanging out on my dining room table making my house smell all sorts of delightful and creating a soothing ambiance in a home full of rambunctious boys. So, of course, I did a quick search for candle subscription boxes and Flicker Box came into my life. Honestly, I was a littler turned off by low-budget looking website, but I really liked the idea of having a few candles sent to me every month. My favorite part about Flicker Box is that the candles are all handmade by candle artisans and made in the US. The ingredients are very natural, usually soy based, and they're *always* adorable in their decorative jars or cute little tins. I recently received my third box and I am so happy with the quality of these candles! Oh, and? There's a fun theme every month! Everyone likes themes.

So I think I'll start doing some reviews because I think everyone should know about some of these awesome little companies that don't otherwise get much attention being overshadowed by big companies like Yankee Candle or even Scentsy.

Today I'm only going to review my favorite candle from last month's box, but in the future I'm hoping to do full box reviews. This one is made by One Love, and the scent is Around the Campfire (so obviously it's amazing). Both my husband and I love it, so much so that I've already ordered myself another one along with their Macintosh Apple scent (Helloooo, Fall!). This candle is not huge, it's in a small mason jar (also available in a larger size), but has over 80 hours of burn life. It's made from 100% soy and scented with pure essential oils and plant-based fragrances only. Even the wicks are made with love from 100% pure American grown cotton.

I've been burning this candle for two days now and it's looking like it's got plenty of life left. The scent isn't too overpowering, and it's not sweet smelling (I'm not typically a fan of sweet smelling candles, like food-based stuff). It's a bit masculine, but also reminiscent of late summer campfires. Like, an actual campfire scent. Everyone loves campfires. Therefore, everyone would love this candle :)

I'm excited to smell the Macintosh scent and I'll review that when it arrives.

Reviews

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Sat, 06 Sep 2014 21:51:00 +0000

We've started doing product and subscription box reviews! Check them out:

Subscription Boxes
Products

Do you have a product or box you'd love to see reviewed? Contact us at penpalproductions@gmail.com

Demi's Garden Day 16

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 20:51:00 +0000

What a difference just a couple weeks has made! All of the plants have rooted nicely and are pretty happy. I caged the tomatoes (thank you, Mum) and added a small trellis for the cucumbers which will be upgraded once they get bigger. I'm pretty sure the tomato plant in the top left corner has a flower already so we may just hit our 1 tomato goal early!

And the strawberries have started flowering! My MIL suggested we cover them once they turn into berries to keep the birds away.

Just a quick update for you all, I hope your summer is starting off as wonderfully as ours is.

Day 1:

Day 16:

I am a proud garden mom right now and they haven't even produced a single fruit or veggie!

Demi's Garden: Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Tue, 03 Jun 2014 23:28:00 +0000

Apologies for the blog-neglect! We all have been super busy but I'm here to share a garden update!

Isn't it so hopeful and beautiful!?

I'm going to try really hard to keep them happy and healthy. I have a bit of a brown thumb when it comes to plants but I am dedicated to getting SOMETHING out of this little garden.

After a little more research, I decided that square-foot gardening was the method I wanted to try first. This method is kind of like a vertical garden, each square-foot supports one super healthy (and hopefully productive) plant.

So here is the finished plan, based on what they had at the garden store (we went to That Bloomin' Place in Weymouth) :

I read that marigolds are are good companion plants for tomatoes and peppers so I added a square foot of them so we'll see how that goes. I hope I didn't waste a square on flowers but plants need friends too!

The Mr. measured out a foot on each side and used a little nail to hold some kitchen twine so that we could separate our square-foot sections neatly.

We spent $25 at the garden store so I'm praying that we at least get one fruit or veggie out of this plan. Super low expectations will yield a high reward, right?

We had a lot of extra plant babies so I grabbed whatever pots I could find and planted them all around the garden. I suspect a few of them will outgrow their pots but that is for a different day.

The left overs were,

Broccoli:

3 tomatoes and 3 peppers:

and 2 brussel sprouts (not pictured.)

I also picked up some strawberries, because every garden needs a few strawberry plants:

In other plant news, our gerber daisies have returned! These guys were planted in 2009 as a way to cheer up the side of our apartment. We have let the flower heads dry and make seeds, let the leaves cover them in the fall, and the snow pack on them in the winter, and every year they have faithfully returned to greet us in the spring. I remember talking to Brendan about how we could plant different colors every year because they are supposed to be annual but these flowers are here to stay. We have a theory that the brick wall and the heat from the house keep this strip of soil super warm all year. I love seeing their little heads bloom all summer.

This is Chloe, she loves to watch me garden from the kitchen windowsill.

An avocado experiment by the Mr., he thinks he will get a tree out if this set-up, check back and see.

If you need me I will be here, tending to this garden's every need. Wish me luck?

The finished dress!

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Sun, 25 May 2014 15:43:00 +0000

Here is it! After all that cutting and sewing it is a lovely little dress that I will wear all summer.

I also made the hubs a pocket square to match

I used my serger to the finish the edges of a folded rectangle that seems to have worked.

The Luc wedding was a blast and filled with so much gorgeousness.

I'm obsessed with them.

Let the wedding season begin...

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Let's cut it out!

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Thu, 22 May 2014 12:00:00 +0000

-scissors- -point- -thumb over shoulder-

SO you've picked out your pattern and you got all the pieces from the tissue and now comes the exciting part: cutting all those pieces out of your fabric. There is a guide in the instructions that I normally follow pretty loosely.

We are making view E the white pictures of the peices are the ones you cut face-up and the dark ones are the ones you cut face-down.

The selvedges are the finished edges of the fabric, not the side that has been cut at the fabric store. Once you find your selvedges match them up and fold the fabric. The next step is to iron all of your fabric with these selvedges together. Say good-bye to the right side of your fabric because it'll be a while before you see it again!

I like to work with an ironing board width of fabric while I'm ironing and then pull the entire length of it down as you iron each section, letting the ironed fabric hang over the edge.

I also like to run an iron over the patter pieces to make the lines clean. The left piece has been ironed and the right hasn't been.

Once it is all ironed, bring it to your cutting area/ fabric closet/sewing room/kitchen table, wherever there is enough room to lay a few pieces out. The tools that will greatly help you along are:

A cutting mat, a rotary cutter, something to mark your fabric, some pattern weights and a good pair of scissors. You'll notice that I thought I could cut directly on my table and now I will forever live with those deep cut marks on my sewing table, lesson learned.

Lay out your pattern pieces with the weights dispersed so that it doesn't move around on the fabric.

And start cutting!

Hold the pattern down with your fingers spread out wide and follow the line of the pattern piece, watch your fingers, this blade is sharp!

Be sure to cut out the notches and mark the dots, you'll use them later when you are sewing.

The chalk didn't quite cut it so I used a fabric marker that disappears over time or when it is wet. You can find these at most fabric stores.
This piece was one of the darker colored pieces on the guide so I wanted to add it so you could see that you cut it just like the other ones but with the right side down.

It gets pretty tedious so some entertainment is necessary, my show of choice? Yeah, the Bold & the Beautiful, deal with it. Throw on some music and your fabric will be cut in no time!

If your table is not big enough I use the floor but don't use the rotary cutter, you'll lose your security deposit! Also, if your cats are interested you can use them as a giant, heavy pattern weight, ha!

And don't forget the interfacing! This will help stabilize the lining and give your fabric some structure. It's mostly used for necklines to keep it laying flat.

Now that the fabric is all cut out keep the pattern pieces pinned to them so that you can check out any missed marks or lines you may have missed and start sewing! Don't be scared the instructions are very clear, if you do run into something that doesn't make sense just youtube it! Seriously, it will show you almost every step you will need. Check back tomorrow for the big reveal!

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Wed, 21 May 2014 14:36:00 +0000

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Wed, 14 May 2014 22:58:00 +0000

iPhone 5s

Mother's Day

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Sat, 10 May 2014 23:28:00 +0000

Demi here, checking in to wish a very happy Mother's day to all of the mothers in my life.

My mom is someone I have looked up to my whole life, she is my first call when things go right and when they go wrong. She is the strongest, funniest, most gorgeous woman I have ever met.

Momma, thank you for your support and guidance through this lovely little life.

My mother-in-law is one of the kindest people I have been lucky enough to know. I'm hoping her green thumb will rub off on my basically black thumb. We get along so well and sometimes we say the same thing at the exact same time. I love that we get to make so many new memories in the years to come.

Thank you Momma and Mum, I love you both so very much.

❤

Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Wed, 07 May 2014 11:00:00 +0000

By Jenn. Nikon D5300 1/250 f/5.6 ISO 200

How to Read a Sewing Pattern

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Mon, 05 May 2014 23:48:00 +0000

Hi friends, Demi here.

On my first day of sewing I woke up and decided that I wanted to make my own clothing, my next step was to wander around JoAnn's aimlessly with no clue what to do or where to go. I grabbed a pattern and some fabric and headed home not knowing what I would find. I hope after reading this your first day will be different because I will give you a peek into what comes in a prepackaged sewing pattern. I chose the pattern that I am sewing up for my FF dress to show you how to read it and get you sewing!

Okay so here is what the pattern looks like when you bring it home and open it:

The envelope has a picture of the dresses normally just the front views. There are the instructions printed on newspaper-like paper and the tan paper is tissue all of the pattern pieces that you will need to make everything on the cover of the envelope is printed on here.

This is the back:

There is a lot of information on here that you will need to pay attention to. It may seem like a lot to handle but once you know your size, it's so easy to read. Plus, you only need the left half of the scary text because the other half of it is in French! Oui, bon!

This picture is from the Simplicity website so that you can really read all the text, apparently I'm not steady enough to take a picture where all the text is in focus, sigh.

Anywho, the first line tells what the pattern inside is, this is a dress in two lengths with bodice variations. The next section lists what fabric they suggest to work with. You don't HAVE to use these but they will make your dress look more like the pictured dresses. The next section is what will be needed that is not fabric, these are called notions and with this dress just a 22'' zipper is called for. The next section is the pattern sizes offered in the envelope. Check out the Simplicity website to see how to calculate your size. I also like to look at the very bottom section to help me pick my size because it will have the finished garment measurements which is the measurement of the dress once it is finished. Pay close attention to the bust measurement, this will tell you how the top will fit.

Once you have found your size you have to pick which dress to make. Each dress has letters that correspond to each style variation and with that letter the next section will tell you how much fabric you need. It is calculated based on the width of the fabric used. Most fabrics come in either 45 inch or 60 inch widths. I'm making view E in a size 12 and this says I will need 2 and 5/8 yards of 45" fabric for the dress and 1/4 yard for the lining so I bought 3 yards. Interfacing is also needed for this dress it's normally snuck in under the fabric requirement and I forget it so I normally buy that a couple yards at a time so that I can have that on hand. That's it for the back, easy right?

Now let's look at the instructions and the pattern pieces. Here on the front of the instructions you see each view with their assigned letter in a simple illustration. I like to look at these to really get a grasp on what the dress will look like, the front can be deceptive. On the opposite page, there are the shapes of each pattern piece in the envelope:

Each piece has a name and a number attached to it. Find how many pieces you will need and take note of the numbers. For view E, I will be cutting numbers 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16. I normally don't cut the pieces until I use them to save some time.

When you carefully open up the tissue all of the pieces we saw in the instructions will be laid out on one or two pieces of tissue. It's almost like a little scavenger hunt to find the ones you need to cut out.

Here is the bodice (or the top of the dress) side front, I need this for view E so I'll cut it out.

The pattern piece has a lot of useful information on it as well. The brand and the pattern number, then the sizes, what the piece is for and what dress views use this piece. Then it tells you how many of that piece to cut out, this one needs two pieces cut from the fabric and two from the lining. You'll also see the finished garment measurements here too which are separated by size. some patterns don't include it on the back but it is almost always on a bodice piece inside.

When we get a little closer you can see there are dots and triangles, these are for reference later when the pattern piece is gone. The dots should be marked, I use chalk. The triangles should be cut out, I cut a small line at the highest point.

Now it's time to cut all of those babies out! Find the size needed and the cutting line you should follow and go for it!

I suggest putting a TV show on and getting comfy, it takes a few minutes to find each piece and you'll want to take your time around the curves. After about one "Bob's Burgers" I have all the pieces needed and the pattern is cut out!

Next time, I will lay the pattern pieces out and cut them out of fabric, but until then I will make sure to wash my fabric, I've learned the hard way on that lesson.

See you Friday,

❤

Book Review: The Fault in Our Stars (Green)

noreply@blogger.com (Pen-Pal Productions) — Sun, 04 May 2014 11:00:00 +0000

Hi, friends! Here's another lovely book review for The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.

Does the story interest you?

Demi: Yes, the movie previews have been out for a while now and Kristin had told us that this book was really good and we had to read it.

Jenn: Sounded like a tear-jerker from the start.

Were you engaged immediately, or did it take you a while to "get into it"?

D: I was immediately engaged and then totally invested. I finished the book in 24 hours, it was that good.

J: I was engaged from the get-go, the story was constantly unfolding and kept me wanting to know more.

How did you feel reading it—amused, sad, disturbed, confused, bored...?

D: Hearing what the book was about I really braced myself for it to be super sad and a real year jerker which I think made me not as emotionally attached to it. The story is really well told and it was definitely moving but I don't think I more than teared up.

J: I was sad for a lot of it, but it’s written in a way that I wasn’t sobbing through each page. It was a sweet story.

Did the main characters change by the end of the book? Do they stay the same?

Has this novel changed you—learned something new or broadened your perspective?

D: The main character is actually someone that was based on my philosophy teacher's daughter. Her name was Esther Grace Earl and she inspired John Green in his creation of Hazel Grace. Esther actually named his character before she passed and the book is dedicated to her. When I opened the book and saw her name in there is when I had some real heartfelt tears.

J: The novel really highlights how precious life is. The characters are all fighting incredible battles, living in completely different worlds than most people, myself included, could even imagine. The Fault in Our Stars gives you a glimpse of that world and shows you that no matter what your battle is, life (and love) continues moving full speed ahead.

What passages strike you as insightful, amusing, funny, or profound?

D: I really took to heart that a short life can be a good life. Hazel referred to herself as a grenade and refused to let herself get close to Augustus but ended up realizing that no matter how much time you have it can be filled with love.

J: I thought the underlying message was quite profound; it’s written in a way that doesn’t quite tear your heart out, but sends a strong message that, ‘hey, life is short, give it your all’.

Were you surprised by the plot's complications? Or did you find it predictable, even formulaic?

D: I did not see the twist of Augustus' health deteriorating so quickly and him being the one to pass before the books ending. I also enjoyed the suspense and then the almost real life disappointment with Hazel's favorite author Van Houten, it wasn't nicely wrapped up in a little now which is refreshing.

J: I was 100% caught off guard with how this book ended! You really think you have an idea of what’s happening, then BAM! Grab some tissues!

What foods or beverages did you spill on the book during the course of reading it?

D: I'm not sure I even had time to eat while reading this one! I think I read more than half in one sitting.

J: I’m just not very good at eating and reading.

Any part of the book make you stop and think about the people in book club reading it did something remind you of them or it was disturbing or risqué and made you wonder how they reacted to it?

D: I couldn't help but think for Kristin and her mom and their battle with cancer and scans and traveling from cells to bones.

J: I read this book before our book club “officially” formed.

Is the ending satisfying? If so, why? If not, why not...and how would you change it?

D: The ending wasn't as much satisfying as it was inspiring. A short life can be a great and full life. We dwell so much on the fact that someone is dying when we could celebrate how much life there is to live.

J: I can’t say it was satisfying because it was very sad to me, but it couldn’t have been written any other way. It just couldn’t.

If you could ask the author a question, what would you ask? Does this book inspire you to read others by the same author?

D: I would love to know how this book has changed his audience and his writing. I haven't read anything from him before but this book has had such a big response that his fan base must be much different than it was a few books ago.

While I devoured this book whole I'm not sure any other would strike me as something I would need to read immediately. He is more of a young adult fiction writer and I'm more of a nonfiction memoir lover. Esther's memoir is next on my list, This Star Won't Go Out.

J: I haven’t actually looked into any of his other novels. I don’t know a lot about this author, I’d admittedly only heard of the book when the movie was announced.